Shy Courage
She loves him. He cares about her. Naruto Uzumaki wants to become Hokage and be acknowledged by everyone (his village, at least). Hinata Hyuga strives not to be useless and dreams finding sincere appreciation in the eyes of the closest (mainly, his). When the blond boy laughs, the brunette girl smiles (and blushes at times, most of times). His ambitions are higher, her feelings are deeper. He wears the brightest orange, she prefers an unpretentious shade of violet. His movements are rough and clumsy, hers are subtle and graceful. Naruto makes a choice and she silently supports him, when he encourages her – the boy voices it loud and clear. He acts while she observes, he speaks while she listens. Naruto inspires her, Hinata amazes him. He is her foremost determination, Naruto is driven by his will to change everything. And he unknowingly changes her, Hinata changes both for him and herself.
Both hate when the other suffers.
When Hinata confesses (at last, selfishly), Naruto is capable of worrying only about the young kunoichi's dangerous position. He's thinking solely about her, and that is the happiest moment in her life. Then the war, his personal issues and all those great forces overwhelm him, she waits in hope that he will not forget. When the peace is gained back, the wounds are healed and all those sacrifices are honored, Naruto remembers that Hinata still expects his answer. And he has never been so unsure and ambiguous about anything.
For he hates when she suffers.
And when Naruto finally confronts her, tells the girl that he's sorry and walks away, Hinata never cries.
For she hates when he suffers.
A month passes and he feels longing. It takes the famous blockhead a lot of lonely nights to discover something so simple. She doesn't attract him like a magnet, she is just perfectly compatible with him. Three years later he suddenly approaches Hinata with the same shy courage she used to manifest and says that it still hurts and only she can stop the suffering. They embrace each other gingerly, all distances being overcome, and everything between them changes.