A/N: I will continue this story if I get any Reviews/ Favs.

Just Friends...?

Hinata walked slowly through the grass filled path, admiring what was around her. It was a park for tourists and others to admire, and a haven to escape the harsh life of a ninja, but it only did this in a certain season. "Spring…Really is beautiful…" She thought to herself. She found a nice, soft patch of grass and laid herself down on it. With the warm sunlight on her skin, and the sense of peace she soon drifted off to sleep. She didn't notice when a certain ninja in an orange clad jumpsuit sat beside her.

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Naruto noticed Hinata was lying there, but she was the only one he knew out of the crowd of others, so he ran over to her. At first he didn't notice she was asleep and was about to scream out a greeting, but fortunately he observed her sleeping figure before he did that. She had her arms in front of her, as if protecting herself, and her mouth slightly open. Her legs were also brought up close to herself, and she seemed to be at peace. Naruto, for a reason he did not know, couldn't stop staring at her sleeping state. He waited there, waiting for her to wake up.

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She opened her eyelids slowly only to find two cerulean orbs staring back at her. She quickly shot up causing her and the owner of these 'orbs' to knock heads.

"Ack! Etete…Hey, Hinata…"

Hinata held her head in pain but quickly saw Naruto in the same pose. "Ah! Naruto-kun, are you all right?? I'm really sorry!"

A grin spread across Naruto's face and he held his hand up in protest, "Heh, I'm all right Hinata. So, you still worrying about me? Still the same Hinata I know!" He laughed at this but saw Hinata a little discomforted. "Oh wait…that's right! She wanted to change…Gah Baka!" He held up his hands apologetically and stammered out, "N-Not that that's a bad thing! I really like this Hinata, 'tte bayo!" He grinned with his eyes closed as if trying to reassure this claim. He opened his eyes to a very red Hinata. "Hey…Hinata? Are you okay?"

Hinata stared at him for awhile, thoughts rushing through her mind, "He…likes me like this? No, he said…r-really likes me like this…" Soon she was brought back to earth, but her tone…unfortunately…was still red. She stopped staring at him and said, "Thank you Naruto-kun….You know….You tease me about worrying about you a lot…but…In a way…Y-you worry about me too."

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously, "Well, that's because you're my friend Hinata! I always protect my friends!"
She nodded, smiling.

After some silence Hinata brought up enough courage to ask, "Naruto-kun…Why did you decide to come here?"

Naruto looked at her for a second and replied, "The same reason as you! Isn't it awesome??" With this he stood up and spread his arms wide. Hinata stared at Naruto with a smile on her face.

"It really is….but, that wasn't exactly what I was asking…I meant, why did you come sit by me?"

Naruto looked a little embarrassed at his misinterpretation, "Oh, well, why wouldn't I? You're my only friend here…And, I wouldn't miss a chance to talk to you again. I haven't talked to you since the Chuunin Exams."

Hinata blushed at this comment, "I-I missed…talking to you too, N-Naruto-kun…."

Naruto was slightly surprised at this and scratched the back of his head, "Hey, Hinata, let's talk more from now on…I don't know why, but I feel really comfortable when I talk to you. You were the first one that I told that I acted tough…But, I don't think that anymore…Ever since that day, I've been thinking of myself as a proud failure. You're one too Hinata, you just need a little push sometimes." He smiled softly as her face went deeper shades of red. He got up and said, "Hinata, meet me at Ichiraku at noon…I wanna talk but, I'm getting hungry…" Hinata smiled and nodded. Just as he was about to turn away and run he said, "You know Hinata….You're really cute when you sleep." This left Hinata very red, and confused. "He thinks…I-I'm cute?!"

Naruto, while running away, was also confused. "Why did I say that?? I mean…It just came out…She really was cute though, the hair perfectly framing her face…" Naruto stopped this thought and hit himself on the head. "Why is my heart pounding right now? I mean…I've never called a girl cute before…So, maybe It's just because of that…But, just thinking about Hinata…I…might be starting to understand her…In ways, she is a lot like me…Why haven't I noticed it before? Maybe talking to her will do me some good, because I think she understands me too.

At Ichiraku, after they had met up with eachother and were eating, Hinata managed to ask a question, "Ano…N-Naruto-kun…Why do you…want to talk to..me? I mean…I'm not that special…"

Naruto coughed up some beef ramen and shouted, "That's not true Hinata! You are special! Everyone is! I mean…Why wouldn't I want to talk to you?" He sat there, not touching his ramen, obviously waiting for an answer.

Hinata blinked in surprise at the sudden outburst. "Because…I'm not…Sakur-"

This was a far as Hinata got because Naruto said, "Just because you aren't Sakura-chan doesn't mean I don't like you. Sakura-chan is fun to talk to, but she hits me a lot…While, Hinata-chan, you listen. You wait patiently for me to finish whatever I'm yelling about. Except once…And, I want to say thanks for that one time…Because if you didn't, I don't think I would've beaten Neji." Naruto then smiled at a red Hinata.

"Naruto-kun, I l-love to listen to you talk…Because most of the time…It inspires me to do better. And, I'm glad I could've done the same for you…Naruto-kun."

Naruto blushed a little at this too, and Hinata and Naruto thought the same thing, "We aren't so different…Someone looking in might think we are…but we aren't...So, then why am I barely realizing it?"

After some time Naruto broke the silence, "Hey…Hinata…Do you think you…you understand me?" Hinata hesitated and said, "I-I think I do Naruto-kun…but, I don't know." Off the bat Naruto asked, "Tell me what you think, I want to be the one to listen."

Hinata had never seen this side of Naruto before and was taken aback, "I think…you, Naruto-kun, are trying to be accepted. And, by being Hokage…you will get that acceptance. But, Naruto-kun, so many people acknowledge you…including me."

Naruto smiled, "Hinata, you do. You really do. And, I'm glad you acknowledge me. Hinata, you want acceptance too right?"
Surprised he noticed Hinata nodded slowly. "So, I want to tell you that, ever since you put your all into your fight against Neji, I've acknowledged you too! You were really incredible Hinata!"

Hinata blushed and tears began to form in her eyes. Naruto was surprised and asked cautiously, "Hinata, are you…alright?"

Hinata nodded and smiled, "Yes, it's just because…I used to feel like there was a hole in my life, from not being acknowledged. And now that you've said that…I'm really happy Naruto-kun! Thank you so much!" She unconsciously launched herself into a hug across her seat onto him. He sat there surprised and he hugged her back, friendlily.

"It's okay Hinata. I'll fill that acceptance hole for you right now, like you've done for me. Just don't cry anymore…it's making me sad. Okay?"

Hinata, who had found out that they were in an embrace, now blushed into a strawberry red shade and said, "O-Okay, Naruto-kun…" They let go after awhile and Hinata at the moment was thinking, "Will this lead us somewhere…?" But, she was unaware that…Naruto was thinking the same thing.