AN:/ This is a random one shot I thought of recently. NaruHina, but Neji plays a big rol in this one shot.

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, it belongs to Kishimoto :3

After the rain stops

The war was over. Over countless deaths, Madara was finally sealed away and Obito joined in the fight on the Shinobi alliance side. Many people was lost during the war. Neji Hyuga, Shikaku Naru, Inoichi Yamanaka, and plenty more were lost in the battle. What could a person expect from a war? Happiness? No. Definitely not. War brought sadness, anger and death.

The good thing that came out of the war was Sasuke coming back to Konoha. Naruto and Sakura was ecstatic, even Kakashi was happy about it. Tsunade declared after the war that she chose a predecessor to follow in her footsteps to become Hokage. Of course, it was Naruto Uzumaki. Hinata was happy for him. He got both his dreams come true in the war. He got his best friend back and was chosen to become the next Hokage.

Hinata at the time was helping Sakura sort out medical appliances for Konoha's new medical centre. Sasuke was also helping Sakura. Somehow after the war ended, the both of them became closer and Sasuke made more effort to be nicer. Even his one worded answers like 'hn' was slowly disappearing.

"Hinata can you unload the boxes in that corner over there? Thanks" Sakura said with a smile when she saw Hinata nod.

Hinata calmly walked over to the box over in the corner Sakura was talking about. The box, in the corner, was next to a window. As soon as Hinata reached the box a voice yelled out in the street. "Ohayo, Hinata-chan!" Apparently the person yelling saw her through the window. Hinata blinked few times before leaning out of the window. There standing across the street was Naruto-kun waving wildly at her. She immediately blushed, of course.

"O-ohayo, Naruto-kun" She said with a soft smile and wave. He grinned at her. Naruto changed after the war, he didn't chase after Sakura anymore. Some would think he would just tone it down a bit, but he stopped completely. Instead he invested his time by greeting Hinata every morning and making small talk when he saw her.

He waved at her and turned around to run again, which she assumed he was doing, in the Hokage's office direction. Hinata smiled while her cheeks still held a small pink tint to it.

She sighed and began unpakking the box.

&&Break&&

It was excactly four months ago that Neji died. She made it a tradition to visit the memorial stone every week to visit Neji and talk to him a while. She still grieved. Deep down inside, she felt as if it was her fault he died. Maybe if she was any sooner, she could have shoved him out of the way before he took the hit for her.

She sat in front of Neji's grave, silently putting irises in the vase that was in front of his grave. He was after all the other person besides Naruto that inspired her most. He stood by her after the chunin exams, he was her protector even till the very end.

Hinata fisted her hands in her shinobi trousers as memories came rushing back.

Hinata and Neji sat at the training area, exhausted from the training spar they just had. It was a week after he saved her from the cloud ninja that wanted her for her byakugan during the chunin exams and the invasion.

They were both just staring at the cloud with a content smile adorning their faces.

"Hinata-sama, I know I wasn't every day there for you, but I am now. You have nothing more to worry, I will always watch over you." Neji promised her.

"N-neji-nii..."Hinata said. Her eyes were screwed shut and tears were threatening to pool out. "Gomen" she said while slowly losing control over her emotions. "It was my fault, I should have pushed you out of the way, I should have been a better cousin. Maybe if I was stronger, you would have still been here with Tenten-san and Lee-san.." She choked out.

Her self control snapped. "Gomen" She repeated over and over while sobbing.

"H-Hinata-chan?" a voice asked from behind her, but she couldn't hear him as she was pouring her heart out.

Naruto, who was kneeling behind her, was shocked. Hinata who was always so calm, was breaking down right in front of him. He inched near to her and slowly wrapped his arms around her shaking form.

"Hinata-" He whispered softly in her ear "You were there for me when no one else was in the war. Now it's my turn to be there for you"

She seemed to snap out of it because she immediately turned around and embraced him back after she realised it was Naruto. She softly cried into his shoulder, while he held her in his arms.

"I-it was my fault. Neji died b-because of me" Hinata stuttered out still gripping his jacket. Naruto's eyes widened before he gently pulled her to arms length. Her eyes were red and swollen while her face had tear tracks on them.

"Hinata. It wasn't anybody's fault. Remember that time when you snapped me out of it? That was when I realised that Neji's death, was a true hero's death. He died for what he believed in." Naruto said softly.

Hinata seemed to think it over for a few seconds before slowly smiling. "Arigato Naruto-kun" She said, blushing slightly at what position they were in. He probably pulled her into his lap while she was crying. It definitely looked suspicious.

Naruto also seemed to realise it, because he too had a blush adorning his face now. He rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Wanna get some ramen, Hina-chan?" He asked, giving his famous grin. She smiled back at him and nodded.

"I'd love some, Naruto-kun"

Naruto made a silent vow that day to always be there for Hinata and to never want to see her cry ever again.

"I will always watch over you, Hinata-sama"

AN:/ Yep. Random one shot. Please R&R