Chapter46

Catching up

Naruto and Hinata were left alone, neither one saying anything. Hinata was trying to avoid his gaze and Naruto was staring directly at her. Hinata looked uncomfortably at the floor and walls until Naruto started to speak to her.

"Can we sit down and talk?" he asked her.

She didn't answer but took a seat in front of the fire. Naruto sat down across from her.

"Hinata, I'm sorry I gave you the impression that I only want to be your friend. It's hard for me to put into words how I feel."

Hinata looked at him while he spoke to her, was it possible that he really liked her. After so long of her thinking that he only liked her as a friend it was hard for her to imagine him having romantic feelings for her. Through all this though, her feelings hadn't changed for Naruto one bit, except that she had missed seeing him.

She put up her hand to stop him "Naruto, you don't have to do this" she added "I'll come back to the village, I was coming back anyways. You don't need to feel obligated to have feelings for me to get me to come back. I'm sorry I burdened you with my feelings, it wasn't your fault that I fell in love with you." She had time to think about her issues regarding Naruto and realized that she was holding her feelings against him. In the end, nobody can control who they fall in love with, Temari was right.

Naruto stared at her in shock, "Is that really what you think Hinata, that I feel obligated?"

Hinata curtly nodded her head.

Naruto looked down at the floor, he didn't realize he'd hurt her so badly. "I really did a number on your heart, didn't I?" He still couldn't look at her.

"It's not your fault Naruto…" She started and then he cut her off.

"Yes it is my fault," he growled and then his voice softened, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I'm sorry I didn't stop you from leaving the village." He looked up at her, "I wanted to tell you sooner, but after…after Neji, I didn't think you could feel the same way you did before. I…I love you Hinata, I need you. I wake up and I want to see you, you're all I think about. When I'm around you I just can't focus very well, ya know?" he paused "And I'm not saying this because I feel obligated, that couldn't be further from how I feel about you." He hoped that what he had to offer would make a difference to Hinata.

Hinata turned her head away, she was overwhelmed again. Naruto couldn't understand why she turned away until he saw her shoulders shaking lightly and then he knew she was crying.

He stood up and walked to sit directly next to her. As he sat down he pulled her in against his chest and rubbed one hand against her back and with the other he held her to him.

"I promise Hinata, I will never hurt you like this again," he whispered as he moved his hand up to stroke her hair. He laid his lips down on the top of her forehead and kissed it. Slowly, after a few minutes Hinata stopped crying and just laid in his arms, enjoying how it felt and taking in the moment.

Naruto didn't rush her, it felt good to tell her how he felt, he realized if he had tried to do it sooner then she probably wouldn't have been crying when he told her. He waited for her to speak first so he could see what she was thinking about.

"Naruto," she asked as she looked up at him, she noticed tears had welled in his eyes too and was surprised. She sat up to make sure she was seeing things correctly and he wiped his eyes as she sat up.

"What's wrong," she asked.

"I'm just glad to see you again. When you left the village I was so afraid I'd never see you again, and then when I saw you with Gaara, I thought I'd lost you…" He tried to explain.

The mention of Gaara's name made her feel guilty about the kiss, but there was something else too.

"My feelings haven't changed, it's so good to see you Naruto. And hearing how you feel about me makes me…really happy," she smiled at him. "About Gaara…" she began.

"Hinata, do you think there's a chance we can still work things out? To be together?" he asked in a pleading tone.

"Yes, I believe we can" she answered.

He was relieved to hear her answer and pulled her in for a tight hug. "Thank you Hinata, I will make this up to you, I promise."

She hugged him back and then kissed him on the cheek. Naruto started to blush and then turned his head and leaned in slightly and pressed his lips to hers. "I love you Hinata," he whispered. Hinata kissed him back and grabbed his shirt to pull him closer to her. He started to kiss her more passionately, holding onto her back, until she broke the kiss. "I love you too Naruto," she whispered back.

Hinata had mixed feelings about leaving but would be happy to return to her village and her family again. After everything that happened she decided that it was best to leave tonight to head back to her village. The only thing left to do was to go see Gaara to tell him goodbye.