The darkness covered the whole city, which is supposed to be asleep, only the ones who have a 'rough' night full of alcohol and loud music are still a wake and clubbing like there is no tomorrow. The only natural light was from the moon which is high above the town and the stars made it look like the sky was full of fireflies. It was a peaceful and lovely sight that the blond boy who is walked through the streets of the city adored too. He sighed and looked down back at the road where walked. Lately his mind was making him crazy, he thought of all kinds of stuff that would be important sometime in his future, like shouldn't he be studying 'cause a Hokage has to be a bit smart at least, will he be strong enough to fight for the things dear to him, his town, his friends, the people dear to him and he sees as family, for his beloved…

Naruto sighed again and mumbled to himself: "who? I don't know anymore…" His eyes were locked on the ground below him and he just listened to the happy sounds out of the clubbing area of Konoha. It was not really hard to hear because the town's people who are at home didn't make one sound single sound.

The blond ninja stopped his steps and wait till the drunk men passed him, 'disgusting' he thought while looked at them. There was beer all over them and they reeked. They walked by and gave Naruto a hateful look, that look hurt our hero, but not the whole town knew that. "Brat" one of the duo called him and the blonds heart pained even thought they are drunk it still hurt to hear someone calling him names. 'Why can't they just say my name for ones? It isn't that hard, is it?' Naruto thought and he started walking again, he headed for a familiar place for him.

His steps slowed down when he got nearer to the building, nearer to his memories, the good and the sad ones. His throat felt dry and he looked up at the building where he most spend his time on the field, under a tree. "The ninja academy.." Whispered and smiled at the memories from his friends, who were playing around and were irritating the teachers. Naruto chuckled, 'who would have thought that one of the teachers became one of my dearest friends and is just like family' the blond prankster thought.

The ninja's head lowed when he thought of Sasuke, he thought back to the moment he could have stopped him, but he wasn't strong enough. Naruto sighed for another time and he headed for his sacred and most peaceful place where he could think of:

His swing…

The place where he sat when he was sad, the place where he could be sad and didn't need all the attention, which he loved when he was happy. A place where he could think and listen to the leaves that protected him from the burning sun that wasn't here at the moment. The place where he could let a tear roll of his cheek without anyone asking him what's up… 'Nobody cared anyways..' The blond thought while laying his hand on his muscled stomach. "Nobody cared for the fox brat…" He mumbled to the moon.

When Naruto got closer to 'his' swing he heard a weird noises coming from the place, he got closer without making any sound, it wasn't hard for him, duh, he is a ninja. The sound of the leaves that he heard when he sat on his swing, the sound of when he was swinging back and forth and… Sobbing?

The blond boy didn't care anymore and just walked towards the sniffing sound, that sounded painfully sad and he heard that is was a girl.

His steps were the only other sound that could be heard around the place and he came close enough to see who was swinging.

Dark blue hair that could represent the sky above them, pale silky skin that was a bit red around the cheeks he could barely see because of her hair. Naruto gasped when he saw the girl, her eyes were covered because she was bent forward so that her hair was in front of her face, but he knew what they hid for eyes.

Light grey lavender eyes, that were sacred and were a blood limit from a noble family, the Hyuga clan.

Naruto carefully stepped closer trying not to startle the Hyuga girl, who he knew even before the academy, he got closer to Hinata. He looked down and saw the wet spots on the ground that fell off her chin. He couldn't handle himself anymore, 'everybody may feel sad once, but she is one of the kindest persons I ever knew, she doesn't deserve this, everybody, but her!' He didn't think twice and he hugged the girl who sat on the swing.

Hinata's head shot up when she felt a face next to hers and arms wrapped protectively and caring around her. She looked a bit to the side to see a part of the face, she saw blond hair and… whisker marks! "Naru-to-kun-n..?" She stuttered and in her mind cursing her stutter. "Yeah?" While he unconsciously hid his tanned face in her beautiful but a bit ruffled dark blue hair, she had to say she loved the feeling of his breathing on her neck.

"W-why?" Hinata asked nervously, the blond got out of the crock of her neck and locked his eyes on her, still hugging her sides a bit. "Because I don't want to see you cry" he spoke with a grin on his face, it rubbed off on the girl 'cause she could help, but smile back at him with a shy smile. His grin slowly disappeared and he looked at her more serious "why are you here? It's in the middle of the night and why were you crying?" He asked while whipping a tear away and froze for a second when he thought of something: 'am I hugging Hinata and whipping away her tears away? What has gotten into me?! I love Sakura, right? Now that I think of it she is more of a sister to me… She loves Sasuke and…' He whipped the rest of the tears 'it feels natural and good.'

Her soft and nervous voice waked him out of his thoughts and he looked back at her eyes, which looked at her lap not daring to look him in the eyes. "I was sad-d because… Of s-something" she quickly spoke mumbled the last part, the blond frowned at her and placed his hand under her chin to lifted her face so that she had to look at him. "What's that something? Tell me… I know pain" The last part he whispered more to himself then to Hinata, but she still heard it.

"I disappointed my father… Again" Naruto looked at her, she was trembling and she hugged herself to keep her from crying again and she spoke further: "I disappointed my clan, I failed to be strong and confided, I failed leading, I could even look a bit like a leader… I'm u-useless…"

When she spoke the last word a tear came down her left eye and Naruto's heart broke when he heard the story. He grabbed her arms and lifted her from the swing so she stood trembling in front of him, her grey eyes were full of pain and sadness, her face showed that she didn't want to cry. He hugged her tight and spoke with honest and strong words while closing his eyes knowing he could cry ant moment 'cause he knew her pain of feeling… Useless.

"Hinata, maybe you aren't good at being a leader, but you don't have to be strict to be a leader, you have to know what's good for the others surrounding you, you have to prove your strength in another way, in your way and I know your strength isn't fighting, isn't looking confident, your strength is in your heart and in your eyes. Your strength is caring for the people around you, for your family and friends. That's who you are and nobody can teach that to someone, it's a gift that you have… And that's the thing I like about you."

Hinata's heart was going crazy and she gasped of what she just heard and Naruto pulled back so he could she her surprised face. He chuckled and Hinata's eyes softened, she smiled at him. "Thanks Naruto-kun, I've always looked up to you, because you're so strong in your heart and soul and now again" Hinata spoke while giggling a bit and Naruto noticed that she was right he was looking a bit down to see her face that wasn't far from his.

"I like this better" he spoke and Hinata looked questionably at him. He smiled and spoke playfully: "a smile fits your face better, only one thing is missing…" She was surprised by his sudden action and she knew that she over her old habit, but when he hid is face in her neck again, he blew on it she had to giggle and a red grew on her cheeks, she just couldn't help it. "I missed the blush" he whispered in her ear.

Someone moments later they were walking towards the Hyuga mansion, there was a silence hanging around the two, but it wasn't a bad silence it was a comfortable silence. Sometimes Naruto took some glances of Hinata, he had to say, she grew up from a little to a beautiful and admirable woman. Her long hair covered a big part of her back and was swing from side to side while she was taking steps. Her eyes weren't like those of the other Hyuga's, normally their eyes look strict en emotionless, but her were like a open book, filled with kindess, understanding, friendly and sometimes pained emotions that could break his heart.

Maybe she said that he had a strong heart, but she could snap it with ease, he knew she would never do that, but it was the thought of his that made him feel weak for this girl right next to him.

Their standing in front of the noble grounds and they just smiled at each other when a question popped in Naruto's mind. "Why were you on that swing?" He spoke and she looked to him with shy, but caring eyes "because you sat there too when you were sad." The blond looked at her in shock of noticing and he was about to speak when Hinata cut him off: "I always saw you sitting there alone, I always wanted to help you, but I didn't dare because of my shyness and when I dared I got forbidden to get closer… I'm s-sorry, I was no help when you had a rough time." Naruto looked at her in shock, 'someone cared? Hinata…' He thought while he hugged her on instinct.

"I d-don't deserve this… I didn't h-help" she whispered, the blond only hugged tighter and mumbled more to himself: "I had someone who cared."

"You have someone who cared" corrected him and he knew for sure, he pulled a bit back and their noses brushed each other while locking their eyes.

His only thought was: 'I have found someone who cares for me, that's the only thing I need to know… And maybe it can be more than just caring, more than just friendship… Hinata-chan?'

Did you guys like it?

I hope so ^^

-ChrissieV