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Courageous Affections Naruto-Season Two (Naruto X Hinata) Date Written: April 3rd 2005 Sora Kazuma Author�s Notes- This fanfic takes place about episode 53(?), right after the Chuunin preliminary matches ended and the ten finalists were given the month to prepare for the finals but right before Ebisu is picked to be Naruto�s personal trainer for the next month. It�s a short, cute fanfic for a couple that I strongly support. This might not happen in the series, but it�s a great �what if�. Props go to Lena for this one, for getting me inspired to write it. Naruto walked into Konoha hospital and watched the nurses behind the desk cringe. He had just been in here last night, trying to see his friends, but most of the incoming patients had been given orders not to allow visitors for the next twelve hours and Sasuke�s room was strictly off limits and even the hospital staff couldn�t tell him why. The attendant was pleasant enough as he stepped up to the desk. �Uhm...Mr. Uzumaki, welcome back. Who were you planning to see?� She asked, picking up her clipboard. �And before you ask, Uchiha-san is still allowing no visitors.� �It�s okay. I figured.� He shot her a sheepish grin. �Actually I�m here to see Hyuuga Hinata and Rock Lee.� �Lee-san is still allowing no visitors, under his sensei�s orders, but Hinata-san is awake this morning and her instructor has left orders that anyone can come in to see her.� The second nurse reported, checking the papers. �It�s surprising though, with the damage she took. She�s one strong girl.� For some reason Naruto�s face had broken out into a wide grin. �I�m glad to hear that.� The nurse escorted him down the hallway and stopped at a doorway before clicking open the door. �Not to long now. She still needs to rest.� At the sound of the door opening those pale lavender-white eyes opened, shifting to the doorway. A hot blush covered her face as she realized who it was and she shakily grabbed for some blankets to pull further up her body. �Naruto-kun�� She said in her timid, tiny voice. �Good morning.� �Good morning yourself.� He smiled. �How are you feeling?� Relief was washing over him at seeing those pale cheeks and that small half smile. �How are you feeling?� She countered after a moment. �Kiba didn�t beat you up to badly did he? Did my medicine help?� �Yeah it was a great help actually.� His cheeks blushed slightly as he reached into his pocket. �Actually here.� He pulled the small vile out, handing it to her. �I kinda cracked it yesterday watching you fight Neji. He just�� He growled. �He has no manners at all.� �Neji-ni-san has had it rough in his life. I know he was just being mean to try and protect me, in a way.� She smiled at him. �Still, he had no right to ramble on like he�s all that. When the finals come I�ll be sure to give him a good piece of my mind. Nobody gets past Uzumaki Naruto, specially some snot-nosed brat who thinks he knows it all!� Hinata giggled as he started on his ego trip, which was interrupted by a series of hacking coughs. Naruto was immediately quiet, those intense blue eyes watching her worriedly as she covered her mouth with one hand and tried to reassure him as she waved it off with the other. Still his concern touched her and her face was quickly turning bright red. �Hinata, are you sure you�re okay?� He asked again after a minute, his voice wavering on grave seriousness. �I�ll be fine.� She said softly as her coughs ended. �I just have to take it easy for now. Don�t worry- the doctors think I�ll be back up to my normal tasks by the finals. I�ll get to watch you and Neji-ni-san�s match. I�ll be rooting for you Naruto-kun.� She said with a smile. That smile hit him somewhere inside and his face wanted to flush suddenly. He swallowed, running a hand through his spiky blonde hair. It also brought back something Sakura had mentioned earlier �Come to think of it, she�s always been watching you�� Still, there was no way. Sakura had just been joking with him when she had said that, right? There was no possible way Hinata would� �Hinata�� He started, trying not to blush. When he looked up at her he realized she had laid back against the pillows and those pale eyes of hers were slowly closing, growing heavier by the second. He had exhausted her with his short visit and he needed to get going. Hinata was fighting to stay awake. Naruto had come to visit her and that meant the world to her. She didn�t want to ruin this chance�she didn�t want him to leave her side. �Hmm?� She murmured sleepily. He shook his head slightly. �Nothing. You�re getting tired. I�ll come back and visit you later, alright?� As he turned from her bedside he felt a weak grip grasp his wrist. He froze in his tracks at her touch, his heart skipping a beat. Not even bothering to stop his flushing face, he looked back at her as she started another small series of coughs. �Please,� Her voice came out as a soft whimpers as her body stopped shaking. �Don�t leave yet. Stay until I fall asleep, please.� �Okay, okay.� He nodded, pulling out of her grip and gently pushing her back into the bed. �Take it easy. Get some rest. I�ll stay here.� �Hai.� She nodded, pulling the blankets up to her shoulders. Naruto slumped in the seat by her bed as he watched her slowly drift off. He had not thought when he first met her that he would be feeling the way he did right now. He hadn�t even known she existed until the first part of the Chuunin exam�they had been sitting next to one another and she offered her test paper for him to copy. But Naruto being stubborn and gallant, declined the offer, telling her he�d get through this himself. Then in the second half of the exam, when they had all made it to the preliminaries�he was so happy to know the other teams from Konoha passed, Hinata of course among them. He had always thought her a shy and frightened girl, but the day that she fought Neji�she killed every doubt he had ever had about her in his life. And he realized she was just like him- a nobody who would never get anywhere, a person stuck in the background while her cousin took all the glory in the family. She was fighting to change, to become something more, to become the person she wanted to be, and Naruto could connect with that, respect her for that and more then anything wanted to help her with trying to become truly strong. His feelings for Sakura were strong- she was the first girl he had ever really had a crush on and this crush had been lingering for years. He wanted to prove himself to her, that he was just as strong as Sasuke, if not stronger, and unlike the tall dark and handsome ninja, he wasn�t a complete jerk. It was a strong instinct to beat him, because if he could, then maybe Sakura might drop her little thing for him and start liking Naruto more. �Who am I kidding?� He thought after a moment. �After all the stuff that has happened, Sakura-chan still likes Sasuke. I think...in her case...she loves him.� He rested his chin on his knees as he pulled his arms around him. �So even if I beat Sasuke, it�s no good. Sakura will never see me the way I want her to.� He sighed softly. �Naruto-kun?� He looked up seeing Hinata watching him through sleepy, weary eyes. �Are you alright?� She asked softly. �I�m fine.� He assured her with a smile. �Just get some sleep for me okay?� She smiled slightly. �I will�if it is� what you wish.� He swallowed at her words and then nodded. Watching her drifting in and out of sleep, those pretty, odd pale eyes opening and closing to try and keep aware on the room, he fell into an overwhelming state of over protectiveness. He was certain not to make a sound and when he was sure she was fast asleep he snuck out, leaving the vile of medicine on her bedside table. As he headed through the lobby, he let the nurses know he was checking out. The sound of the sliding glass front doors opening caught the girls behind the desks attention and one of them blushed. �Afternoon Hyuuga-san.� Another bowed her head. Naruto just about busted the pen in his hand as his grip tightened, blue eyes flaring. He looked over his shoulder and as he figured, Neji was coming toward them. He sat down the pen with a loud thud on the clipboard, turning around. Neji regarded him with a blank stare for a moment before, glancing behind him to the nurses. �How is she doing?� �She�s sleeping.� Naruto snapped before one of the nurses could reply. �Don�t wake her up. She�s been in and out of it all day.� Those brilliant cerulean eyes stared at those pale silver ones, silently challenging him, daring him to say anything. �What are you even doing here? You�re the one that put her in that condition! You should be ashamed to show your face in front of her!� �I told her to stop and I gave her ample chances to give up, and she never did.� He spoke up calmly, arrogantly as always. �You can�t hold me accountable.� �Damnit, I am holding you accountable! You�re related to her! You share the same blood! You�re family and you�d do that to her? Nearly kill her?! Are you crazy?!� Naruto growled. That struck a nerve. Neji glared at him, fangs nearly showing as he shot back. �You are just as responsible as me! Possibly even more! Don�t blame this on me because you brought it on!� �I�what?� Naruto took a step back, his eyes blinking wide. �You haven�t realized it yet?� He hissed, still venting. �Hinata continued to fight, only because you were cheering her on. She continuously got up, even though she knew she couldn�t win, because you were there for her. This entire situation could have been avoided if you had just kept your damn mouth shut!� The blonde growled, thinking about it for a minute. Could Neji� �There�s no way! Hinata was just doing what she had to do to beat you, just like I�m gonna do!� He smirked. �You�re living on borrowed time buddy. You�ve got three weeks and six days left before I show you that a dropout can beat a genius with hard work!� Neji recoiled at the direct line Naruto had taken from Lee. Lee would always say that and he probably even now, believed in it. Naruto saw him hesitate at that and his arrogance grew. �I�m not doing it for me. I�m going to enjoy pounding your face in, for Fuzzy Eyebrows and for Hinata!� He smiled. �See you around.� And with that he headed for the door, a hand stuck up in the air as a wave goodbye. Neji watched him go. At least�he would make the tournament very interesting. But his outcome had already been decided the moment they were matched against each other, and regardless of Hinata, Naruto would lose. �Hyuuga-san?� He turned as the nurse swallowed and then smiled. �Hinata-san is awake and asking for you.� He nodded. �Show me to her.� Hinata smiled as he entered the room and nodded to the nurse as she shut the door behind him. �Neji-ni-san. Good morning.� He said nothing in return, just came over and sat down in the chair. �You�surprised me yesterday.� He said finally. She smiled slightly. �I surprised myself yesterday. But it made me feel good. I�m not going to run away any more. I�m going to become strong. And one day, I�ll beat you.� A smile touched his lips. This is what Naruto had done to her. His enthusiasm and determination were contagious and it seemed Hinata had caught them both by just an exchanged glance between the two. For a moment he wished, truly wished that she would grow strong enough to beat him. �You need to tell him.� He said after a moment. Those pale purple eyes widened. �What?� �If you want to get through this, you need to tell him. It�s only going to cloud your mind. You use him as a pillar that you support your strength on. You need to let him know that.� He smiled slightly. �I told you my Byakugan has seen many things. I didn�t expect it to see your love for Naruto as well, but I guess that can be seen with my plain eyes as well.� She blushed horribly. �Ni-san, I couldn�t�! I�ve come this far and I�� �Are you just going to continue to hide it?� He snapped softly. �Hinata you want to become strong...but some strength can�t be shown on a battlefield. This time gather your courage and tell him. Then it will be out in the open and you�ll have nothing left to fear.� He stood up, long curtain of raven hair swishing behind him. �I still hang by my belief that people can not change. Their fate is their fate no matter how hard they try to fight it.� He started for the door, but before he stepped out, he spoke up one last line. �Prove me wrong.� Hinata blushed but she swallowed. He was right. She needed to tell him. But how would she�? Naruto stopped in the hospital the next day to check up on everyone. Lee was still out of it and Sasuke�s room was still off limits so the blonde snuck down the hallway and poked his head into a familiar doorway. �Good morning.� He grinned, and then blinked, before realization hit him. The room was empty. �Nurse!� He called running back down the hallway. �Nurse, where is Hinata Hyuuga?� The annoyed attendant at the front desk huffed. �If you had just asked instead of trying to sneak around I would have told you. Her teacher ordered that she get outside today, so she�s been sent out in the courtyard.� �How do I get there?� He replied quickly. After getting directions he dashed through the hospital, not stopping until he found the entrance to the courtyard and stepped out into the small garden. Hinata was seated on a stone bench, eyes closed, face upraised slightly as the sunlight hit her. Dressed in a pair of baggy fighting style pants and a fishnet and black cotton shirt, she looked more like she was ready for a mission then just relaxing. As he stepped onto the concrete she looked away, over to the door. �Oh...Naruto-kun...� Her face went bright red. �Good morning.� He sighed softly. �Hinata you have a bad habit of scaring me. When I went into your room and saw it empty I thought the worst might have happened.� She blushed. �Thank you Naruto-kun.� She smiled slightly. �For worrying about me.� He blushed as she said it and then realized it was true. �How are you feeling this morning?� He asked. �Much better then yesterday.� She nodded. �I�m not tired and there�s no stress at all. The doctors are amazed with my recovery, but I just think it�s because I don�t want to lie around in a hospital bed while I know you all are training for the finals.� She stood up. �Will you spar with me Naruto-kun?� �What?� He blinked. �Hinata...� �We don�t have to�.if you don�t want to.� She bit at her lower lip when she realized she was coming off as timid again. She was trying so hard� �We won�t do anything hard, I promise. I just want to see how my body reacts to the movements since Neji-ni-san did so much damage to my arm and I�ve been a little shaky the last couple of days. I just don�t want to sit around and do nothing.� When he saw that spark of determination in her eyes he smiled. She wanted to do this, and she was asking him for help. �Alright then.� He stood up. �Just nothing heavy, or fast-paced. And no chakra-using either.� �Alright then.� She nodded, walking off about five feet from him, and taking her stance. �Whenever you are ready, Naruto-kun. Hand-to-hand combat, no ninjitsu or illusionary techniques involved.� �I guess I can deal with that.� He took his stance as well, not as flashy as the Hyuuga style and more focused on normal karate. �Go!� He rushed in close, throwing a punch, which she easily dodged and countered with her own which he barely got by. Another hand came up, hitting him flat across the chest causing him to stumble back and fall straight on his butt. �Wow. Sorry.� He grinned an apology. He had watched the two fight but this fighting style was completely different from anything he had fought against before. �Are you alright Naruto-kun?� She asked worriedly. �I�m fine.� He got up. Her punch has made contact with enough force to drive him back, but it hadn�t hurt. He didn�t know if it was because she had put restraints on her own force or if she was just still weak. He would have to get used to this if he was fighting Neji. �Ready for round two?� �Sure.� She smiled. They went back and forth, Naruto learning and evading her attacks as they went along. Her movements were fluid, solid and graceful even if she wasn�t using chakra spells to hit him with her attacks or fighting at full force. Naruto�s movement were sloppy compared to her as his basics were still in disarray, but they were moving at such a slow pace that he could easily dodge whatever she threw at him. �Hinata, I wanted to ask you,� He swallowed as he moved to the side to avoid a punch and then jumped back as she followed it up with a kick. �Was I...Was I the reason you didn�t want to give up against Neji? Was I the one putting pressure on you to continue?� �No!� She replied quickly, dropping her stance as a wave of coughs came over her. Naruto blinked stepping closer to her. She immediately stepped back before thinking about it and he froze. As the coughs stopped she swallowed. �Naruto-kun...� There�s something I...� Her vision began to blur and she put a hand to her forehead as she was overcome with a sudden wave of dizziness. �Hinata!� Naruto ran to her as she began to slump over, catching her in his arms. She was sweating, burning up. She had worked herself to the brink of exhaustion and he hadn�t realized it. He felt her fingers grab at his shirt, the slight touch of her fingertips leaving goosebumps across his neck as she clutched his collar. �Hinata...� Hinata let herself lay up against him, her eyes closed as her head fell on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and reassuring. She needed to say this. She needed to get it out. �Naruto-kun...� She blushed hotly, glad her face was partially buried against him and her dark violet hair. �I�ve been wanting to tell you...I�ve been watching you all this time...because I...I...� She swallowed. It was now or never. �Because I love you. You�re always so strong and I...I want to be more like you. I want to become strong, because I want to be of use to someone. Neji-ni-san...Lee-san...Sasuke-san...and you Naruto-kun. You�re all so strong and your talents are recognized. You rival each other because you want to know who�s the strongest. I...want to be part of that...� She sighed slightly. It was over. She had said what she wanted to, but one question still plagued her mind. She pulled off of him, using the last of her strength to look up at him. �Do you think...if I train really hard I can become as strong as Sakura-san and Ino-san?� Naruto was awed by her words. Everything that had been puzzling him, confusing him, had been washed away with them as well as his own doubts. Before he was even truly aware of what he was doing he had leaned down, eyes closing as his lips locked with hers. His cheeks were completely red and for a split second he thought about what he was doing. But that again was swallowed. This felt right. Being close to her felt right. She was someone he wanted to protect, someone he wanted to be close to, someone he knew would care back for him and try to protect him. If Sakura...If Sakura had...no. It didn�t matter anymore. 'Hinata...you are strong. Stronger then them, not in strength. But in heart.' Hinata�s pale eyes blinked wide, a hot blush spreading up over her face and she gasped at the touch of his soft lips on hers. This wasn�t happening. It couldn�t be. He pulled away, his arms firmly pulling her against him as he hugged her. �Thank you.� He said softly, breathing into her short dark hair. �Thank you for being one of the only ones to believe in me. If I had known you had been watching all this time...If I had known...� �Naruto-kun...don�t be upset.� She said softly, hesitantly wrapping an arm around him. �It doesn�t suit you.� He smiled as he pulled away. �Alright then.� He picked her up in his arms, hiding a grin as she gasped. He walked to the bench and sat her down, sitting by her side. �I know I didn�t tell you this, but the day Neji and you fought, after they had rushed you to the hospital, I made a promise to you, but you weren�t there to hear it.� He smiled at her blushing look of curiosity. �I made a promise, on your blood, that I would beat Neji in the tournament. And I will.� He looked over at her. �Hinata, is it okay if I make another promise to you?� She couldn�t trust her mouth to speak, so she just nodded. He smiled, looking up at the bright blue sky. �I promise to always protect you.� He looked over at her. �Is that a good enough promise? If I have this strength, I should use it to protect the people I care about. Protect Sakura-chan, Sasuke and you. Can I do that? Will you let me?� She swallowed, but lifted a trembling hand, running it across his face, fingertips tracing the lines of the kitsune marks. �Yes...of course, Naruto-kun. I�ll do the same. Grow strong and protect you, Neji-ni-san, Kiba-kun and Shino-kun.� �It�s a deal then.� He grinned, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her closer. �Promises we made to ourselves...and each other.� Promises to grow strong. Promises that we will always care for one another. Courageous Affections- END And there you have it! Courageous Affections is over. Naruto acted like a total bishie the entire time, but I like him when he has an ounce of seriousness- he acts heroic and romantic and I love that. -*glares at Sasuke*- You should be more like him in that aspect. Oh well. Sasuke does things in his own style, which is why I�ll probably do a short Sakura X Sasuke fic to counterpart this one, and maybe a Zabuza and Haku one too (loved Zabuza and Haku together...). And one for Kakashi since he rocks too. And then I might just write a stupid one where Orochimaru dies. Multiple times. And we bring him back. Only to kill him again. ^^ Uh well...keep a lookout for other Naruto ones I might do sometime in the near future! |
