Sakura was always moody around Valentines' day, not that anyone blamed her. It's terrible to be alone when everyone is a kissy-kissy and lovey-dovey. But Naruto took pride in knowing he was the only one that Sasuke had come to and told of his plans for Sakura. He had gotten over the fact that he and Sakura could only be just friends and that Sasuke held her heart. He was happy for them… but it still stung a little being that he was alone himself.

"Ahh! Negative thoughts!"

Naruto grumbled, rubbing his head as he walked down the paths of the village.

'It's no big deal. They deserve each other. They're happy.'

He tried to console but failed miserable as his darker side began to grow in him like Sakura's Inner self.

'Fuck them! They should respect us lonely ones! I should go ruin the room so Sakura will just beat him to death. Ah, the look on his face…'

He grinned involuntarily then fought it but smacking the sides of his face to clear the thoughts as he stood in front of everyone.

"Shut up! Shut up!"

He shouted.

"Ah, N-Naruto… Kun?"

A voice called meekly off to his right making him jump and realize where he was.

Naruto jumped quickly to a nervous laugh and rubbed his head.

"Ahaha.. Hey, Hinata."

"A-are you… okay, Naruto-kun?"

"Heh, yea. You're talking about that, just now? It was nothing. Nothing at… So! What are you up to?"

He replied nervously, changing subjects from his shameful thinking.

Hinata blushed and looked down at the bag in her hands. She scurried to squeeze it shut and stared at it with an odd look on her face.

"Are you okay, Hinata?"

"Um, yes. Yes, I'm fine. I-"

She paused then slowly opened the bag, hesitating as she dipped her hand inside to draw out another small bag folded neatly inside. She blushed more darkly and shoved it at him, bowing deeply as her voice squeaked.

"Th-this is for you! Please accept it!"

Naruto blinked a moment before taking it into his hand, turning over and over in inspection.

"….Thank you? What is it?"

Hinata kept her head down.

"A… valentine. I made it... for you."

He smiled, brightening his pervious dark mood.

"Wow! Really? Can I open it now?"

"I-if you want to… I suppose."

He tore the bag instead of opening it normally and pulled out a little clear container. Inside was a small ceramic green and yellow frog with a goofy smile.

"The bottom opens up. There's candy inside. I know how you like frogs."

Hinata mumbled shyly, still not looking at him but Naruto didn't notice. Instead, he smiled holding the toy open at the sun.

"I love it! Thanks, Hinata!"

He exclaimed and did the one thing that Hinata least expected- a hug.

He wrapped his long arms around her waist and pulled her into a gently bear hug leaving her off-guard. She slowly moved her hands to return the hug and nonchalantly check her nose for a nose bleed.

Hinata's heart nearly gave out when he let go, giving her his biggest grin.

"I'll give you a gift too! Just you wait! I'll come up with a good idea."

And there he went, speeding down the road, leaving Hinata standing still, holding her pounding heart.

"Oh, Naruto."

Once Naruto reached his little apartment, tearing through his possessions for something to give in return for the little trinket Hinata had given him that now sat perched on the kitchen table which was the only clean surface in the house. Sitting in a pile of junk, he sighed and stared at it thoughtfully.

'I've got nothing! Unless she'd like a thing of Ramen noodles,'

He grumbled mindfully, eyeing the packets of ramen at his feet. He instead, stood up his feet, kicking the stuff away and ran to the door but not before taking the little frog and holding it gently in his palm. Outside, Naruto raced to look for any girl. Someone who could help. Ino's family shop came into view and he aimed for that, crashing into the store loudly.

"Ino-chan! Ino-chan!"

Ino sat up from her leaned over position, reading a book and gave him a dark look.

"Dammit, Naruto stop making so much noise or get out!"

He raced to her, out of breath and threw himself across the counter. As she went to hit him, he gave her a puppy, sad face making her stop.

"Please, Ino, you got to help me! Please?"

She rested her hand on her hip while the other tapped the counter irritated.

"Help with what? I'm not giving you any money. You still owe me from last time."

He blushed, remembering that then quickly changed the subject.

"No! No! I need help for a gift!"

"A gift?"

"Yea! For Hinata."

Here, Ino cracked a smile.

"Hinata, huh? Well, that's interesting. So you are oblivious now?"

"Oblivious to what?"

He asked, blinking at her, well, obliviously. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Never mind, Naruto. If you don't know by now, you never will. Now, what gift do you want?"

"Anything! What do girls like?"

"Pretty things. Things that interest them, you know."

"What interests Hinata?"

"Other than you?" She snorted quietly. When she noticed Naruto didn't hear her, as he was staring at the book she was reading, she grinded her teeth and smack him aside the head.

"Look, just pick out some flowers for her."

"Good idea."

He smiled and looked over her selections when he stopped to stare at a particular bunch of flowers. Purple and white, some petals with stripes, others not. He was fascinated by them.

"What are these?"

"Crocus. Pretty, huh?"

"Yeah! You think she'd like these?"

Ino cocked her head to the side thoughtfully.

"Hm. I suppose she would… and maybe this as well."

She vanished into the back room and pushed through a few things. When she returned, she held out a stuffed fox toy that Naruto looked at curiously.

"Some people ask for toys in their gifts. Hinata likes foxes."

She replied winking at him but Naruto just took it, ignoring the wink.

"Wow, really? That's so cool."

He grinned, taking the toy and darting for the door.

"Thanks, Ino-chan. I owe you one!"

"Wha- what?! Naruto, get back here! Owe me nothing! You better pay! Naruto!"

She growled, racing to the door but didn't leave the store unless she wanted to get an earful from her father.

"I'll get you later, Naruto!"

Naruto made it around the corner when he stopped and noticed Hinata in just about the same spot he left her except she had moved to sit in the booth of the little shop near by.

"Hinata? I thought you had gone home."

Hinata blushed like before and looked down at the table as she mumbled softly.

"Well, I still needed to get a few more things before I went home and, well, you did say to wait so I, um, I waited."

Sitting down across from her, he studied her with an oddly serious face.

She really waited. For me.

He cracked a smile to avoid making her feel uncomfortable.

"I guess I did. Sorry for the wait."

When her eyes traveled to the flowers he laughed and offered them to her.

"Sorry. These are for you. They're, um…. Uh…"

"They're called Crocus."

She answered happily as she gently ran her fingers across them before setting them in her lap carefully.

"They're beautiful. Thank you. Thank you very much."

"That's not all! Here."

He cheerfully propped up the toy before her face.

"Oh, Naruto! It's so cute!"

Her face glowed as she smiled brightly and Naruto was mesmerized. She had never really smiled like that around him before. He was in such a shock that when she lifted the toy from his hands, they remained propped up. It wasn't until her smile dropped and turned to concern that he returned them to himself and smiled awkwardly.

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled calmly at the toy.

"Thank you, Naruto. This is the best gift I've ever gotten. It'll treasure him, I promise."

"I'm glad you like it."

He replied and looked up at the now darkening sky.

"Come on, I'll walk you home."

Her eyes widened and her usual shy self returned as she shook her head.

"No, no. You don't have to do that. Really."

"I want to."

He smiled at her as he stood and offered his hand.

"I'll carry the bags. You can carry your gifts."

She hesitated but relinquished the bag to him and walked half a step behind him down the street, smiling the small stuffed animal.

They walked contently in silence but as they approached Hinata's family home, the two grew slightly anxious. They stopped just around the corner from the place and Hinata moved slightly a head, turning to grab the bag.

"Thank you for a wonderful valentines' day. The gifts are beautiful."

Naruto held the bag away from her grasp as he stared to at the sky thoughtfully.

"You know, I asked Ino for feel about what it is that girls like."

Hinata raised an eyebrow, lost.

"Uh…"

"But that's silly… because I don't care what girls like…"

For some reason, Hinata dropped her eyes down again, wanting so badly to leave now but Naruto looked at her then, smiling but not his usual smile. A softer, gentler smile. Nothing like his playful ones. He handed her bag to her, leaning in with it, hugging her as she took the bag. He moved to her ear and whispered quietly:

"I care about what you like, Hinata. So I glad you like the presents and I hope you like this as well."

He moved and placed his lips lightly on her cheek for moment then moved to her mouth giving her the gentlest kiss; light and careful.

"Happy Valentines' Day, Hinata."

He whispered, pulling away and disappearing into the shadows, leaving a confused Hinata frozen in the street, lips still parted eyes half closed as she tried to figure out if it was all real or not.

His light chuckle danced on the wind around her and she sighed deeply, lowering her head and smiled to the ground. She turned on her heel and took a few steps closer to her home but paused, throwing a bright smile over her shoulders as she still felt Naruto's presence in the darkness.

"Happy Valentines' Day, Naruto."

And, as she felt, Naruto was in the shadows of the long alley, leaning his shoulder on the wall and leaning his head with it.

Maybe Valentines' Day really was a good day, after all.