Naruto's eyes snapped open and he sat up with a gasp. "Sasuke!" He whispered hoarsely, throat dry.
"I'm sorry, Naruto." He looked and saw Hinata sitting at his bedside with a forlorn expression on her face. She handed him Sasuke's forehead protector, eyes still cast downward as he took it. She couldn't even look at him with the weight of the guilt on her shoulders.
"I'm…the one who should be sorry," he eventually mumbled. Slowly, as if thinking the exact same thing, their hands slowly came together in a tight grip. It was comforting and they could almost feel the emotions of one another. "I failed. I couldn't stop him."
Finally, Hinata looked up at him and shook her head. "We failed, Naruto. We're going to work harder to become even stronger together. It's not all on you, okay? We're a team and we're supposed to lean on each other," she assured him. The last thing she wanted was for him to think everything rested on his shoulders.
Slowly, he smiled at her. "Thanks, Hinata." Then, he remembered Sasuke telling him about her and Itachi. He lowered his voice even more before he spoke. "Itachi, huh?"
Hinata's shoulders tensed briefly before relaxing once again. "I have no right to ask this of you, but please trust me. I can't tell you right now, but I promise to one day." She looked into his eyes and Naruto could clearly see the guilt and anguish. He was upset, but it never occurred to him to hate her or think of her any differently. For Sasuke, however, it was different. It would probably feel different if Itachi had been his brother.
"I trust you," he eventually said, causing her to sag in relief. "I've never not trusted you. I really want to know, but I'm not gonna push it. I trust you know what you're doing."
Hinata surprised him by bowing her head deeply. "Thank you," she whimpered. She sounded so heartfelt that Naruto's chest ached. He could see it had been weighing on her for a long time. He thought back to those whispered words in that inn when he'd barely been conscious.
"We're a team. You don't have to thank me."
And just like that, everything was good again.
"How is everyone?" He asked.
"They're all good. Choji-san and Neji had been in critical condition, but they're currently stable. Neji is already awake and ready to go, but Choji-san remains unconscious as his body heals. Kiba-san and Akamaru have to remain in bed but they're okay, too. Shikamaru is also doing just fine," she explained.
"And what about Lee?"
"He's okay as well. The three siblings from Suna came to our aid," she said with a smile. "I saw Gaara-san before making my way to you and Sasuke and he looks much better. Happier, I suppose."
Naruto grinned. "That's good to hear. We definitely owe them one."
"Maybe it's a bit much, but I've prepared a small gift basket for each other them." This caused Naruto to laugh. "What's so funny?" She all but whined.
He shook his head before letting himself drop back fully onto the bed with a sigh. "It's just like you, is all. I bet you put in some baked goods, your special salve and some other medicinal things, and a handwritten thank you card. Oh! And maybe even one of those calming bags."
She pouted. "Lucky guesses," she said seriously before giggling. "You know me perfectly well."
Suddenly, the door opened and Tsunade stepped through, surprised to see them laughing. "Looks like you're both doing okay," she said as she walked further in. She gave Naruto a once over. "You're healing pretty fast, but I'm sure we all know why."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Baa-chan," he replied, giving her a wide and bright Naruto smile.
She chuckled, not even the least bit angry at the nickname he'd given her. Naruto felt like her late younger brother, and she wanted to cherish the connection she'd made with the young Uzumaki.
"Is my little boy awake?" Kushina said as she popped up by the open door. Hinata shrunk back, this not going unnoticed by the others in the room including Kushina.
Naruto groaned. "Mama, you can't call me that in front of other people," he whined. Kushina gathered him into her arms and planted a huge kiss on the top of his head, causing the boy to light up with a bright smile.
"But you are my little boy," she argued playfully. "I'm happy to see you awake, honey." Then she looked at Hinata. "I'm glad you're both okay."
Hinata then instantly lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Kushina-sensei. I wasn't much help to Naruto and he suffered painful injuries because of it. I'm so very sorry." Tsunade watched the scene before her with surprise. She knew Hinata held guilt but she felt the young girl had done way more than was expected of her initially.
Kushina pulled Hinata into a hug. "You did perfectly fine, Hinata. I promise you that," she assured the girl. Hinata hesitantly returned the hug before finally letting go and clinging to the older woman who had been like a mother to her since she had lost her own.
"Thank you," she eventually said as she smiled up at the Uzumaki.
Naruto smiled at the scene before him. He could see all the guilt on Hinata, and he was glad she was able to let it go. It hadn't been her fault, nor his. Sasuke made the choice to go in a darker direction. They would just have to trust him and get stronger, to be ready to be at his side when it was time for him to face Itachi.
After, when Tsunade and Kushina left, Hinata and Naruto talked about random things, trying to ignore discussing their missing teammate.
"Oh, hey, did you ever give Shikamaru his birthday gift?"
Her eyes widened when she realized that she had not. "What day is it?!" She exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She found a calendar by the door and she sighed in relief when she saw there was still a few days left. "Thank goodness."
"Will you have time to finish it?" Naruto asked. "Have you even started?"
Hinata blushed. "I haven't actually. I'll have to start later when I get home."
Suddenly, there was a loud 'boom' outside that shook the ground and Hinata instantly assumed the village was once again under attack. Her doujutsu activated instinctively and she relaxed when she saw it was Jiraiya.
"What the hell was that?!" Naruto asked, alarmed.
Hinata walked over to the window and opened the curtains. "Jiraiya-sama," she answered. She opened the window and waved at the Sannin as he jumped down and onto the window sill.
"Good to see you both in good health. I've gotta talk to Naruto now. Sorry, Hinata-chan," he said, promptly dismissing her. She bowed politely and turned to take her leave.
"Hey, don't just kick her out, Ero-Sennin! Hinata can stay," Naruto argued.
She shook her head, waving her hands. "It's okay, Naruto, truly. I don't want to get in the way and I have to see the Suna shinobi, too," she assured him.
Naruto sighed but nodded. "Okay. Tell them I said hi and thanks. Bye if I don't see them before they leave." She nodded and left.
Part of her wished to stay and hear what Jiraiya wanted to discuss, but she knew Naruto would inform her later on. The Sannin didn't want her around for a reason as that man hardly did anything without much thought. She could only assume that he was going to ask Naruto about something and her presence would have possibly affected Naruto's answer. She didn't want anyone to walk around eggshells on her.
When she left the hospital, she turned down the path to the inn Tsunade had mentioned. With the recent attack, it was the only inn that hadn't needed any immediate problems. Just some cosmetic damage. She pulled out the scroll that held their gift baskets. Naruto had been pretty spot on, but she really wanted to add a personal touch.
For Temari, she had gifted the woman shuriken and wire. Kankuro would be getting oil for his puppets. Gaara was a bit more difficult to shop for and she wandered around a shop for a long moment before realizing that a more handmade gift was something she thought he'd like more. She went back to her room and sat in her room to work on something heartfelt, but she was at a complete loss. She realized the only thing she could offer him was a pen pal—friendship. She didn't know him well enough otherwise, but she wanted to be friends.
"Hinata-chan!" The Hyuuga turned to see Haku running up to her with a wide smile on his face.
"Haku-chan!" She greeted as he came to a stop in front of her.
"I was just on my way to go visit you and Naruto, along with that guy," he said. "It's nice to see you up and about."
"Thank you. And thank you for being there to help Gaara-san and Lee-san."
Haku's expression turned serious. "I'm sorry about Sasuke. I was given the rough details of everything."
Hinata's eyes turned sad. "He'll come back," she said with a tiny smile. "He just has to do things his own way."
"I guess I shouldn't have said anything in the open like this. Hokage-sama has made his defection into an S-rank secret. Not too many know," he explained.
Hinata hadn't been aware of that. She knew her Elders did not know the full details from her father, but she didn't know exactly who knew. She would ask Minato when she got a chance to see him.
"I'm relieved to hear that. Minato-sensei has as much faith in him as we do."
Haku smiled at her but she caught a glimpse of pity in it. She didn't like that. "Oh! I have that plant I was telling you about. I'll bring it over to the Hyuuga Compound later, okay? Then you can catch me up on your greenhouse," he exclaimed.
She felt so happy to see Haku out of his shell and acting more his age. His time traveling seemed to have really helped him.
"I'll be home this evening. Jiraiya-sama, Naruto's master, is currently speaking with him so I'd give him a little bit of time before going in," she warned gently.
"I'll go check on that guy first then. I'll see you later!" He said before running off. Hinata waved and then turned around to continue to the inn.
When she got there, she asked the receptionist for their room number and waited for the woman to gather them as she couldn't tell her.
"What a nice surprise," Temari said as she came down the stairs with Kankuro and Gaara behind her.
Hinata bowed with a smile. "It's nice to see you three," she said politely. "I just wanted to see how you were and to thank you for all your help."
Kankuro laughed. "Hyuuga's really are always polite! There's no need for thanks. We owed it to Konoha after the whole thing that happened," he replied, waving it off.
Hinata held out a scroll. "Well, I have a gift for you three as a thank you. I hope you'll accept it." She moved to the side and used the long table pushed against the wall to roll it out before unsealing it. "I also hope your stay here in the village has been comfortable."
Gaara stepped forward as the older siblings were too caught off guard by the gifts to say anything quick enough. "Yes, the beds are very comfortable and the room has a lot of natural light that comes in. How are you feeling? We heard about your injuries."
She blushed, ducking away in slight embarrassment. "Ah, I'm feeling much better. My arm is back in its cast for now, however. Better than a metal plate!" She laughed softly. She grabbed the first basket and handed it to Temari, before handing Kankuro his, and then finally Gaara. "I hope everything is to your liking."
Temari, for all the jealousy she held in the Hyuuga's relationship with Shikamaru, she never once thought poorly of her. She knew her to be strong—a talented shinobi, and very kind. A type of kindness that had no ulterior motive. The type of kindness that was usually manipulated by others. Temari truly liked Hinata and wanted to be friends with her. She smiled when she spotted her address, knowing the girl wished for her to write if she so wished.
Kankuro was the first to speak. "Hey, this oil will really come in handy! Surprisingly hard to find in Suna. I always have to special order it."
"If you ever need any more, please let me know. I'd be happy to get it for you," she said eagerly. The thought of making new friends always made her excited. Being an heiress and sheltered growing up had made it difficult for her to casually make friends. And after her engagement to Sasuke, she was further ostracized until only Ino and Sakura were the only other classmates who spoke to her, aside from those Sasuke had introduced to her.
"Thank you. All of this will come in handy," Temari said, smiling. Hinata returned it and hoped she wrote to her in the future, but would not hold it against her if she did not.
Gaara had opened up the jar of her salve and smelled it. "This is the same kind you used on me," he noted. "I've been wanting to ask you for some. Thank you." Then he pulled out the slip of paper with her address and a little note that said please write to me if you'd like to! "Why would I need to write?"
Hinata's face went bright red and Temari and Kankuro laughed at their clueless little brother. "Ah, well, I'd like to be friends, Gaara-san. Because you live in Suna, I thought being pen pals would make it easier," she explained. She wasn't offended as she knew he just wasn't used to social cues from his isolation.
"Oh." Then he put it back down and his mouth twitched into something she assumed was a smile. This put her at ease. Then he held his arms open, confusing everyone around them. "I've seen Temari hugging her friends."
His siblings once again bursted out laughing. "Gaara, you only hug those you're very close to," his older sister explained. "And she's an heiress. That kind of conduct could get her in trouble."
Gaara tilted his head and let his arms fall. "I didn't realize it was so strict here."
She giggled. "The Hyuuga are very…proper, I suppose." Slowly, she put her arms up and smiled tightly at the redhead. "There are no others here, however. I enjoy hugging my friends."
Gaara's smile returned and he walked closer before wrapping his arms around her shoulders. It was awkward as if two wooden posts were trying to embrace, but she assumed Gaara wasn't used to showing or receiving such affection. She hoped this made him feel more comfortable around her.
When he stepped back, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought. "I've concluded that hugs are, in fact, nice. I believe I'd like more in the future." His siblings smiled, happy that their once-tortured younger brother was now more adjusted and calmer. His fight with Team 7 had really changed him. Or Team Harmony as he'd taken to calling them.
Hinata smiled widely before turning to the other two. "How long are you three planning to stay?"
"The plan is to leave at sunrise," Kankuro replied. "Not looking forward to the trip but it'll be nice to be home again."
"I wish you three safe travels. Naruto said hello, thank you, and bye if he didn't see you before then." The two siblings grinned at the blonde's words, thinking it sounded just like him.
"I'll go to his hospital room to see him," Gaara assured her. "I'll go later. Would you like to accompany me?"
Hinata's smile turned apologetic. "I would have loved to, but there is something I must do tonight. I apologize, but I will be there tomorrow morning to see you off!" She wished she'd had more time to embroider Shikamaru's initials and clan symbol onto the new handkerchief she had gotten him, but everything happened in such a short time.
"I understand. We will see you tomorrow morning," Gaara replied. Hinata waved before turning around and leaving the inn.
Kankuro immediately turned to his younger brother, putting his arm around his shoulder. "So what was that? You into her or what?" He teased, waggling his brows. Gaara raised a brow at him. "She's pretty cute and I'm sure she'll only get hotter with age."
Gaara frowned. "Don't be crass. She is my friend," he said firmly. He didn't think of Hinata in any romantic way. He was excited to have a new friend, one that wanted to interact with him often through letters.
"There's no way you don't think she's attractive!" Kankuro argued.
"Of course she is, but that doesn't mean I want to be anything more than good friends with her," he sighed, swatting his brother's arm off of him.
"Well, then maybe I'll ask her out!"
Temari decided to step in. "Don't even think about it. From what I heard, she was engaged to that Uchiha kid. I think she's spoken for." She didn't want to mention that Shikamaru was thinking about entering an engagement with her.
Kankuro deflated before perking up. "Oh, well. She's cute, but Suna girls are more my type anyway."
Temari rolled her eyes. "Let's go get some food." Then she looked at their gift baskets. "After we put these back in the room." They agreed and turned to go right back upstairs, with Gaara staring at the slip of paper.
Hinata sat at her greenhouse desk, hunched over and working closely with the handkerchief. She was trying not to rush but there were plenty of things to do and it was difficult to stop herself from working faster. The last thing she wanted to do was make it sloppy. Shikamaru was her good friend and she wanted to do her absolute best.
She flinched when there was a knock at her door, causing her to poke herself with the needle as she was pushing it through. She turned around and was shocked to see her grandfather, though she schooled her face well.
Hinata set her things down and stood up to bow. "Please excuse my appearance," she said softly.
He hummed. "Not to worry, child. I came here unannounced. It seems the air has changed within the village lately concerning your husband-to-be. We have been told some unsettling news about him. Could you confirm them?" He asked.
Hinata titled her head. "I'm not sure what you mean, Grandfather. Sasuke-san is away from the village on a very important mission that required his doujutsu," she lied easily. "What was this unsettling news, if I may ask?"
"We were told he left to join Orochimaru."
"I see. No, that is not true."
He stared at her for a long moment before nodding and looking away. "I hear your eye drops have been beneficial to the byakugan holders. I'd like to make a request." Hinata nodded, waiting for him to go on. "I would like you to make two hundred vials to give to our doctor. This is something he should have on hand."
Hinata's eyes widened at the number, something Hideoyoshi caught easily. "That's a very high number. Is there a certain time frame this needs to be done?" She asked.
"Is there something more pressing?" He asked. "Something more important than your clan's well-being?"
Hearing it worded like that irritated her. "Not at all. I just wanted to make sure I would have time to gather all the ingredients I'm going to need."
"You could always teach your sister how to make it. I am sure she would do a splendid job."
Now she understood what it was about. They wanted her to teach Hanabi anything she knew that could sway clansmen to her side in order to make a more compelling argument toward her sister being the heiress. It seemed like no matter what she accomplished, it was never going to be enough in the Elders' eyes. But she took satisfaction in successfully lying to her grandfather and making him doubt his source.
Officially, from what she gathered, there is no paper trail left behind concerning their mission to bring Sasuke back. As far as the village and those not privy to the actual reason, they all went out to apprehend an escaped prisoner who fought well but was ultimately brought down. Kushina had explained everything to them when she saw her at the hospital.
Even if his source tried to prove it, there was nothing he could use.
"Hanabi is busy with schoolwork and training. I wouldn't want her to fall behind on anything. I will complete the order, Grandfather." She bowed deeply with no real meaning behind it.
"I expect nothing less than perfection, Hinata," he said before turning and leaving.
She turned and faced her desk with a hard look in her eyes. She knew there was no redemption in the future for them. Once she became Clan Head, she was going to limit their power and access to her. Only her father could offer proper guidance. The others were just stuck in their old ways and seemed to have a personal vendetta against her.
She had trained with all her might and then some since she was three years old. She had taken to making medicines, healing, creating her own moves, and strengthening her byakugan at a fast pace, but it meant nothing to them because she opted for peace and could not be swayed. She felt offended on Hanabi's behalf as well, because it was clear they thought she was going to be easily manipulated into doing what they wanted, but she was much smarter than they gave her credit for.
Hinata took a few deep breaths before sitting back down and returning to her embroidery. She would complete the order in record time but she was still going to do her absolute best on Shikamaru's gift.
When it was nearing sunrise, Hinata pulled herself away from the handkerchief, very pleased with what she had gotten done within that time, and began making her way to the gates of the village. As she made her way there, the village felt off without Sasuke. She realized that even if she hadn't been notified, she would have recognized right away that he was gone because all the warmth in her chest had disappeared.
She didn't have a right to be upset, as she kept secrets from him, but he had promised he would not abandon her as Itachi did. Yet, here she was, and this was more painful. Much more painful. The only regret she had was not telling Sasuke how she truly felt. She was honest when she told him that meeting with Itachi was worth the aftermath, but she just wished he knew she loved him.
She had been waiting for a few minutes, looking at how the colors of the sun rising began shining across the sky—orange, yellow, pink, and purple before smudging into the deep blue of the nightlife still lingering—when the Suna nin appeared.
Slowly, she tore her eyes away from the colors and looked at them with a small smile. "I wish you three safe travels."
To the three siblings, it was as though she was wearing a large screen that projected her inner feelings. Her eyes, though known to be cold and emotionless were anything but. Like her hair, her eyes also stood out amongst her entire clan. To them, Gaara specifically, it was something to be rejoiced.
He stepped forward and tilted his head to the side. "I'm sorry about your fiancé," he said, hoping his voice sounded as sincere as he truly was.
Hinata's eyes widened just a fraction before she smiled wide, clearly overcompensating. "I'll be okay, Gaara-san! Thank you for your kind words. Sasuke will come back in the near future," she expressed.
Temari couldn't help but feel pity for the young girl. She didn't know how much she really believed that statement and she couldn't ever be sure as she didn't know them or how they interacted with one another. She had caught a glimpse during the chuunin exam but it wasn't anything major, something she assumed had to do with being from noble clans such as there. The Uchiha and Hyuuga Clans were revered and feared for their powerful doujutsu.
"He will," Gaara agreed. Then he looked to the sky. "We need to leave now but I will write you once we're back in Sunagakure."
Hinata's smile brightened and she nodded eagerly. "I'll be looking forward to it!"
She waved at them as they began departing.
"Oh, I just barely missed them," Shikamaru suddenly said from beside her, waving when Temari happened to turn around one final time. The woman waved back with a fond roll of her eyes. "I wanted to thank them and see them off, but I overslept."
Hinata giggled. "You did say you were ready to sleep for a week," she teased.
Shikamaru groaned softly. "How are you so cheerful this early in the morning?"
"I haven't slept yet. My Elders want me to complete two hundred vials of the eye drops I make for eye strain," she told him easily. Shikamaru was someone she could trust with anything, something that was proven when they were kids. "But I still have plenty of things to do, so I just stayed up all night."
He sighed heavily. "I don't envy you. Are they still giving you trouble?"
She shrugged, nodding. "It's nothing I can't handle."
"I don't doubt that, but if you ever need any help," he said, patting his chest, "I'm your guy."
"Thank you," she replied genuinely. "I'll always be here for you, too." He smiled at her and they began walking back into the village. The streets were quiet, but she didn't feel as suffocated as she did earlier. Shikamaru had always been a comforting presence and she was thankful to have a friend like him.
"I would suggest going to eat somewhere, but there's nothing open right now."
"Maybe later," she suggested. "Your birthday is soon. What are your plans? If you have any."
He hummed. "Mom's letting me sleep in and then I think Asuma wants to meet up."
"Sounds like a lovely day."
"Should I pencil you in?" He asked with a smirk.
She laughed. "Yes, I'd like that. I want to give you a gift."
"You don't have to give me anything," he said eventually. "But I appreciate the fact that you want to." Hinata smiled and they kept walking. The Nara Compound was on its way to the Hyuuga/Uchiha district and they soon came to a stop.
"I'll see you soon," she said.
Shikamaru stared at her for a moment before chuckling to himself, leaving her confused. "Now that we've hugged, it feels natural. Like I should hug you every time we say bye."
Hinata giggled. "Well, there's no one out here to tell my father," she added, opening her arms. She felt so loved by her friends, old and new, for how many people have been wanting to hug her lately. She felt blessed, as though the Heavens were showing her that she was still surrounded by love even if the person she loved was no longer here to be with her.
Shikamaru grabbed her arm and pulled her in, hugging her tight. He always tried to limit himself with how much he touched her, especially when others—namely, Sasuke—were around. He didn't want to put her in a difficult position or cause any issues between them. It would also look bad if the Hyuuga Heiress, a woman spoken for, was going around hugging other men. He didn't want to take advantage of Sasuke's absence or her hurt feelings, but it was impossible to be away from the comfort she provided now that he could be near her more. He felt guilty for feeling this way.
He pushed the thoughts out of his mind when Hinata wrapped her arms around him and he softly inhaled the scent of lavender and vanilla for a brief moment before pulling away.
"Go to bed," he said. "Your Elders can wait."
She laughed. "I don't want them to somehow use that against me, but a nap should be fine."
On her way to the Hyuuga Compound, in the more secluded area of the village, she was stopped suddenly.
"Jiraiya-sama?" She was confused seeing him in front of her. "Is there something wrong with Naruto?"
He shook his head, smiling to calm her down. "He's fine. I'm here because of my conversation with him yesterday." She nodded and waited for him to continue. "It's been decided that Naruto is going to be my disciple."
She smiled happily. "That's great to hear! Naruto will be a great student."
"The plan was to take him out of the village for three years. I've gathered information that tells me we will only have three-ish years to prepare for the Akatsuki coming for him. They're on a mission to gather all the tailed beasts, but the reason is still unknown. I want him to be able to protect himself," he explained.
"Yes, I agree. If it's going to be getting more dangerous for him, then he needs to be prepared." The thought of Naruto also leaving the village hurt as well, but she also didn't want to be selfish and express how she felt about it. It would be unfair to her best friend.
"Well, he's told me that he refuses to leave…because of you." The Sannin's voice was stern and somewhat accusatory.
"I see," she said. "The last thing I want to do is hold him back. If learning outside of the village is best for him, then I'm not going to stand in the way." She was being polite, but she had put up a wall because of the tone he used. Jiraiya sensed this. "I'll speak to him."
He sighed heavily. "I don't mean to be rude. His life just depends on this and he's too busy worrying about you. You three were very close and had great teamwork but it's done nothing but cause problems for you, just as it did for my team."
"I mean no disrespect, Jiraiya-sama, but you're wrong. Every team has its ups and downs and if we give up just after a few bumps, we don't deserve to be called shinobi."
"Pretty big lows, if you ask me."
Hinata smiled. "But higher ups are in our future. Surely, you see how special Naruto is. You see something in him that has been shining in him since he was very young. You're his Godfather, after all. Even if you do not trust Sasuke, or even me, please have faith in the trust Naruto has in us," she gently pleaded.
"The kid does have a way of seeing the good in people if there is very little good and bringing it out of them. I believe you're the same way, Hinata-chan. I believe you'll do magnificently under the guidance of Tsunade. Besides, from what Naruto tells me, you're both fools!" He laughed.
Hinata tilted her head, confused but decided not to ask questions. She trusted Naruto's judgment. If he was claiming they were fools, then she accepted that they were at least in that category together. "Thank you for believing in me, Jiraiya-sama. I will leave Naruto in your care."
"Don't worry about him. You just focus on getting as strong as you can within these three years," he said.
She bowed. "Yes, sir."
"And think more about what we talked about outside of the village."
Thoughts of Danzo ran through her mind and she grew silent. "I'll see what I can come up with. I'll talk to Minato-sensei about it more in-depth."
"I'll do what I can from the shadows, but don't expect anything. I'll keep you up to date if anything comes my way." Then he disappeared and Hinata knew she needed to have a talk with Naruto.
Once Hinata entered her room, she dressed in her nightgown and promptly flopped onto her bed, exhausted. Easily, her eyes slipped closed and she fell asleep.
She had slept later than she wanted, as it was already nearing the evening but she needed her rest and was thankful no one had come to wake her. Her father must have known how tired she was and made sure others stayed away, and Hanabi was unable to visit her as frequently as she used to as she was attending the academy.
She bathed, desperately needing to wash her hair, and then got ready to visit Naruto in the hospital. Due to how quickly he was healing, he was set to be released from the hospital sometime soon.
As she was putting her shoes on, her father appeared behind her. "Hinata. Are you going to visit Naruto?" He asked.
She smiled back at him before nodded. "Yes, Father." Though he had been adamant about punishing her for leaving the compound after dark without permission, he decided against it. Now, he understood that she needed her friends during a difficult time. He didn't want to isolate her.
"I wanted to assure you that I've talked to Fugaku. Everything concerning the contract and our two clans will continue as they are," he explained. "I had briefly thought about ending any relationship between us, but we have worked extremely hard to let it go to waste."
"Thank you. Grandfather came to visit me yesterday evening. He wanted me to make more eye drops as well as confirm whether Sasuke-san left the village."
"I had not shared anything of him leaving with them and I had no plans to do so."
"I know. I assured him that Sasuke-san was on a mission out of the village that required his doujutsu. Though I am concerned with how he found out and who his source is," she wondered aloud.
"I'll do some digging." She bowed and he turned to leave. She was glad that he had grown happier since rekindling his relationship with his brother, and no longer was as harsh as he once was. She was thankful to have a father such as him.
When she left the compound, she quickly made her way to the hospital. She took to the rooftops so no one could stop her. She was eager to speak with Naruto about his future trip. However, once she entered the hospital, she was stopped by Sakura.
"Hinata-chan!" She called out happily.
Hinata smiled at her kindly and waved. "Hi, Sakura-chan. Are you here to visit Lee-san?"
She nodded. "Yep! We're going on a date soon," she said with a happy sigh. Hinata was happy for her friends. They seemed very happy and good together.
"That's so exciting! Will it be your first date?" She asked.
With a blush, Sakura twiddled her thumbs. "Yes, actually. I was gonna go shopping with Ino. I wanted you to come, too, if you had time."
Hinata's eyes lit up. She'd never been on a shopping trip before. "Of course! I'd love to go! Maybe we can end the day with a sleepover at my house," she suggested, remembering when they discussed having a sleepover during the chuunin exam.
"That's a great idea! I'll talk to Ino about it. She's working at her family's flower shop today, so she's not gonna be able to come to the hospital. Maybe when Sasuke comes back from his mission, we can go on a double date!"
Hinata's heart skipped a beat and she nearly lost her composure, but she held it together and nodded excitedly. "Well, you know how he is around other people, but I'm sure I can talk him into it," she laughed softly.
Sakura giggled. "Always the broody one, huh?" Hinata could only agree. "I'll let you go. Lee's probably getting impatient waiting for me in rehabilitation."
"Tell him I said hello!" Hinata called out as Sakura ran off, promising to do so. Hinata watched her go for a moment before frowning to herself. It seemed that Minato had already allowed the cover-up to spread. She ignored that numbed feeling in the center of her chest and continued to Naruto's room.
She entered the room with a bright smile. "Naruto!" She called excitedly.
Naruto turned to her with a smile. "Hey, I was wondering when you were gonna come see me again. Gaara came to see me yesterday."
"He mentioned visiting," she said, taking a seat in the chair provided. "So I was thinking that while you're gone for those three years with Jiraiya-sama, you can send me letters to keep me updated on how you're doing."
Naruto sighed. "I see Ero-Sennin went to you. I'm not just gonna leave you behind, Hinata. Itachi left and now Sasuke. I am not going to do that to you."
Hinata grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly. "You're not leaving me. I'm going to be training hard under Tsunade-sama here. Are you just going to train on your own? When a perfectly good teacher is offering to guide you?" She asked.
Naruto remained silent. He didn't want to see that look in Hinata's eyes when he left, as though she was all alone. He wouldn't be able to bear it if he was the one that caused it. "I just…can't do that to you."
"And I cannot allow myself to be the one holding you back. The Akatsuki are going to make their move in three years and you have to be ready for them," she stressed. "If you stay here, you won't get any stronger. Jiraiya-sama is a wonderful teacher for you. You're not abandoning me. If there's anything I can count on, it's you staying in contact with me and coming back."
Naruto turned his hand over and returned her squeeze. "Okay," he said eventually. "I'll go. But I'm gonna write you every single day, no matter what! I promise!" He declared.
Hinata laughed softly. "And we never go back on our word. I promise I'll be much stronger when you come back. Strong enough to protect you," she pledged. "I know it'll be difficult with all of us split up, but we're going to find our way back to each other. And we'll be with Sasuke when it's his time to face Itachi-san."
"That's right," he agreed. "That bastard isn't as alone as he thinks he is." With a sigh, he got out of bed and removed all of his bandages. "Now that I'm going with Ero-Sennin, I don't have to pretend to be hurt anymore."
This made Hinata laugh harder than she had in a while. "That—That's so like you!" She chortled.
Naruto grinned at the sound of her laughter, relieved that she wasn't too hurt to enjoy herself like this. He didn't have to worry about her while he was gone. She had many friends to help her should she need it.
"Let's do our best," he said, holding his fist out.
She bumped it with hers. "Yes."
When the three years passed, they were going to be ready. For the Akatsuki. For Sasuke's battle with Itachi. For anything that could possibly be waiting for them.
Because they were Team 7. Team Harmony.
And that concludes part one! It's been over two years since R3d and I started writing this and it's been fun the entire time. This story was originally going to be very different. I'll be posting up all the changes we've made on our Tumblr for anyone interested :)) It's been a pleasure writing this and sharing it with y'all! Thank you to everyone who commented, favorited, and followed! We weren't sure if this was going to reach a lot of people, but we were pleasantly surprised. It's meant the world to us. Thank you for being a part of this with us :)
-hina
PART TWO: TBA