A/N: I decided that I was going to put in a summery every two chapters so there will be one in the next chapter. This Chapter will have a lot more Gaara Hinata stuff so I hope you enjoy. Take it easy on me because I don't think I'm any good at romance.
Chapter: 37
"Hinata!" Sakura called after the Hyuuga, but the blue haired girl ignored her and continued to run.
The voice's faded slightly but Hinata couldn't suppress the grin on her face as she continued to run, Kazuma cradled in her arms. The cat let out a strangled meow but the teenager ignored it and continued to sprint until she reached the top of a large grassy hill and peered down to the bottom where a young man sat waiting. Hinata frowned and hoped that he wasn't waiting long. As she went to take a hurried step she tripped over a rock and began to roll down the hill. After she had started there was no stopping her and she tried her best to save Kazuma from the brunt of the damage. Finally she came to a stop when she landed on top of the young man at the bottom of the hill.
"Hinata what are you doing?" Gaara asked, raising an imaginary eyebrow keeping his eyes on the girl who was lying on top of him.
"I t-tripped!" Hinata said fighting a blush.
They looked at each other for a moment when Gaara's eyes suddenly looked down at the area where there two bodies met and watched with a small smile as Kazuma struggled to get out from between the tight space. Hinata looked down and She slowly lifted herself slightly and looked down just as Kazuma wriggled out from in between them. Hinata couldn't stop herself from laughing. And her arms grew weak and before long she couldn't hold herself up anymore and
she fell back on top of the Kazekage. Kazuma let out a loud shriek like meow and darted away. Hinata wasn't able to hide the blush this time. But luckily Gaara was no longer staring at her, he had his eyes closed.
"Gaara, are you ok?" Hinata asked, nervous that she squished him.
"Fine," He groaned.
"Here let me get off!" Hinata said.
"That would be great." He said.
Hinata got to her feet almost immediately and stood off to the side trying to recover from her embarrassment. Gaara was trying to get up when all of a sudden Yuki jumped onto his chest and sat there staring at him, before she meowed. Hinata began to laugh once again, her cheeks stained with a blush.
Gaara also let out a small chuckle, before sitting all the way up and playing with the small white cat. Hinata fell to her knees and then lay on her stomach to play with Kazuma while Gaara remained upright gently playing with Yuki.
"So have you talked with Shikamaru yet?" Hinata asked, looking wearily at Gaara.
The red head stopped playing almost immediately and had to stop himself from growling.
"Oh come on!" Hinata said. "He's a good guy and Temari loves him."
Gaara's face softened slightly but he still had a scowl on.
"I know that but he's not good enough for her." Gaara insisted.
"I know you feel that way right now and I'm sure her and Kankurou will feel the same when you get married but you should at least give her judgment the benefit of the doubt." Hinata said looking up at her companion.
Gaara merely nodded, now distracted by another topic. Hinata watched him for a minute before deciding to change the subject.
"So you're leaving after the festival right?" Hinata asked breaking the awkward silence.
"Yes, and I'm presenting the Jounin's with their vests." Gaara said hiding a smile.
"Oh," Hinata said, sad that she would not be moving up to Jounin even after all the hard work she had put into it.
"Temari wanted me to tell you that she would be coming over to get ready with you in about three hours." Gaara said.
"The sun is really bright." Hinata said trying to shield her eyes.
Gaara watched her for a moment before taking his hat off and putting on top of her head. Hinata tried to give it back but Gaara refused to reclaim it.
"Well if I get to borrow this," Hinata said, reaching up to her neck. "You can wear the Hyuuga family heirloom."
Her hand came back holding a shiny silver chan with the Yin and Yang symbol. She reached around his neck to put it on, but Gaara raised a hand to stop her.
"Come on! Please?" Hinata pouted.
Gaara looked at her warily before letting his hand fall and the Hyuuga beamed while she put it around his neck. Hinata smiled and was about to say something when she heard voices calling for her.
"Hinata!" Naruto's clearly recognizable voice penetrated through the forest.
Hinata looked towards the top of the hill preparing to stand up when she felt a tug on her jacket.
"Stay," the Kazekage ordered.
The Hyuuga nodded and sat back down her eyes never leaving the hill.
"Gaara!" Temari's voice was heard also.
Gaara scowled and Hinata stood up, pulling the Kazekage up with her.
"It's okay, we'll talk later at the festival before you leave." Hinata said hopefully.
Gaara nodded sealing their unspoken promise. They looked down and Hinata grabbed Kazuma while Yuki jumped into Gaara's out stretched arms.
"Hinata!" Naruto called.
"Coming!" Hinata answered, before taking off, only giving the Kazekage a wave.
Gaara watched her go before taking off himself, trying to catch his siblings and guards so that their private place would not be found.
--Page Break--
Hinata ran as fast as her legs could carry her and actually ran into her blonde teammate. They were both sitting on the ground dazed. Kazuma meowed loudly and Hinata was brought out of her daze. The cat jumped from her lap and started pushing the Kazekage hat toward her. She quickly picked it up and examined it for dirt.
"Thank you Kazu-kun!" Hinata said.
She placed the hat on her head once again and looked up into the faces of her stunned Jounin team. Her face turned pink and her gaze fell. Shikamaru burst into laughter and Hinata could also hear Shino's controlled chuckle. Looking up she saw that Naruto and Sakura also began to smile; however neither of them joined in with the other two laughs.
--Page Break--
Gaara was able to pass at least a few dozen trees before his siblings and his guards intercepted him. The red head stopped and crossed his arms over his chest as they all came to a stop in front of him.
"Gaara you can't run off like that!" Temari said.
The Kazekage remained silent, but his sister tried to stare him down, and it was slowly working. But soon her gaze caught something else and her eyes welled with tears.
"Oh my goodness I'm so happy for you!" Temari said practically tackling her younger brother.
Tears began to wet his shirt and he was about to ask why she was crying when he caught sight of the Hyuuga heir loom around his neck and he understood his sisters grave misunderstanding.
--Page Break--
"Natsu you don't have very good control over your team do you?" Ayame asked holding flyers that Natsu was assigned to put up for the festival.
"Well they're still kids at heart we should give them a break." Natsu said balancing expertly on her crutches while putting up a sign.
Ayame looked at her friend sadly, ever since the loss of her leg Natsu had changed and been calmer than ever before. She decided to say something to cheer her up when someone called for her.
"Ayame- sensei! We need help!" her group of Chunins called.
"Be there in a minute!" Ayame said, feeling slightly ashamed of being happy to leave her best friend. "I'll see you later."
Natsu took flyers from Ayame and tried to hang them herself. A curse passed through her lips as they all fell to the ground. She tilted her crutches and reached for the flyers however her arms were not quite long enough. Tears of frustration filled her eyes and she stood straight preparing to try again when she felt someone trying to hand her the flyers. Her eyes opened, one tear sliding down her cheek.
"Oh Neji-san what are you doing here?" Natsu asked.
"I actually came to see you." The young Hyuuga male said standing straight up. "And here I find you, given up ion everything."
"I have nothing to hope for, why shouldn't I give up?" Natsu growled.
"Because nothing is impossible." Neji said, grabbing her hand and squeezing her hand gently.
Natsu looked into the Hyuuga white eyes and thought, maybe just maybe there was some hope after all.
--Page Break--
"Come on Hinata you look great!" Temari cried pulling her friend along behind her.
"I don't think so Temari-chan!" Hinata said, her slightly red skin cooling in the night air.
"Well we can't be late for the ceremony and it's too late to change." Temari said, dragging her friend to the place where they all were supposed to meet.
The boys were already waiting for them; Shikamaru had begun to complain but was cut off just as the two girls arrived. Everyone was speechless at the two girl's attire. Temari wore a black kimono with small white flower designs all over it. Her obi was a deep blood red, and complimented the deep ruby she had used for lip color, her hair hang loose at her shoulders, her complexion was slightly paler then usual and her cheeks had a slight pink.
"What are you staring at?" she teased Shikamaru.
"Nothing special." Shikamaru retorted earning a hard slap from his fiancé.
"You brought that upon yourself Shikamaru." Sakura commented, her bubblegum pink hair matching nicely with her deep red and yellow kimono with a blue obi.
"Yeah I thought I taught you better!" Ino winked her sky blue eyes matching her blue and white kimono.
"Hinata…wow" Naruto simply said, drawing everyone's attention back to the Hyuuga.
She wore a midnight blue kimono with silver designs and similar silver obi. Her indigo hair was held up with a silver hair piece. (Her hair looks kinda like Kikiyo's from Inuyasha but I don't know how to describe it.) Everyone seemed too stunned by her appearance and continued to make her uncomfortable.
"Come on we have to go!" Ino said, drawing away the attention to help her friend. "The Jounin's will be announced soon!"
They all did as they were told and began to walk to the ceremony. However when they got there it had already started. Gaara stared at them as soon as he found them in the crowed.
"Ladies and Gentlemen without further ado, the last Jounin's are Naruto Uzamaki, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuuga." The Kazekage said clapping for them like the rest of the crowd.
The group of five was all ushered to the stage looking dumbfounded.
"But we didn't even pass the test!" Naruto started.
"You fought Akatsuki Naruto; I think that's enough of a qualification!" Tsunade said, as Gaara approached them with the vests.
Hinata locked eyes with the Kazekage and she could see pride in his eyes and she smiled. After that the crowd cheered as they all slipped the heavy green vests on. Tsunade whistled for silence, and slowly they all stopped clapping.
"I have another announcement!" Tsunade said. "I am retiring from Hokage!"
The crowd remained silent and watched Tsunade carefully as she dragged the moment of silence.
"But I can't leave you guys without a suitable replacement." Tsunade said. "So." She continued placing her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Starting now this is your Hokage in training."
Naruto's eyes lit up and the tears began to fall from his eyes.
"Really Oba-chan?" Naruto asked.
"Really Naruto." Tsunade said.
The blonde stood there stupefied for a minute before wrapping his arms around Hinata who was standing next to him, and he began jumping up and down excited. Hinata began to turn her head and congratulate him just as Naruto went to land a kiss on her cheek and instead their lips met just as the stage they were standing on exploded. They flew back in a flurry of flames and splintered wood. Hinata felt something slam against her but she grabbed onto it. When she hit the ground she realized she was up against a tree. Blood dripped from her chin having leaked from her ears and a girl she never seen before rushed over to her screaming things. But Hinata didn't hear anything. Next the girl tried to pry whatever Hinata was holding onto out of her hands. Her eyes fell and she was met with the bruised and bloodied face of Sasuke Uchiha.
A/N: Sorry this took so long! I could go into all these excuses but since I know you don't really want to hear about that I'll just end this and update a lot sooner next time! PLEASE REVIEW!!