ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ [🧡 ᑎᗩᖇᑌᕼIᑎᗩ 💜] [Ɱҽէąʍօɾքհօʂìʂ] Bσσƙ Oɳҽ

Right Place Wrong Time

Chapter Eighteen

Right Place Wrong Time

June 14, 2009

"Preheat oven to three hundred and fifty degrees."

Lowering the book, Naruto turned the knob on his stove to the appropriate temperature then returned to the instructions.

"Pour batter into well greased baking pan." he read next.

"Batter's ready." the clone seated at the kitchen table announced.

"Got the pan ready." the other lookalike stated from his place near the sink.

"All we gotta do is make sure it doesn't burn and we're home free, 'ttebayo." Naruto commented.

He'd never baked a cake before and was surprised by how well it was going. Though he hadn't gotten it into the oven quite yet, still, he was proud that his time in the kitchen today had been a resounding success. Cooking excursions usually ended in catastrophe for the clumsy blonde, but so far he'd skirted by with only a handful of finger singes and one burned dish. The picnic items he'd put together weren't as good as his girlfriend's but they were carefully crafted and more than edible.

'You're a bit early, kid,' came Kurama's rumbling voice, 'Anniversary celebrations are for married couples.'

Naruto pursed his lips.

"I can celebrate my relationship before marriage," the jonin insisted, "There's no rules that say only married couples can have anniversaries,'ttebayo."

He was happy and in love, what was wrong with honoring the day his world had become complete?

'Hmph, she's your wife in everything but name. Why plan anniversary celebrations and carry that ring around in your pocket if you're not going to marry her?'

His blush was deep enough to do Hinata justice. He and Kurama shared his psyche, it didn't surprise him that Kurama knew about the engagement ring the Uzumaki had purchased last October. One he'd found himself slipping into his pocket more often as his relationship grew, waiting for "the right moment" to pull it out and ask the question that left him in cold sweat. The sly fox hadn't brought it up once until now. Naruto was more than a little embarrassed to have his shameful dilemma brought out into the open.

He wanted to marry her.

Was certain he'd met the love of his life.

But he was scared out of his wits to pop the big question.

The two had just moved back in together, had only been dating a year and were still very young by any stretch of the imagination. He didn't want to pressure her or upset her by moving too fast. That day, when he'd had her birthday necklace commissioned, his once lonely heart had been full of unending love and exuberance the likes of which he'd never felt before. The jeweller had taken him to view engagement rings, and after realizing the depths of Hinata's love for him, the then genin had impulsively purchased a ring with the intent of proposing that very day.

Of course, upon leaving the store, good sense had prevailed and he'd nixed the harebrained idea the moment he opened the shop door and stepped back into the brisk world of reality.

The graceful design reminding him of the shy, softly feminine woman along with the sparkling diamonds that gleamed as brightly as moon colored eyes, had immediately caught his attention. Several thousand ryo later, he'd walked out the door with the stunning piece. Since that spontaneous purchase, he'd kept the ring, a , inside its box and tucked safely in his pocket.