With You All Along
"Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked Naruto.
"Hinata… I've been thinking," Naruto said. "You know how everyone's saying I'm a hero of the village?" Hinata smiled and nodded, but her expression turned somber to match Naruto's as she realized what he was implying. "Except… they never said anything like that before. They made fun of me, calling me a failure at best, and whispering about the demon fox behind my back. I think the only reason they didn't see me as much of a threat was because they also thought I'd never amount to anything. Am I supposed to accept that they're now respecting me? Or is it just their acting nice to me now that they're counting on me to defend the village against people they can't defeat?"
Hinata considered her words carefully, knowing that Naruto was able to distinguish between someone saying simple platitudes and someone expressing genuine sympathy and kindness.
"I can speak from experience," Hinata said. "For a long time, I was considered a weakling in the Hyuga clan, given a great gift as heiress to the clan and a Byakugan user, but without the talent to live up to the responsibility. The branch members, such as my uncle- Neji-nii-san's father- were often jealous of my having what they or those they thought most deserving could never have from the moment they were born. Some in the main family, such as my father, considered me a disappointment compared to my younger sister. I eventually became stronger and earned respect with the clan, but I couldn't help but think that some of them saw me as an heiress rather than a daughter or even a person, and truly only judged me by my worth to the clan."
"I never realized how tough being born into a noble clan was…" Naruto said. He realized that despite being the son of the Fourth Hokage and the last of the Uzumaki Clan, he had been free of having to live up to such expectations, and wondered whether Sasuke had faced any such pressure while his clan was alive. "But you said, 'some of them'- did you have anyone else in mind?"
"That's who I was going to bring up," Hinata said. "There are also the people who have been there for me all along, who watched me while I was still weak, and believed that I could become strong one day, and whose approval and support are what is truly important to me. Kurenai-sensei was one such person for me, and I'm sure that you've had many others over your time a as a ninja, such as…"
Hinata trailed off and blushed. She knew very well what she wanted to say, and she suspected Naruto also knew, but she could not help but hesitate a moment. Naruto briefly thought over Iruka, the teacher who saw much of himself in Naruto; his parents, who had given their lives protecting him and the village; and Hinata, who had intervened when all seemed lost in his fight with Pain and said she had always loved him and admired him.
"Such as you?" Naruto said.
"Y-yes…" Hinata said, smiling. "I've always looked past your performance at the moment, and looked at your determination, and how well it would serve you in the future. You've tried harder than anyone, Naruto-kun, and to answer your original question, regardless of what people's motives may be- some are fair-weather fans, but some, like Sakura-san, honestly changed their minds as you shattered their original perceptions. You should never doubt that they would never have changed their minds if you had not tried as hard as you did or persisted as long as you have. You've earned their respect, and a place in my heart."
Naruto reflected on Hinata's words, and realized how much they also related to her. His perception of her had changed over time, from a shy girl unable to speak her mind, to a determined fighter, to someone who believed in him and would give her life to give him a chance to win against his enemy. And once he had realized that she had seen his potential and silently supported him all along, he also had realized what she truly meant to him.
"Thank you, Hinata," he said. "You've also earned a place in mine."
Author's Note
This is partly based on the response I believe Naruto should have had to the Waterfall of Truth, in addition to his standard belief that he should believe in himself. It's possible that a fair portion of the Leaf Village only likes Naruto because he has become a success, but Naruto has had people on his side all along. Hinata is one of the people who has always supported him, which is one reason I like the pairing.
The process of winning respect is also fairly gradual, as people started realizing that he was worthy of respect after he defeated Neji and Gaara in the course of a day, and he started becoming a hero around the time he participated in the Kazekage Rescue arc. As such, quite a few people most likely genuinely realized they were wrong and changed their minds, which is why I think it is possible for him to forgive the village.
I had this written a while ago, and was planning to release it after I was done with Perfection is Overrated's bonus chapters (only one set of diary entries remains), but recent events in the manga made it somewhat more timely than I had originally anticipated.
This fic is dedicated to the memory of the ninja who made the supreme sacrifice for Naruto and Hinata. Regardless of whatever he may have been earlier in the story, he was able to change, and because of his final actions, both Naruto and Hinata survived. Neji Hyuga, you will not be forgotten.