The hokage looked down to the folder on her desk and then back at the boy and girl standing in front of her, "now I know you two have never really truelly worked together," she said with a strong yet kind voice, "but I am certain the both of you will do well on this mission I am about to assign you with."
The boy nodded.
The hokage continued, "you two are to escort an ambassador from the Leaf Village to the Village Hidden in the Mist."
The boy's eyes moved from the hokage to the floor as he remembered his first encounter with a shinobi from that village, he could still see the look in his eyes just before he attacked his old master Kakashi.
The girl merely blushed as she watched the boy ponder his past.
"Naruto," the hokage said in a soft tone, "I know about your encounter with Zabuza."
Naruto's gaze snapped back to the hokage at the sound of the name.
"I am well aware of the danger you had been put in on that mission," she paused," however, I believe that with Hinata's asisitance, this mission should go smoothly," she smiled warmly and looked at Hinata, "what do you think?"
Hinata nodded quickly as she attempted to hide the blush that had just deepened to a rose-red on her face.
The hokage kept her smile as she looked once again to Naruto," and with that, I assume you both will make a fine duo."
Naruto nodded, "yes, Lady-Tsunade, I believe so too," he walked to her desk as Tsunade handed him the folderwith the information on the mission.
"Now off with you," Tsunade said as she opened a drawer in her desk, "I have much paperwork to take care of."
The two of them bowed respectfully and walked out of the office. Naruto carefully slid the door closed once they had cleared it
'Wow,' Hinata thought, 'a mission with Naruto, this is almost like a date,' she blushed at the thought of actually dating him.
Naruto looked over the folder before closing it again with a soft clap of paper against paper," seems easy enough," he said confidently, he held out the folder, "Hinaata, what do you think?"
Hinata was pulled from her fantasy by the sound of her name, "huh?" she said, confused, she hadn't been paying attention.
Naruto gave she folder a quick shake, " I said, what do you think?"
She took the folder from him and flipped through it quickly, "seems fairly simple to me," she said in her usual meek voice.
"I know, but just wait, it's probably going to be way harder than it seems," he laughed slightly.
"Yeah," she replied as she looked away from Naruto and blushed again.
"So I guess we should head down to the gate and meet the ambassador."
Hinata nodded, still keeping her gaze away from Naruto, in an attempt to hide her blush.
"Mind if I take back the folder?" Naruto asked with his hand held out.
Hinata looked at his hand, she wanted to grab it and never let go, but instead she simply handed him the folder.
Naruto smiled, "thanks, I just want to look it over while we head down there."
The two of them left for the village gate silently, Naruto looking over the folder repeatedly, Hinata blushing madly as she walked next to Naruto, neither of them speaking.
Tsunade smirked as she brought her ear away from the door, she had been listening in on the two of them talking, she sighed, "he'll figure it out eventually," she said as she returned to her desk.
"Figure what out?" Kakashi asked as he came out from the shadows.
Tsunade smirked, "oh nothing, how was the mission?"
Kakashi smiled under his mask, "another roaring success, we returned the scroll without a single loss."
"Perfect, and lucky for you, I'm out of missions for once. I guess this means you get the day off."
Kakashi sighed, "thank goodness, Anko's been a bit more than angry about me never being home."
"You two are still together?"
"Yeah."
"Wow, I thought you two would have broken up by now."
"Nope," Kakashi said before swiftly disappearing.

Naruto snapped the folder shut again, breaking the silence.
Hinata jumped slightly at the sound, she was away in her fantasies again.
"Sorry," Naruto said, laughing slightly, "didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't scare me," she replied, "you just startled me is all," she added with a blush.
"Well I'm sorry all the same," Naruto said with a smile.
Hinata's blush grew darker when she saw his smile, "Naruto, I-"
"Hello there!" shouted an old man at the gate, holding a gold watch in his right hand, "you're two and three quarter minutes late," he said with a smile.
"I apologize," Naruto bowed, "we had to stock up on a few items on the way here."
"It's alright, I anticipated this and came a few minutes late as well, so in fact, we are all late."
Hinata giggled, "makes sense to me."
Naruto nodded, "yeah, I guess it does," he shook his head quickly and continued, "anyway, my name is Naruto Uzimaki, and this is Hinata Hyuuga, we're here to escort you to the village hidden in the mist."
"Splendid," the old man exclaimed, "I am Nate Saro," he bowed, "and it is a pleasure to meet you both."
The two of them returned the bow.
"So, shall we embark on this journey?" Nate said with an energetic tone.
Hinata giggled  at the old man's energy, Nate was eighty years old, but he still had the same energy Naruto had when the two of them were children.
Nate shouted a short laugh and walked through the gate in an exagerated march, swinging his arms and bringing his knees up high as he stepped.
Naruto looked at the old man with a confused look, 'what is with this guy?' he thought, 'he reminds me of, well, me.' Naruto followed him at a distance so he was not embarassed by Nate.
Hinata laughed openly and walked next to Naruto, somehow feeling more confident after seeing the lack of shame the old man had, it inspired Hinata and reminded her of the advice Anko had given her on men, 'this is the day, I'm going to tell him,' she thought.
Naruto glanced at her.
Hinata quickly took her gaze from him and looked forward, 'just not right now,' she added in her mind.
"So," Nate said, walking backwards, "how long have you two known each other?"
Hinata looked once more at Naruto.
"Since we were kids," Naruto replied.
"That's sweet, you two dating?" he asked with a playful smirk.
Hinata blushed as the thought of actually dating Naruto came back into her mind.
"No," Naruto said as he laughed slightly, "we're just friends."
Hinata's heart sank at the phrase, 'just friends,' she repeated in her mind.
"Aww, that's a shame, you two would make an adorable pair"
Hinata smiled weakly and looked at Naruto again, blushing.
Naruto had a soft pink in his cheeks as well, "well, umm," he said, Nate had thrown him for a loop with the suggestion that he and Hinata would make a cute couple.
Nate chuckled to himself, he could tell they were thinking about it, ust from the looks on their faces, he could tell.