Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
The sun rose blood-red that morning. 'So blood has been shed.' Hinata thought dismally to herself as she remained isolated in the forest just outside the Hyuuga estate. She sighed, sounding troubled. Her class that graduated was very strange. It had been four years since Naruto and Lee had came back, carrying Shikamaru back from that one mission. Sasuke had been classified as a missing nin, and still is to this day. Every weekend, Hinata has been at the Konoha memorial, leaving flowers for her deceased teammate and her cousin. Sitting uncomfortably on a large oak tree, Hinata shifted her weight about for a more relaxing position. Sitting outside the forest, Hinata looked upon the little village of Konoha that rested below her.
"Neji-ni-san. Kiba-kun. Am I stronger?" She whispered softly, looking to the purple clouds that were at a standstill. The only response was the wind brushing her face ever so slightly. Hinata smiled a little. It seemed as if she had. "Naruto-kun, in your eyes, am I stronger?" Hinata whispered again.
There was no response, it seemed as if no one would answer her desperate question. She brought her knees up to her chin and looked at the ground in thought. She focused on the grass, the morning dew still glistened on the flat blades of grass, and little insects would scurry back and forth in search for protection from the hungry birds who sought after food. She closed her eyes, and enjoyed the peaceful silence. As the birds started chirping, signaling the sun had risen, Hinata sighed and stood up.
She brushed off the few twigs and debris she had on her cream colored jacket and her purple khapris She walked back to the estate, dreading coming back to her family. Hanabi, her younger sister was already a chuunin, and almost at the same rank Hinata was. To the family, Hinata was a shame, and not worthy of being the Hyuuga heir. By the time she arrived, breakfast was in the midst of being served. She half-heartedly slid the doors open and took off her sandals, before going into the kitchen. At once her father looked up, and looked at her with cold eyes. Her sister just ignored her presence as Hinata sat down in her respective place, eating and not saying a word.
"Where were you?" Her father asked with a harsh tone.
"Just outside the forest of our estate." Hinata replied in a quiet voice.
"Were you training?" This time Hanabi spoke up, looking at Hinata intensely.
"No. Just thinking." Hinata said, giving a short reply. Her father shook his head and they continued eating. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Hinata's father and her sister had left the table, leaving Hinata alone. Both didn't speak to her as they left for their missions. Hinata got up, leaving her dishes to be picked up by their servants, and went to her room, which was located at the far end of the Hyuuga Estate, very close to the Branch Families' rooms.
"Hinata-sama, two young men are at the door, and they wish to speak to you." Her maid said, bowing and then leaving. Hinata's mouth was slightly open when her maid had spoken. 'Someone, for her?' Hinata half-walked, half-ran to the door, in curiosity to see who it was. When she slid the door open, she found someone she never expected to come. Shikamaru and Naruto.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Hinata asked shyly. They were now sitting in the Hyuuga living room. Shikamaru shook his head slightly. Naruto shook his head also, and smiled at Hinata. She felt herself turning red. Somehow, over the four years of being friends with Naruto, she'd always blush around him.
"Actually, the...the reason why we're here is..." Shikamaru trailed off. He tried speaking several times, but nothing came out. Hinata sat down and gave him a smile, saying that she didn't mind the wait. Despite his laziness and lack of motivation, Shikamaru had become wonderful a teacher at the Academy. Though he was the youngest teacher, seldom did he neglect the responsibilities of teaching and only would when he was assigned missions.
"Anou...Hina-chan...what...maybe I should start." Naruto said, giving a Hinata small smile. Hinata returned the smile, but felt herself blush even more, if it was possible.
"Ah, go ahead Naruto-kun." Hinata said, wondering possibly what Naruto had to say.
"...Tsunada-sama...wished for us to give...to give you this." Naruto said quietly. Hinata didn't notice it before, but there was a box laid in Naruto's lap. Hinata quickly averted her eyes when she realized where she was looking. She didn't notice Shikamaru's expression darken as Naruto opened the box delicately, and unwrapping the mystery item from the cloth material protecting it.
"Before...before I give this to you Hina-chan...I have to tell you about..." Naruto broke off.
"We have to tell you about the day Neji died." Shikamaru said picking up where Naruto left. Those words echoed in Hinata's head, and in intense rush of memories came flooding back to her.
'Hinata-sama, why are you crying?' A young five-year old Neji asked her. A four year old Hinata sat on the ground crying. Warm salty tears flowed down her cheeks as she mourned for the death of her pet bird. She didn't want to cry in front of Neji-ni-san. His father died only a year ago, and she didn't want Neji to feel sad for her.
'I'm not crying. Otousan says its sign of weakness.' Hinata said, trying to wipe her tears dry from her face and smiled. Neji smiled.
'You don't have to stop crying. Even strong people cry sometime.' Neji said, handing her a tissue. Hinata smiled, before breaking down into tears again. 'A-arigatou, Neji-ni-san.' Hinata stuttered.
"Hinata...daijoubou?" Naruto said, looking worried.
"H-hai. Daijoubou desu." Hinata said, hiccupping, and wiping the tears onto her sleeves. She looked at the Shikamaru and Naruto, who both avoiding her eyes. "Please continue..."
"Well..." Naruto and Shikamaru both took turns telling the past events to Hinata. They told her how after Lee had barely defeated Kinomaru, and found Shikamaru in the forest finishing off the last sound nin. Meanwhile, Naruto caught up to Sasuke in the forest. Confronting him, Naruto challenged him to a battle. If Sasuke won, Naruto would let him leave, and Naruto would report him as a missing nin. If Sasuke lost, he'd have to come back to Konoha.
"That bastard pulled cheap shot." Naruto spat bitterly, when talking about Sasuke.
"Naruto, just finish this story. Hinata needs to know." Shikamaru said sternly. Naruto let out a low growl, but continued on with the story. After had Sasuke had left Naruto, Lee and Shikamaru came, and waited until he resumed consciousness. After an hour after finding him, Naruto woke up, commanding that they go look for Kiba, Neji, and Chouji. When they found Kiba's body, he was next to one of the sound nins.
"He was all ready dead when we got there, but it looked as if he died with honor." Shikamaru said solemnly, trying to console Hinata, who had tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
"Go--go---go--gomen...p-please continue..." Hinata choked out.
After finding Kiba's body, Lee found a proper place for burial of his and Akamaru's bodies. After they buried him, they rested and respectfully mourned for him. As the sun was setting, they set out once again to find everyone else, with a flicker of hope that they didn't have the same fate as Kiba. Chouji's body was the next to be found. There was a long pause when they found him. Naruto and Lee let Shikamaru find a proper burial for Chouji. After his burial, they rested for half an hour, and resumed their search for Neji, presuming they'd find a corpse. After sometime they stumbled upon him. He was barely breathing, and not conscious, but they were relieved that he was alive. They covered most of his wounds and tried healing him. Neji awoke around midnight, Shikamaru and Lee fell asleep by the fire they made and Naruto was securing several of the traps around their campsite when he heard Neji spoke.
"Where is Uchiha?" Neji asked hoarsely. Naruto gave him a grim look.
"He's a missing nin now. I couldn't get him back, and he attacked his fellow leaf nin with hostility under his own will." Naruto said coldly. Neji didn't say anything, he tried moving, but groaned in pain.
"You've gotten a lot of wounds, don't move."
"I don't need a drop out to tell me what to do." Neji said, but then stopped trying to move around. Naruto grinned.
"Yeah, well you don't have to get that snobby attitude with me you loser." Naruto said grinning. Neji returned the smile.
"...Why is Lee here?" Neji asked.
"He came and helped us." Naruto said, smiling warmly at Lee.
"Hn. Where is loud one and the fat one?" Neji asked. "Are they getting food?" Naruto opened his mouth, but paused.
"Oh..." Neji said with understanding. "I'll probably join them soon."
"Don't say that." Naruto said angrily.
"It's true." Neji responded. "Only good will come of it anyway."
"That's not true. Hinata...Hinata would be sad."
"...Dropout. Can you do me a favor?" Neji asked, looking at the stars. "Tell Hinata...I...I didn't hate her...and she isn't...she isn't weak."
"H-hai." Naruto stuttered. He watched as Neji smirked, then closing his eyes falling into a deep sleep. Naruto yawned and fell asleep at the tree beside him. When Naruto and the others woke, Neji was dead. After telling Hinata all of this, she started to cry even harder.
"...I should get going. Class starts in an hour. I'm sorry for this..." Shikamaru said saddened. Wearily, he got up and showed himself out. Naruto, sitting across from Hinata looked awkwardly the ground, not knowing what to do. Spontaneously, he said pulled out a worn headband, that was scratched and looked quite old. He also pulled a small dog chain with Kiba's name on it.
"We...we...found this with them." Naruto said quietly.
"...Arigatou." Hinata said, sniffling. She looked at her clock, it all ready been an hour since she had shown Shikamaru and Naruto in. "I'm really sorry for crying like this."
"It's okay Hinata. Even the strongest person I know cries." Naruto said, giving her a warm smile, and grabbing her hand.
"W-who is it?" Hinata asked, curious to know who it was.
"It's you." Naruto said smiling. Naruto left, leaving the memories of her dear friend and family member behind with her. Hinata stayed there, finally feeling less lost. Her emptiness that was once there was gone. Somehow knowing other people thought she was strong, gave her even more strength. She resumed training later that day, finally able to find peace with herself. She came back to that same spot in the forest, sitting down to admire the gorgeous sunset she admired. She looked at the clouds again, and whispered softly.
"You're lying Naruto-kun. Though I believe in my strengths, you, Neji-ni-san, and Kiba have great powers and strengths."
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A/N: Sorry this one-shot really didn't go anywhere. I just got into a writer's block...and this is sort of the result? Anyway...It's my first oneshot fic @_@....oh yeah...Please REVIEW!!! *gives puppy dog eyes* Oh also tell me if my spelling is correct...like with names. I was to lazy to look em up so they might be wrong...^^;