Two Days Later

Hinata had rarely had friends, even her teammates did not feel solely her friends. They had goals, purposes beyond her presence. Mika, oddly, did not feel like that. Having healed and helped her of his own volition, it just felt like she mattered, even if only a little bit. She did not doubt he had his own goals, that he was driven by his own purposes, but she knew that he cared and that was more than she could have hoped for.

'Maybe I'll make a new friend...' She wished, prayed practically.

Arriving at Mika's training ground, she saw him moving through his Katas, shirtless and strong. She didn't flush, but the boy was strong and powerful, his body willowy and filled with tight muscles. He looked like he could really hurt someone, and yet she knew she was physically stronger. It was a truth that she had been training since she was three years old, her body was powerful and that meant she could hurt him.

She felt herself withdrawing into his own body.

"Hinata, you okay?" She jumped when Mika's voice came from her front, making her jump as he appeared right by her face.

"How?"

He smirked. "I'm quick on my feet,.." He turned his face upward. "Hello, Kurenai."

The woman laughed. "Hello, Mika. How are you?"

"Not bad, just eager for our spar." He fliped back, landing on the water with grace and poise. "Hinata, don't worry about hurting me. My mentor may be hiding around here, waiting to throw senbon at me, but she is a powerful medic. You can kick my ass to your heart's content."

The giggle burst from her lips. "I doubt I will... but you are sweet." She hurried to the lake, falling into a low stance, oddly eager to fight the boy that treated her with true equality. She had no idea if he knew how his gentle warmth soothed her fears. "Are you ready?"

He nodded and moved, kicking water at her face. She recoiled out of force of habit, and felt a strong hand grab her hoddie front. In one motion, he threw her across the pond. She flipped to her feet, dodging Mika's harsh kick to her face. She reacted, almost instinctively, and sent a palm to his ankle to disable it. Then, without fear, she twisted hsi ankle and tossed him away.

He landed on one foot, eyes wide. "That's amazing, I cannot feel my foot at all... you got some mad skills, Hime."

She flushed, the word Hime filling her with warmth rivaling Naruto's smile. "Thank you."

""

Kurenai was baffled. "She has never fought like this, so fiercely, so powerfully. What changed?"

Yugao, by her side, sighed. "My best guess? Mika. He is treating her with respect but also without kid gloves. He does not expect anything less than HER best, not his own version of perfect like her father does."

They shared a look of hate at that, neither of them having any respect for Hiashi or the Hyuuga. They loathed how Hinata and the Side Branch was treated, but the Hokage allowed so little retribution for their evils.

Refocusing on the match, they watched as Hinata attempted to pepper Mika with strikes, holding back only what would kill him. The boy dodged and weaved, graceful even without use of his left foot. "I can see why you want him in ANBU."

Yugao nodded at Kurenai's words. " The girl too, she deserves a real chance."

The Genjutsu mistress did not cringe, as she might have before, instead she hummed. "If they go in together... maybe so."

Hinata took the victory with a solid sock to Mika's shoulder, sending him spinning back unable to move. Yugao was there, healing him with her immense speed all the while reassuring Hinata. "You did amazingly well. In terms of sheer taijutsu, I would put you at least a solid Special Jonin."

The girl flushed. "Really?"

Mika, who was already sitting up, nodded with fierce eyes. "We are so sparring again, Hinata how were you hiding so much skill. Even Sasuke pales."

That made her blush even further. "I hate hurting others, I only went out against you since your sensei was here."

He nodded. " Then why don't we spar to capture, not to maim or kill?"

"I would like that... can we do this reguarly?"

And just like that, a bond was formed, one that Kurenai was hoping for. 'My girl, you need friends, you need to be treated as an equal and here you are... you deserve this goodness.'

Soon, Hinata and Mika were plannng sparring sessions, analyzing each others combat and talking about their favorite shops to eat at.

It was honestly the most heart warming of sights for Kurenai and one she would treasure for years to come.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a joy to write.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.