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The Slug, The Rabbit, And The Lioness: Affection

The Fifth Hokage, surprisingly enough, was hard at work one morning. Having slipped into a coma from an overuse of chakra, she had a lot to catch up on. Tusnade figured that she might as well get it done now—or at least enough so that Shizune gave the ok to go to the Fifth's favorite bar.

At the knock on the door, she welcomed the visitor without looking up from her papers. Sakura Haruno, her prized student, had arrived to deliver some of the hospital's medical reports. "Tsunade-shishou," Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide at the sight before her, "You're rather busy so early in the day! Now that's not something I normally see. Are you alright?" It was odd to find her teacher willing working instead of being persuaded. But Tsunade merely chuckled, having caught the worry in Sakura's voice.

Though just as the Fifth was about to answer so she could placate her apprentice's nerves, another young woman entered the scene. Her raven colored hair that was normally straight was now curly, her naturally white eyes tinted red. But those details were forgotten for a moment, as both Tsunade and Sakura's minds froze: SMACK! Hinata Hyuuga had slapped the pinkette off her feet.

It took a second to register what the hell had just happened, as Sakura's hand went to her now red cheek—for someone who practiced the Gentle Fist, the girl above her knew how to hit hard when she wanted to apparently—and her mistress jumped up into a standing position, hands slamming into the desk as she barked "Hinata!" But Hinata paid her commander in chief no mind, her eyes solely focused on Sakura only.

"H-how could you?" The heiress choked with her voice full of anger but her eyes on the verge of tears. Sakura was still stuck in shock of the action, but rubbed her cheek to try and ease the pain. What was this girl talking about? What exactly was she talking about?

It was then that Tsunade noted Hinata's blood shot eyes, sign of restlessness and crying. And apparently her student was the reason behind the Hyuuga's distress. But what—"Kiba told me about what you said at the Kage Summit to Naruto…." was all that was said. Tsunade watched Sakura's expression shift from shock to shame, which led to the Fifth to cock an eyebrow.

She had gotten various reports from all of her shinobi that had been involved with the Summit, except Naruto. She had read that Team 7 had made a reunion, Danzo had died by Sasuke's hand (if that rogue was to ever return home, she'd have to secretly lighten his sentence for getting rid of that one eyed bastard), and that there was to be an Alliance among the Villages. What apparently everyone left out was whatever Sakura said to Naruto.

Tsunade was betting she knew what had happened, but she was hoping that she was wrong. It was clear to her that Hinata had the most genuine feelings for Naruto, her affection as obvious as her own had been for Dan, or Sakura's for the Uchiha. It was also obvious that Naruto had liked Sakura, but now only jokingly asked her out like Jiraya had done when he was alive.

A memory from when she returned to the villages flickered to the front of her mind: she had only just arrived back at the Village, but the look that was etched on the normally smiling boy was that of contentment and defeat for Sakura's happiness about Sasuke health. It was at that moment, she theorized, that Naruto realized that Sakura wouldn't ever return his feelings.

"I know you just wanted to protect him, wanted to do that after all that he's helped you," Hinata's hands went over to her chest, Sakura and Tsundae's both eyes lingering to where a scar was located near her heart.

She was obviously talking about herself and the Pain incident. Both women had heard that she had confessed to the blond, only to be defeated by the intruder in front of Naruto's eyes. And at the sight of Hinata being striked, Naruto had become enraged beyond his previously recorded four tail state to almost releasing all nine tails. What was it that Pain had said? "Love breeds sacrifice, sacrifice breeds hatred?"

Sakura had been there when Naruto had promised not to use the Fox's powers after accidently heard her, and as she knew he wasn't one to break a promise unless the conditions called for it. That might have been a sign that Naruto did care about Hinata to go so far. After all he had only gone up to four for Sasuke, who he considered a brother.

"But that doesn't give you the right to toy with heart like that, to manipulate his emotions! You knew that Naruto-kun had affections for you ever since we were in the academy! And just like every other girl in the academy, you were distracted by Sasuke; like all the villagers, despised Naruto simply because he was alone and discarded!"

The guilt struck Sakura hard, knowing exactly what she had done. But it also fueled her anger because someone was degrading her for trying to help her friend. Sakura was now standing up and in Hinata's face.

"Don't act like you understand Naruto! All you've ever done is be in the background and only watch him up till now! And how can you talk to me about twisting his emotions—I'm not the one who caused him to turn into a monster!"

Hinata didn't step away from Sakura's confrontation, nor flinch as the pinkette narrowed her eyes at her. She merely took a breath and wiped away her lingering tears.

"Had I not jumped in, Naruto-Kun would be dead and then we wouldn't be having this conversation,"

There was moment of silence as her words sank into the two other women. Had Hinata risked her life and confessed, Naruto would have still been pinned to the ground and died at the hands of the Atasuki "leader". Neither of them had thought of it like that.

"As for not understand Naruto-kun, I believe I understand what him more than you ever will. My childhood was very similar to his, because despite being surrounded by family, I was technically ostracized for who I was—weak, unconfident and shy. Until I met Kurenai-sensei, Shino, and Kiba plus Akamaru, I understood what it meant to be alone and live in solitude. And I may have not been there with him in the foreground because I wasn't luck enough to be on his team, but even so I've never despised him and only sought to be his friend."

Tsunade knew what Hinata said rang true, for she had talked to Hiashi and Kurenai about Hinata's growth since her Academy days. Hiashi often blamed himself for how his eldest daughter was, which Kurenai didn't even hesitate in agreeing. Though she was the first born many members of her clan had shunned Hinata at a young age because she wasn't living up to high the standards set for her.

Tsunade blinked to see that the tension between the two girls was obviously starting to diffuse by their stances. She took her seat, glad to know that a fight wouldn't erupt between the two. Sakura then asked why Naruto never realized Hinata's feelings, to which Hinata smiled in response: "Other than the fact that no one has ever shown interest in him romantically? Though I love him regardless of his flaws, he isn't exactly the brightest of the Leafs…"

This caused both master and student to smile and give a chuckle, at that was truth. He wasn't the most brilliant guy they knew, but then again all men had their moments. "It's apparently being obvious to everyone since we were younger except him," Tsunade and Sakura both nodded, causing Hinata to blush slightly for the first time during this talk.

"He was distracted by you, Sakura, just like you still are with Sasuke. And like I never once stopped feeling for Naruto, I know you still feel for Sasuke. Why else would you still struggle so much to get him back if you didn't? Love is something that never decays, right Godaime?" Hinata had turned her attention to the Fifth, who smiled.

The girl was right about that: even to this day she still loved Dan with all her heart, and still missed Jiraya as much as she missed her own brother. It was funny how she can see herself in both of these girls, as well as each other. Maybe once all this was all over, Naruto would finally talk to Hinata. Maybe if Sasuke did come to his senses and came back, he would give Sakura another chance.

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