Optimism is the foundation of Courage.

Hinata has always believed, no matter what the struggle, that it would all be alright in the end.

That faith has been shaken as of late, but not uprooted.

She believes again.

Argus becomes her constant companion and they develop a close relationship almost instantly.

She takes him with her everywhere that she can. They go for walks every day and to the park as often as possible-both to play and to work on commands. He sleeps at the foot of her bed at night. Kiba suggested a dog bed, but Argus sleeps better with her.

Argus, for his part, offers her ready affection and eager attention. Hinata learns quickly that Argus is incredibly smart and she finds herself talking to him frequently. She feels less lonely. She's more relaxed. Happier. Watching his soulful and intelligent eyes, she gets the impression that he is too.

Kiba wasn't kidding about some of Argus's issues, though. Garbage day turned out to be an unexpected adventure. The loud clanging of the dumpsters being emptied by the large truck caused Argus to hide under the kitchen table for the better part of the morning. Hinata sat on the floor with him for hours, speaking softly to lure him back out. She was always pretty good at settling Naruto when he was disturbed, and it looked like that skill transferred over to Argus.

She's lucky enough to work for a pet-friendly company, plus she has her own office, so he spends his days at her side or under her desk, curled up and content-particularly when Shino stops by with dog treats and belly rubs.

Argus doesn't particularly like car rides, and public transport is a big no, but if he's wearing his vest and laying in the back seat, he does okay. His vest stays on at Eight Gates, too. She doesn't bring him there regularly, as loud cheers and sparring can be a lot to take in, especially with his natural inclination to be protective of Hinata, but once she told Sensei and Lee about him, they were eager to meet her three-legged companion.

Hearing his backstory brought both of them to "manly tears", and Hinata had left them hugging one another as they proclaimed Argus to be the most youthful of dogs. Valiant and brave.

She agrees with both assessments.

All in all, things are looking up.

She hopes that her date with Naruto heads in that same direction.

Ino is surprisingly supportive of her date, although that shouldn't be surprising. Ino has only ever wanted the best for Hinata. Still, Ino advises her to approach the situation with cautious optimism. Ino had witnessed every stage of Hinata's relationship with Naruto from the very (awkward and tragic) beginning to the very (awkward and tragic) breaking point.

It's sound advice.

Particularly where Naruto is concerned as Hinata tends to leave her heart wide open for him.

"None of us ever expected you to give up on him," Ino tells her over coffee at their usual meeting spot. Her lips arch and it's only semi-amused. "We know you better than that." She takes a sip of her latte slowly. "Are you sure you're ready?" she asks, her voice carefully neutral.

Hinata's not sure, honestly, but she knows that she wants to see him. Years of history isn't gone. He will always-always-be important to her. "It's Naruto," Hinata says quietly, her fingers twisting her bracelet.

Ino watches the motion in a way that reminds Hinata very much of Inoichi. "Yeah, I know. Despite everything, you know I've got your back, right? If the blonde idiot makes you happy...then I'm happy for you."

Hinata tips her head. "He's not the only blonde idiot that makes me happy."

Ino stares at her for a moment, lips fighting to stay in a straight line."Sometimes you're a real smart-ass." Ino deadpans.

Hinata's grin is unrepentant.

Things are looking up.