Title: The Only One Who Knows You

Summary: Set after the Pein battle, before the war. Naruto rejects Hinata. And so, she decided to show him. After all, love stretched too far can break. Involves fighting, prank attacks and a war. Yes, a war.

Rating: T

Pairing: Hinata/undecided

~~ T ~~

Hinata walked around Konoha with a smile on her face. She had finally told him! It felt too good to be true! So far, it had been three days since the battle. Three days since she had confessed her feelings to him. Three days of waiting for him to say something, of waiting for him to do something. Well, she decided, no more waiting. She was so through with that! It was time to take the big leap and confront him.

Spotting him coming out of his favorite ramen shop, she took a bracing breath, and crossed the street casually. At least she hoped it was casually.

"Oh, hey Hinata." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. He had been deliberately avoiding her since the battle. Sure he was flattered that she loved him, but he didn't love her. Sakura was his true love, though she didn't know it yet.

"Hello." Hinata did an internal victory dance since she didn't stutter. Thank Kami! She had finally gotten rid of that annoying habit.

They walked in comfortable silence, while Naruto thought about how to break it to her that he wasn't interested. Hinata thought that it was a good day. It was the perfect day for Naruto to return her feelings. The sun was smiling, the birds were singing.

"Umm, Hinata. About what you said earlier? The whole I-love-you thing?" Naruto turned to her. Let him spit it out and get it over with. He decided the way to tell her was fast and the truth. He wouldn't smooth over any thing. She was a kunoichi. She could handle it.

"Yes?" she knew it! It was now! He was going to tell her he loved her back now. Nothing could spoil it. Nothing; except for what came out of his mouth.

"I'm just not interested." Naruto released a sigh. There, he had gotten it out.

"What?" her mood spiraled down hill so fast her head spun.

"Don't get me wrong," he continued. "I'm flattered that you'd say that to me."

"I see." Hinata said quietly.

"I mean, you're not hard to look at, but you're just not for me." He finished.

Hinata turned away from him. She wanted nothing more to do than to cry hot, bitter tears. She wanted to crawl under a rock and cry until she fell asleep, then wake up and cry some more.

"So, we're still friends?"

Hinata turned back to him, amazed at the hand he held out, that she was supposed to shake. He just finished breaking her heart, and he was asking if they were still friends? She made up her mind. No way was she going to cry over him. He didn't deserve it.

She smiled at him and shook his hand. "Sure. We're still friends."

"Great!" his smile was huge and relieved. "I'm going to look for Sakura so we can spar. Bye!" he continued walking on his way, whistling as if the whole world was all sunshine and daises.

Hinata thought fast. There was no way she was going to let him go, without giving him part of the pain she felt. It didn't have to be emotional pain. Physical pain would do nicely. "Wait. Why don't I spar with you?"

Naruto turned back, doubt shadowing his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Hinata smiled, and if Naruto didn't know it, he was in trouble. That smile held the promise of pain. Another thing he didn't know was that it wasn't only Sakura who had studied under Tsunade. She had also. "Yeah. I'm sure. It is what friends do for each other, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Friends." As they walked to the place where the training grounds used to be, Naruto was having second thoughts about sparring with her. She was muttering under her breath, and he only caught one sentence, which was, "grind his bones to dust." Yup, if the bones were going to be his, he was most definitely having second thoughts.

They reached there, and Hinata stopped muttering to smile at him. "So, what do we do? Taijutsu?"

Naruto was distracted by her smile, though he managed to check it in. didn't he just say he wasn't interested. "How do you want to do it?"

"Let's start with you on the offensive, and I'll be on defense." She offered. Let her test the level of his strength before she struck.

As they got into fighting positions, she ran through the list of horrible things she wanted to do to him. One stood out quite well. Boil his beaten up body in a vat of hot salt. Oh, the screams he would release.

They started with Naruto kicking and punching her, and her trying to block him. She was determined not to allow him win. She was angry with him, and he winning, would be like salt on the wound. And that was before he started talking.

"I hope you're not angry about what happened earlier?" he asked her when they stopped for a break.

"No. Why would I be?" she lied.

"Great. It's just that I don't like you." He continued.

"Really?" Hinata asked sweetly.

"Yes. I don't like you. You may not be hard to look at and all, but you're not beautiful. At least not like Sakura." Naruto said.

"I'm not beautiful?" she asked, her eyes glinting dangerously. That was when Naruto realized that he made a mistake.

"I mean, you're not ugly or anything. You're just there." He tried, in futility, to correct his mistake.

"I'm glad." She answered dryly.

"You're too weak, too shy, too… everything! Unlike Sakura. She is perfect. She is amazing. She is spectacular!"

"I'm shy? About that you're right. But I am not weak!" she told him quietly.

"Sakura is stronger than you!"

"And so freaking what?" she asked him. "And so what? Do you think I care?"

"I didn't mean…" he wanted to explain, but was cut off by Hinata.

"Let's just finish." He didn't think it was a good idea when he saw the light in her eyes, but he didn't dare say anything. "I'm on offense now." She told him.

She came at him and aimed a chakra filled punch to his stomach. He managed to dodge it, but it was close.

Violating the rule of no jutsus, she created a clone and attacked him with a flurry of fists. She was so angry, she didn't care. She just didn't care any more. When she was done, he just sank to the floor.

She went up to him and began to heal him. "Sorry about that." She moved her green chakra covered hands over his body and continued talking. "I know who I am. Who the hell do you think you are to compare me with that flat-chested excuse of a female?"

Naruto struggled to his feet. "Don't insult Sakura!"

"That is rich." Hinata got to her feet also. "I shouldn't insult Sakura? Why? Why is she free from insults? You didn't have any qualm insulting me."

"She is my team mate. I love her. I'll die for her!" he answered.

Hinata's laugh was cold. "The question is would she die for you?"

"She would!" Naruto replied.

"Oh, really? Then why didn't she jump in to save you when you were down at the battle? Why? If she would die for you, why didn't she?"

"She would have!"

"She doesn't care! Yeah, sure! She has grown used to you and everything, but she still doesn't care! I do! I saved you. You'd be dead if not for me. Where were all those people who you love, who would die for you? Where were they?" Hinata demanded. "It was me! It was only me that saved you. I risked death for you because I loved you. And now you're insulting me!"

"I am not insulting you." Naruto began.

"Hold it. Just hold it, you self conceited egocentric bastard! Save it for some one who cares. You know what? I'm out of here!" she whirled away, but he caught her arm and brought her closer to him, enveloping her in his arms.

"I'm sorry. Okay? I was out of line. I'm sorry." He told her quietly.

"Okay. It's just that I care. She doesn't, but I do. I am the only one who understands you. I know what you've been through. I am the only one who knows you. But you don't get that." She pulled away from him and began walking away.

"Hinata!" Naruto called out.

She stopped and turned back. "I am everything you want. I am your deepest wish. I am your fiercest desire. The only one who knows you is me, Naruto. But you rejected me." She continued walking. Then she paused, and continued walking. "And F.Y.I, I'm so stronger than Sakura. In any area, she ain't got nothing on me."

"Remember that love stretched too far can break. Remember that. Broken love is always nasty. Good bye, Naruto." And stopping, she shunshined away, leaving Naruto staring at the spot where she once stood helplessly.

How do you like it? I was going to make it a one-shot, but this is how it turned out. Rates and reviews will be joy. If you want me to continue, just say so. At least 4 reviews, please? Pretty please?

Love,

Hyacynthianna.