Author's Note

Ok so this is my first story, so please do excuse any unprofessionalism in how I write. I have been an avid reader on this site for a few years now and I've seemed to run out of things to read. If it is not obvious, I am a NaruHina fan and this story is pertained around such ideals. This story starts in the Shippuden arc after Pein invasion. Well read on readers, review and I hope u enjoy.

P.S. Please give constructive criticism flaming and ass kissing helps no one.

Key:

"speech"

"thoughts"

"Demon/ Demonic/ Large Creature/ Angry or loud speech"

"Demon/ Demonic/ Large Creature or Angry thoughts"

Scene change

Chapter 1. Settling after the storm

"Naruto-kun" I mumble out as I sit in bed staring out the window of my hospital room. It's been about a month since the invasion, my wounds recovered in time but my mind still plagued me. Not about why we were attacked or about the people we lost, not that we're missing many. When Nagato used his "Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique" most of our lost men and women were revived. No one's sure if that's what saved me or not, some doctors say that I must have lied there on the edge of death with Pein's chakra receiver shoved through my gut for hours before they recovered me. What I had said to Naruto and what i saw while laying there was what plagues me it was, frightening I want to believe it was a dream but I know what I felt. Naruto's chakra had gone from the normal overloaded, warm, bright power to a dark malevolent energy. The beast he became was terrifying, I realized now that the red chakra I had occasionally seen him use was the same. I woke up in the hospital to the realization that he was- no… he wasn't the demon. He was still Naruto, but the demon was sealed inside him. The nine tailed fox, I'd heard stories from otou-san of the horrifying beast. I didn't hate him for it, on the contrary it affected nothing except my admiration of him increased. Unlike the villagers I did see him for the hero he was for holding the demon inside him.

"I just wish that that hero would come talk to me about what I said" I sighed, I would be lying to myself if I put the whole blame on him, I hadn't exactly gone out to look for him. I had confessed, but in the most cowardly way possible! I just can't believe that the only time I could build the courage to tell him was when I thought I was going to die.

'ugh, I need a cinnamon bun' it wouldn't really help except to calm my nerves, but who am I kidding I wouldn't risk running into Naruto. I'd be a stuttering mess, if only I wasn't so shy.

"Hinata?" I turned to the door to see Sakura standing there, she must have been doing her rounds to help out at the hospital she was technically just a nurse, but she was second in line to call when it came to a medical emergency, the first being the Hokage.

"Yes Sakura-san" I replied giving a small smile.

"Oh please Hinata no need for formalities Sakura is fine. So what brings you here?" She said as she smiled and wiggled her finger.

"I-I'm simply here for a checkup on my injuries." Damn that accursed stutter just thinking about Naruto at times brought it out. Luckily she hadn't noticed, she walked over and her hands glowed green as she observed my stomach. Sakura had come far in the medical field she was so accomplished, confident, strong willed.

'Sigh, no wonder Naruto likes her she's far better than me' sometimes I wished Naruto was a tad bit shallower at times. It was obvious to anyone even with my baggy jacket that I was beautiful; I was a porcelain doll with the figure of a beauty goddess. Oh please who was I kidding? Except for my bust size I was nothing but subpar at best, but Naruto didn't care about those sort of things at least he wasn't open about them. His history with perverted senseis had caused him to hide any sort of perverseness he had, as to show he wasn't influenced by them. God if anyone could read her mind they would think she was a broken record. She went over these same thoughts along with others of the same topic day in and day out. Sakura finished and smiled at me.

"Well you're in tip top shape, I'll put it down so you aren't required to come in anymore you seem to have healed fine." I sighed; while she should be relieved not to have to come here it was a welcome distraction. Plus it was easier to avoid Naruto if she had a place to be, all well.

"Thank you Sakura, well I'll be going thank you for your time" I left the room after a quick bow and walked down the hall. It was outside the elevator where I was halted in my tracks, as I spotted a mop of blonde hair emerging from the elevator. He was wearing his normal orange and black jumpsuit and his sage coat. God he looked so powerful with it on he didn't seem to be wearing his usual goofy smile like usual. Or his "mask" as she called it, the façade he put on to hide his true emotions. He wasn't wearing his headband and his hair hung slightly in his eyes which had a faraway look in them. All this amounted to my face immediately heating up, I was so caught up observing him I didn't notice him coming to a halt in front of me.

"Hey Hinata-Chan, I didn't think I would run into you here. Do you have a minute" He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

'Damnit curse Kami and my luck' I thought as I froze up.

Thirty minutes prior with Naruto

"Hinata" I mumbled. Here I was, standing on my father's head its weird that even before I knew of my heritage pertaining to the fourth hokage that I had still come up here to think. Thinking hard wasn't really my strong suit but I couldn't get her off my mind. What she had said to me was baffling of course I had got over the shock and had partially come to terms with it. Not that I knew what to do about it, on the contrary I was so lost he was sure even the wisest of men could give him advice. Well Sakura would suffice I for advice I suppose, I took off in the direction of the hospital. Sakura, I was sure that my feelings for her was more of a deep bond and trust than anything else, I came to realize that I didn't love her and my crush dwindled after the years. I couldn't really say she was like a sister to me, I still knew that if given the chance I would give the relationship a chance. Well if Hinata had never confessed to him that is. I passed by the Yamanaka flower shop and saw Ino heading towards the hokage tower; I also got a good look down her shirt as I passed by.

'Sigh, I'm not a pervert but I'm also human' I thought, most figured I was a pervert because of my past apprenticeship but I quickly and violently rejected those ideals. I would be lying if I said I didn't notice the figure and looks of those around me. Especially Hinata, boy did she get hit a few times with the beauty stick, and her figure- I violently shook my head, rejecting the thoughts. Now was not the time, I had to figure out what to do about Hinata. I knew already that Sakura would tell me to go talk to her and I guess that's what I should do.

'Well I guess I'll do that after I see Sakura-Chan' I made the last jump towards the hospital and slowed to a walk as I entered the large structure. It had been the first to be rebuilt after the battle with Pein. Sakura was most likely on the 4th floor around this time. As I entered the elevator I thought about Hinata's other qualities.

'Well she is kind of weird the way she stutters and blushes around me, but she also seemed very able and determined to become a strong ninja. She was also always kind and supportive to me.' I shook my head and not realizing those things earlier.

'I wonder how long she's felt that way about me' I thought as I exited the elevator and strode down the hall. I came to a stop as I noticed a mix of midnight blue hair and lavender colored clothing.

'Crap, sigh well might as well get it over with' I walked up to her and it was then that she seemed to notice I was there. I grinned and rubbed the back of my head like always.

"Hey Hinata-Chan, I didn't think I would run into you here. Do you have a minute?" I waited a minute observing her. She was blushing like always a deep cherry color and her eyes widened.

'She almost looks kind of cute that way. Like a little kid caught in the cookie jar. Oh what am I thinking? Don't be ridiculous.' I berated myself. I focused again on Hinata as she nodded her head slowly.

"Great, uhhh somewhere more private maybe? Oh in here." I said leading her into an empty room. I leaned onto the wall as she seated herself on the bed she seemed to be collecting her thoughts. I felt like this would be a long conversation so I took off my sage coat and hung it on one of the chairs as I sat in it. I had taken to wearing it to honor pervy-sage and well, it just looked cool. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

"Listen Hinata I wanted to talk to you about what you said"

Hinata

'God why now' I thought and sighed.

'Well I couldn't avoid it forever' I collected my thoughts as I sat on the bed in the empty room… and empty room, alone, with Naruto-kun. Oh god calm down Hinata get a grip focus, wait what'd he say' I thought and quickly spoke up.

"I-I'm s-sorry N-Naruto-kun what did u s-say" I stuttered out and blushed.

'Damn my shyness' I thought.

"Oh, I was saying that I wanted to talk to you about what you um you know, what you said when you came to save me" I looked down.

'Save him? Hardly.' I thought

"U-uum well Naruto-k-kun I wouldn't call what I did saving yo-" He cut me off quickly with a stern look.

"Of course you did you coming out there gave me the power to defeat him… even if it didn't work in the best way." He said with his eyes looking downcast.

'He must be thinking about almost releasing the kyuubi' I thought I mustered the courage to look at him directly and I spoke clearly trying not to stutter.

"W-well if you say so, b-but yes I did mean what I said to y-you N-Naruto-kun" I said directing my eyes back down to the floor. I 'eeped' in surprise as he sat next to me on the bed, I looked over at him. He stared back seriously for a second before sighing.

"Well if you did I want you to know that you shouldn't be so quick to say such things there's things…. There are things about me that you might hate me for" he said with his hair shadowing his eyes. I grinned knowing I was going to surprise him.

"You mean the kyuubi?" I said looking up at him. He quickly jumped up and looked down at me in shock.

"Y-you know, b-but how" he stuttered out. I giggled slightly I couldn't help it with the face he was making.

"I-it's ok Naruto-kun I figured it out after I was stabbed by Pein…. I saw what happened afterwards" I whispered out the last part. He shuffled towards the door with a hand on his coat as if preparing to leave at a moment's notice. With his back to me and his head hung he asked quietly.

"So do you hate me? Are you afraid of me?" he said tensing up. I walked in front of him and mustered the courage to tilt his head up with my hand on his chin. He darted his eyes around as not to look at me. I giggled and bopped him on the head with my fist. He made a cute whining noise and rubbed the small bump.

"Owww I'm confused Hinata-chan you hit me yet you're smiling do you hate-" I cut him off as I hugged him. My face lit up immediately and I fell my consciousness almost slip but I held strong and said in a soft voice.

"No Naruto-kun I could never you're a hero in my eyes always have been always will be, I love you baka" I said and giggled softly. He awkwardly returned the embrace for a second before I pulled away. He rubbed his head again.

"Well I can't exactly say the same I don't know much about you…"He trailed off and I immediately became depressed. I hung my head and felt tears sting my eyes.

"I see" was all I could say but then he lifted my head in the same manner I had done to him and I saw him smile brightly.

"But I do know you are a strong able ninja. A kind, caring, supportive person and you're defiantly beautiful" he said as a small blush adorned his whisker marked cheeks, my face became very red and I put my hand up to cover my cheeks. He laughed and said.

"So do you wanna umm I don't know go on a date sometime? Get to know each other better" I let out a small squeal and jumped at him hugging him, right before passing out I whispered.

"I'd love too"

Naruto

I laughed as I noticed she passed out I laid her on the bed and turned only to slip on the corner of my jacket and with quick reflexes turned to catch myself only to end up hanging over Hinata with a few inches between us. While catching myself I jostled the bed enough to wake up Hinata. She looked up at me with wide eyes.

"Uhhh hi again Hinata-chan you see what happened was-" I was cut off as the door opened and in walked Tsunade. She was silent as she noticed the predicament; I held myself up with one hand and scratched my cheek as I said.

"ummm Baa-chan I uhh this isn't what it looks like" it was then that Hinata's hand pushed mine to the side and I came down with my lips meeting hers in a sideways awkward first kiss she seemed to sigh into the kiss. I stayed there stunned and enjoyed it for a split second before pulling away only for her to pass out again. I jumped up and looked over at Baa-chan.

"Ummmmmm" was all I could manage to say. She smirked and wiggled her finger, walking over she said.

"Tsk tsk tsk Naruto you should know better, this is a hospital." She smirked and walked over to Hinata. Running a hand over Hinata's head a green glow emitted, and then Hinata awoke and quickly jumped up bowing deeply.

"My apologies Hokage-sama" she said blushing profusely. Tsunade waved it off and looked over at Naruto.

"Oh doesn't be so uptight its fine, although… I could use some help with my paperwork and you do want to become Hokage someday no?" she said to me. I shook my head and said quickly.

"um sorry baa-chan, I have a date to get to" I quickly picked Hinata up jumped out the open window as she squealed in surprise. I landed on the ground and set her down, she regained her balance and we looked up as we heard the esteemed Hokage yell angrily.

"I told you to stop calling me that!" she said. I laughed and looked down as Hinata hooked her arm with mine. I smiled warmly and began walking through town.