Chapter 18: Confession

Naruto woke up with a start, sitting up abruptly. The hospital sheets fell off him as he swung his legs over the bed. He needed to find Hinata. He took a deep breath and focused his attention inward. In a few minutes, his eyes warmed and the area around his lids glowed orange.

He put his hands in his pockets and found the note he'd meant to give to Sakura. He went to find her and disrupted her work with her patients.

She took one look at his face as he burst into the room and knew she wouldn't be able to brush him off.

"Can you leave us for five minutes?" she asked the man she was talking to. He nodded and was about to leave, but Naruto was faster.

"Here," he said as he grabbed her hand and thrust Sasuke's note into it. "From Sasuke."

Then he ran out calling, "Need to find Hinata!"

Shocked, Sakura could only stare at the closing door. She looked down at the note and smiled. Sasuke. And now Naruto was off to find Hinata. Her smile widened.

Finally...you stupid idiots.

Naruto flew out of the hospital, almost running over everyone he met. He flew through the streets of Konoha, trying to locate her.

So this is love? he thought to himself. The feeling of bliss that filled him when he thought of her. The warmth that came from within him right where his heart burned. He realized now that Hinata's presence had been that one unwavering thing in his life that he'd taken for granted. In his lonely childhood, she'd given him words of encouragement and tried to help him during the chuunin exams. During his teenage years, as he'd battled all sorts of enemies, physical and emotional, he'd had to rely on her strength to lift him up. And now, as an adult, he couldn't imagine her not being there for him.

It hurt just to think about it. He shook his head, scared to let any thoughts of Hinata disappearing into his mind.

She'd survived her battle with Pain, and he'd taken it for granted, her existence. He'd never imagined an alternative reality if she hadn't. What if she'd died that day? How different his life would have been. He shuddered.

Looking back, he had loved her all along, but he'd never realized his feelings for what they were until Tsunade had put it into terms he could easily understand. He'd never envisioned Hinata gone from his life. She'd always been there, her presence so constant that he'd never imagined her not being in Konoha, not being able to see her in town. But now, as he searched for her in the village, he panicked at the thought that he wouldn't be able to ever find her.

This was what Shikamaru had talked about, he suddenly realized. He was actively seeking her, fighting for the chance to maybe experience happiness.

It was just, he didn't know where she was. He concentrated again, trying to search out her chakra.

Hinata, where the hell are you?!

He probably shouldn't be using his sage mode this way, but he needed to find Hinata as quickly as possible. He was getting desperate, but he would eventually find her and he wouldn't let go.

Naruto didn't know what to do with these feelings, but instinctively, he knew that she would be the only person in the world who could help him.

He finally found her at the Ninja Academy but cursed when he found her with other people. He wouldn't be able to talk to her now. He forced himself to calm down.

He found a tree, hid up in the branches and watched her from afar as she stood in front of about twelve students. They were at the school training grounds. Her byakugan was activated, one palm out and the other held close to her waist.

"Okay, come at me, then," she said in her gentle voice.

He saw several of the young boys grin knowingly at each other, and Naruto recognized signs of trouble from these mischief-makers. As one, all twelve came running at her.

She smiled then whirled around, arms up to block whatever limbs came within her sphere. As she did so, she adjusted her movements to attack, and in a flash, she sent them flying back. One of the girls, though, managed to land a hit with a foot on Hinata's shoulder.

Hinata said, "Good!" as she grabbed the girl's ankle, twisted her own wrist, and sent the girl flying through the air, as well.

"Keep it coming," she said, panting. "Your taijutsu skills need some work! Don't flail wildly! Remember, keep your arms sharp. Movements must be quick! Concentrate all your power to the side of your palms."

The second round of attacks came from all of them again, but Hinata held them off and sent arms and legs flying again.

Naruto watched the graceful way she moved and fell in love all over again. Damn, she was beautiful, and he was such an idiot for not seeing her for what she was.

"Try to anticipate when a blow will come, then soften your muscles. It won't hurt as much. When you attack, sharpen it up. Attack, hard. Defend, soft! All you need is to pay attention to your opponent."

The students were panting.

She smiled, "Okay, guys, I'm giving you a warning. I'm going on the attack. Remember, soft and gentle, anticipate the blows!"

And she flew straight into the crowd of pre-teens, hair flying as she twisted and landed blows on arms and legs, shoulders, thighs. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and grunts of pain filled the air as she landed everyone on their butts. A few students were able to defend for a few minutes. But eventually, they, too, fell to the ground.

Naruto shook his head, his heart full of pride. It was no use, Hinata had been training in taijutsu since she'd been four years old. There was no way any of the kids could match that type of experience.

The kids were breathless. When they were able to finally breathe, one of the girls yelled, "Hinata-senpai! Give us a break!"

Hinata deactivated her byakugan. She grinned at them. "Okay. You're right. I've got byakugan, so it's not fair. But you're going to be facing opponents who will have an advantage over you. You can't give up."

She then nodded. Her eyes seeking, she found her targets. "But that doesn't excuse those of you who have byakugan, though!"

She stared pointedly at two boys who had the same lavender eyes she had. "Naoki and Hiroto, you better get better the next time I come back. You guys haven't been training."

The boys glared at her for calling them out, but she only raised a brow. "Any complaints?"

They shook their heads.

She then turned to everyone. "Okay, we're breaking for twenty minutes. Go get a drink. Make sure you all bring a towel. I'm going to make you work!"

There was grumbling.

"Listen, we are shinobi. We all want to get better, right? The more training you do, the better you get. One of these days, you guys will be able to kick my butt. But until then, I'm going to kick yours. Everyone, let's get stronger together!"

They all smiled at her then left.

She watched them go with a smile.

"Hinata!" Naruto suddenly burst in.

"Agh!" she shrieked with surprise but quickly whirled around to look at him.

Her hand was up in her taijutsu stance, byakugan already activated, ready to kill him.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him and disengaged from attacking.

"Naruto! What are you doing here at the academy? Are you helping out, too?"

He flushed, suddenly embarrassed and unsure, but still pulsating with feeling. He wasn't sure how she was going to take it, but knowing Hinata, it would probably be okay. Still, he was floundering.

He stepped closer. "No, I actually came to find you."

"Me?" she said with a startled look.

"Yeah, you." He took another step closer until she was only a foot away from him.

"Hinata, I love you."

Hinata blinked, unsure of what she'd just heard. Her brain actually blanked, went completely white. Nothing penetrated her mind except Naruto's flushed face looking at her with a glazed look in his eyes.

She had to take a moment to process his words.

I love you.

"Just like that?" she asked, still reeling with surprise.

And then she laughed softly.

Of course. It would be exactly the way Naruto would declare his feelings. So blunt and so direct. No romance or sweet nothings whatsoever. He wasn't the type to sugarcoat anything.

Just simply, I love you.

She could imagine what she looked like: hot, sweaty, and tired. She was flushed and she knew her hair was a mess. She'd been working with the kids for the past hour. She glanced down at the footprint on her shoulder—and she was also probably very dirty.

He, meanwhile, was wearing his orange sweatpants. His hair was standing on end. It looked like he'd just gotten out of bed in a hurry. His shirt was carelessly untucked. One of the straps of his sandals was hanging loose. Looking more closely, there was a small gash covered with a tiny bandage on his forehead.

They were at the dusty training grounds at the Ninja Academy.

She grinned at him.

This wasn't how she'd imagined his declaration of love would be. She'd envisioned candle lights and a starry night.

But somehow, it all seemed fitting. It was perfectly Naruto, perfectly what he always did.

The smile she aimed at him was tinted with teasing suspicion, though. "Are you sure?"

He looked at her and she saw the truth. Her amusement died.

"I love you," he said again.

It was in his eyes, burning brightly, the sincerity, the intensity.

She didn't know what to say, and he didn't seem to need an answer.

Still holding her gaze, he continued, "Hinata, I love you. I ache with it, I don't know what to do. When I imagine you disappearing from my life, I feel empty, like I don't know who I am. You were always there during the moments that I needed you most. You made me strong, made me feel like I could continue and endure. You made me feel like I could do anything. You believed in me, always had faith in me."

Naruto ran both hands through his hair roughly, making his hair spikier, making him look even crazier. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I know I'm babbling and I don't really know what I'm saying, but don't stop me. Just listen. I want to say everything that's inside me."

And Hinata listened, her heart full.

His blue eyes pierced her as he continued talking. "I watched you with Hanabi at the hospital yesterday and I saw the way you touched her. I want that for myself. I want to feel your hands on my skin. I want you to say my name, to say Naruto in the way only you can. I want you to smile at me."

She smiled at him then, her eyes misting.

But he didn't stop. He continued to look at her. The words were still coming out in a rush.

"I want you to tell me that you love me again. And I'll tell you right back that I love you, too. I'm sorry it took me years to figure it out. To understand what it means. But I think I was already in love with you even before I knew it. I just didn't know that it was love. That's why it took me so long to realize."

His face was tight, anxious, and Hinata wanted to reach out and finally touch him the way she wanted to, but she waited for him to finish.

Naruto kept talking. "Hinata, I know I'll never be good enough for you. You're everything I need but I don't know what I can give you. I don't know a lot about love, but I'm here now. I give you myself, even my life, because that's all I have."

Then he finally stopped. He blinked at her, suddenly embarrassed, uncertain.

"You once told me you loved me, a long time ago. Do you still love me?" he asked.

"Oh, Naruto!" She laughed again, softly, and raised her eyes to his. She hoped he could see the love for him she'd held on to all these years.

"I never stopped."

His breath came out in a sigh.

He finally smiled at her, so golden and bright, relief etched in his face. He looked like the world was lifted off his shoulders. He'd said everything he'd wanted to say, not giving her a chance to say anything.

Hinata waited expectantly, but he only stood there smiling at her.

She was going to have to take the lead, then, she thought with a laugh.

Shyly, she said, "So now what do you want to do about it?"

For an answer, he stepped closer, mere inches away from her.

"Hinata, would you let me kiss you? I can't stand the mystery of not knowing what your lips taste like."

Her heart dropped, but she laughed in surprise. "I meant, did you want to go out on a date with me? I was waiting for you to ask me out."

She looked into his eyes. "But I guess this was a better answer."

"Oh, right!" he said, turning red as he laughed. "But I still want to kiss you."

She flushed and nodded. Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest. Naruto reached up, cupped her face gently, and she closed her eyes as she felt his fingers gently cradling her jaw and cheeks. And he brushed his mouth softly against hers, his lips softer than she'd expected.