The sun was shining, the sky was blue, it was summer in the village hidden in the leaf, Konoha.
In the heat, Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata was training. Due to the summer being so hot, they've both taken off their jackets. Naruto, wearing his orange pants, and his ninja shirt. You couldn't avoid noticing his muscular body. Hinata, wearing her pants and a shirt very similar to the one she wore when she was smaller, you could clearly see her figure.
Over the past weeks The two Shinobis was getting closer and closer friends. They would meet up to train, and after that go get some Ramen at Naruto's favorite place, Ichirakus ramen shop. Hinata, the always shy girl who used to stutter and feint when being around Naruto, didn't do any of the sort anymore. Only when Naruto is being really really close to her face, or when he talked about his future plans of a family, and mentioned that he wished for his future wife to be just like Hinata. Naruto liked spending time with Hinata. He could be himself around her. He would make her laugh by telling one of his many stories about his missions. He wanted her to always smile, to feel special.
"Okay Hinata, should we take a break?" Naruto said trying to catch his breath. His Taijutsu had improved a lot since he began training with Hinata.
"Hai Naruto-kun" Hinata stood up from her fighting position. She was happy that she had started training with Naruto. Her ninja skills had improved so much, that even her father was proud of her. He even gave her a hug and apologized for his behavior towards her.
The two teens went to sit under a nearby tree. They sat between each other, talking a bit about stuff outside training and missions. Suddenly Naruto felt a bit weight on his shoulder, when he turned his head he found Hinata, sound asleep, leaning her head on his shoulder. He gently smiled at the peaceful girl beside him. A small wind flew by, making Hinata shiver a bit. He took his jacket, and put in on her as if it was a blanket. He leaned his head on top of hers, falling fast asleep.
-
"Now.. it's time for you to suffer" Naruto opened his eyes, he looked around in panic, where is this place? He heard a loud bang behind him, and as he turned around, he saw Himself laying on the ground with poles going through his body. Pein was standing in front of him, but had apparently jumped back due to the loud bang he just heard
"Is.. is this.. the day of Peins attack on Konoha?" He said to himself. He walked slowly towards the scene, but as the dust revealed a figure, he stopped and his eyes widened.
"Hinata.."
In front of him standing ready to fight, was Hinata.
"I won't let you hurt Naruto-kun anymore" She shouted at Pein. Naruto started running towards Hinata, as he did he heard his other him shout "Hinata, run away, you are no match to him" Naruto now stood infront of Hinata, looking into her eyes.
"No.." He heard her say
"No Hinata.. I don't want to see you get hurt.. please run.. I don't want to feel the pain of almost loosing you again" He tried to move his hand to cup her face, but his hand went right through her. "No..No.. Hinata.." He slowly began to cry, but then he heard what Hinata had said that day, at that moment"
"I'm here because I want to.. this time, I am going to save you Naruto.."
"No Hinata.. Don't do it.." He started to cry even more, he turned to his other him and shouted "Why don't you go do something, you know she is going to be hurt.. Do something dammit!" He fell on his knees digging his face in his hands. He hasn't cried this much since he was a kid.
"I was always crying and running away before even trying.. I made the wrong turns so many times.. But you helped me find my way and take the correct path, Naruto."
He looked up from his hands, he couldn't bear to see this all over. It was hard for him the first time, but now it was even worse.
"I always chased after you.. I wanted to catch up to you.. I wanted to walk beside you all the time.. I wanted to be at your side always.. Your smile is what saved me.."
Naruto started to stand up and walked over to Hinata again "I'm sorry Hinata.. I am so so sorry.."
"That's why, I'm not afraid to die, if it means I can protect you.. because.."
Naruto looked in her eyes, she made a smile.. THE smile.. the smile he wanted to make her do all the time.. He wanted to hug her so badly, but as he tried he just fell on the ground.
"I love you.. Naruto.. Always have.."
Naruto saw as she ran towards Pein, He saw her being thrown into the air, only to be slammed down again. He ran over to Pein, trying to fight him, trying to hurt him for hurting Hinata. But as he tried, he just went right through him. He saw Hinata crawl over to his other him. He didn't want to watch, but he couldn't look away. He saw her being trown into the air yet again. He fell down on his knees again, holding a tight grip on his hair as he screamed in pain of losing a person so precious to him. He saw the blood as Pein struck a pole through her.
-
Naruto woke up with quite a scare. He had a hard time trying to catch his breath. He looked around in panic, he was back at the training field.
"mm.. Naruto-kun.." He heard a mumble beside him. He quickly became more calm as he saw it was Hinata. She was still in a peaceful sleep. He smiled at her, he was glad it was a dream. But he couldn't help to feel guilty as he remembered that he hadn't given her an answer yet, that he had completely forgotten all about it.
He slowly stood up so that he didn't woke up Hinata, He had to ask for advice. He ran to the only person he could think about at that moment. Shikamaru.
Hinata slowly began to open her eyes. The sun was already going down, she didn't plan staying out that long. She moved around so that she could stretch her arms. As she did, she felt something was covering her. She was surprised to see that is was Naruto's jacket. She nuzzled his jacket, it smelled so much like him. Hinata stood up to look around for Naruto, but what she found instead was a note placed on the tree with a kunai. She started to read the note out loud
Hinata.
I hope you slept well
I am so sorry I'm not here when you wake up
but I remembered that I had something important to do.
You looked cold, so I borrowed you my jacket
I'll see you tomorrow, sleeping beauty.
- Naruto
She blushed by reading the last sentence. She took the note and put it in her pocket, she took her own jacket on, even though, she really wanted to just wear his and walk around the town with it. But as the polite girl she was, she folded it nicely and headed towards Naruto's home to give it back.
Naruto ran around the city to find Shikamaru
"Oh Ino.. Have you seen shikamaru?" He asked as he saw the girl walking through town with flowers in her hands
"Naruto? Uhm.. No.. why do you need him?"
Naruto blushed lightly as he answered her
"I-I just need some advice on something.."
Ino saw his blush, Uzumaki Naruto? Blush? Something wasn't right.
"Look.. if you need some advice for love, Shikamaru is the last person to ask.."
"W-Who Said it was about love?" He quickly stuttered.
"I'm just saying" She had a sneaky smile, she knew Naruto way too well to know that this was about love, and probably about the girl he had spent so much time together with lately.
"…" Naruto was silent for a while before suddenly saying
"Well.. if it was about.. L-Love.. Which I'm not saying it is! Then.. who would be the right person to ask for advice?"
"Gotcha" Ino thought to herself
"Well Naruto, why not try the person right in front of you?"
"You..? Ino.. are you sure you are a love expert?"
"Baka! I know what a girl wants, I know what THE girl would love.. and if you don't trust me, Sakura can help out as well.."
"*sigh* okay, you've already guessed it.. and yes, this is about Hinata.. I.. I'm just.. not sure if I'm good enough for her.. she deserves a prince.."
"Baka Naruto!" Sakura suddenly said
He turned around to see Sakura was there, and she heard everything
"Naruto.. to Hinata, you are a prince, you are her prince charming.. You should have guessed that from the way she was willing to die for you in battle" Sakura continued
"Please don't remind me.." He answered her, with a bit of sadness
"Naruto.. you are her knight in shining armor, you heard the way she told you how you saved her!" Ino said trying to cheer the poor boy up
"But.. What should I do..?"
"… Be you…" The girls answered in chorus. Naruto looked confused.. Be… himself? Would that really be enough?
"Thanks.. Sakura and Ino.. I need to figure out myself how to tell her.. right?"
"Baka" the girls just said
"Yush! I'll go home and plan everything!"
-
Hinata walked through town, both hands wrapped around Naruto's folded jacket.
"Wonder what Naruto-kun had to do since he left?" She thought to herself
"Oi, Hinata!" Said a voice behind her, she turned around and to her big surprise she saw her fellow team members Kiba and Shino
"Kiba-kun, Shino-kun.. How are you?" She said, smiling at her best friends
"We just came back from training, so how are you? We haven't seen much of you lately?" Kiba answered as the teasing person he was
"I'm good.. I-I've been training with Naruto-kun lately.." She blushed as the thought of her past days with her big love.
"Naruto huh? What are you.. a couple?" Akamaru quickly followed his owner with a bark
"N-N-N-No W-We are just friends.." Her face became red as ever, even though she wanted to be in a relationship with Naruto so bad, it hurt her to hear herself saying no, as if it would never happen.
Kiba looked down to see what she was holding in her arms, he had a big teasing smile as he saw it wasn't her proberty
"So.. You guys haven't been doing anything else besides training today huh?"
Hinata looked confused
"W-What do you mean Kiba-kun?"
"Oh I was just wondering why you are walking around carrying Naruto's jacket"
Her face became red yet again, she knew what Kiba was thinking.
"I-It's not what you think.. I-I fell asleep and Naruto-kun wrapped his jacket around be because I looked cold"
"Sure, whatever you say Hinata" Kiba said as he walked away with Akamaru and Shino
"Kiba-kun! I-I'm not lying!" She yelled after him
"Why would you be lying?" She made a squeak from the surprise she got, but she was even more surprised when she turned around and saw who it was
"N-Naruto-kun.." Yep, there he stood, without a jacket, the orange light from the sunset making a shine on him, making him look even more attractive than ever before. With his bright blue eyes, and his smile, oh his smile.. that would be a thing she loved the most about Naruto. The smile that had saved her so many times.
"A-Ano.. here is your jacket.. thank you for letting me borrow it" a blush came across her face as her thoughts ran wild in her head.
"Oh, Thank you Hinata-chan" Hinata-chan.. that would be the first time he had ever called her that!
"Y-Your welcome Naruto-kun.. I'm sorry I fell asleep out of nowhere.." She looked down in embarrassment, she wouldn't really call it training to sleep for that long.
"Hehe, it's alright Hinata. Todays training was tough, besides.. I wouldn't wake you when you looked so Cute sleeping!"
"N-Naruto-kun.. thinks I look.. C-Cute?" her face became red yet again, and she was almost feinting if Naruto hadn't managed to catch her as she fell.
"Whoa.. You okay Hinata?"
"I-I'm fine.."
"You don't look fine.. here let me carry you home" He picked her up, bridal style, and walked towards the Hyuuga compound
"Y-You don't have to carry me Naruto-kun.. I can walk myself.." To be honest, she never wanted to be put down again, she wanted to stay like this forever.
"Pff.. nonsense Hinata-chan.. What kind of friend would I be for not taking responsibility for tiring you out like that" Hinata felt his hands taking a better grip of her, as if he never wanted to let her go.
-
As they arrived at Hinatas house, He put her down slowly and careful. Even though he didn't want to let her go
"T-Thank you for carrying me home Naruto-kun"
Naruto moved closer to her. Hinata became a little nervous as she thought about why he would do that. He took her hand, bowed down a little, and kissed it. Hinata couldn't understand that this really just happened! Naruto looked up at her, and winked. She blushed at the sudden gesture, she didn't think he had it in him, or that he did it to her.
"Well.. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then" He said standing up straight again
"Hai.. I will see you tomorrow Naruto-kun"
As He walked away, he turned around walking backwards waving to her saying
"I can't wait to see you tomorrow, Hinata-hime!" He started jumping from building to building until Hinata couldn't see him anymore. Hinata stood there, in chock "H-Hinata.. Hime.." First Hinata-chan, now Hinata-hime.. could this day get any better? She went into her room and closed the door, only to stand leaning up at it. She had the happiest face she didn't even know existed, as she ran over and threw herself in the bed
"Best.. Day.. ever.." She said to herself.
Naruto was still on his way home, with the biggest smile on his face
"I hope she likes what tomorrow will bring her.. my Hinata-hime.."
-
The next day Hinata walked through town wearing her training t-shirt and some black pants, which was similar to her normal blue ones, but since her t-shirt was black, she thought it would look better with black pants. As she walked through town heading towards the training grounds, she noticed people looking at her, smiling. She smiled back at them of course, but she couldn't help thinking it was kind of weird. Suddenly a pink haired Kunoichi ran towards her
"Hey, Hinata!"
"Hello Sakura, what's the hurry?"
"Well.. I have something for you.."
"Hm? What is it?"
Sakura pulled out a lavender colored rose from behind her back
"I saw this laying around.. it's your favorite flower isn't it?
"Uhm.. Yes.. Yes it is.. Thank you very much Sakura!"
"Hey, no problem! Well, see you around"
"Yes, we will" She waved goodbye to her friend, and continued walking towards the training grounds. She didn't have to walk for long before she was stopped by her friends from Team Gai.
"Hey Hinata we've got something for you" Tenten shouted to get her attention.
"Hm? W-What is it?"
Lee jumped over to her handing her the same kind of flower that Sakura gave her a moment ago. Neji and Tenten also had one each for her
"We saw these and thought of you Hinata" Tenten sad with the happy smile she always had towards others
"But we can see you already have one, so I guess we will just throw them away" Neji said cold, but with a bit of tease in it.
"No.. Don't throw them away, thank you so much guys!"
"Hey, No problem!" Lee said to her, pointing his thumb up like his sensei always do it.
"See you around Hinata!" Tenten said as they started to walk away.
"Weird.. First Sakura.. and now Lee, Tenten, and even Neji-niisan.. What is going on here?" She thought to herself.
On her way to her destination, she was stopped several times by different people, giving her the same kind of flower, even people she had never talked to. As she arrived at the training grounds, she was met my anything else that had something to do with training. On the grass, was a white blanket with a picnic basket and a vase on it. She walked over to it, and she saw a note saying "Place flowers in the vase, they need water right?" Hinata couldn't help but giggle as she did what the note said. As she stood up, the surprises didn't end. An arm suddenly appeared in front of her from behind her, and in the hand, was a lavender colored rose.
"So.. do you like it?" She recognized the voice, and turned around to meet the eyes she loved so much. The eyes belonged to a man with spiky yellow hair, three whisker marks on each cheek, the man of her dreams.
"I.. I love it Naruto-kun.. did you do all this.. alone? Just for me?" She already figured out that Naruto was behind all the flowers she got walking through town.
"Yeah.. Belive it or not, I didn't get any help planning this.. I wanted to do something special for you.." He smiled gently at her before he took her hand and kissed it, just like the other night.
"But.. What did I do to deserve all of this?" She was very curious to know, she didn't think she had done anything to deserve all of this.
"Well.. You are you.." He took both her hands in his. Hinata looked up at him with a surprised facial expression, and of course a blush across her face.
"You are very special to me Hinata.. I've thought so ever since the episode with Pein.. The thought of losing you was, and still Is, a feeling I never want to feel again. These past days have been so fun, and I've loved every second being with you.."
Hinata couldn't belive he was saying all of this, no matter what, she must NOT feint!
".. I want to spend more time with you, I never want to be separated from you.. You really are, my Hinata-hime!"
Hinata looked right into his eyes "Say it Naruto-kun.. Please say it.." She said eagerly to herself
"I..I.. I love you.. Hinata.. I always will" Hinatas eyes were wide open He said it, he really did say it, those 3 very important words, he said it and it was to her!
"Hinata are you okay..? Please say something.." Naruto had a worried look on his face, especially when he saw her look at the ground with tears slowly forming in her eyes.
"Oi, Hinata? Hinata?! Why are you crying? Please stop crying! No no no.. this isn't how it was supposed to go, dammit Naruto, you can't do anything right.." He slapped his hand on his forehead when suddenly he heard a sob from Hinata.
"Hinata-chan.."
"NARUTO-KUN!"
"WHOA!?" Before he knew it, Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck, making him lose balance so that the both of them fell on the ground, Hinata on top of him.
"H-Hinat.." Before he could finish his sentence he felt Hinata's warm soft lips on his, making them both blush like wild. Hinata broke their kiss and looked at Naruto with tears running down her cheeks
"I love you too Naruto-kun.. I love you so much"
Naruto smiled and cupped her cheeks, wiping her tears away from her eyes
"Well I certainly hope so.. otherwise, this would have been really awkward" Hinata laughed as he said this, and before she knew it, Naruto pulled her in to another harder, and a longer, kiss. Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.