-Naruto-

.

If there's one thing that annoys Naruto the most, it's bullies. Well, that and when teachers pick a really boring lecture, but mostly bullies. So when he sees a group of bullies ganging up on a little lavender-haired girl, he busts in no questions asked.

Of course, the bullies think they're hot stuff. But Fuzzy says all the coolest ninja are the ones who can make everyone else think they're pathetic and then show them just how cool they are! But, like, secretly. Ok, Naruto doesn't really get what Fuzzy was saying there, but the point still stands!

Naruto's cool, like a cool ninja, and being outnumbered by bigger bullies isn't a problem!

Of course, he still isn't that great at taijutsu, so he'll just do the next best thing and make himself bigger. By using his awesome Transformation Jutsu to turn into a really big fox! For some reason everyone panics when he turns into a fox or brings out his summons, so he's sure it'll work.

And it's awesome to watch the bullies trip over themselves to run away crying, only for fox summons to herd them into a corner and drop a bunch of glue on them. That'll teach them to gang up on smaller, cooler people!

Naruto is congratulating himself on a job well-done, when he notices the girl is still crying. Oh no, did he scare her too?! Dangit Naruto, you were so close to a perfect rescue! You're not supposed to make her cry! Quick, fix it!

So Naruto practically falls over himself to try to cheer her up (thankfully, he's very good at making people laugh. He even summons a baby fox to shove in her arms for her to pet!).

Eventually he gets her to start talking to him. She mumbles and stutters a lot, but she seems to somehow have the idea that she's weak and pathetic and her family will never accept her.

Now, Naruto is no expert on family, but he's pretty sure they're not supposed to make you feel like that. Actually, as an orphan who practically romanticizes the idea of family, he's more than a little offended that a family would do that to their kid. So he does the only logical thing he could do.

.

-Hinata-

.

This boy is really loud, and Hinata's not sure what to think of him. Of course, she's grateful that he'd take the time to save someone as pathetic as her from those bullies, but he seems a little... odd.

He also has a lot of foxes. Hinata's never seen someone use a summon before, so she's interested in her own shy way. She's very happy that he's letting her snuggle with his baby fox.

He has a way of making people open up. Just watching him goof around is enough to cheer Hinata up in a few minutes. She hopes he stays for a while.

Eventually her family is brought into the conversation. Hinata wishes that she didn't have to talk about that; she's worried that Naruto will decide that her family is right and abandon her to be alone again. But surprisingly, he seems very upset at what she says about her family. Is it really that bad?

Hinata has to go home after a while, and Naruto walks with her all the way there. It's sad that her family won't let him in, but also a little relieving. Hinata isn't sure if she wants Naruto in this kind of place.

It's just as stifling as always. Still, Hinata finds a smile on her face the next day.

Why?

Naruto somehow replaced all of the Hyuuga's shampoo (except hers) with bright red hair dye. All the elders look like tomatoes!

Hinata decides that she wants to be friends with Naruto.

.

.

A/N - I like Hinata a lot, but I think canon kind of does her dirty. And I'm not really sure if I'll have much of a focus on shipping here, but I think she could use some time to be her own person, without immediately dumping a (possibly obsessive) crush and hero-worship onto her when she's literally five. They could totally make cute friends, and maybe love interests later.