Chapter 24

Hinata still stands watch

After the guys left Hinata and Naruto were alone again and back to being silent.

Naruto just started asking her a bunch of questions, about missions she had been on, places she had seen and which she liked the best.

"I guess after all the missions I've been on, I've always liked coming home the best. I love the village. I know it might not sound very exciting, but that's just how I feel." She replied.

"I know what you mean Hinata, I love the village too, nothing is better than being home."

"Speaking of that, Naruto," she started "I think there is something we probably need to talk about."

"What's that," he asked as he sat up in bed.

"Um, well, you might already know this but," she hesitated "your apartment had to be rebuilt," she finished, watching him very carefully, trying not to upset him but knowing he had to be told.

"Well I did kind of figure, but no one had brought it up. I guess there wasn't anything that could be done about it anyways." He scooted his pillows off to the side with a painful look on his face.

"Are you okay," Hinata asked as she put her hand on the bed, ready to help reposition him if needed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he winced.

"What's hurting, do you want me to go get Sakura," she asked.

"No!" he yelled "I mean, no." he said in a calmer tone. "I'm just having some feeling return to my arm. Grandma said this would happen and to be prepared for it. This could go on for months until I get all feeling back."

"Oh," she said as she sat down, disappointed that there was nothing she could do to help things. He saw the disappointed look on her face.

"It doesn't hurt so bad, Hinata, I'll be fine. Plus getting my arm back anyways is a bonus, so however you look at it I'm doing better than before." He smiled at her.

"I really wish there was something I could do to help," she added with a half smile.

"Can I ask you a question Hinata?" he asked. She loved it when he said her name.

"Sure Naruto," he had actually been asking her questions all afternoon, but she was enjoying it and wasn't going to point that out.

"Why are you such a good friend to me Hinata?" he saw her face fall a little while she blushed "I appreciate it is all, and I am grateful that you're here." She still had a little bit of a sad face as he finished. "I upset you. Please don't go." He said as she stood up.

"I'm not leaving, just stretching," she added while she decided how to best answer his question. She was quiet for a few minutes while she lightly stepped around the room.

She was at the window and had her back to Naruto while she told him. "There are so many reasons that it's hard to pick out even a few. Even back at the academy, the way you joked around, the way you never stopped trying. Then when we got on squads and I saw you never back down, I understood and respected you. During the chunin exams you cheered me on, you believed in me, and your nindo way became my nindo way too. You change everyone around you, you give everyone hope. You believe in them when they don't believe in themselves…" she paused, surprised at herself for all of that coming out. She hadn't prepared anything, but it was pure truth. "This is why we're friends," she added "and why I love him," she thought.

He could feel that love was implied in the way she said friends. He was afraid to call her more than that, afraid that he might scare her off. He hoped she didn't hate him for what happened to Neji, he could never make that up to her. He could never forget the look on her face when she slapped him, and he knew he deserved that and so much more. He felt he owed her for that, and that any kindness she showed him just added to his debt. He was so happy to have her around and add to that debt, but later he would always feel guilty, like he just kept taking from her.

She turned to look at Naruto and saw him deep in thought, he didn't seem happy with her answer. "Did I say something?" she interrupted the silence.

It took him a moment and he looked up at her with a smile. He wanted to tell her how he felt but there was no way he could risk what they had. "So you're kinda telling me that I'm your inspiration," he said still smiling and starting to laugh.

"Yes, I guess that's true. I don't see why you're laughing," she said in a bit of an angry tone.

He stopped and looked at her, awed that someone could even feel that way about him. "Sorry." He added while he searched to change the subject.

Hinata started laughing "that look on your face just now was so funny, I was just joking," she added. They both started laughing.

"That was a good one Hinata, you can really hold a straight face, you know that!" he bellowed out

There was a knock on his door, he had more visitors.