Chapter 41

Girl talk

Hinata opened the door and Temari wasn't on the other side like she expected, with relief she walked into Temari's room to get ready to rest. As soon as she opened the door Temari was sitting on the bed, waiting for her so they could talk.

"Temari?" Hinata asked, she had gotten pretty used to her after traveling to the leaf with her and seeing her around the village.

"So what happened? It has to do with Naruto, doesn't it?" Temari asked excitedly.

"Yes, is it that easy to tell?" Hinata asked

"Last thing I saw you two were together and next thing I know you're here by yourself, something must have happened." She stated matter of factly.

"We aren't together, I needed some space. That's all there is Temari, and I'm exhausted." Hinata added.

Temari got up from the bed, satisfied with the answers she received "I'll let you rest, we can talk about me and Shikamaru later I guess…" Temari threw in to peak Hinata's curiosity.

"Are you two…" Hinata asked

Temari had an unsatisfied look on her face. "No, but I want to be, I'm making sure he knows how I feel, but he acts so cold. I know he likes me but he just doesn't want to admit it." She finished.

"How do you get that?" Hinata asked

"When I was in the village he would always come up to me when he saw me, and try to act like it was casual but he didn't really talk to me or anyone else. I set it up so that he would escort me back to the sand and he didn't say no." She smiled while talking about him.

"How was the trip back, what did you guys talk about?"

"We didn't really speak more than a few words to each other the whole time, it was actually kind of awkward." She finished.

"How would that work, you both being from different villages?"

"What, I can't like someone from another village? I'm sure you know this already Hinata, but you can't help who you like, if you could can you imagine how much easier life would be? Plus, my brother is Kazekage, if it was meant to be I think he could work something out to make it happen." Temari answered cooly.

"I'm glad for you Temari." She began. "Do you have plans to go back to the leaf village any time soon?"

"No, not for a while, Kankuro is taking over for a little bit. I was starting to get home sick, I've missed it here."

"I can see what you mean, it's a beautiful village. But the idea of leaving my village long term even after one day makes me miss home."

"I'll let you get your rest Hinata, I'm glad you're here," Temari added as she left and shut the door.

Finally alone, she plopped down on the bed and started to think about everything that had happened.

She replayed leaving the village and the way that Naruto looked at her as she told him her reasons for leaving. She hoped that she had made the right decision, and the idea of ever returning after that seemed difficult to stomach.

She also thought about her family and how much she would miss their company, but was glad that she wouldn't be lonely during her time in the Sand village. She was lucky that Gaara was so considerate and that Temari had no problem letting her stay in her room, she felt bad for burdening them, but was glad that she had support when she asked for it. Hinata tried to imagine a world where there was no united shinobi army and how there would be no way for her to leave the village under regular circumstances than to become an enemy to the village.

'In that case' she thought, 'I'd probably just be miserable as I watch Naruto fall in love with someone else.' She wondered if she could still find it in her heart to be happy for him if that meant he was happy with someone else. She pondered that thought for a long time before she finally drifted off to sleep.