A shorter cooldown chapter from the last one. This will lead into the next chapter and the one after that.

General narration

"Talking"

Flashbacks

'Thinking'

Narration

"Yami speaking"

"Bijuu talking"

'Bijuu thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Naruto Shippuden, nor the Naruto Manga. They are owned by Viz Media and Masashi Kishimoto. I only own "Narrator" and other OCs.

Naruto sighs indulgently. Doing an S-Rank mission immediately after a 3-year training trip is more draining than he expected. As soon as he came to the village, he and everyone else gave their reports, and he went to bed. He even slept in today. He feels like he deserves it.

He stretches and starts to get ready. He remembers Tsunade Baa-chan letting him and Sakura know that they need a new temporary teammate and Captain to replace Sasuke and their out-of-commission captain for their next mission. Or a Vice-Captain to at least maintain order while Kakashi recovers from the effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Tsunade Baa-chan said she'd take care of it by the time their mission to the Tenchi Bridge comes by. Well, that mission is in a month's time, so many things can happen between now and then. He's not worried.

Naruto walks out of his apartment. He thinks it's about time he found a temporary teammate. It's also an excuse for him to meet with the rest of his friends.

…

Well, the day has been… weird. He had an awkward encounter with Shino. He didn't recognize the guy, and he had to spend a few painful minutes talking to someone who knew him, but who he didn't recognize. The poor guy had to spell it out to him so he could realize who he was talking to.

Then he met Kiba. He grew taller, and finally ditched his musty parka, but the bastard came riding on the back of a fucking werewolf! There's no way a small dog like Akamaru could grow so massive in 3 years. It's impossible. That mustn't be a dog!

But suffering threw every awkward moment was worth it when he heard a soft, feminine gasp, mixed with a delightful squeal.

Hinata is hiding behind a large fence. She caught a glimpse of someone she's missed every second he's been gone for the last three years. But despite how much she longed to see him, having him back presented a whole new reality to her.

'W-what should I do?' She thinks. She panics at every mundane and wild scenario that pops into her head. 'What should I say? I-I'm not ready for this.' The poor girl takes deep breaths and exhales slowly. She's attempting breathing and relaxation techniques synonymous with meditation. Anything at all to slow her erratic heartbeat. 'I haven't seen him in so long. W-what if I say the wrong thing?' She plays with her now long hair as a sort of fidgety reflex.

As if fate were playing a cruel game, Naruto suddenly landed right in front of her, managing to spook her. His wide, happy grin fills her with happy, excited butterflies in her stomach, along with a little bit of dread.

As for Naruto, he couldn't be more excited. Other than his team and Baa-chan, the one person he wanted to see most is Hinata. It was not even close. In the short few days they spent together before he left, he'd quickly gotten close to her. Hinata holds a special place in his heart as being the first person to ever approach him for friendship. "Long time no see! What's up, Hinata?"

Hinata slowly and robotically raises her head. She cranes her neck up to look into the eyes of her friend. 'When did Naruto-kun get so tall?' She wonders absentmindedly. A blush begins coloring her pale cheeks.

"N-Naruto-kun. It's been too long." She looks away and begins twiddling her fingers. "I read every letter you sent me. I-I would've liked to be able to send one back, but you were always moving."

Naruto's grin weakens slightly into an understanding smile. "Ah, no sweat. I can't blame you for that, dattebayo. I would've liked to hear from you too." He confesses.

Hinata's blush intensifies to a scarlet hue. "I-I kept every letter you sent me." Immediately, she covers her mouth with her hands.

The poor girl is mortified. 'I didn't mean to say that! What if he thinks I'm a creep?' She couldn't bare the thought of scaring Naruto-kun away.

Naruto chuckles lightly. He rubs the back of his head bashfully. "It flatters me that you care so much for me, Hinata."

Hinata bites her lip. She catches herself before she says something far more embarrassing.

Noticing her internal war, Naruto decides that he should make the girl feel better about herself. "Let me show you something."

Hinata watches keenly as Naruto begins digging inside of his weapons pouch. If his frustrated grunts are any indication, he's looking for something. Something he must feel is worthwhile if he's going through so much trouble.

When she lays her eyes on what it was he was looking for, she gasps sharply. Her eyes hungrily drink in the sight, feeling a kind of happiness she's never felt before. Naruto is holding… the ointment containers she gave him.

Naruto chuckles nervously. "It's a little embarrassing to admit this, but I finished both containers after the second year of my training trip."

Hinata blinks. Her mind is a jumbled mess. "B-but why would you keep them i-if they are empty?" She asks.

Naruto shakes his head. "I imagine it's for the same reason you kept all my letters." He states with a wink.

Hinata's entire body burns up, Flustered and red-faced, not a single bit of her naturally pale skin is seen. "D-don't t-tease me!" She demands with a glare that comes off as more cute than intimidating.

Naruto breaks into guffaws. He holds his stomach as he bellows out loud, joyful laughs. Hinata huffs and pouts, her face exploding into unknown crimson hues. Noticing this, slowly, Naruto's laughter dies down and he wipes a tear from his eye. "I know these are empty, but I kept these canisters as mementos, dattebayo. They are the first and second gifts I've ever received, and they were given to me by someone special. It reminded me of you while I was away."

Hinata looks at her feet with a small smile. "I-I see. I feel the same way." A shiver runs up her spine, and Hinata squirms happily.

Naruto gets in a thinking pose and scrutinizes Hinata for a few seconds. "You know, long hair really suits you. It really brings out your eyes." He gives her a thumbs up. "Great choice."

Hinata giggles happily into her hand.

Naruto thinks it's time he moves the conversation along. "Say, Hinata, are you busy right now?"

Hinata thinks about it for only a second. "I have a mission in a few days. Kurenai-sensei gave us th-the day off to prepare until then."

Naruto beams. "That's fantastic! How about we take advantage of that and start catching up?" He offers.

Hinata feels faint and light-headed. Naruto has simultaneously been so forward and so platonic the moment he spotted her. She's feeling overwhelmed. Not trusting her own voice, she can only let out a weak nod.

"Great! I'll tell you all about my latest mission, and you can tell me how it's been for you since I left the village."

"O-okay."

...

They walk in relative silence for a minute. Suddenly, Naruto decides to keep poking fun at his friend. "So, which story from my letters was your favorite?"

"Naruto-kun!" Yells out Hinata exasperatedly. She'd like it if he would stop teasing her! It's too much for her fragile heart!

Naruto shakes his head. "Don't worry, I'm not messing with you. I'm genuinely curious. I did a lot of things on my trip. I wanted to know what you enjoyed most, that's all."

Hinata scours her brain for all the letters Naruto sent her. Not all were good, happy things. Those letters were always hard for her to read through, so the ones she kept close to her heart were the ones talking about happier, funnier moments. In fact, there's one letter, in particular, that stands out for just how… ridiculous the story is.

The story is quite crude. It's gross, and she honestly wants to know how it even happened. "Th-that letter you sent about you… urinating in Jiraiya-sama's eyes, h-how did that happen?" There's an audible disgust in her words, but there is also a strong curiosity. Along with those words came a disapproving frown, marring her gentle features.

Naruto raises his hands in a placating manner. "Hey, it's not as bad as it sounds, I promise."

Hinata's eyes narrowed, silently asking him to explain himself.

Naruto thinks about what to say. He snorts and chuckles all at once. "Of all things, you want to know about that?"

Hinata nods.

Naruto places his head in his hands. "Oh, God. It's embarrassing, but it's funny in hindsight. Alright, so one day, after a hard training session, I had to go to the bathroom. And by a hard training session, I mean the ones where after training, your arms are heavy, your knees are weak, your limbs are numb, and breathing hurts."

Hinata frowns. "Naruto-kun that sounds m-much too intense for a training session. You need t-to learn when to slow down." She scolds.

"Hey! It wasn't like that by choice!" He argues defensively. "Ero-sennin is in charge of my training schedule. He chose to make training hellish that day."

Hinata puts a finger under her chin, appearing as if thinking. "I can relate in a way. My teacher is in charge of m-my training schedule too."

"See, you get it! So, after my training, I had to go to the bathroom. And you can imagine how difficult it would be to pull down your pants to pee in a bush when you've lost all feeling in your arms."

"Naruto-kun!" Yells out an abashed Hyuuga heiress. She did not need to know that!

Naruto rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Ehehehe. Sorry. Well, continuing with the story, I went to pee in a bush, but Ero-sennin thought it'd be sooo funny if he were to spook me while I was defenseless. So when my pants were down he snuck up behind me and yelled in my ear."

Hinata winces sympathetically.

"I know, right? That shit hurt! And it nearly gave me a heart attack! I was so spooked that I tried to run, but with my pants along my ankles, I lost my balance and tripped on a tree root."

Ohhh. She sees where this is going.

"When I fell, I landed on my back. The shock of it all made me flex, and I lost control. I pissed up like a Geyser. And because I pissed up and I was lying on my back, I pretty much pissed on myself." He grumbled, sounding furious at what Jiraiya caused him to do.

Hinata frowns deeply. A mixture of sympathy for Naruto and fury at Jiraiya fuels her staunch expression. "I'm very sorry that happened to you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto chuckles darkly. "Don't worry about it, Hinata. While Ero-sennin was too busy laughing his ass off, my erratic movement caused my stream to hit him on the face. It got in his eyes and in his mouth, so at least the old bastard got some form of divine retribution for his stupidity." He announces in a mix of anger and satisfaction.

Hinata is green on the face. The story Naruto told her was truly disgusting, but she can't hide the traitorous giggles that escape her supple lips. "I have t-to admit, Jiraiya-sama did deserve it."

"I know, right?" Exclaims the blond with a smile. "The old man couldn't tolerate a sip of lemonade since that day."

Hinata's giggles turn into small laughs. "Well, Jiraiya-sama seems to be fine, so no harm done."

They stay in a pleasant silence. They walk around the village, not saying much of anything, simply enjoying each other's presence.

This time, Hinata breaks the silence. "N-Neji Nii-san gave me a su-summary of his latest mission."

Naruto becomes worried. "Oh, yeah, is he okay? Sakura told me that he hurt his eyes during the mission. She said that there was someone else in the village who was better suited to treat his eyes."

Hinata smiled in a… smug manner? Do his eyes deceive him?

"I find that weird, though. Who would be better suited to treat Neji than the apprentice of Tsunade Baa-chan?"

Hinata grins coyly. "I-I may have an idea."

Naruto raises a brow. "Really? Who?"

Hinata positively radiated pride. "A Hyuuga apprentice of Tsunade-sama. Who is better suited to treat injuries to the Byakugan than a Hyuuga medic?"

Naruto's eyes widen. "Wait! You don't mean…"

Hinata smiles shyly. She nods.

Naruto places a hand on her shoulder. "Good for you, Hinata. I'm proud of you."

The meek Hyuuga girl flushes a soft pink. "T-thank you, Naruto-kun." She narrows her eyes in concentration when recalling how she treated Neji. "I checked Neji Nii-san's eyes, and his opponent managed to hurt him badly. Thankfully, he suffered no permanent damage. His eyes are bruised and sensitive, so he'll feel pain when looking at direct light. I told him to wear sunglasses and avoid using his Byakugan for a few days. He should be fully capable of taking up missions anywhere between 5-8 days from today."

The confidence and assurance with which she spoke of her tending to her cousin is awe-inspiring to Naruto. Hell, the girl didn't even stutter once when recounting her analysis and treatment plan for the older Hyuuga male. It makes Naruto glad that Hinata is finally breaking out of her shell. Even so, slowly, a frown pulls at his lips.

When she notices Naruto's frown, Hinata becomes concerned. "Is something w-wrong, Naruto-kun?"

Realizing his own expression, Naruto is quick to try and correct it. "It's just that, well, no one told me you were training to be a medic under Tsunade Baa-chan. I feel bad that this whole time I had no idea about your accomplishments while I was gone, dattebayo."

Hinata squeezes Naruto's bicep. "N-No, it's not your fault, Naruto-kun. I-I'm just glad to finally be acknowledged by, you, that's all." She swipes a strand of hair behind her ear.

Naruto's gloomy aura lightens up considerably. "Heh! I bet you got plenty strong while I was away, huh?"

Hinata lets go of Naruto's arm. She plays with the hem of her baggy jacket, fidgeting every so often. "I-I like to think so. I'd like to show you sometime, N-Naruto-kun."

Naruto stops walking, alerting Hinata to his now pensive disposition. 'What could have Naruto-kun in such deep thought?' She wonders.

"Hey, Hinata."

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to train with me sometime? You know, like training partners?" It's not exactly what he wants to ask, but he'll test the waters first.

Hinata stares at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "R-Really?"

Naruto forces a grin. "Yeah! I can show you all my super-cool new abilities, and you can show me how strong you've gotten, dattebayo."

Hinata smiles widely. She nods so fast she nearly gives herself whiplash.

Naruto chuckles nervously. 'Shit. How do I broach the subject? I don't want to upset Hinata.'

Despite the confidence in his voice, Hinata can feel that something isn't right. "Is something wrong, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto stares at Hinata's wide lilac-colored eyes. Her normally gentle eyes are filled with worry. When she worries, her softness is gone. Naruto hates that he's causing her to worry. He runs a hand through his hair. "When I asked you to be my training partner, it wasn't with honest intentions." He confesses.

Hinata's hurt expression feels like a stab in his heart.

"I misspoke!" He suggests nervously. "I do want to be training partners with you, but it's not just to gauge your newfound strength."

Hinata's face still displays some of her hurt, but curiosity takes precedence over that. "W-what is it you want, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looks around suspiciously, making sure there is no one around listening in on their conversation. Once sure no one is close enough to fully eavesdrop, he turns his attention back to Hinata. He comes in close and puts his mouth by her ear, just in case someone is listening to their conversation. "I have a secret ability, and I need your help to master it." He says in a whisper.

If Naruto had her curiosity before, he now has her attention. "A secret ability. What is it, if you don't mind me asking, N-Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looks around nervously. Not trusting his own sensory abilities, he begins to think that it'd be best to go somewhere else to have this conversation. "Follow me."

Before Hinata can respond, Naruto grabs her hand and drags her away.

Her massive blush spreads to her body and down her hand, scalding Naruto with the heat.

At An Undisclosed Training Ground

Naruto took a long, winding path to one of the Training Grounds. If his suspicions about someone listening in on their conversation were true, then he definitely managed to lose them. Even so, he takes the final precaution of looking around one last time, more so for the sake of peace of mind.

He sighs. "I need your help to master my secret power, Hinata." He repeats.

"B-but what is this secret power, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto chuckles weakly. "So Neji didn't tell you, huh? I'm relieved, but it makes things harder for me now."

Hinata frowns. Her disappointment is palpable. "You told Neji Nii-san, but not me? I-I thought you trusted me, Naruto-kun."

Mentally, Naruto facepalms at his stupidity. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. You don't know the full story, dattebayo. To make it simple, Neji found out about my power by himself. He's actually the one who showed me my own ability."

Now, this entire situation confused Hinata before. But now, this is straight-up baffling. "I don't understand. How could Neji Nii-san know something about you that you didn't even know? And still, why didn't you tell me?"

Naruto feels like the conversation is going around in circles, but that's mostly his fault. Hinata has no idea what he knows, and he keeps acting like he expects her to. It's time to be blunt. "Okay. I'll spit it out." Naruto casts a set of handseals familiar to Hinata.

When he finishes molding his chakra, Naruto's eyes lose their vibrant cerulean color. His irises become dull and gray. Veins protrude around his eyes, by the temples and cheekbones.

Hinata gasps. Her arms go slack and her mouth gapes open.

Naruto grimaces. "I possess Byakugan." There. He said it. There's no turning back. Whatever comes from this, the damage is done.

"N-Na-Naruto-kun… B-B-Byakugan… H-Hyuuga…"

Well, shit. He broke her. "Hinata, please snap out of it. I need you right now."

With five simple words, Hinata reigns in her emotions and looks at Naruto, ready to offer her aid. "Before you say anything else, I-I feel like I need to know. W-Why didn't you tell me about your Byakugan?"

It's only a question. That's all she asked, and yet, it feels like he's paying penance to her, like he's making up for something. Damn it, girls are weird. "Neji and I concluded that I was directly related to the Hyuuga Clan by blood. It's just that no one knew about the existence of an offshoot Hyuuga lineage."

He doesn't like having to pretend that he doesn't know his mother, but in this case, it's necessary.

And judging by the widening of Hinata's eyes, followed by a horrified gasp, it seems she was able to piece together why his Byakugan being public knowledge would be disastrous for him.

She bows at him remorsefully. "I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I promise to protect your secret, even at the cost of my own life if I have to." She declares with a blazing fire in her eyes. She stops bowing and looks Naruto in the eyes. "What is it that you need from me, Naruto-kun?"

"TH-there's no need for all that, Hinata." Such a subservient and genuine display had Naruto feeling strange. He's not sure if he likes what he feels or not. What he does know is that he has no idea how to react to something like that.

But moving on, here it is. His true goal. "Hinata, as heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, I ask, no, I beg of you. Please teach me how to master my eyes, as well as Hyuuga Clan techniques, dattebayo." There. He said it.

Hinata clamps up. She stays unnaturally silent. It's like she forgot how to speak.

"Hinata?"

The Hyuuga heiress swallows hard. Hard enough for her gulp to be audible.

"H-hey, Hinata. I don't want you to be upset with me. Please say something, 'ttebayo." Naruto knows that he's playing a dangerous game now.

Hinata clenches her fists and shakes her head wildly. "I-I-I'm so s-sorry, Naruto-kun, b-but I can't teach you secret clan techniques." Based on her tone, that was the end of the discussion—no ifs, ands, or buts.

But then again, she's talking with Uzumaki Naruto. "I know I put you in a tough spot, but I asked you because I knew I could trust you. I need to learn how to use my eyes. I get exhausted using them, and I will never reach my full potential if I don't overcome this."

Hinata vehemently shakes her head. "No. The laws of my clan are strict. A-and both our eyes and our jutsu are considered clan s-secrets for a reason. To give out our sacred knowledge would constitute as t-tr-treason to the village and clan! And as the clan heiress, that applies doubly to me. I-I can't do this, Naruto-kun. Not even for you." There was resolute finality in her tone. That was an ultimatum. There is nothing more to be said.

"Hinata. I know I'm asking for too much. But don't think I'm not willing to make this worth your while. I'll do something else for you in exchange for helping me, 'ttebayo. An equivalent exchange, if you will." Suggests the blond Uzumaki, who tries to hide his eagerness.

"No!" She instinctually yells out. " I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but there's nothing y-you can give me that can make me help you. It's t-too dangerous!" The Hyuuga heiress is failing to hide her trembling hands.

Naruto understands the narrow thread he's walking on. He needs to tread carefully if he is to get what he wants and keep his friendship with Hinata.

"Okay, I understand, but please hear me out. Please?" Naruto makes a point to end his request in a more subdued tone, feigning a sense of desperation.

Hinata bites her lip and clenches her eyes shut. She's struggling between giving Naruto the benefit of the doubt or playing it safe for the sake of her clan.

She's already decided to let him down gently, but hearing his proposal wouldn't hurt. "O-Okay, Naruto-kun. What is it that you have in mind?" She doesn't look him in the eyes. She knows that if she even glances at his vibrant, beautiful sapphires, she'll crumble.

Naruto takes a deep, heavy breath. His chest expands to accommodate the air and deflates as he exhales. "Hinata, I know that you know me as a person, and as friends, naturally, you have some idea of my struggles."

Hinata nods slightly. All that may be true, but what is Naruto-kun trying to do?

Naruto licks his lips and his eyes flicker about wildly. He's having a hard time with whatever he has to say. "I don't like to think about it, but I know, you know, everyone knows that I'm an orphan. And every orphan's greatest dream growing up is that their family miraculously comes back for them." He chuckles bitterly. "Along the way, I've learned about hope and despair, and that this world loves to feed on despair." There's a hidden snarl somewhere in those words.

Hinata can feel the shift in the air. Something inside of Naruto decided to rear its ugly head. And she can already feel the lump forming in her throat.

"And as the village pariah, I was told and heard so many horrible things. Those who despised me would call me a demon, a monster, an abomination. Anything that would imply I wasn't human."

Something between a mad cackle and a sob leaps out in Naruto's voice. Hinata never heard a sound so angry, so sad, so… tragic, before. It hurts her heart to hear such a sound come from Naruto.

The blond wasn't done ranting. "And those who only saw me as the worst of humanity would call me all types of slurs and derogatory terms. They'd say things like my parents were dead, that I was evil, or that I simply appeared one day as a bad omen."

Hinata feels like crying. For the people of the village to treat Naruto-kun like that… what does that say about humanity as a whole that the best of Humanity gets treated like the scum of the world when he deserves to be embraced?

Naruto smiles tragically. If heartbreak were a look, he'd be the creator. "If I'm being honest, the villagers who despised me offered me some sort of comfort, no matter how crooked the form. I chose to believe them and the things they said because it was better than the things the more 'humane' villagers said. I'd rather have been a monster, a demon, something inhuman altogether. I'd rather have simply appeared one day. I'd rather my parents have been dead altogether. It was better than being the unwanted bastard son of a disgraced shinobi and common street whore. Despite all the horrible things people said about me, I took solace in not being human for the simple fact that I could never stomach the thought that my parents would voluntarily abandon me. That they never loved me and would leave me unwanted… that brought me more pain than words could describe."

Hinata holds back a sob. Naruto's words are filled with deep anguish and despair. His words make her feel what he feels. For anyone to have felt like that, for Naruto-kun to feel like that… she can't bare it. She would do anything to make his pain go away.

Suddenly, some light peaks through the cracks in Naruto's fragile shell. "But, when Neji told me about my Byakugan, it was like my eyes were opened for the first time, Hinata! I already knew who my Kaa-chan was, but now, I had a clue of just who my Tou-chan was! My Tou-chan carried Hyuuga blood in his veins. Blood that was passed on to me! I'm part of the Hyuuga Clan, no matter how distantly related it may be. I'm part of a prestigious Noble Family of Konoha, and that makes me somebody! Could you imagine how that makes me feel?" He asks in a mixture of desperation and giddiness.

Hinata remains silent. 'No. I could never know.'

"My Tou-chan left me with this gift. And knowing I have Hyuuga blood running through me, I owe it to my Tou-chan to make the most of his gift. I need to do everything I can to unlock the maximum potential of my eyes as a tribute to the man he was. I don't have any idea who my Tou-chan was. I don't know his name, nor do I have a picture. All I have to connect me with him is my hair and my eyes."

Naruto takes a step forward and bows deeply to Hinata. "So once more, please! Please teach me how to use my gift, and let me know of my birthright, dattebayo!" It's no longer a plead. Naruto is begging Hinata to give him a chance.

Hinata gulps loudly. "...I-" She freezes. It's like her tongue is stuck.

Assuming Hinata is going to reject him, Naruto stands back up and holds her hands. "I'll help you win over Hanabi-chan! I'll do everything I can so that you can get your imouto back! I'll owe you a favor or three if you want! I'll even do whatever you want me to do for an entire day, no questions asked!" He prostrates himself at her feet, abandoning his pride for the sake of a yes.

Hinata didn't have the chance to say it earlier, but Naruto won her over the second he finished telling her his story. But him adding these other pieces certainly sweetens the deal. As a shinobi, it'd be against the very nature of her profession to say no to such a boon.

But even so, as the heiress of her clan, she cannot be giving out the secrets of her clan so freely. If Naruto were to suddenly show knowledge of Hyuuga's exclusive techniques, it would not be very difficult for people to figure out that she is the leak. She and Neji are the only ones from her clan that have any interactions with Naruto.

Hinata twiddles with her thumbs a bit before giving Naruto a response. "I-I…I… I'll teach you what I can." She reluctantly accepts.

Naruto breathes out a sigh of relief so strong he practically deflates like a balloon.

"W-wait, N-Naruto-kun, I have two more conditions." She adds.

Naruto is really tempted to point out that Hinata was really squeezing everything she can out of this deal. It's completely against the image he had of her, but at the same time, Hinata holds all the cards. He really doesn't have a choice but to tread carefully. "What is it?"

"I-I cannot give you Clan techniques f-from the Main House. That'd be too dangerous, N-Naruto-kun! So I'll help you learn how to use your B-B-Byakugan, and how to master it." She offers.

Naruto sighs dejectedly. It's not exactly what he wants, but it'll do in the meantime. "I suppose that's fair."

Hinata doesn't like the disappointment she hears in Naruto's voice. Maybe she should throw him a bone. "I-Ill even teach you all the basic Hyuuga techniques. That's it! Only the basic techniques. They work as the foundation f-for every technique in the Hyuuga Clan. I'll teach you how to strike w-with your fingers and palms." That is the absolute most she can do, and even then it's very risky.

Naruto is weighing the pros and cons of this new arrangement. 'Using basic Hyuuga techniques is suspicious, but one could probably get away with it off of the pretense of copying what they've seen from a Hyuuga in action. When I master the basics, I could probably figure out how to create my own techniques. And Hinata will show me how to master my eyes. They'll actually be usable in live combat.' When he really thinks about it, all he can really see is a massive potential upside with a medium-high risk. The reward outweighs the risk. It's worth it.

"Okay. That works well for me. I can't complain." Naruto and Hinata stay in an easy silence for a few minutes before Naruto remembers one vital detail. "Wait a second, you said you had two conditions for me earlier. You only told me one of them. What is your other condition?" Naruto just hopes it isn't something too crazy.

Hinata's gentle lilac eyes stare into Naruto's vibrant azure. "Th-this is an investment for me too. Master th-the Byakugan, and when you become Hokage, help me get rid of the Hyuuga Clan's curse seal. Please join me in f-freeing our clan!" Despite her soft tone of voice, Hinata's fire and passion were louder than a thunderclap or crashing of waves.

Finally seeing how much stronger Hinata's gotten since he left, he smiles at her and begins walking away. "You didn't have to ask. I was going to do that anyway." He gives his friend a wide grin and a thumbs up. He walks off, leaving the girl to stare at his retreating back.

"A-ano Naruto-kun?"

Naruto stops in his tracks and looks back. "Hmm?"

Hinata's eyes flicker to and fro. One of her hands plays with the ends of her hair, while the other grabs at the hem of her baggy jacket, pulling it and scrunching it up. She puffs out her cheeks, and she explodes into various shades of red. 'I-I have to tell him how I feel. There's no better chance.'

"I-I…I-" God, why is this so hard? "I… I lo- I like…"

'I love you!'

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. For being so strong and kind. Y-you are my inspiration." She bows at him. "Never change, please." Her words are honest, but her frown shows her disappointment in herself.

Sadly, she's bowed at an angle that makes it impossible for Naruto to see her face. "Thank you for your kind words, Hinata." He replies bashfully. He rubs the back of his head and grins shyly. "Have a good day and good luck with your mission." He runs off, not looking back.

This is the first chapter of a mini-arc. It's a cooldown period where I'm making interactions between Naruto and Hinata, and it also serves as a Training Arc showcasing Hinata's power and Naruto learning to use Byakugan. It also further develops the Hinata and Hanabi subplot. It won't last more than 3 chapters, and every chapter will be short. From here on out, most chapters will be shorter. I made them super long before so I could push through to the major things. I'll start taking my time and truly flesh out these new future arcs and plot points.

Let me know your honest thoughts.

Thank you for reading. Review if you enjoyed it, or if you have requests or complaints. You can always P.M me too.

Have a good day. This is Zippy, out.