A/n: So, this is the first time I've ever really written anything like this. It was a spur of the moment thing and I was just like: "I'm gonna write it!" So I did. And here it is. It's like a wannbe angst. But it's not like uber emoness and deathness. Not at all. Oh, and I'm sorry about the OoCness and the typos on names...

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Sakura walked into the ramen bar where she sighed. It hurt to be there. It hurt a lot.

"Hey! Aren't you one of Naruto's friends?"

"Yes…" Sakura dragged on. Naruto had not been himself lately. In fact, he was depressed.

"Do you know what happened to him? I haven't seen him here in weeks! Did he go off training again?"

Hinata listened in on the two having a conversation. She had only seen Naruto once since he had gotten back from his last mission… which was almost a month ago. Carefully brushing her hair behind her ear she leaned up against the wall to hear them better.

"No, he's home… It's just that he met up with Sasuke again and things didn't turn out well as usual." Sakura sat down then laid her head down on the counter. "I'm sad too and I know Naruto gets down after things like these, but I've never seen him this bad before. He hasn't even talked to me. The only time I've seen him was when he bought some groceries."

"That's not good for a boy his age. Why don't you go and try to cheer him up?" The ramen stand owner suggested.

"See. I would, but… He's normally the one that cheers me up and I just don't think I can see him right now." Sakura sighed as she bowed politely and went on her way. "Thank you very much."

"I can't cheer the boy up… I have too many things to do and it would be very awkward." The owner said as he went back to his business.

Hinata stood off to the side as Sakura came out of the stand. She had to find out a little bit more. "S-Sakura-san… Has Naruto-kun e-even talked to an-anyone?"

"Hm… Oh, you heard us talking? I don't think he has." Sakura seemed to be just as lost as what Naruto must have been maybe a little better.

Hinata smiled. "Okay. I th-think I'm going to talk to h-him." Hinata gave Sakura a hug. "H-Have you talked t-to Ino la-lately? I think it would do y-you good."

Sakura shook her head no. "Thanks Hinata. I think I will."

Hinata went into the ramen bar when Sakura left. "H-Hello." Hinata started up a conversation with the bar owner.

"And what would you like to order today?" He asked.

"C-Can I get a l-large miso ramen to g-go please?" Hinata blushed as she asked.

"My, and is this for you? I wouldn't think that someone you're size could eat so much!" He laughed, mostly joking.

"I-It's not for m-me…" Hinata started to fumble with her hands a little.

"Really then? For who?" He leaned up against the counter, being very interested.

"Na-Na-Naruto-kun." She somehow managed to stutter out. It was embarrassing!

"If it's for him then it's on the house. I heard about how he was doing and I wanted to do something. So, this is on my part. He is my number one customer."

"Thank you! Y-You're so k-kind…!" Hinata praised him as she waited for the order.

"Na, You shouldn't say things. Like I said, I just want the boy to feel better." He handed her the container.

"I'll t-tell him you s-said that." Hinata smiled as she quickly was on her way.

"My, my… Looks like Naruto-kun has a little admirer." Ayame said as she gave her father an order she just took.

"It would seem that way…" He started to laugh as he got busy cooking.

Hinata froze as she stared at the door to his apartment. "Am I re-really going to d-do this…? It's a big step. And I know he m-might completely ignore me. But he has to be helped." She prepared herself the best she could for what was going to happen next.

She knocked on the door slightly loudly and flinched that she did. "Um… Naruto-kun?" She knocked again but realized he most likely wouldn't come to the door. "I-I'm coming in…"

Hinata wanted to cry. She knew his apartment was going to be a mess, and it was. She knew that there would be empty ramen cups everywhere. She knew the trash cans would be overflowing and that dirty clothes would be everywhere. She just wasn't expecting the condition Naruto was in.

He lay on the floor next to his couch, not even bothering with his bed or anywhere to sit or lay comfortably. His normal bright blue eyes full of hope were dulled and seemed almost black. Blonde hair that normally was in a cute mess even seemed duller. The one thing that Hinata noticed about him was that one of his most prized possessions that was normally where it should be --on his head keeping his hair extra messy-- was in his hand. His head band.

She watched as his eyes dimly met with her then went back to his headband in his hand.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata immediately hugged him. "Naruto… I-I'm so s-sorry I didn't come here e-earlier."

He didn't speak. His frown seemed to deepen.

"Naruto-kun, e-everything's going to be o-okay…" She started to rub his back.

His voice cracked as he tried to speak. "How… How can y-you say that…?" Hinata's eyes widened in shock.

"Wh-what do you mean, Naruto?" She continued to try and comfort him.

"I f-failed… I f-failed everyone… again." Hinata wanted to start crying. Never has she ever heard Naruto speak so weak.

"How did you fail everyone?" Hinata kept talking to Naruto. It was the best thing she could do for him right now.

"I-I… I didn't bring b-back Sasuke… again." Naruto chocked out. It seemed he was having just a rough of time with this as Hinata was.

"How d-does it m-make you that y-you have to save Sasuke?" Hinata asked.

"Because he's my friend." Hinata backed away. It had been the most strongest thing he had said yet and the most angered. It had scared her. "A-And… I want to b-be the one to make Sakura smile again. I kn-know that she cares for Sasuke more than anyone else."

"But… that's only one p-person…" Hinata felt a little hurt that Naruto didn't talk about her like that.

"Hinata… You're o-one that sh-should know this. It's a chain. One person feels sad and it makes another person s-sad." Hinata looked directly into his dull frustrated eyes.

"As in… b-because Sakura is s-sad Ino is sad?" Hinata asked clarifying what he was saying.

"Exactly." Hinata flinched. He said it in such loathing and hate it scared her. He looked at his head band and tossed to the side. "I… don't deserve to… to be a ninja."

"Y-You know who's sadness is a-affecting me?" Hinata asked as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Who?" He said bitterly again.

"Y-You…" She hugged him again. "I-I know it m-may not help y-you at all. But you have always ma-made me feel like I w-was wanted by s-somebody." Naruto picked up his head in slight interest. Hinata continued. "D-During the ch-chunin exam… I promised… I promised th-that I would change. I-I wanted to be stronger. I wanted to pr-prove myself to my family… and to you." She let go of him. "My life as a ninja… has all b-been because of you, Naruto Uzumaki."

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. The tears started coming out like water works. "I have watched you for years. Made myself better because of you. Naruto. The village is sad because you aren't there to cheer up everyone."

Naruto's frown came back and ten times worse. Hinata wiped away her tears as she continued still. Only a little softer. "I talked to Sakura-chan before I came. She was a little better than you. She had said the reason she was like this was because you hadn't been there to cheer her up yet."

By this time Hinata's stutter had gone away. She was too emotional to bother with such silly little habits. She stood up, getting ready to leave. Making room on the counter she put the ramen on the counter. "It's from Ichuraku's Ramen. He said he wanted you to get better."

Hinata picked up his head band and kneeled by Naruto one last time before she left. Carefully leaning over Naruto she tied his head band back on. "I… I love you, Naruto Uzumaki. And you very much deserve to be a ninja." She whispered caringly as she kissed him on the cheek.

Hinata got up again to leave and was about to open the door when she felt a tug on her arm. "I'm sorry. Please… please don't go." This time tears were welling up in his eyes.

"…" Hinata looked at him before she threw herself at him as she started to cry.

"Hinata-chan…" Naruto started to cry too. "I'm so sorry…" He pulled away to look at her. "…I'm sorry that I've never really been there to help you." He pulled her face closer. He kissed away a tear that was rolling down her cheek before kissed her on the lips. "Hinata. I'm so sorry and thankful. I… I'm sure I love you too."

A/n: Heh, I don't really like the way it ended but, neh, I don't care.