Authors Note: Ch. 2… I Do Not Own Naruto. I don't have anything else to say.
Ch. 2 – Banana Bread
It's been over a month since his arrival to Konoha and Naruto felt pretty great; especially now that he got his new arm. Everything was going so well. The war was over, Sasuke was back, and he could finally take a break. He worried though that he would eventually get bored and as a ninja and future Hokage he had to continue honing his skills through consistent training and missions, but with the newfound peace after the war and the alliances within the various nations, he wondered if he would ever get a mission above B Rank. He was walking down the street thinking this but was interrupted by a man's voice.
"Naruto! Wait, Naruto!"
Naruto turned around and there stood a small panting heavyset man with an apron covered with flour. He was the bread baker of the bakery a couple streets down. 'Whoa did he run all the way from over here?!' Naruto examined him closer and saw the contents in his hands. A large bag filled with bread; long ones, round ones, and loaves of banana bread.
"Naruto, I'm the baker of the Konoha Bakery. I saw you walking through my window and I thought I had to give you some of this morning's batch. They taste very good *cough* and they're a great source of energy. You ninjas need lots of that, right?"
Naruto smiled. This has happened a lot lately with the snow cone man at the reconstructed park, free pork at the barbeque place Choji always visits, and even free coupons to the bathhouse. At this rate he didn't need to go on missions to earn money for his living cause he'd been getting everything either on the house or reduced price.
"Thanks, Mr. Baker Man! I appreciate it!" He smiled and took the bag from the man who smiled back. In that moment a memory came to Naruto. He had met this man before.
Naruto, 11 years old
"Awesome! I got money to spend!" He marveled at the small wad of money he made from running errands for the third Hokage. "Who thought the old geezer would be so generous~!" He practically strutted down the street, he felt good and he had to show it. As he was about to make a turn something shiny caught his eye. A new store sign made of shiny metal and spray painted red that said 'Konoha Bakery', and Naruto was curious to see the inside. He entered the store and was immediately hit with the scent of fresh baked breads and cakes. Behind the glass displays were cupcakes of every color and all covered with sprinkles. Naruto wanted to try everything. It was amazing and he was so psyched about having some money to buy them. He raced to the cashier woman, money in hand, and began ordering away.
"Hey Lady, I would like 3 of those orange cupcakes; with the sprinkles, 3 donuts with the jelly in it annnnddd-"He surveyed the rest of the store to see what else he'd like to try, then he saw it. On a glass platter were Banana bread loaves stacked next to each other and they smelled great!
"And one loaf of Banana Bread, Please!" The Cashier woman began putting his cupcakes and donuts in a cardboard box. After that she reached for the banana bread loaf when a hand took her wrist. A hand covered with flour.
"No, Kuriyuki-san. He cannot have my bread. I will not help feed a Demon-brat like him." He said with menacing eyes. Naruto stared back. He should be used to these looks by now, but each individual one stung a little more than the last. He turned on his heel and ran home, money still in hand.
Naruto began walking away from the man saying a quiet goodbye, which was a little uncharacteristic of him and he began walking towards the Hokage monument. He needed to go to his new place of comfort in Konoha aside from the swing across of the ninja academy. The top of the Fourth Hokage's head.
Hinata looked to be casually walking the streets but in reality she was just hoping to 'casually bump into' Naruto. She read it in a book on techniques to catch a boy's attention. That's right. She has been doing her research. The book looked juvenile like for preteen girls, but she couldn't get help from her female friends (who have yet to get boyfriends themselves, plus she was too shy to ask.) and all the chick-flick movies she rented felt fake and it's all scripted, so of course she gets the guy with barely any problems. She even tried to ask Kurenai-sensei for advice but she was too busy with her baby.
Her train of thought ceased. Spiky blond hair came into view and she started to panic.
'What! That was fast! I didn't have time to practice bumping into other people so it wouldn't look too fake when I tried it on Naruto!' She began to look for open stores, empty barrels anything to hide inside of really, but then she saw his face. He didn't look terribly sad but he didn't look happy either. He looked troubled. She walked towards him, hesitantly but without stopping until he looked up.
"Oh, hi Hinata, haven't seen you in a while! Last time was in battle right?!" He looked happy to see her but the inner turmoil was still present. She could see it.
"Hello, Naruto-kun. You're right, it has been a- a while." Beforehand she had practiced casual talk in the mirror to help not stutter, although she hopes he doesn't randomly pop up like he usually does. She had promised herself that from now on she would not faint anymore or stutter. It appalled her knowing that her most memorable moments were in battle and near certain death.
"I'm glad you're okay…. You look good." Neji's death had popped into his mind. He hoped she wasn't hurting a lot.
She thought about Neji too at that moment. The pain was still there, but it wasn't as great. She knew his death was not in vein, but that he will always live in her and in her comrade's memories. Still she continually missed him during moments that reminded her of him. Especially during training.
Naruto saw the flash of pain in her face. He remembered that he almost gave in to the sadness during that battle when Neji died, but she slapped him out of it. Literally. She was stronger than him that day, and he was beyond thankful for her encouraging words. He then had an idea.
"Hey Hinata, wanna come with me to the Hokage mountain? I was headed there anyways." That was his comfort spot but after everything it only seemed right that he share it with her.
Hinata froze for a second. 'Wait, I'm not prepared! But I can't afford to back out now.' A blush began to creep on her face and she hoped it wasn't entirely noticeable. She quickly answered, "Yes, of c-course I'd love to." They walked together to Hokage Mountain mostly in comfortable silence.
When they reached Naruto's favorite spot he sat down and leaned against a tree and patted the grass next to him for Hinata to sit.
'Focus Hinata. Calm down.' She began to bite the inside of her cheek in hopes it would distract her from the heat building in her face. At this rate she was going to draw blood. She sat down beside him, not too far but not too close either. Just right, enough for her to focus and maintain consciousness. She had to be bold now. 'Ask him!'
"N-Naruto-kun…. I wanted to ask if.. there was something wrong? Earlier when I saw you, you looked troubled.."
Naruto was surprised. 'She caught that? She really does see everything!'
"Ohh yeah. It's nothing big so don't worry about it." He looked down at the village.
"I'm not worried, but I would l-like to know what bothered you…If that's alright.." She looked at the village too. She couldn't meet his eyes, but she wasn't going to look down anymore.
Naruto looked at her as she watched the village. The memory of her confession when Pain pinned him down immediately came to mind.
'She said she loved me… but does she love me as a friend or in the romantic sort of way?' He began recounting the words she said that horrible day. She was grateful to him apparently and he had inspired her somehow after the Chunin exams. He didn't know how, but it must have meant a lot to Hinata. She nearly died that day and would do it again if he was in danger. "Hinata-sama is ready to die for you, that's why your life is not only yours." Neji's words echoed in his mind and the familiar sting of loss and fear came back.
The memory of Hinata getting stabbed before him still made him shiver with anger. Nothing could compare to the relief he had when he still felt her chakra when he got out of being Nine Tails. He understood now what it meant to be grateful to someone. He felt it first with Iruka-sensei; the first who cared for him, the Third Hokage and all his friends who stood by his side and definitely to Hinata too. 'She is a selfless woman who tries to protect me no matter what.' Yes. He understood now that he would do the same for her. If ever she was in danger, he'd protect her with his life too. That was her nindo towards the people she cared about and so was his. He understood now her love for him, and he knew that just like he could say without a doubt that he loved Iruka- sensei, Ero-sennin, and all of his other precious people, he loved Hinata too.
After this revelation he wanted nothing more than to open up to her. He began to tell her about the man who gave him the bread and what he had done in the past. Hinata tried her hardest not to cry when she learned of his cruelty but only succeeded in maintaining extremely watery eyes. She looked up in hope the tears would go back in and Naruto laughed at her for this. He secretly thought it was cute how emotional she got over something so small and so long ago.
"So Naruto-kun, d-do you forgive him?" she asked.
"I do. I understand that hurt people hurt others, and I think he does feel bad. What bugs me is what if everyone is giving me things and being nice to me because they feel guilty for how they treated me before, and not because they like me now. If I had failed when I fought Pain or Madara would people just continue hating me." He looked back at the village, focusing on tiny people walking the streets and entering/exiting their homes. He waited for Hinata's reply, but what he heard shocked him.
"That's stupid." She said in a firm tone.
He stared at her and recognized that look immediately. It was the same strong passionate look she gave to him twice before.
"They know exactly who you are Naruto and what you have done for them. It's because they know this that they give you gifts; of gratitude, not guilt. It's because they're grateful and so proud of you that they treat you differently. That they're warm towards you. Don't you ever start believing otherwise, because it's just not true."
Naruto was in awe, something she has a tendency of doing to him as of late. How great it felt to have someone believe in him so much. All his insecurities regarding the village liking him completely disappeared the moment he saw that look.
He smiled widely and began to laugh uncontrollably and then even harder when he saw her passionate face turn into a shy confused one, like she said something wrong. Then he hugged her.
"N-N-Naruto-kun?" She barely stammered. ' I could die right now. Of Joy!' she thought.
"Thank you Hinata, for always being there for me. You are one of the most amazing people I know, and I'm so happy you're my friend." He squeezed a little tighter.
This last bit stung a little for Hinata, but she would take it for now. She was just glad she was helpful to him, but she wasn't going to quit just yet. She bravely put her hands on his back lightly.
"You are ever so welcome, Naruto-kun."
Naruto moments later let go of Hinata (to her dismay), then his stomach growled loudly.
"Whoa, I just realized I'm hungry!" he looked to his side and saw the bag of bread. The Banana Bread!
"Hinata, wanna eat this banana bread with me?! This'll be the first time I try it!" he exclaimed excitedly. Hinata had also never tried banana bread before and the prospect of sharing a first together thrilled her.
They ate happily and Naruto knew that even if he had tasted banana bread before, it wouldn't taste nearly as sweet as when he was eating here with Hinata. He turned slightly to steal a glance at Hinata's face. She seemed to really like it too, chewing with a slight smile. Then he noticed it. The sunset's orange rays setting on Hinata's navy hair and her pale creamy face.
'Wow… she looks.. Kind of really pretty..'
He quickly turned his head to look back down at the village. Thrown off by this odd thought he picked up another loaf of banana bread from the bag and began munching, hoping it would hide the slight blush on his whiskered cheeks.