Hey, hey!

This chapter will begin with a flashback of what happened after Hinata passed out.

I enjoyed writing this chapter and hope you all enjoy it as well!

'Flashback'

Kakashi carried Hinata back to Mr. Tazuna's home.

Naruto still heavily supported Sasuke and when they got back Kakashi looked at Ms. Tsunami and Inari. Naruto had helped them earlier and they were a little distraught, but they had all rallied up as a village and defeated their 'bullies'. Ms. Tsunami had developed a liking to Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke, so seeing them come back broken and appearing to be on the verge of death caused her to scream.

Kakashi gave her a harsh look. All his patience and politeness gone after the battle him and his team endured. "Be quiet."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at Kakashi shocked, but both said nothing because they could clearly tell now was not the time with Kakashi. The way he held Hinata and lightly shook from concern was evident he was worried about her.

"I need you to pull yourself together ma'am. Can you PLEASE tend to the boys. Sasuke needs to get these needles out of him. They are EXTREMLEY painful and causing him to go in and out of consciousness from blood loss. Please bandage him and Naruto up. Naruto is dehydrated. He needs fluids NOW. We do not have time for crying. We do not have time for screaming. I need you to help us, PLEASE."

Tsunami looked at Kakashi. This was not the same man she's had in her home for the past several days. He looked far more dangerous and on edge. She nodded her head in agreement and understanding. She was doing this for his Genin. Not him right now. "What about the girl?"

Kakashi turned around to leave the house with Hinata's unconscious body. "I will take care of her. Don't worry about her."

Sasuke and Naruto watched Kakashi leave. Naruto was taking deep breaths to control himself as he watched Hinata dangle in their sensei's arms. She looked lifeless. This was not alright. This moment was absolutely torture for Naruto right now. "Hey."

Naruto looked at Sasuke and frowned. Sasuke probably could feel Naruto shaking from everything that just happened. "I scared her away Sasuke."

Hinata saw Naruto and backed away from him. She looked terrified of him. Like the people back home.

Sasuke frowned at Naruto. Sasuke was much too weak and tired to really argue with Naruto, but he did sluggishly headbutt Naruto's chin. "No. You didn't. She just needs work. You both do." That was the last thing Sasuke said before he passed out from blood loss and Ms. Tsunami took Sasuke immediately from Naruto. Mr. Tazuna tending to Naruto's needs now.

Kakashi took Hinata into the tree line not far from Ms. Tsunami's home. He carried a massive first aid bag that he personally kept with him and laid Hinata down on the ground. He took her hoodie off and used the oversized clothing material as her head rest. Kakashi took out a bottle of alcohol and looked at Hinata for a moment. This was going to hurt.

He poured the bottle over her mutilated hand and immediately Hinata's eyes widened and she screamed.

Naruto was in the house and he heard Hinata scream. He already knew Kakashi was taking care of Hinata's injuries and knew Hinata was screaming from the pain. At this point Naruto was hyperventilating. He covered his ears as he heard both Sasuke and Hinata either groan or scream in pain.

This was a lot to bare.

Kakashi stretched a handful of gauze and stuffed it in Hinata's mouth. "Just be still and be quiet. I know this hurts like hell, but I'm saving your hand Hinata. If not. It'll get infected, have heavy nerve damage and become inoperable if we wait anymore. If I treat it now, its gonna leave a nasty scar regardless, but you'll still be able to use it like normal once it heals."

Hinata's eyes were the size of saucers. She was awake now and looked at Kakashi with absolute fear. She shook her head repeatedly, silently begging him to stop. Especially when she saw him pull out a needle and thread. She shook with fear as she watched Kakashi burn the needle. Sterilize it before he threaded it up. "I'm sorry Hinata. I wasn't there for you."

Kakashi had a shadow clone that held Hinata down because sure enough she jumped from the pain of the needle piecing her hand together. His clone lifted her up and held her in a tight bear hug as Kakashi worked fast on her hand. Hinata watching the whole thing with wide eyes and horrified.

She was covered in blood. Kakashi was covered in blood. It was so much blood.

She could see through her hand at one point. "It'll all heal up Hinata. Don't worry. If you can, I need you to watch what I'm doing. You might need to do this in the future." Kakashi ignored her muffled screams as he worked on her hand. Not stopping until everything was back in place or sewed up. Kakashi held her hand now and Hinata watched as his hand glowed green. It was botchy and brought her more pain than anything.

"I'm not a medical ninja, but I know enough to regenerate your tissue in your hands so you won't develop too bad of nerve damage. It hurts, I know. I'm rebuilding, not healing. Just endure it for a few more seconds."

When Kakashi finished, his clone vanished and he took the gauze from Hinata's mouth. He applied ointment on her stitched-up hand and wrapped it up. "You're going to be okay now."

Hinata took several gasps. She shook uncontrollably and her eyes threatened to spill out tears. "I-I-I d-d-didn't mean to be useless s-sensei. I…am so SORRY. I-I just can't get anything right!"

Kakashi pulled Hinata into his chest and he went against all his rules he built for himself. He hugged her and Hinata tried to push him away, "I-I do not deserve this! I do not deserve your care!"

Kakashi hushed her as she cried. He knew this wouldn't be the last episode Hinata would have while they were still out here. She would breakdown more. Cry more. She had to build herself back up though.

Well the bridge was built now. It took some time. All hands were needed for this project and it was built in three weeks. All the villagers, mountain of Naruto clones. They worked overtime to get the bridge finished quickly.

This was a good thing. Team seven would be leaving in the morning.

They left with the honor of having the bridge named: The Great Naruto Bridge.

It had a nice ring to it if you asked Naruto. However, currently in this moment, it was a bit bittersweet. Right now Naruto was sitting near the bathroom door as he listened to the shower running. Hinata's been in the bathroom for some time now and while Mr. Tazuna told her to take her time and to use up all the water she needed. Naruto felt like Hinata had been avoiding them since coming back from their fight with the two missing-nin.

Understandably. She basically had to get battlefield surgery and almost lost her hand. It was healing, but Naruto could tell it still brought her pain.

Sasuke has been working with Kakashi on his Sharingan. Naruto has been kind of trying to figure things out. That fight out there. How he snapped. How he just attacked Haku. Like the craving for his blood was a scary feeling to Naruto. Sometimes this feeling would happen and come out of nowhere, but this was the first time Naruto actually couldn't control himself and acted on it.

Naruto sighed as he leaned against the bathroom door. He was sitting on the ground and had his back against the door until finally his patience had ran its course. He softly banged the back of his head against the door until his soft bangs grew aggressive the more he thought about how their mission went.

Naruto didn't want to break this nice lady's bathroom door so he gripped his head and held it in between his legs for a moment until he could get his bearing. Sasuke told Naruto to give Hinata her space, but he couldn't do it anymore. It was easier for Sasuke to say that. He was keeping himself busy. He didn't hear the screams from Hinata that night. Naruto did.

He had to talk to Hinata. Just the thought of her scared of him literally put Naruto in a mental mind frame Hinata was in when she fought her cousin.

Naruto sat up and messed with the door knob to the bathroom until it finally clicked open. He jimmied the lock and slipped into the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Locking it.

It was a normal size bathroom. One with a sink, toilet and a good size bathtub with shower connected. Naruto sat on the bathroom floor. This bathroom would be something only he could dream of having. "Hinata. You're stalling in the shower. Again."

Naruto leaned his head against the door and wasn't surprised that Hinata didn't answer him. The shower was running and she sat behind the shower curtains. The water running on her head. For some reason she didn't feel as if she could get clean enough.

She told Kakashi this when the feeling first started to take over her mind frame. He was quiet for a moment when she told him this before he told her it would be alright. She would be alright. He kept saying that. When would she actually be alright?!

"Please. Leave me alone."

Hinata didn't want Naruto to see her like this. So broken. She was disgusted with herself for how she acted out there. She was ashamed she couldn't help her teammates.

That's not how Naruto took it. He thought she just didn't want to be around him. That she was scared of him. "H-Hinata. I…I am really, REALLY sorry. Please. Don't do this to me. Not you too."

Two broken teenagers. Too broken to hear what one another was saying.

Hinata just stared off blankly into the steam. She could see Naruto's figure behind the shower curtain. He was sitting balled up just like her. Why did he look so broken? Was he still hurt from his fight?

Hinata had never had someone comfort her after a traumatic event. She didn't know how to take it. She didn't know how to stop the cravings. Hinata felt STUCK and she didn't know what to do anymore. She was so out of tune. She couldn't accept anyone's affection these last few weeks.

She distanced herself. She slept alone, ate alone, trained and healed alone, because in the end she knew she'd die alone.

Naruto noted how misty the bathroom was right now. Like Hinata wanted to still be in that environment. Like she wanted to hide from them as much as possible. "Hinata. Can you please, turn the water off, come out, and just TALK to me. PLEASE. I promise I won't look when you get out. I promise to do whatever you want. Just…talk to me."

He waited a moment before hearing Hinata meekly speak up, "Naruto. I…I can't."

Naruto squeezed his eyes tight. He held his knees to his chest tighter and was on the verge of breaking down again. Desperation coursing through him. "PLEASE HINATA." He didn't raise his voice too much, but the hurt in his voice finally hit Hinata and Naruto heard her turn the water off.

Naruto covered his eyes and ducked his head in his lap. "Alright. I swear I'm not looking!" Hinata trusted him and immediately stepped out the shower. She quickly dried herself off and threw her clothes on. She dried her hair as she told Naruto the close was clear.

Naruto slowly lifted his head up and uncovered his eyes. When he looked at Hinata he could see how stressed she looked. She wasn't sleeping well and her eating was barely there. She was shaking more now too.

He guessed her cravings to drink were coming back now more than ever considering she was holding so much in. "You can talk to me and if you don't want to talk to me you can talk to Sasuke. Of course sensei too."

Hinata sat on the floor across from him and mimicked his sitting style. She just stared at him for a moment. Like she was looking for the right words. "W-Why are you doing this? I…I cannot be who you want me to be Naruto."

She couldn't be a strong, useful teammate.

Naruto took Hinata's comment as her saying she didn't want to be around him anymore. That he was a monster. "I-I-I…I don't know what to say Hinata. I just black out sometimes. I don't know why I get so angry sometimes. I-I can't control myself, but PLEASE…PLEASE I'll figure it out. I'll work on it I swear! Please don't push me out. Just give me some time. I'll fix it, I swear!"

Hinata looked at Naruto confused before she thought back to that day she saw Naruto's chakra. Did he know she looked at him? He…he thought she was MAD at HIM? Naruto coiled more into himself when he saw Hinata shake her head. He took it as she was telling him no. She would not stay by his side.

"Naruto. Please stop." Hinata crawled to Naruto with one hand. He was still coiled into a ball, so Hinata leaned her forehead on his knee. "When I was…taking out Gato's men. I-I felt your chakra. Then, I used my Byakugan." Naruto still was in his ball and shook as Hinata said this. Terrified of what she thought of him.

Hinata closed her eyes and thought back to that memory. "It…was two chakra's. Your chakra is blue. So bright and full of life. Like you are Naruto. Then…I saw the other chakra. It was red. It was very powerful. It consumed you and it was so…so demonic."

Naruto bit his bottom lip when he heard her say that. Still, he had to know. "Did I scare you?"

Hinata lifted her head and looked at Naruto confused. He lifted his head and stared at her with red eyes that showed he was crying. She tilted her head and scrunched her eyebrows. "No, but I was worried. It was consuming you Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked down at the floor. "I…I thought you were scared of me. You backed away from me and looked scared. You've been avoiding me. I thought you…I thought you thought I was a monster like the rest of the villagers back home."

He felt Hinata cup his cheeks. He could feel the rawness from her healing hand and still looked up at Hinata like she was the most beautiful thing on the planet. She looked at him seriously. "NEVER. I would NEVER see you that way Naruto, but please, tell me what happened."

Naruto gave her a wet smile. He refused to cry over the situation again. Over how scared he was. He opened his legs from his cocoon and pulled Hinata into his embrace. Naruto leaned over and pressed his forehead against Hinata's and closed his eyes.

She pressed against his forehead and closed her eyes tight. Naruto took a deep breath before he spoke. "I honestly don't know Hinata. I guess we both snapped. We'll leave it at that for now, until we get back home. Is that okay?"

Hinata nodded her head. She could hear how broken Naruto sounded. She took deep calming breaths as tried to relax. "I'm glad you and Sasuke came back…to me." Naruto smiled at this, but stopped when he felt Hinata stiffen up from what she just said. She started to pull back and shook her head as she did so. Naruto looked at her confused and gripped her wrists gently, not letting her leave.

"Hinata?"

"I…I cannot. I cannot be who you want me to be. I cannot be who Sasuke wants me to be. I cannot do this Naruto. I am so sorry."

Naruto's eyes widened again and fear started to course through him. "Please don't say that." Hinata's eyes were watery and she gave him an apologetic look before she smiled at him. "It's o-okay Naruto. W-We will go b-back and you w-will f-forget about me. How useless I was. I-I know I couldn't help you and Sasuke. Y-You two were hurt because of me-"

"Hinata. You stop it right NOW." Realization dawned on Naruto. THIS was why Hinata was isolating herself. Why she pushed them away. She wasn't angry or scared of them. She's been spending three weeks blaming HERSELF for everything that has happened.

Hinata shook her head and tried to snatch her hands from Naruto again, but he wasn't having it. "I am not strong. I am not pretty. I am not worth you and Sasuke's time. I am not Sakura…N-Naruto I am not her and I will never be close to perfect like her. I failed my team and whatever my father decides to do to me-"

Again he cut her off. "SHUT UP." Naruto said this in a sterner voice compared to a loud one. "You are so…so…I don't even care about my language right now Hinata. You're so fucking dumb sometimes. The smartest. Prettiest. Dumbest girl I know. No one can do what you did out there. We failed YOU Hinata. Since the beginning of this mission. You went through hell because of us."

Hinata continued to look at Naruto. Her bottom lip trembled and Naruto gave her an intense stare. "You don't have the right anymore Hinata to push us away. To think we don't need you. You can't just-you can't DO THAT HINATA."

Naruto took her injured hand and gently held it in front of their face. "You can't get hurt like this and think it doesn't hurt me Hinata." Naruto placed his lips in her injured palm and Hinata let a sob escape her. Naruto closed his eyes and held in his own agony. He was matching Hinata now in how much she shook.

"You can't just show me what it feels like to be cared for. To have someone that likes me how I genuinely like them. You can't just tell me you like me and…kiss me, and then take it all back. You can't play with me like that Hinata. It's not FAIR. I have a heart too. I have feelings TOO." His voice cracked and was strained as he spoke. Naruto was just mentally exhausted because he didn't want to lose Hinata.

Hinata shook her head again. This time for different reasons. "I am NOT playing with you Naruto. I do not take back anything I've said or done with you or Sasuke. I just-"

She didn't want to get hurt. She mentally couldn't handle a broken heart right now.

Naruto smiled at her. He stared into her eyes and pulled her close to him again. "I'm not going to hurt you Hinata. Please don't push me away again. I'm giving you everything I have. Even Sasuke is and he's not an open person. Yet he's giving you everything his black heart can give."

Hinata finally smiled and a small laugh came out. Naruto smiled brightly at her and leaned over to give her an eskimo kiss. He held the sides of her head and the two just sat in a comfortable silence until they were able to function to the outside world again.

Naruto opened the bathroom door and the two walked out. Naruto looked back at Hinata and smiled at her. She smiled back at him and he turned to be face to face with Sasuke. Naruto stopped in his tracks and Sasuke looked anything, but happy with the situation of the two. "Where were you two?"

Naruto gave Sasuke a look like it was obvious. "The bathroom." Sasuke's frown deepened. Hinata has been avoiding them since the whole blood bath in the mist. Sasuke has been trying to give her space.

Yet she openly accepted Naruto's affection. Sasuke didn't say anything else and turned around to leave. They left him out. That's all he could think about.

Hinata looked around the small house and noticed how the three of them were alone. She reached over for Sasuke's hand to stop him from leaving. "I-I'm sorry." Sasuke gave a light tug for her to let go. A warning because he was losing what patience he had, but Hinata held him in place. "I've been unsupportive of your success as a teammate."

Sasuke turned back and gave her a fiery look. She would NOT do this to him. Not after how much he's given her of himself. His temper finally took over, "Stop referring to me as a-"

Hinata walked up close to him and held his hand to her heart. Another hand gently reached up to his face and cupped his cheek.

Hinata has never done this before. Sasuke was always the first to give her affection. "As a teammate, a comrade and as my special person Sasuke-kun." He paused and looked at her. She matched his stare and held a look of determination. "I…was stuck I suppose and Naruto-kun was there to help me. So I can be better for Naruto-kun…AND you."

Sasuke finally relaxed in her touch. It's been almost a year that Sasuke waited for Hinata to touch him in this manner. He didn't want to take steps back. He wanted to keep progressing with what the three of them had.

He scanned the area and saw that they were alone. Sasuke let out a sigh and ran his hands through his hair. Finding comfort that Hinata still held his face. While Naruto was content with eskimo kisses, Sasuke was not. He leaned down to Hinata and kissed her. He didn't ask for permission or hesitate, he just swooped down and kissed her. It was a full kiss and Hinata responded to the kiss with all the emotions she held.

Sasuke wasn't a talker like Naruto. Hinata wasn't a talker either, but grew to love conversations with Naruto. That being said, Sasuke and Hinata could communicate with stares and moments like this. Both putting their emotions in a kiss.

Sasuke felt her hands shake. Her darkness that flooded her senses. She was in a dark mind frame. Letting her demons consume her. That's what he could feel. He pulled away and stared at her. His once hardened eyes softening. "You should have just talked to me. I could tell you were not okay." Sasuke looked up at Naruto as well. "Both of you. What's going on?"

Naruto grinned at the moment between Sasuke and Hinata, before he looked off to the side and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's our first big fight ya know. As a team. I guess me and Hinata aren't okay with just…snapping. Ya know?" Sasuke looked at Naruto and could tell he was still apprehensive to opening up. Not that Naruto didn't want to share it, but that he didn't know what was wrong with him.

Sasuke looked back at Hinata and noticed how she wasn't so pale and ghostly anymore. She was getting color back and her cheeks grew rosy again. "When we get back we'll talk, but now, enough of this emotional stuff. Understand?" Hinata bit the bottom of her lip and nodded her head. Naruto sporting his own embarrassed blush and agreed as well.

Sasuke looked down at Hinata's hand for a moment and saw she didn't have it wrapped up. Her skin was warm from the hot shower and Sasuke knew Hinata mentally had gone through it just as much physically.

Hinata's hand still shook lightly as Sasuke lifted her recovering had up and surveyed it. The stitches were healing good and Sasuke was impressed how Hinata handled the pain of getting her had basically operated on with nothing to numb the pain.

Sasuke brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. He closed his eyes and gently cradled her sensitive hand against his cheek. When Sasuke first looked at Hinata's hand while she was resting after Kakashi first sewed her up. It looked God awful and Sasuke blamed himself. For leaving her. For not thinking everything through. He needed saving himself from Naruto.

This mission has taught and humbled Sasuke to the extreme. Naruto wasn't beneath him. Hinata could indeed handle herself, but afterwards she would need people that cared about her to handle her. Sasuke needed the same thing, he wasn't unharmed in this mission. Mentally and physically.

This mission has done nothing but grow his attachment to Hinata and Naruto.

On the journey back to Konoha it was silent. A comfortable silence, yet there was still nerves within the group. Hinata having the most because she never forgot that Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke were hiding something from her. "Sensei?"

Kakashi hummed his reply for Hinata to continue. "Can I umm, can I know now?" She heard Kakashi take a deep breath and he stopped walking. He looked at Hinata and just like he stated earlier. He stared her straight in the eyes. "Yes you can. You won't be going back home when we get back to Konoha, Hinata. You'll be living with me for a little while."

Hinata blinked at him. She shook her head and was genuinely confused. "T-T-That can't happen. My f-f-father…I have to train with my f-family." When she saw how serious Kakashi was and how he didn't say anything else as he stared at her. Hinata looked off to the side like she was looking for answers. "Is…he…disowning me?"

"No Hinata." He was answering her as open and as honest as possible. To ensure he didn't lose her at any point. Hinata looked back at Kakashi and he could see she didn't believe him. "W-W-What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing Hinata."

"Then WHY?"

"Because you know why? Do we need to talk about this right now?"

Hinata wouldn't let the conversation go. She couldn't accept this. She knew her family didn't love her. Rejected the sight of her, but to kick her out. Her father. His own flesh and blood?! "I-I told you that I am not hurting myself."

Kakashi straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. An odd parental look from him. "I classify as depending on a bottle of alcohol as hurting yourself." Naruto had never seen Hinata look so pale in his life. All the color drained from her face as she turned and looked at Naruto and Sasuke. Both of them looked as shocked as she was so she knew they didn't say anything.

Kakashi raised an amused brow. "I knew Hinata. I knew the moment you had your morning sickness after the bell test. I wondered how you would fair during this mission and I'll say if you didn't have your teammates, you would have crumbled horribly. Maybe would have taken Mr. Tazuna's alcohol bottles during the mission."

Hinata was about to open her mouth. To protest and tell him he was wrong. That she didn't have a problem and just go on a series of excuses to justify her actions. However, Kakashi held his hand up to stop Hinata from talking any further.

"Hinata. You're grounded."

There was a knock at Kakashi's front door. It's been two weeks since their last mission and team seven was getting back into the groove of things back home. Training was now a major focal point between everyone.

Kakashi worked heavily with all three genin. With Sasuke and his Sharingan. Naruto and what they could do with his massive chakra reserve along with his natural elements and how he can better use and manage it all. Hinata, well she worked faithfully with her family. It was her choice. She worked teamwork training with team seven, but individual practice she still relied on her family.

Kakashi respected that with Hinata to a certain extent. Only putting filters on her not being able to train or associate with Neji or her father. Which Kakashi learned actually upset Hinata.

She had the classic symptoms of being tied to your abusers and while Kakashi understood this would take maybe years to get over. Naruto and Sasuke didn't understand fully how it would be basically impossible at this point to permanently separate Hinata from her family.

Hiashi, Neji and Hinata all were inseparable from the toxic relations they held with one another.

Kakashi let Hinata have her space because she still slightly struggled with sleeping in a home that wasn't hers. Also, being in a home environment that she couldn't sneak out of definitely proved in showing her…true colors.

Hinata hadn't tried sneaking out or anything like that with him. She knew Kakashi would surely catch her. Instead she stayed up almost all night. Pacing back and forward through the night in frustration. Letting the cravings invade her every thought process. This part in the road of recovery was hard for Hinata. To be back in the village where she knew how to get what she wanted. To be around the triggers for her drinking.

Kakashi knew she was hurting bad. Surprisingly enough, Kakashi could only count four times that Hinata has actually snapped at him and held a derange appearance of an addict. When Naruto and Sasuke came around her whole demeanor changed. She refused to have them see her like that.

Sadly Kakashi knew. They were bound to see that side eventually.

When Kakashi heard the knock on his front door he casually walked over to open it. Placing his trusty light reading book inside his chest pocket. "Coming." He opened the door and saw that it was Naruto and Sasuke. "Guest? I don't recall telling Hinata she could go anywhere." She was still on punishment. She was only allowed to go to and from training, escorted by him personally.

Hinata took the punishment. While she's never been on punishment before, she knew what Kakashi was doing to her was light weight compared to if her father found out about her addiction. She'd never see the light of day again unsupervised.

Naruto gave Kakashi a dull look. "Come on sensei. We just want to come in and hang with Hinata. We don't have to go anywhere." Kakashi looked at the two for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. He let Naruto and Sasuke in and when the two walked in Kakashi walked outside. "Why not. I could use a breather. You two keep an eye on…'Princess'."

The two boys stared at Kakashi a little flustered that Kakashi caught on to their nickname for Hinata. Sasuke nodded his head as Kakashi shut the front door and left them alone with Hinata. Naruto looked around his sensei's apartment. He hasn't ever really been inside Kakashi's home and freely wandered around unsupervised.

"Hey. Where are you?" Sasuke called out to Hinata. Naruto gave a 'psst' sound to Sasuke to get his attention. He looked over at Naruto and saw that Naruto was at the bedroom door. Naruto had the door cracked and looked over in between the crack. He slowly opened the bedroom door and it revealed Hinata sleeping soundly on the bed.

Sasuke watched Hinata for a moment before Naruto whisked passed him and jumped on the bed. He landed on the bed and Hinata's body flopped along with the beds motion. This immediately woke her up and she looked shook from the rude awakening. "W-What!"

Hinata looked around and took everything in. She saw Naruto lying beside her on the bed and looked at him confused. Naruto smiled at her brightly and looked up behind her. Hinata followed his eyes and looked up to see Sasuke was behind her at the end of the bed. He looked at her and smirked as he leaned over and hunched over her body. Using the bed as his support.

Hinata was lying on her back as she looked up at Sasuke. "How are you feeling?" She blinked at the sentimental question from Sasuke. Hinata felt Naruto play with her hand that was lying gently on the bed. He smiled as she started playing back with his fingers. "Be honest with Sasuke too Hinata."

She smiled at Naruto's light probing and looked from Sasuke back to Naruto before closing her eyes. "I…feel horrible if I'm being honest."

Naruto chuckled at this and took Hinata's hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed her hand and smiled. Sasuke scooted her over so he could sit on the edge of the bed. He took in the scene of Hinata and Naruto and felt warmth in his chest. "Well. You are going through withdrawals. Alcohol is an insane substance to conquer. Plus…you're grounded. By a ninja that I deem the definition of irresponsible."

Naruto threw his head back and laughed. He felt a little bad that it was at Hinata's expense, but when he looked over at her she was giggling at the crude joke. Sasuke gave a small smile as he looked between the two on the bed. He leaned over and kissed Hinata's cheek, then he leaned his forehead against her temple and smiled from ear to ear.

He was young. They were all young, but they've been through a lot. The trauma of their lives brought their team together faster and created bonds within one another that has oddly blossomed to something more. Something that now, they can talk about. "What happened out there Hinata?"

That look on Hinata's face when she massacred those man. It was a look he never wanted to see from her again. Especially pointed to him and Naruto. Like she was terrified of them. Like they were the ones that hurt her. That was a look that crushed Sasuke because he was giving her all of him and he didn't understand why she pushed back all the time.

Sasuke leaned up and surveyed both Naruto and Hinata. "So, you two both snapped out there. Is that the story? Naruto has two types of chakra. Which is unheard of other than dark chakra. Which from what I'm hearing it's not that. One is red and the other blue. Like good and bad or something. Then there is you. The quiet reserved ex-princess that in reality is a recovering addict that is physically and mentally abused by her family to the point that she can't kick her habit and implodes during a mission. Massacring everyone around her."

Naruto and Hinata stared blankly at Sasuke. Shocked that he was so in-depth about the teams situation. Naruto sighed as he looked at the ceiling. "I don't think I can answer your questions Sasuke. It's not like I KNOW what the hell is going on with me. I just turned 14 and I have no clue why a lot of things have happened to me."

It grew silent in the room because everyone knew what Naruto was referring to. He continued to look at the ceiling and shook his head slowly. "I never knew why the villagers ignored me. Why they called me all kind of names. Why they never helped a little kid when I needed something to eat or shelter. Why I have no history. No clan. No back story. I've been called a monster and loser for so long. I don't know, maybe I am one."

He looked between Sasuke and Hinata and looked like he was in deep thought. "Maybe that's what you saw Hinata. A monster. What I really am."

"Don't be stupid."

"That's not true."

Sasuke and Hinata both looked at Naruto in dismay. Angry that he was talking about himself like that. That he actually believed what those ignorant people said about him. Hinata sat up and looked down at Naruto. A fierce determination in her eyes. "You're Uzumaki Naruto. Soon to be Hokage. You're going to prove everyone wrong. You are no monster. How could you think of yourself like that Naruto-kun? I-I never looked at you like that."

Naruto looked at Hinata and smiled. Hinata was in her lounging wear. Which was funny that her lounging wear was a thin lavender and grey hoodie that went down to her thighs and black short tights. Hinata had bed head. Her hair in the back was growing out and he noticed she wasn't cutting it like before. She was ungroomed right now, but she was enticing to look at. A natural beauty.

He looked at Sasuke and just saw a force. A stable and headstrong person. Sasuke was smart when he took his time and wasn't hot headed and he was different than he used to be. Sasuke back in the academy to Naruto was an arrogant prick. Sasuke constantly looked down at people and back then wouldn't give people like him and Hinata a second glass. Why? Simply because Sasuke was part of the 'cool gang'. The people that just knew they were better than everyone.

Naruto always thought Hinata belonged in that group, but she just didn't fit in. She was thrown in the group of 'losers and weirdos' along with him. They were people that just didn't fit in Sasuke's social group. That's what Naruto thought. Since being on a team with Sasuke, he's seen a different side of him. Naruto guessed this was the genuine Sasuke.

Someone that wanted mutual partners. Sasuke didn't want to carry dead weight. He wanted to avenge his clan and move on with life. Sasuke knew what he wanted and Naruto was beginning to see what exactly Sasuke wanted. It almost matched what Naruto wanted.

The recognition. The respect. Love. Family. They wanted the same thing.

It annoyed Naruto that he couldn't reciprocate these emotions to Hinata like Sasuke could. Naruto didn't know how to be a partner in a relationship. Only a close comrade.

He knew he didn't want to lose Hinata. He had a mental breakdown over the thought of losing her, but he just couldn't give her the affection yet that Sasuke could give her. It flooded him with insecurities.

Naruto reached over to the two, but hesitated. Hinata smiled at him encouragingly and Sasuke frowned at the hesitance. Sasuke hated when Hinata and Naruto were unsure on how to express their thoughts.

It was simple. They were either doing this or not.

"I like you a lot Hinata. I look at the two of you and I want to be…I want to SHOW you guys that I like you. I…I just don't know how. I can smile in your face. Hug you and praise you, but I do that with a lot of people. I don't want to treat you the same way I would treat someone like Sakura or Ino. I don't know how to do that though."

I can't be real. I don't know how to be authentic.

My mask is my comfort zone.

Sasuke gave Naruto a dull look. "No one is asking for your commitment. No one is asking for you to save yourself for Hinata and I. I say 'Hinata and I', because I'm not going to have her sit around and wait for you to figure your issues out. Knowing you that would take forever and knowing Hinata, she would wait forever. I'm not. If you want to be with another then do that. Just like back in Mist. I'm not going to beg you. I am not going to force you to-"

Naruto sat up quickly and this scared look crossed his face. Terrified that he said something wrong. "That's not what I meant! Like…I just…ugh!" Naruto ran his hands through his hair in frustration. Hinata took his antsy hands and brought them down. She looked at Naruto and a soft, comforting smile crossed her face.

"It's okay Naruto-kun." Naruto shook his head and gave Hinata a pleading look. "No! It's not. I don't want you to think I kissed you just because I wanted to kiss some girl! I don't want you to think I don't like you or Sasuke. Like I do. I really, really DO. I just don't know how to SHOW you guys how much I care about you guys! Like, I didn't have a freakout in the bathroom with you for NOTHING Hinata."

Hinata blinked at Naruto. That was a lot. A big declaration that she felt Naruto was holding in for some time. When they were in the hotel, Naruto was very unsure of what he wanted from Hinata. Sasuke not even in his scope of vision. At the bridge builders house, out on the porch, Naruto was still slightly in denial about wanting to kiss Hinata and turned Sasuke down immediately.

However on the field, Naruto showed he wanted Sasuke's affection. In the bathroom he finally revealed he didn't want to be without Hinata. He was still confused on how to go about everything. That was clear.

Hinata turned and looked at Sasuke who had his arms crossed as he looked back at her.

Hinata looked back at Naruto with her brows knitted together. "You show it just fine Naruto-kun. If anything I…umm I feel like I could show you and Sasuke-kun more. I blamed myself for everything bad that happened on the mission. I shouldn't have pushed you two away. I was just…afraid that you'd see me as a burden because I failed you."

Aww. That's what was bothering Hinata. That's what put her in a great depression. Sasuke was wondering when he'd get the truth from her. Sasuke evaluated the situation and the confused looks from Naruto and Hinata. They all were deprived of affection. Deprived of a family. Deprived of love.

Naruto didn't know what love and affection looked like so he didn't know how to make himself vulnerable to give it. Sasuke himself knew love. He knew affection. He's been intimate before. He just chose to shut it out. To pick and choose when he wanted to have it and he rarely dished it out. A selfish habit that he picked up. Hinata was tricky. She had a family that taught her false love. False affection. She was just as lost on it as Naruto and Sasuke were.

It was easier to get through Naruto than it was Hinata. Naruto, it was like a teaching moment. He was always teachable. Hinata, you had to tell her what she knew since birth wasn't normal. Hinata was built to eat, shit and breathe the Hyuga clan. Telling her to turn on her family after everything they did to her was proving to be difficult.

Again. Sasuke saw Hinata's face that day, painted in blood. She regressed. She told herself that day she didn't need Naruto and Sasuke. That whole mission Hinata wanted her family. She felt safer with her family. Even right now, Naruto and Sasuke knew Hinata didn't trust them fully yet.

Sasuke sighed. What was he going to do with these two. Naruto and Hinata were baggage sometimes. They needed work dumped into them. Sasuke closed his eyes before opening them to look back at Naruto.

They were his investments though.

"Come here. Both of you."

Naruto and Hinata did what Sasuke asked. More like a demanded, but they'll go with it being a request. Sasuke stood face to face with Naruto and arched a perfect brow. "I'm going to kiss you." That same panicked look from the night on the porch at Mr. Tazuna's home crossed Naruto's face.

Sasuke placed a hand up to silence Naruto. "I am going to press my lips to yours. I am not going to shove my tongue in your mouth. I am not going to touch you all over. We cannot go that far or any further then a kiss. The three of us are nowhere near ready for any of that. If you think you are, you're lying. Neither of you even know how to admit you LIKE someone."

Hinata blushed at the callout and poked her fingers together nervously. Sasuke was right. In his own way. Lacking in calling out his own flaws, but that could be addressed when the situation arrived. Naruto grew flustered, but didn't oppose Sasuke. He just adverted his eyes from him.

Sasuke smirked at this. He reached and took Naruto's head protector off and watched how Naruto's hair fell in his face. Hmm. He determined he rather liked Naruto with his hair like this.

Naruto looked at Sasuke and searched his eyes. Trying to see what Sasuke was thinking. He didn't have much time to study Sasuke because the young Uchiha leaned over and kissed him. Sasuke did what he did with Hinata. He cupped Naruto's face and fully kissed him. Slightly wet and full of what he was feeling at the moment.

Naruto's eyes widened. Kissing Hinata was way different than this. Hinata was just as much an amateur at kissing as he was. After watching Sasuke kiss Hinata, Naruto didn't kiss Hinata often. Feeling way too insecure about his skills compared to Sasuke.

Sasuke seemed so much more experienced. Naruto could feel more emotion. Sasuke had a cold, distance personality and it seemed he was able to communicate how he really felt through intimacy.

Naruto's eyes slowly closed and he relaxed in Sasuke's hold. Letting him take the lead. Sasuke reached over and took Hinata's hand. He pulled away from Naruto slightly, but pressed his lips against Naruto's again and again. Sasuke could feel Naruto melting to the attention, he didn't even notice Sasuke pulling Hinata into the kiss session.

Sasuke pulled Hinata and Naruto together and let the two connect. He backed away to let the two kiss. "See the difference compared to before?" Naruto nodded his head and smiled as he pressed his lips to Hinata. Naruto liked the feel of a firmer kiss. Having it a little moist and the sound of smacking his lips against Hinata and Sasuke's again and again.

Hinata subconsciously wrapped her arms around Naruto's neck and pushed into Naruto. She was enjoying this. She liked doing this. With Naruto and Sasuke. To feel cared for. To fully relax with people that wanted her to be comfortable. That wanted to be around her and wanted her around them.

She let out a content sound and bells in her head went off that she moaned. Hinata's eyes widened and she gasped. She backed away and her face was as red as a lobster. Naruto looked at Hinata with equal wide eyes because he had never heard that sound from a girl. He's only seen that in flicks or something meant for seasoned adults.

"Whoa." Naruto blinked and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Are…umm. Are you okay Hinata?" She nodded her head viciously and covered her hands over her face. "I'm s-s-sorry! I-I never…I never. I mean w-we have kissed b-before. B-But I-I never made that n-noise."

Sasuke folded his arms over his chest and looked at Hinata skeptically. "A moan? You never moaned? I highly dou-" He stopped himself from finishing his sentence. Not wanting Hinata to pass out from embarrassment or anything. "Look. Nothing to be ashamed of Princess." Sasuke took a moment to take in Hinata's appearance.

She liked to dress very conservatively. Hinata liked to hide herself and didn't want anyone to see her growing body. Sasuke tilted his head. He's never really took the time to hold Hinata's frame. He's seen Hinata in her training attire and Hinata was tiny. Oddly enough the past couple of weeks since she's been forced to kick her drinking habit, Sasuke's noticed Hinata's change of physical appearance. "You've filled out since you've been sober."

Naruto looked at Hinata and tilted his head as well. He smiled when she looked utterly over having the spotlight on her. It was cute when Hinata got a little annoyed. "Yeah. I see it. Before the mission when you were training with Neji. You were TINY. I think you were smaller than Ino and she kills herself dieting. Now, like…you look good Princess."

Hinata made a squeal sound and covered her red face. "Y-You two are so c-cruel!" Naruto grinned at this and Sasuke chuckled. They were getting somewhere now.

End of chapter.

Not going to lie, I felt bad for Naruto in the beginning of this chapter. His background in the canon series was depressing and I could imagine if he was able to build a relationship early on, that he would be desperate to keep it. Willing to say and do anything so the person wouldn't leave him. He was that deprived.

So, like I said. This is a NaruHinaSasu story. Meaning, NarutoXHinata, SasukeXHinata and NarutoXSasuke. This will be the end result. So this is showing the progression of how they come to be. Long way to go though. We have a few more chapters until the Chunin Exams arc. Of course, a time skip. I just want to build the characters and how they differ compared to canon. How they chose different paths compared to canon.

So, I hope you enjoy the ride with me! See you Wednesday.