sucks on Storybook Lifesavers Uh--I don't own Naruto. I do own this story and ideas in it. I hope you are all still with me! And I pray that you all had a wonderful holiday (whatever you celebrate) and a perfect New Years! Thanks so much for sticking with me this long!

The Eyes of a Fox

FriendsFamily

Naruto and Hinata walked onto a side street towards the park. "Why are we going this way, Naruto?" Hinata asked.

Naruto looked at Hinata, "Sakura and Sasuke usually go to the park during this time. Figured we'd grab them since we know where they are!" he beamed.

Hinata smiled, "I've never been outside of my home on my birthday."

Naruto smirked, "Well there is always room for beginnings."

Sakura and Sasuke smiled on a bench as two white bunnies ran for cover. "How cute!" Sakura chimed.

Sasuke watched her excitement. Orichamaru had been one hell of a guy, Sasuke didn't know whether to congratulate him on his fateful ideas or be beyond pissed of what he had put his village through. He didn't realize until Naruto had beat it into him that the village was family to each other. Give or take, his family was dead but Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi had been there for him through it all. And he loved it. Secretly.

But as he watched Sakura, he knew why he came back. For the sheer joy in her eyes. The fun she held in those green orbs as his dark ones were tormented. She tried everything to bring him back before he left.

He came back not only for the village, but for Sakura. He missed her in truth.

"Hey! Sakura! Sasuke! Come on! Let's go get some ramen!" the two on the bench turned towards Naruto and Hinata.

Sakura waved, "Alright!" she turned to Sasuke, "Come on Sasuke, I'm sure you're hungry." she smiled and held out her hand.

Sasuke grabbed her hand and stood up, looking back to the two that interrupted them. "Doesn't he have something better to do than eat ramen all day?"

Sakura shook her head, "You know Naruto. Besides, it's Hinata's birthday, so let's go treat her to a day she'll never forget."

Sasuke nodded as they joined Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata waved, "How are you Sakura? Sasuke?"

Sakura smiled and let go of Sasuke's hand to hug Hinata gently, "I'm fine, happy birthday Hinata!"

Hinata smiled and hugged back, "Thank you."

Sasuke smirked as Sakura let go of Hinata, "Same, how has your day been going?"

Hinata turned to Naruto who was currently humming to a strange theme he named "Viva Ramen!" in his mind. "It…it was ok until Naruto went postal."

Sakura snorted and laughed wholeheartedly. Sasuke had to fight the chuckle he felt coming to his throat. They had never heard of Hinata saying such a thing. It was about damn time too!

Sakura took Hinata's arm, "C'mon Naruto, you're scaring her on her special day."

Naruto stopped mid-A sharp and looked at the crew, "Alright! Ramen!" he cheered and practically skipped beside Sasuke who lifted a brow and continued walking at his normal pace.

----

Rock Lee was poking Neji when the quad walked up, "Neji, what's with you?! Are you alright? NEJI!!!"

Hinata looked a bit worried and walked up, "What's wrong with Neji, Lee?"

Rock Lee looked over to the fair lady and sighed, "He's been standing still for over ten minutes! I can't even get him to hit me!"

Hinata blinked. "Is that all?" she asked confused.

Sakura lifted a brow and looked at Neji who shrugged the overgrown browed teen off. Naruto walked over and examined him as much as Naruto knew how. First, he went around Neji's side, then to his back, looked around to his front and then finally put his face right in front of Neji's. "Anyone in there?"

Neji's eye started to twitch and when he spoke, he spooked Naruto out, "Naruto, I am not insane. Can I not have a few minutes peace to myself?"

Hinata frowned, "Neji?"

Neji looked to his cousin, "Yes Hinata?"

Hinata started to twiddle her fingers again, "Uhm, would… you like to have ramen with us?"

Neji was stunned. She was inviting him to eat with her? The rest of the crew would be there but even so, the invitation for them to be sociable came out of nowhere. "Yes."

And with that, there were 6. Lee tagged along as well as he moped about Neji not being insane.

-----

They six ninjas walked into the ramen restaurant and the host lifted a brow at Naruto. "Here again, are you?" he looked at the other five, "Right this way."

The host directed them to an actual booth where they could eat together and not worry about people bumping them out of their stools.

(The seating arrangement was as follows: Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, Neji, Lee. Imagine a booth in the shape of a horseshoe. This is what I'm going for!)

When their meal was served, Neji broke the silence. Again, overlooking Naruto's slurping sounds. "I see you are wearing your barrettes, Hinata."

Lee lifted a brow before Hinata could answer. "Yea, and you saw that without your magic eyes? Amazing!"

Neji's eye twitched a little bit more. Hinata spoke up a bit, "No Lee, Neji gave them to me today for my birthday present." she looked back to Neji when Lee nodded and began to dive into the ramen to shut his mouth. "And yes Neji, they are lovely. Thank you."

Neji nodded and ate a bit of ramen.

Naruto spoke up then, "So how do cousins not talk to each other for years and be in the same clan? Isn't family supposed to be there for each other? Sounds kind of rough to me."

Hinata looked down at her ramen, "It's quite a long story. One that should be mentioned but never repeated. The events are too much to bear for even the main house."

Neji swallowed some ramen down but didn't answer. The tension at the table grew thick as Naruto looked between the cousins, "Well I think you two should get together sometime and work things out."

Sakura whispered in Hinata's ear to lean a bit forward. She did so and Sakura hit Naruto in the back of the head so hard, he felt a welt left there. "Ow! Sakura! What was that for?"

"Shut it Naruto. The two of them will be just fine if you let them work it out themselves. Not one of us were there, we don't know what happened, and we can't help them with their family issues." she gritted through her teeth. "Eat your ramen that you cut a debut album from and don't say another word."

With that, Naruto plunged back into the ramen along with Lee. Hinata sighed and looked at Sakura, "Sakura?"

She looked to Hinata, "Yea?" she took a bite of her ramen.

"Thanks." she smiled.

-------

When the six had parted ways, Hinata looked to Naruto and then back down as he met her gaze. "Hinata?"

She had to force her eyes back up to his.

"Sorry for getting so involved. It wasn't my place at all. Rushing in doesn't help anything, that's what Iruka and Kakashi sensei say."

Hinata smiled a bit, "It's ok. Neji and I aren't on bad terms." she looked down, twiddling her fingers, "It's just hard to admit that life wasn't fair to him as it was to me."

Naruto touched her shoulders, "It wasn't fair to either of you, Hinata." she looked up at him with sorrowful eyes. He went on, "Not knowing your family and not being around your family is worse than not having a family."

"But Naruto, you do have a family." she said shyly.

He looked at her strangely. Then looked at the mountain of the four Hokage faces.

"Your friends, senseis, the village are all your family." she elaborated more.

Naruto smiled a bit and hugged the girl in white to him, "Thanks Hinata. I forget about that sometimes."

Hinata couldn't breathe. Naruto was holding her! And she hadn't collapsed from loss of chakra! It was ludicrously astonishing!

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him as he did her. Family. It was something she dreamed of with Naruto. But did he dream of it with her?

She felt something cold and wet hit her nose. She opened her eyes and noticed a few snowflakes had started to fall. Being with Naruto all day, she didn't notice the chill in the air. Aside from that, ninja were trained year round and couldn't lug around heavy clothes when they fought!

Naruto let go and looked down at her, "It's too far to your home right now, would you like to come to my house and rest while the snow falls? I have a few jackets when we head out again."

She knew he meant it in a friendly matter. Naruto would never cross a line with a teammate. He was only being hospitable. "Ok." she said meekly.

Naruto led Hinata quickly to his apartment and let her in first. She blanched as she saw his living space. What a mess!

Dirty laundry, milk cartons hanging out of the trashcan. She almost felt queasy!

Naruto shut the door and froze, "Uh! Sorry!" he turned her around, "I've been a little busy. Just a second!"

Hinata could hear banging and scuffing as he shuffled everything out of sight and into it's rightful place. "Ok Hinata, you can turn around."

Hinata looked at Naruto and covered a smile, "Naruto, what is on your head?"

Naruto frowned and took a towel off his head, "I got a little carried away."

Hinata smiled as he threw it in the hamper. He led her to his living room and sat on the floor, lighting his small fireplace. What he must go through to keep up living alone. Barely any furnishings, not a piece of fruit on the counter but he had wood for the fireplace at least. And in a few moments, the room was cozy.

"So, what do you want to do Hinata?"

Hug you. Kiss you. Be with you.

She blushed at her thoughts, "I'm not sure, Naruto." she said softly.

Naruto paused and then looked at her with a frown then looked down at him. "Geez I'm sorry Hinata, here. Hold on a second." he dashed into his bedroom and brought out a shirt and sweatpants. "They have a drawstring so they shouldn't be too bad. I'll hang your clothes close to the fireplace so they can dry."

She looked down at her dampened kimono from the snow. Then looked back at him a bit scared.

"You can change in my room, I won't peek." he promised and handed her his spare clothes.

"What about you, Naruto?" she asked.

Naruto shrugged off his jacket to reveal a black tank top and muscular arms. He kicked off his boots and walked into his room, pulling a pair of pants out of the closet. He shrugged, "I'll change my pants out here, go ahead."

Hinata blushed at his muscle tone and ran into his room. He changed quickly and she entered the room a few minutes later in his orange and black clad. The tank top was black just like his and his sweat pants were orange.

He had never seen anything more beautiful. He blinked away the thought, shaking his head. What was he thinking? He couldn't like Hinata! She would never like him! At least, not like that!

Hinata walked up to him and sat down beside him. He smirked and as she looked at him strangely, he pulled at her loosened barrettes that had slid down to her lip level throughout all the commotion. She blushed as he touched her. His fingers barely grazed her skin and it became heated. Maybe it was the fire?

No, she was sure it was Naruto because the rest of her had chills. Just as he closed a little more distance, he brought the barrettes in front of her face, "They were about to fall out." he noticed her chills, "Are you cold? Oh man! Your family is going to kill me if you get sick on your birthday!"

She swallowed back the urge to smile at his outburst as well as a sob that he was so close and yet so far. He threw some more wood back into the fireplace. "I'll get a blanket for you."

He ran into his room and ran back with two pillows and a blanket. He gave her one pillow and the blanket and made her lay on the couch, "Naruto?"

"Get some rest Hinata." he said quietly, covering her toes with the blanket. "You can't get sick."

Hinata sighed, "And what about you?"

Naruto shrugged and set his pillow against the couch where his head would be inches away from hers. "I'll be fine."

Hinata frowned a bit as he leaned back. "Naruto?"

"Yea?"

"Thank you…but I don't think---"

Naruto looked at her, his blue eyes piercing her pale white ones, "Hinata, I'm fine. Really. Let the snow settle and then I'll take you back to your house."

That's the last place she wanted to be right now. Where would she be if not her home?

With Naruto.

In his arms.

In his heart.

Reviews please

Kage1586

Yea, I know, a bit OOC but she's gotta shift sometime with that backbone! Or else there is no story! Muwahaha!