-- i was in a mood for writing and i'm still in a hinata/naruto mood as well so i decided to write this. i hope none of them seem out of character. naruto kinda seemed to be out of character to me but... well please let me know what you think!--

Naruto's eyes gazed over the demolition of Konaha slowly. Pain was dead. Naruto had killed him and then come back to where we were all trying to help Tsunade figure out how to fix things. His eyes fixed on the group he looked each of us over in the face. He stared at my face for a long time.

"Naruto…" I said quietly but not loud enough for me to hear him. He turned around slowly and started to walk away.

Sakura started to call him back when Tsunade put her hand on her arm. "Let him go Sakura."

I stood there arms folded, not knowing what to do. Go after the one and only person I will ever love? Or stay and help everyone else? I stood there thinking. The light in Naruto seemed to be missing. His solemn mood replaced his usual optimistic cheerful one and it was… disturbing. I just needed to see him smile again.

"Hinata," I heard behind me. I turned around to see Neji. He walked up to me. "Go get Naruto." He said quietly so Tsunade wouldn't hear. I quickly slipped away, no one noticing. I walked into the forest in the direction he went. I saw him sitting in a tree, his eyes closed tight. He had a hand massaging his temples as if he had a headache.

He hadn't seen me so I stopped walking. I listened to him quietly. "Sorry…" He choked. He was crying it sounded like. "I'm sorry everyone… I'm sorry Pervy Sage…" a wet laugh came from him. "I'm sorry dad… I'm sorry Hinata…"

My eyes went wide.

"I'm so, so sorry." He said the tears still flowing. I jumped up into the tree and looked at him sadly. I think he normally would have been surprised to see me there but he was too wiped out.

I took his hand timidly. "Naruto…" I crept closer to him and wiped his tears slowly with my finger tips. "Please don't cry." My voice cracked.

He pulled me close and buried his face into my neck. His tears slowly wet my neck and shoulder. I hugged him my tears slowly landing on his hair. It was then sitting with him there that it hit me. Konaha was destroyed. Everyone thing I was… all I had ever known… my home and sanctuary… was gone. I don't know how long we sat there crying, but eventually our foreheads were leaning against each others. He stopped crying before I did.

"I was too late, Hinata." He said.

I shook my head. "No." I whispered weakly.

"I was. Konaha is gone because I was too late… Kakashi is dead because I was too late… I lost time with you because I was… well because I was stupid."

I cleared my throat. "You're not stupid Naruto. You never have been."

"How long?" He changed the subject.

I tilted my head, knowing what he meant. "How long have I loved you?" I glanced at him. His blue eyes were glistening.

His fingers lightly touched my chin and he pulled back so he could stare into my eyes. His touch sent shivers down my spine. "Yeah…" His fingers cupped around my neck then he slowly brushed my collar bone.

"I can't think of a time when I haven't loved you." I answered slowly my eyes closed. I could feel a light blush on my cheeks. Darn it. I thought. I had gone a long time without blushing or stuttering and that stupid blushed ruined my record.

He chuckled quietly and touched my cheek. I opened my eyes slowly to see him smiling tenderly. "Hinata…" He whispered as he leaned in. My heart started to beat quicker as his lips softly brushed mine. His hand swept across my jaw and then held my neck, his other holding my waist. He was my motivation and my light.

And he tasted just as I had imagined.

Like a wonderful, warm sunny afternoon.

***

She tasted just as I had hoped.

Like a delicious crisp summer night.

I was surprised at her reaction. It seemed like all of her emotions were running from her to me. Both of my arms had wrapped around her waist, hers wrapped around my neck. "Naruto," she breathed as she pulled back for air.

I had butterflies in my stomach and my heart was pounding. She curled up into my lap and rested her head on my chest. I rested my chin on her head and sighed. I looked up at the trees. I never knew that anyone could make me feel like this. I was pretty sure it was love. Just everything about this felt so right. And in the midst of this personal hell I was trudging my way through, she brought me peace. She took all of my pain, all of my problems and obliterated them. And she was strong because of it.

"Hinata," I said quietly not sure if she had fallen asleep.

"Hmm?" I felt her throat vibrate against my collar bone.

"Where do we go from here?" I asked.

Her face went warm and I smiled. I loved it when she blushed. She pulled back and looked up at me. I lightly traced her nose. "I don't know…" She said.

"Well…" she started, "i-if you… that is… if you f-feel…"

I grinned and leaned down to her ear. "If I love you?" She sighed quietly as my lips pressed to her jaw. "I think I do Hinata."

Her heart started to pound. I could feel it in her pulse. I continued, "You were the very first person to come right out and say: I love you. That makes you strong Hinata that makes you the person that I'm always going to think of before myself." I breathed out. I took her hands and looked in her eyes.

She smiled at me. "So from here I think we're classified as 'together'. At least that's what I think."

I shrugged and grinned. "That works for me."

We wrapped our arms around each other and embraced. She kissed me softly under my jaw on my neck. She was everything to me. My hope. My love. My motivation and my light.

--end--

--so again, please review. thanks for reading!--