I love you guys, thank you for making this fic possible by reviewing. We have finally reached 100 + reviews and it's all thanks to you, I really appreciate it.I want to thank Narutofan, for reviewing all my chapters non-stop in just 1 day? I dunno, it's awesome. To all of you that reviewed simply saying cool or awesome makes me happy.
Thank you again and Have fun reading some more!
Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto should have done NaruHina during the first series when Naruto was a kid and made him smart or rather be dumb in front of his friends and be totally bad ass when he needs to be. If I owned it I would definitely have NaruHina connect during the first middle episodes and have Naruto show them who's boss! But, sadly, that's just me, Masashi Kishimoto is doing great!
Recap:
Naruto began to stir, his eyelids were slowly opening. He moaned and called out Hinata's name and then Sasuke's name. His hand trailed up to his head and gripped it tightly. He was pale, had dark circles in his eyes, he was weak and could collapse again at any given moment. He was sick and burning up.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata spoke in joy as Naruto stood up straight holding his head.
"Hina-chan, what... happened?" Naruto coughed a little and turned to Hinata who hugged him and smiled and she pointed right to Naruto's side. Naruto turned his head to see an angry but worried looking Uchiha.
"You idiot!" Sasuke shouted...
(Inside Konoha Hospital)
Naruto jumped slightly when he heard Sasuke shout at him, the look on his face really showed that he was mad. He was clenching his fists and he had eyes, like daggers, staring straight at Naruto. Naruto blinked and then turned to the voice he heard right next to him.
"I think Sasuke-kun can explain, Naruto-kun."
Hinata smiled and glanced at him, then reverted her look to Sasuke, who was still going on about Naruto being an idiot. Naruto stayed silent and let the Uchiha fuse, he could see the movements Sasuke made, they were ready to hurt someone.
"Damn, why are you so selfish and stubborn?"
Sasuke shouted louder, he didn't care whether or not Hinata was hearing him talk and shout at Naruto. He didn't really care if she was there at all, His main focus right now was the blonde being stubborn and bedridden, it felt like it was all too good to be true.
Naruto didn't bother to make a comeback, he was too tired and would prefer to let the Uchiha take his anger out on him. Naruto stared sadly at the Uchiha, who continued to go on and on about how stupid that stunt Naruto did a while ago.
"I hate you for being so pathetic, your the Hokage for the love of... What were you thinking? You made everyone else worry, not to mention you managed to expose me to Tsunade! Now what will happen to me?"
"I never meant it... " Naruto managed to say.
"Hn... your so... annoying!" Sasuke scowled at him.
Naruto didn't wince one bit nor did he even bother to listen much to the curses that Sasuke gave him. It went on like a turret, crushed his very soul but he held strong and kept on listening to every word that left the guys mouth, even if it did hurt.
When Sasuke turned to face the window just to breathe, Naruto took this time to touch Hinata's hand. She was startled but she didn't make a sound. She looked at Naruto and placed her hand on his forehead, it was still burning up.
"Naruto-kun, you're still sick. Just take it easy." She whispered. "Will you be alright?"
"I will be, Hina-chan."
Naruto nodded at her and then smiled. Hinata understood what this meant. Naruto wanted to have a conversation alone with Sasuke, with words only the two of them could exchange together.
Hinata held Naruto's hand, patted it lightly, smiled and turned away letting go of his hand. She glanced back at him and couldn't help but feel a sigh of relief and that blush she had for him never left her face.
Sasuke stopped his rantings, and stared at Hinata walking towards the door. There was a soft 'thump' when the door had closed. Sasuke crossed his arms and stared at Naruto. Although Naruto didn't want to hear anymore insults and curses come out of the Uchiha's mouth, he continued to be a good friend...
And listened to what he had to say.
"What happened up there?" Sasuke sternly said but Naruto didn't reply sooner and only caused the Uchiha to lose more of his patience. "Well, don't keep me waiting because I want an explanation to what the hell were you thinking?"
Naruto could feel Sasuke's emotion, he was deeply concerned about what happened and will never let it pass without a proper explanation. The worried tone to his voice and the lack of his usual talking attitude had disappeared.
"I fell..." Naruto blankly stated.
"What do you mean you fell of the...?"
"I fell off the Hokage monument, that's it." Naruto bowed his head and gripped the sheets covering his waist down. "I think you know what else happened, I don't need to elaborate it for you."
"You're an idiot!" Sasuke bowed his head.
"What?" Naruto managed to whisper but Sasuke heard this.
"You're still an idiot from the moment I met you." Sasuke gritted his teeth and paced back and forth in front of Naruto's bed.
"Well you're still the jerk I knew when we were kids." Naruto mumbled and then spoke with his usual calm tone. "I did it for reasons, that event that occurred a while ago was an accident. I was exhausted, and I couldn't keep my body from going limp. I was only doing what I had to do for everyone."
"And you wouldn't at least think of yourself for once?" Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Think of the people that you helped, how many? You helped everyone during the war, and you wouldn't at least think of yourself. You almost died."
"I know."
"You know? That's it." Sasuke scowled. "To think that you've already grown up just to end up this way! What was going on your mind before you fell off the Hokage monument? Didn't you think that the people you saved would be hurt if you died?"
"Sasuke, I..."
Naruto was suddenly interrupted as hands came crashing on top of the desk just at the side of the bed near the window. Sasuke was staring furiously at him, and with those eyes, Naruto couldn't look at it anymore as he turned away.
"Don't just Sasuke me! I was one of those Damn people!"
Sasuke bit his lip to cover the sobs he was about to make. He was on the verge of tears but he suppressed it, he never knew how that happened or why it was happening to him but all he could figure out was, the though of Naruto dying meant his world breaking.
Naruto was after all the one that saved him, was after all his best friend and the only one that trusted him again, and most of all Naruto was his last hope in gaining back what he had before. It was his last chance to probably redeem himself and Naruto was his only line to getting it.
"You... if you died... "
Sasuke felt like his heart was melting and Naruto knew the reasons why this was happening. They had been through a lot and Sasuke's reasons for acting like this was more than he had anticipated. He listened quietly, trying to figure out what he could say to Sasuke to fix the mess they were in.
"Why do you think I agreed to coming back to Konoha with you?" Naruto looked up to Sasuke. "You want me to come back so I can have a life again! But... if you died... think about what would happen to me? I can't do it without you..."
Naruto did think of it, Sasuke would be all alone and he would be helpless, with no one to defend him, nobody that could trust him, Naruto had been there done that. That's why he knew what Sasuke felt with being shoved out of the family...
The question is, will they be able to figure out a way to help each other?
(just outside Naruto's room)
Hinata gently closed the door, she could imagine spending some time with Naruto at the hospital but she knew he was quick at recovering. Her smile suddenly faded when she tried remembering that little incident a while ago. Her heart raced when Naruto fell, she couldn't do anything because she was stunned.
"Naruto-kun, I promise I can make it up to you. You're just overworking yourself too much, I just wish you can stop and relax for a moment, but knowing you... knowing Naruto-kun, he'd do it for his friends."
She felt a little ashamed but she placed it past her. While outside the door, she clenched both her fists and told herself that she would try and change for Naruto. That she'd be willing to show who she really is to him and the people, with that maybe Naruto would like it.
"I hope that changing and acting a little tougher wouldn't hurt." She placed her hand on her chest to feel the heartbeat as she closed her eyes.
She could see herself in Sakura's shoes, With her hair cut up to her shoulders almost like when she was just a genin, her eyes burning with power and anger. She could see Naruto pleading and begging on her feet, with her clenching her fists.
Then she'd outright punch Naruto across the face even if he did nothing wrong. That moment Hinata had her hands on her face hiding the embarrassment from the medic nin's that walked pass her. She doesn't want to be that tough with Naruto, it wasn't in her nature.
Then she'd imagine herself in Ino's shoes but then again she didn't try to imagine it anymore as she already had verbal words to match it. Fashion, she wouldn't want to act all lusty, flirty and fussy about things. She knew Ino wasn't like that but sometimes, she could tend to act that way.
Now, she'd think about herself acting the way she is, but with slight changes to her attitude. That she can stand up for herself and her shyness was gone. She could see herself really out in public with Naruto with no worries of anyone trying to force them apart.
"Naruto-kun..."
She could imagine everything in her head as she started blushing and slightly jumping in her place. When she heard footsteps come near her, all the hair in her body raised as she blushed and stopped what she was doing.
She began fiddling with her fingers again as the medic ninja's walked pass her to the other hallway.
"I couldn't do it after all." She sweat dropped at herself. "I guess I should work on it more, I'm sure I can do it if I put my mind in to it. After all, I stand by what I say and I don't really mind much of a change."
She was about to walk away from the door when she saw Kakashi, Tsunade and Iruka talking near the reception desk. They seemed to be arguing with each other and Hinata knew what was the cause of this. She walked up to them...
"I told you I want him arrested!" Tsunade shouted softly. "I don't care if he's proven to Naruto or to you Kakashi, that he is loyal to Konoha again. I am still alive and I'm the 5th Hokage, I can go beyond boundaries to have that man arrest when I wish it!"
"I know that Tsunade-sama, but I can guarantee that he has a different point of view in life now." Kakashi sighed. "He may have come across Konoha in dark times but that's long gone, Naruto has managed to change his ways."
"As much as I believe Naruto could do that..." Iruka's smile faded. "I have a feeling there are still old feelings lingering in him even after the war."
"I'm just ashamed about how Naruto got him in the village..." Tsunade crossed her arms. "Because of that trust the ANBU are willing to follow what Naruto tells them even if it is against my wishes and the other elders. I'm just worried about the outcome."
"I'm worried about Naruto's condition, it's been a while when he passed out." Iruka sighed and placed a hand on his head. "I never expected that to happen, it was a good thing me and Kakashi saw the whole thing. I have my doubts about Sasuke but when I saw him be the first to save Naruto, it just changed my perspective."
"That's just it, I'm surprised two friends break up and go back to being friends." Kakashi chuckled a bit. "He sure is unpredictable, even he can change lives with his speeches."
"I just want to confirm it..." Tsunade shoved Kakashi and Iruka out of the way. "I don't want to hear anymore, I just want to see what the situation is for myself..."
Hinata blocked Tsunade's way and smiled at her with her fingers crossed from behind. Kakashi and Iruka walked up to her and Tsunade stared blankly at her and then smiled back.
"How's Naruto's condition?" She asked worriedly.
"He's alright, Tsunade-sama." Hinata blushed.
"Are you sure? There's no injuries whatsoever?" Tsunade went on. "Does he have a headache or something? Does he need anymore medical help?"
"He just woke up a while ago, and he's still feverish and exhausted but a little rest will do the trick... other than that, he's perfectly fine. He's resting right now and I don't think he wants to be bothered."
The three high ranked shinobi's were stunned. It was the first time Hinata talked straight and stopped fidgeting all over, she also managed to keep a straight face on. Naruto must have been rubbing off on her, the three thought.
"And what about Sasuke?" Tsunade saying this made her scowl.
"He's..." Before Hinata could continue, Tsunade cut her off.
"I know he's in there with him, Kakashi already told me and Iruka what happened. I haven't broadcasted it to the elders or to the whole village, including your friends because of my respects for Naruto's wishes and another one is that, I want to see for myself what I'm having the village come up against."
"He's speaking with Naruto-kun, it's important and... "
"But the village is important as well, as the 6th Hokage, I only want what's best for my people. Naruto knows this as well as I do, even more so."
"Sasuke-kun won't take no for an answer." Hinata took a deep breath. "It seems that the fall Naruto had affected him greatly... it's right that we should give them time to talk with each other, Sasuke-kun did save Naruto-kun..."
"As much as I would like to give him that..."
Tsunade gently walked pass her but stopped when he heard two voices talking back at each other. She got curious and opened the door just so they can hear it a little clearly. She could hear Sasuke's voice was a little louder than Naruto.
"Tsunade-sama?"
Iruka walked up to her followed by Kakashi, she brushed the two off and told them to keep their mouths shut. Hinata to could understand her reasons, she cared for Naruto as well, like her own son even. She wanted only what's best for him.
Hinata panicked a little, she loved Naruto and respected his privacy with full expectations. Seeing Tsunade try and listen in to the conversation even though she knew that Tsunade was worried about Naruto, her conscience wouldn't let her pass it so lightly.
"T-tsunade-s-sama... I... don't... think that it's right to l-listen to t-them."
"Shhhh!"
"B-but.. T-tsunade-sama... I respect their privacy, you s-should.. as w-well." It was hard for Hinata to talk back a little to Tsunade but she did try and Tsunade understood this.
"YOu really are going to make a fine wife to Naruto." Tsunade muttered under her breath. "He's already managing to change you a little."
Hinata did not clearly hear this and just silently bowed her head. Tsunade turned to her and patted her on the shoulder and she lifted her head to look at her.
"I want to hear it, if they are out to get each other I am planning on executing Sasuke, got that." Tsunade leaned closer to the door. "Besides, the three of you are witnesses to this so you might as well listen in, and it's the best way to make sure we get an understanding with this."
The two jounin ninja's nodded and although Hinata was hesitant, she nodded as well. The four of them were quiet as tension began to build up. They weren't sure what they talked about before but they were about to hear the rest of it.
"What would I do if you died?" They heard Sasuke shout. "You were the one that brought me back to Konoha and you expect me to feel comfortable here in just a matter of a few days? And within those few days you chose to abandon me?"
"That's not what happened!" Naruto shouted back. "You make it seem like I'm the bad guy here, I never meant to scare anyone, I never knew what was coming!"
"Never meant." Sasuke scoffed. "Hn..."
(inside the room)
"What do you expect then?" Naruto gritted his teeth.
"You're feverish and burning up!" Sasuke angrily spoke. "You passed out and you even fell on top of a memorable damn rock! What do you think I expect? Who's to say that nobody got scared of what you did?"
Naruto listened, he was out of line here. He thought he can do everything at once because he longed for things to go back to the way they were, to make life easy. But, life is never easy and it takes steps.
Sasuke walked back and forth in front of the bed near the door, with his hand on his chin and the other crossed it. He stopped and let his arms fall to his side.
"What would I do if you left? I know I wouldn't be able to live in this place..." Sasuke lowered his voice. "I knew it for a long time just before you brought me back. I had images of what life would be like if you were to take me to this village. I placed everything on you... and for that... I'm... just... "
"Don't bother." Naruto smiled a little. "I understand you."
He did understand, the Uchiha was alone for so long he couldn't accept someone being there to help him but he accepted the offer anyways. He knew that his only hope was Naruto, and he was gone, he was also no more.
"I'm sorry too." Naruto scratched the back of his head while he was sitting on his bed with his plain black t-shirt and blue pants on. He lied back down on bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Hnn." Was the reply he got from the Uchiha.
"I overworked myself so much, thinking I can get you a life back. The stress took it's toll on me and I got worried about that letter Shikamaru sent to the kage's. I still have no clue on what I have to say, and that included is telling Hina-chan's father about us..."
Naruto sighed and continued.
"To top that off, the workload Sakura-chan had was passed on to me and I don't blame her for that but it also cut me valuable time. I spend less time with Hina-chan because of it, but with her generosity and patience she managed to come to me all the time."
"She's you girlfriend, idiot." Sasuke did his "I'm-listening-to-you-crossed-arms-leaning-against-the-wall-attitude- pose" While he stared at Naruto.
"Well because of those uncertain events, I lose track of time and took the beating." Naruto shifted his head to Sasuke and turned his whole body and hugged the pillow close to his face, still lying down, he waited for Sasuke to reply.
"Hnn." Sasuke smirked. "Well, that's your mistake." Naruto blinked. "Just don't do it again, dobe!" That's when Sasuke realized something and immediately blushed, he couldn't hide his red face. Naruto stared, blinked again and his neutral lips turned into a grin.
"Did you just...?" Naruto was smirking now and tried hiding his laughter by hiding his mouth behind the pillow. Sasuke stared and kept on blushing.
"Damn it!" He bit his lip. "Why is it that I'm acting like this when I'm with you? What the hell are you, contagious? It... it doesn't... feel like... me!"
Naruto sighed and Sasuke stopped.
"That's what friends do, right? They make plain boring conversations turn into an interesting one. It just goes to show that you have a human side in there, and your letting him out."
"Yeah... and you're an idiot!" Sasuke turned his face sideways avoiding Naruto's smile.
"We both are..."
"Hn! Here, Shikamaru asked me to give this to you." Sasuke placed the paper on the table and walked back to where he was leaning against. "Look at it once you get better, it's not going to leave your side."
"Thanks. For worrying. Sasuke."
Naruto muttered as his eyelids were drooping and he yawned and turned away from the Uchiha, covered himself with the bedsheets and went silent.
"I'm glad we had this conversation." Naruto thought as he drifted to sleep. "It feels nice to be able to work things out again. Now there are other things I have to worry about."
Finally they've made an understanding.
Naruto was still tired and after that talk he quickly fell asleep and as Sasuke saw this, he merely smirked at the sleeping blonde and walked to the window. Guess that talk meant something after all, even Sasuke felt a burden on his chest has been lifted.
The door creaked open and Tsunade, Kakashi, Iruka and Hinata entered. Tsunade had a neutral face, Kakashi was smiling under his mask, Hinata walked to check on Naruto and Iruka, just wasn't buying the whole conversation.
Even though Sasuke made himself clear that they do have an understanding, Iruka just couldn't let it go, but it was the first time he could see Naruto happy again to have his friend back and he knew he was growing. A family too.
"What do you want?" Sasuke shouted.
"I need to have a word with you... " Tsunade said.
Suddenly the door bursted open and in came a pink haired kunoichi running inside. It was Sakura, she wore her usual outfit when she had nothing to do in missions. She stopped dead at her tracks and let out a 'gasp' at what she saw was right in front of her.
"Sakura-san!" Hinata shouted.
Sorry I have to cut it... hope you like this chapter.. I didn't check for anything wrong so I appologize if there are some~ so, feel free to comment and tell me what you think.
thank you for reading. please review~ xD