Fire in his eyes
He was her pillar…
That wasn't it though; he was always more than just that. He was her inspiration and her greatest source of encouragement and what started as a mere schoolgirl crush soon turned into great admiration and, eventually, turned into love. She just wanted to walk beside him, not watch from the back.
It was that fire in his eyes, the light of determination that so brightly lit up his bright blue eyes. It was a strange contrast; a fire was red, after all, and here his eyes were blue. Yes, strange but not unusual. He was famed for being unpredictable after all. Yet there was something that make him distinct. It was the way he made people want to believe in him an walk beside him, just like she wanted to.
She was done being the shy girl. She wasn't weak anymore. If her experiences had made her strong, then losing her cousin had made her more so. She wasn't going to fail her cousin and she wasn't going to fail him…
Her light…
Her love…
Their saviour…
Their hero…
Naruto Uzumaki, the number one hyperactive, unpredictable ninja. Gifted with the ability to not just light up the dark tunnel but change the heart's outlook on the world. How many people had this brightness affected? How many hearts did his warm sunny aura melt? She wasn't going to watch over him from the background now.
She took the step and took his hand in her own. His fingers closed around hers and they shared a brief, fleeting smile before turning their attention to the problem at hand. The Kyubi chakra engulfed them, and everyone else. 'Shinobi' were ready to fight for their freedom once more. Hope renewed through the sheer brightness brought on by his presence.
It was the look in his eyes; the Fire in his eyes, the Will of Fire. The Hokage's, the people's and, unbeknownst to all save few, even the will of the leaf's Itachi Uchiha lay with him.
It started with her, then Zabuza and Inari, then his kinsman Gaara, Tsunade, Lady Toki, Menma, Sora…
So many touched and changed…
It started with her, and here, at the end, she was right beside him. They had finally acknowledged him and he had finally understood what she had been too shy to show all along. Of course it was her will to never give up, adopted from Naruto, which helped her get where she was.
As if she needed any more reason to admire him. He was ready to fight for all of them. His fiery will to never give up alight behind his azure eyes.
The sun lit the way: Naruto.
But she was right there with him, every step of the way.
Naruto and Hinata stood at the front, hands twined, at the head of the beginning of the end, the Fire bright and rekindled in all their eyes.
Hinata took a breath and, their hands still twined, they took the plunge.