Hallo once again!

I decided to create mild lemon-free version of this story, because I really liked the clone headcannon I came up with and wanted to share it with more people.

I will post an update on the original M-Rated story concerning the reviews I have received so far as well as an update concerning some of the projects I am working on.

Anyway, If you are under 18, enjoy this lime-free version of my story...

"Spoken Dialogue"

'Thoughts'

The first time Naruto noticed Hinata doing it, he was having a sparring match with Sasuke.

Sakura and Hinata, along with a sizable portion of the village and Naruto's fan-club had gathered to see Sasuke and Naruto fight it out (and make sure that they didn't get hurt). Whenever those two got into a fight, even a friendly one, it was always a sight a sight to behold and it always got a big audience. Sasuke didn't mind the loud jeers from the audience; he HAD been a villain for quite some time, and he could understand why people didn't like him very much these days. All he focused on was the lone tiny voice that belonged to the woman with the short pink hair and emerald green eyes that cheered him on and told him to do his best. He'd never admit it, but it made him feel warm inside.

On the other hand, Naruto didn't care about the thousands on cheers he got from a, mostly, female audience. What warmed his heart was the woman with the long black hair, lavender eyes and the "Original Uzumaki Naruto Supporter" robe that was currently trying to get his fanclub to make a wave. It didn't work out that well. Cheerleading wasn't something that Hinata was naturally good at. Still, Naruto had to admit, with her long robe, her long hair tied in a ribbon behind her back, and a cheer-whistle on her mouth, she looked pretty badass while flapping her arms around.

Naruto had over 20 shadow-clones trying to apply the rasengan to his friend, who was, at that point avoiding them and fending him them off quite easily. A brief use of the Susanno later, Naruto and five of his clones were knocked down on the ground right five meters away from Hinata and the rest of Naruto's Official Fanclub…

…and that's when it happened…

While 10 more clones were trying to hit Sasuke in the distance, and while he was laying on the ground, with the rest of the clones, he felt Hinata's hands pick him up softly and helping him stand up. She took out her healing ointment, applied some on his cuts and bruises and gave him a light kiss on the cheek "for good luck", while the rest of the clones that were knocked on the ground puffed into smoke.

What shocked Naruto wasn't Hinata's gesture. What shocked him was that she somehow knew that he was the real Naruto, and not one of his shadow clones.

Could she really distinguish him that easily?

If yes, how did she do it?

Was it her byakugan?

No, it couldn't have been it. Naruto flashed back when he fought Neji during the Chuunin Exam finals. He also had the byakugan and even he couldn't tell which one was the real one. There had to be something else…

…He had to ask those questions later, because Sasuke had seen the scene unfold, also figured out he wasn't a clone and lunged at him.

'Crap!'

.

.

.

The second time that he noticed her doing it, the time he confirmed that she could actually do it, was when he helped her clean the house the day after the party they threw for their first wedding anniversary. The house was a mess, and Naruto called about 10 shadow clones to help him clean up the apartment, while Hinata was wearing an apron and preparing lunch.

Naruto was cleaning the toilet, but the door was open and he saw what happened clearly…

One of his clones, the one who was assigned to picking up the trash, laid down the trash-bag, got close to Hinata and started getting frisky with her. He placed his arms around her waist and softly kissed her neck.

What shocked Naruto wasn't the clone's behavior; shadow clones were exact replicas of the original Naruto, and inevitably shared his attraction to Hinata. What really made an impression on him was Hinata's response:

"I'm sorry clone-san but only my husband can touch me this way!"

She then swiftly used a "gentle fist" on the clone's face, at which point the clone evaporated. The original Naruto dropped his toilet brush and started rubbing his chin, as the clone's memories and some of his pain returned to him.

The rest of the clones stayed away from Hinata after that.

His remembered the first time they went grocery shopping together after they got married. They had to buy a lot of stuff, and he had to summon a couple of his shadow clones to somehow help, while she went to bakery to pick up some of her favorite cinnamon-rolls. Hinata for some reason kept gravitating towards him, the original Naruto, ignoring the shadow-clones. He didn't pay much attention to it then.

Well, he is paying attention to it now.

There was no doubt about it.

She could somehow tell.

Or could she?

Naruto's face formed a wide smirk… Once cleaning up was over, and they had lunch, he would play a little game with his wife…

.

.

.

The apartment was now sparkling clean, and Hinata announced that lunch was ready. Naruto sent a clone to throw out the garbage bag, and stepped inside the kitchen savoring the incredible smell of her homemade miso pork ramen . Hinata was wearing a long purple dress with a white apron tied around it. She was currently wearing her favorite furry white bunny slippers and monochrome gray socks that reached to her ankles.

Naruto was impressed. The clothes that his wife was wearing at the moment would look absolutely hideous on any other individual, but she somehow managed to make them look good. For some reason, he suspected that Hinata had an inhrerent ability to make any piece of clothing look good.

Still, he couldn't help but flash an image of her cooking naked with nothing but her apron on the forefront of his mind…

…maybe one of these days.

Hinata placed the ramen on a bowl and served Naruto right before she served herself and sat right beside him enjoying her meal with him.

The couple placed small kisses on each other's cheeks while they were eating. At some point Naruto softly kissed her neck, in the same place his clone had earlier in the day. Hinata felt a sudden shock that froze her solid. She quickly swallowed her mouthful, placed her chopsticks down and gave Naruto a ramen-flavored kiss on the lips.

"Don't kiss me there while I am eating, OK? I nearly choked."
"OK, no more kissing while eating. Got it!"

When they finally finished eating their food, Naruto offered to pick up the dishes and wash them while she relaxed on the couch. Being tired from cooking and standing for over two hours Hinata happily took him up on his offer. She exhaled in relief as she put her feet up and started reading her copy of "Tales of the Gutsy Ninja". She could hear Naruto scrub with the dish brush while the water poured into the basin. At some point the water and the scrubbing stopped. Naruto must have finished washing the dishes.

'OK, she is focused on her book. Now is the perfect time!'

"Shadow-Clone Jutsu!"

Naruto summoned six clones and stepped into the living room. Hinata looked up.

"What is the meaning of this?"
"Hinata! Let's play a game!"
"What sort of game?"
"Can you tell which one of us is the real one?"

Hinata smiled softly, placed her book on the couch and got up. She then, approached the 5th Naruto from the left, placed her hand on his cheeks and lowered his head in order to give him a soft kiss.

The clones evaporated. She had picked the right one.

"How…"

Their lips connected again…

"How could you tell I wasn't a shadow clone?"
"I just knew…"
"But how? We are supposed to be identical in everything! Looks, smell, touch! Everything!"
"I don't know how to explain it exactly…"

She sighed and placed her arms around him while she placed her ear on his chest and started listening to his heartbeat.

"…I feel a huge connection with you, and only you. Like something keeps pulling me towards you, the real you. Your shadow-clones just… don't have that sort of connection with me, I guess."

Naruto's heartbeat beat faster, and his face was now flush red. He almost fainted. He was honestly touched by what she just said. He was so happy that he almost started crying.

He looked at her with loving eyes while he kissed the top of her head and run his hands around her back. Hinata truly was his soulmate.

They enjoyed the moment…

…and then Hinata decided to speak.

"You know, I wonder…"
"What?"
"Your turn!"
"Huh?"
"Turn your back and close your eyes!"

Naruto broke the hug and did as Hinata instructed him. His mind wondered what she had in mind.

"Shadow…"

Wait, what?

"Clone…"

She wouldn't…

"Jutsu!"

Oh yes, she would…A puff was heard.

"You may turn around now."

Naruto turned around to see two identical Hinatas looking back at him. His jaw dropped…

…and then closed. He mentally kicked himself. Why was he so surprised? She had been watching him use that technique for years! And it's not like Hinata is slow on the uptake; back in the written portion of the first Chuunin exams she managed to answer questions that jounin themselves had problems answering. Of course she would know how to perform the Shadow-Clone-Jutsu on her own!

Still, it looks like one shadow-clone is all she can manage for now.

"Your turn Naruto!" both Hinatas shouted in unison "Which one of us is the real one?"

Naruto was cursing himself. Why, oh why did he do this?

Hinata had just confided that she had this special connection to him. If he chose the wrong Hinata, it would prove to her that he didn't care for her as much as she cared for him. That he didn't share the bond she had with him. He was sure that she wouldn't stop loving him, if he chose the wrong one but it would break her precious heart.

He proceeded to examine each Hinata carefully. Same hair, same looks, same mannerisms. There wasn't something that could be used to distinguish one from the other. Hinata's shadow-clone jutsu was perfectly performed. Her shadow clone was an exact replica of herself, from her lavender eyes to the way she fidgeted with her fingers.

He went over his options. He could choose a Hinata randomly. There's a 50% chance of getting it right. Right?

He quickly discarded that option. Love like the one Hinata had for him deserved more, much more, than a coin toss. Besides, what would he say if she asked him "How did you know?"

'Don't trust your senses' Naruto thought 'trust your heart!'

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. He allowed himself to hear his own heartbeat, and let his instincts take over. His mind was blank and his body took over. It was then he knew…

…he knew which Hinata was the real one!

He approached the left one, and gave her a big hug. When she embraced him and felt the comfortable heat of her chest against his, he knew he had picked the right one.

"Hinata, I know this is the real you, but can I do something?"
"OK."

Naruto briefly broke the hug and approached the Hinata that was standing on the right, the cloned one. He gave her a small peck on the lips.

Something was just… off… when he did this… for some reason it just didn't feel right.

He returned to the real Hinata, the one standing on the left and embraced her once more.

"I knew it! Kissing your clone somehow feels… wrong."
"How so?"
"It somehow felt like I was kissing… a distant twin sister of yours…"
"Oh…"
"Kissing you on the other hand…"

His lips once again started touching hers. Now, this felt right!

He felt his passion heat up as she slowly started melting in his arms. He kissed her neck, hearing the soft purr of her voice as she untied her apron. He slowly started unbuttoning her dress and planted soft kisses all over her shoulders, and her chest as he slowly took the dress off.

Hinata was sweaty from all the cooking. Her dress was sticking in some places, and her hands smelled like the spring onions she cut in order to prepare the food…

…Naruto didn't care! He was connected to his wife, and loved her with every fiber of his being. He wanted her and she wanted him. He would savor every touch, every smell, and every taste that her body provided. Onions be damned!

Whatever bond allowed Hinata to easily pick him apart from his shadow clones also existed within him. She would always gravitate towards him, and he would always gravitate towards her. She was his woman, and he was her man. The feelings they shared, and they love they had for one another transcended mere physical attraction, jutsu and chakra. They belonged to each, they completed each other. And they relish that fact for the rest of their lives.

While still connected to her lips, with slow and sensual movements that closely resembled a soft romantic dance, Naruto directed his wife to the bedroom. He wanted her and only her.

And a few meters away, a neglected Hinata shadow clone bit her lips...