In Konoha, This Naruto Has Decided To Take It Easy

"… Okay, thank you." Hinata whispered softly as she took the cup of water, her delicate lips pressing against the rim before she lowered her head even more.

Seeing how nervous she was, Naruto decided to sit closer. The distance between them on the couch narrowed to the point where there was barely a fist's width between them. Hinata's body heat radiated through the thin fabric of her long sleeves.

Her snow-white eyes seemed unfocused, and her fingers clutched the water cup, unsure of what to do. In a moment of impulse, she had come home with him, but now she had no idea what to say.

Even though it was summer, she still wore a white chiffon blouse, showing just a little bit of skin around her chest, while stubbornly hiding her soft arms within the thin sleeves.

Below that was a figure so prominent she couldn't even see her toes.

Hinata was the type of person who, even in a skirt, would insist it be knee-length or longer. She would choose simple and elegant colors, never anything too cute or bright.

She didn't want to stand out, but no matter where she stood, her beautiful features always made her hard to ignore. Her black hair draped over her shoulders, and she had neat, gentle bangs framing her forehead.

This outfit suited her perfectly, giving off the feeling that she is easy to bully. Naruto always couldn't help but imagine how to make Hinata wear a pantyhose against her will.

But he knew that now wasn't the time for that kind of thought. Since Hinata entered his house, she has been sitting on the couch very obediently, and it seems that she has no intention of taking the next step.

He could vaguely see that Hinata was so nervous that her whole body was trembling. Seeing her like this, Naruto couldn't help but reached out to gently place a hand on her head, carefully brushing through her dark hair.

His movements were very gentle, and Hinata trusted him completely, gradually calming down. Seeing that the tension had eased, Naruto slowly pulled her into an embrace.

Leaning into his chest, Hinata's eyes squinted slightly, her face showing a gentle expression, as though she was finally feeling at ease. She even rubbed her head against his chest a little, like a spoiled child.

"What are you worried about?" Naruto asked, holding her small hand as he continued, "Is it about your father?"

"Yeah, I still don't know what to do," Hinata nodded in response.

Naruto raised his eyebrows at this, thinking that this matter is actually not difficult to handle. However, comforting her with words seemed repetitive and unnecessary.

After all, dealing with his future father-in-law wasn't a real issue, as Hiashi had more than one daughter, so Naruto thought it was already kind enough that he was only 'taking' one of them.

In Naruto's opinion, what Hinata was worried about was not a big deal at all. But of course, he wouldn't try to explain that to her. All he needed to do was comfort her gently.

"It'll be fine, we'll figure something out later." He said with a sigh, playing with her hand as his gaze shifted down to her feet.

But Hinata was caught up in her own thoughts at the moment, so she didn't notice Naruto's strange gaze. Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her foot.

"Ah!" She gasped in surprise and instinctively pulled back, "No, it's dirty there."

"How could your feet be dirty?" Naruto replied dismissively, poking her delicate foot. Hinata didn't sweat much, her feet had no arch, and her soles were clean and smooth.

"I…" Hinata couldn't find the words to refuse. After all, she rarely ever turned down Naruto's requests.

His fingers grazed across the top of her foot, admiring her neatly arranged, cute toes. Then, he glanced up at Hinata, who was blushing deeply.

"I'll be leaving the village in a few days, and I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"Is it because of a mission?"

Hinata asked, her nervousness causing her to momentarily forget her shyness. She was already in a tough situation, torn between two worlds.

After all, the situation with Hiashi had already reached a dead end. The only reason he hadn't forcibly confined her was because she was an adult now. However, the stakes had been clearly explained to her.

In the end, it is a family-style moral kidnapping.

Now, Hinata had to choose between the person she loved on one side, and her father's and clan's interests on the other side. If Naruto were to leave at this critical moment, she would be left to face this torment alone.

She could only hope that Naruto's upcoming trip would be a short-term mission, one where he could return to the village in ten days or half a month. If he ended up being away for a year or two, then...

"It's not a mission. I don't take on missions anymore." Naruto said while absentmindedly playing with her delicate feet, "I just want to travel for a while. Tsunade-sama is gone now, and there's nothing much for me to do in the village."

"But Kakashi-sensei is the Rokudaime Hokage now, right?" Though Hinata had her adorable, naive moments, her mind worked quickly. She had an idea of why the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, had left.

"Kakashi-sensei just took over as the Rokudaime Hokage, so he'll probably be really busy for a while. Staying in the village doesn't really serve any purpose for me, and it might even cause trouble."

Hearing this, Hinata fell silent. She knew that Naruto was no longer the Kyubi's Jinchuriki, but aside from the people in Konoha, the outside world wouldn't believe that.

If Naruto stayed in the village, just like Tsunade, he would still be viewed with suspicion. Whether the pressure came from inside or outside, his situation wouldn't be easy.

Unfortunately, these problems are not something even the Hokage could resolve. Kakashi had just assumed the position, and his influence wasn't strong yet. He had a long way to go before becoming a truly powerful Hokage.

Hinata had initially expected some intimate or inappropriate activity when they got home, but Naruto was surprisingly patient, comforting her gently. And they ended up talking about other topics instead.

"There are still some ingredients in the fridge. You sit tight for a while, I'll cook." Naruto waved casually before standing up, "Would you like some sake?"

"No... no need." Hinata felt ashamed of the little thoughts she had when she first entered the house, 'I had been mentally prepared for something more intimate, but Naruto-kun seemed...'

'It turned out that he was just concerned about my well-being. Maybe it's because it was hard to talk as freely outside as it was here at home.'

As Hinata continued daydreaming on the couch, Naruto hummed a tune in the kitchen, preparing food. He was patient and unhurried, knowing exactly when to do what.

If he had pounced on her the moment she stepped inside like a lecherous fiend, then he would have left a terrible impression on Hinata. Sure, he could have probably had his way, but it would have affected their future together.

If both of them were passionately caught up in the moment, it would be different. Then, well, they would've been engaged in more... 'adult activities'.

But Naruto understood right away that Hinata had come home with him because she was feeling down and seeking comfort. First and foremost, he needed to fulfill her emotional needs while lowering her expectations.

Even though the issue that worried Hinata didn't seem like a big deal to Naruto, he still spoke to her with gentle care, even if it meant offering comforting words that didn't amount to much.