Peridot0814
Active member
(this is also on fanfiction.net...just look up peridot0814)
In the Medical tent:
Hinata wound up the gauze that Sakura gave her around the wounded arm of her fellow clan member.
"Lady Hinata, thank you for doing this. I understand that you are wounded as well." He smiled at her. Hinata continued on, but offered a smile back.
"Don't worry. Sakura-san healed me before, so I'm all better." Hinata looked up at him. He grinned back. The aftermath of the destruction of Konoha was rather mortifying…and it could've been worse. Lives would have been taken by the thousands, and she herself could've been…dead. However, there was one person that they all owe it to….Naruto. Hinata tied the bow of the gauze, smiling and telling him the directions as to how to get to the other medical tent where Sakura was tending to the other people thanks to the help of her medical skills. With a smile, a wave, and a ruffle in her hair, he left. She saw Neji outside with Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon…she heard that they were doing a whole story on Naruto.
"Naruto…you've done it." She closed her eyes and whispered through her smiling, cut lips. Scratches laced her face and bruises were painted all over her body. A scar of where Pain had stabbed her was on her back and on her chest, right over her breastbone. But Naruto did it. Kiba told her the details. Naruto had killed the Pains, and met Nagato, who was hiding in a tree right after the Kyuubi was almost let out. She couldn't help but feel so…proud. So inspired. So…in love. A part of her stomach dropped as she remembered the confession:
"I always loved you Naruto! I always will!"
A somewhat distant memory, but she realized she really screwed up this time. What the hell was she thinking? Why would Naruto like anybody, especially her? She was so weak…she was nothing but a mere tool for the Hyuuga clan. Father saw her as his precious daughter, but she was weak. She couldn't even win a fight against Hanabi, let alone Pain. Naruto must think that she's absolutely stupid for doing that. Kiba told her that he was proud of her, and that so was Kurenai and Shino…but maybe he was just lying to boost up her self confidence. But she was doing fine…sure it was going to make things awkward between her and Naruto but she didn't care as long as he knew how she felt about him. At least she didn't let the words "I wanna be with you" come out. She sighed, looking at the gauze tape, water buckets, alcohol pads, and neo-peroxide. Sakura handled the big surgeries and stuff like that while Hinata took care of the smaller wounds. She had Ino come in and help her sometimes…whenever she wasn't flirting with Sai. She giggled softly.
"What's so funny?" Sakura asked, entering the tent.
"Sai and Ino." Hinata giggled again. Sakura laughed with her.
"Those two…I swear are the funniest things ever. Ino even said it to his face that he was hot-slash-attractive but Sai is so indifferent to it. Eventually, Sai is going to end up marrying her without having any feelings at all for her." Sakura cracked up. Hinata smiled in agreement.
"Speaking of boys…how are you and Naruto?" Sakura asked casually leaning over a shelf to obtain some vitamins.
"Oh…um, we haven't talked ever since I fought Pain." Her smile disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"Ugh, that's like two weeks ago…is it bothering you? Because if it is, then I'll break his face for you." Sakura turned to look at Hinata, sitting on the medical table used for the patients. Hinata laughed.
"Oh, Sakura, only you would do that."
"She would. Because she's half man. Isn't that right Billboard brow?" Ino teased, entering the tent, her arms filled with sponges and washcloths. She handed them to Hinata.
"Thank you!" Hinata grinned, placing the objects neatly on the wooden make-shift counter.
"So what are we talking about?" Ino asked, intruding in on the conversation.
"You being a pig." Sakura shot back, smiling.
"So what company's advertising on your forehead today?" Ino teased back. All three of them laughed.
"We're talking about boys. And how Sai doesn't really understand that you like him." Hinata explained.
Ino laughed.
"Silly Hina! Of course I know he loves me! He's just too shy to admit it in public." Ino grinned. Sakura snickered behind her. She was about to say something when suddenly, Kakashi entered the tent.
"Hello ladies, how are we today?" He greeted.
"Kaka-sensei! Hello!" Hinata greeted.
"Hi Kakai-sensei!" Ino and Sakura chorused together. He waved their hello's off, sticking his nose into a book.
"By any chance, have any of you seen Naruto? He was supposed to be on his shift now…" Kakashi trailed off. The girls all stared back at him with blank expressions.
"He's supposed to be here…." He added in slowly. All eyes fell on Hinata. She was beginning to turn redder and redder by the second.
"Um…here? Are you sure it isn't with Sakura-chan? Or Ino-chan?" Hinata asked, her voice squeaking.
Kakashi seemed to enjoy the response.
"Yes. He'll be working here for the next week or so, since all the ninjas are being assigned units to help all the other units in need." Kakashi added in, his eyes twinkling smugly.
"Kakai-sensei, what if he worked in the same department as I did? Or as Ino does?" Sakura asked, nudging her sensei.
"Well, I don't that's possible," He said. He continued on, placing his book on the wooden counter. "You've been already assigned…for example, for the rest of the week, Sai will be helping you, Sakura."
"WHAT?" Ino and Sakura yelled at the same time. Kakashi's smile was outlined through his mask.
"I don't wanna be paired with him!" Sakura shouted.
"I don't want him to be paired with her! Let him work with me!" Ino pleaded. Kakashi chuckled,
"Well, I don't make the rules, I only enforce them."
He turned around, beginning to make his way out.
"No can do! Besides, Ino, you're working with Lee." He waved, walking out.
"Lee? The one who overdosed on eyebrow growing tonic?" Ino asked in despair.
"Lee-san's really nice! You just gotta get used to him…he's really, REALLY, energetic." Sakura said.
"Um, I see Lee-kun every time he trains with Neji-kun. He's a really caring person, and he's good at listening to directions." Hinata added in, hopping off the table to congregate with the other girls. Dusk was approaching, meaning that Hinata would only have a little time to set-up her sleeping bag and other night necessities.
"Hopefully, Sai won't be such an idiot and actually help me." Sakura grumbled, preparing to leave the tent.
"Same." Ino sighed, getting up as well.
"Hinata, I have to go back to my own tent…good luck with Naruto!" Ino waved goodbye. Hinata and Sakura watched Ino leave. As she did, Sakura turned to face Hinata.
"Don't worry, he's not avoiding you." She said, reading Hinata's mind.
"It's so obvious, Sakura!" Hinata insisted. "I ruined our friendship…"
"Even if you did, Naruto will still bounce back to you. He's not the kind to be a moron to." Sakura assured her. She collected a few necessary items, placing them in her small basket.
"Don't stress over something like that. What you did is something only someone brave could do that. I'm proud of you Hina." Sakura added in, reaching over to give her friend a hug. Hinata fought back tears, as she hugged her back, biting her lip.
"Thank you." She whispered in her ear. Sakura smiled.
"No prob. Stay strong for me." Sakura pulled away from the hug, and gave her a smile. With a wave, she left. Hinata looked around at the currently vacant tent around her. On makeshift shelves, bottles of medicine were strewn across, cotton balls, swabs, gauze, tape, and all the other things necessary to avoid surgery. She began tidying up, even though it wasn't needed, singing to herself. As she cleaned, she only thought of one thing: Naruto.
~o~
"C'mon Kiba, how bad can working underground be?" Naruto asked Kiba, Sai and Lee short on their heels. Kiba groaned lazily.
"Ugh, it's the worst…it's not even an exciting job! I have to re-fix all of the damn water pumps…I don't even know why I was chosen for this and not you! I specialize in tracking, and finding things!"
"That is true, but is it also not true that majority of the water pumps have been buried by the damage?" Lee added.
"He's right. ANBU sometimes travel underground against the pipes, and without that, we're ridiculously invulnerable." Sai added in. "Shizune assigned us all units to work with, didn't she? I have to work with Sakura-san. It isn't bad, but she hits really really hard." Sai sighed.
"I have to work with Ino-san! I'm positive that we will get together just fine! I'll help her till the very end!" Lee pumped a fist in the air.
"Who are you working with? I'm working with Sakura." Sai said, directing the question to Naruto.
"I dunno." Naruto shrugged. "I have to go find out from baa-san's assistant." Naruto said.
"I have the list right here…you wanna see it?" Kiba asked, taking a folded, crumpled piece of paper out of his left knee pocket. Naruto took it, reading the names. Tenten and Neji…Kakashi and Iruka….Sakura and Sai…Ino and Lee…there it was! Naruto and…Hinata?
Naruto stood with his mouth open. He couldn't decide whether he was supposed to be feeling lucky, or entering hell.
"What's the matter? You're working with Hinata! That's like the best person you could work with!" Sai said.
"Very true! When I was practicing with Neji-san and Tenten-san at the Hyuuga training ground, Hinata took very good care of us !" Lee added in enthusiastically.
"But…" Naruto started. He caught himself. Should he tell his feelings? They were never going to take him seriously if he did…in fact, they probably wouldn't even believe him! Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts by Kiba. Sai and Lee had continued walking up the path, not noticing them two. Kiba pushed him into a nearby tree. The branches shook from the impact.
"Listen Naruto…you're my friend, and so is Hinata. I swear to God though, if you do ANYTHING that will piss her off or make her uncomfortable, don't think I'm not going to get mad. Okay?" Kiba said, gripping him by his shirt. He let go slowly.
"Jeez Kiba, you act like I'm gonna molest her or something! Chill! I'm helping her out for a little bit, that's all! I promise you, I won't annoy her or anything!" Naruto promised. The unspoken words nearly left his mouth though.
"And I definitely won't confess that I love her."
Chapter 2 shall be out in some time
In the Medical tent:
Hinata wound up the gauze that Sakura gave her around the wounded arm of her fellow clan member.
"Lady Hinata, thank you for doing this. I understand that you are wounded as well." He smiled at her. Hinata continued on, but offered a smile back.
"Don't worry. Sakura-san healed me before, so I'm all better." Hinata looked up at him. He grinned back. The aftermath of the destruction of Konoha was rather mortifying…and it could've been worse. Lives would have been taken by the thousands, and she herself could've been…dead. However, there was one person that they all owe it to….Naruto. Hinata tied the bow of the gauze, smiling and telling him the directions as to how to get to the other medical tent where Sakura was tending to the other people thanks to the help of her medical skills. With a smile, a wave, and a ruffle in her hair, he left. She saw Neji outside with Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon…she heard that they were doing a whole story on Naruto.
"Naruto…you've done it." She closed her eyes and whispered through her smiling, cut lips. Scratches laced her face and bruises were painted all over her body. A scar of where Pain had stabbed her was on her back and on her chest, right over her breastbone. But Naruto did it. Kiba told her the details. Naruto had killed the Pains, and met Nagato, who was hiding in a tree right after the Kyuubi was almost let out. She couldn't help but feel so…proud. So inspired. So…in love. A part of her stomach dropped as she remembered the confession:
"I always loved you Naruto! I always will!"
A somewhat distant memory, but she realized she really screwed up this time. What the hell was she thinking? Why would Naruto like anybody, especially her? She was so weak…she was nothing but a mere tool for the Hyuuga clan. Father saw her as his precious daughter, but she was weak. She couldn't even win a fight against Hanabi, let alone Pain. Naruto must think that she's absolutely stupid for doing that. Kiba told her that he was proud of her, and that so was Kurenai and Shino…but maybe he was just lying to boost up her self confidence. But she was doing fine…sure it was going to make things awkward between her and Naruto but she didn't care as long as he knew how she felt about him. At least she didn't let the words "I wanna be with you" come out. She sighed, looking at the gauze tape, water buckets, alcohol pads, and neo-peroxide. Sakura handled the big surgeries and stuff like that while Hinata took care of the smaller wounds. She had Ino come in and help her sometimes…whenever she wasn't flirting with Sai. She giggled softly.
"What's so funny?" Sakura asked, entering the tent.
"Sai and Ino." Hinata giggled again. Sakura laughed with her.
"Those two…I swear are the funniest things ever. Ino even said it to his face that he was hot-slash-attractive but Sai is so indifferent to it. Eventually, Sai is going to end up marrying her without having any feelings at all for her." Sakura cracked up. Hinata smiled in agreement.
"Speaking of boys…how are you and Naruto?" Sakura asked casually leaning over a shelf to obtain some vitamins.
"Oh…um, we haven't talked ever since I fought Pain." Her smile disappeared as quickly as it had come.
"Ugh, that's like two weeks ago…is it bothering you? Because if it is, then I'll break his face for you." Sakura turned to look at Hinata, sitting on the medical table used for the patients. Hinata laughed.
"Oh, Sakura, only you would do that."
"She would. Because she's half man. Isn't that right Billboard brow?" Ino teased, entering the tent, her arms filled with sponges and washcloths. She handed them to Hinata.
"Thank you!" Hinata grinned, placing the objects neatly on the wooden make-shift counter.
"So what are we talking about?" Ino asked, intruding in on the conversation.
"You being a pig." Sakura shot back, smiling.
"So what company's advertising on your forehead today?" Ino teased back. All three of them laughed.
"We're talking about boys. And how Sai doesn't really understand that you like him." Hinata explained.
Ino laughed.
"Silly Hina! Of course I know he loves me! He's just too shy to admit it in public." Ino grinned. Sakura snickered behind her. She was about to say something when suddenly, Kakashi entered the tent.
"Hello ladies, how are we today?" He greeted.
"Kaka-sensei! Hello!" Hinata greeted.
"Hi Kakai-sensei!" Ino and Sakura chorused together. He waved their hello's off, sticking his nose into a book.
"By any chance, have any of you seen Naruto? He was supposed to be on his shift now…" Kakashi trailed off. The girls all stared back at him with blank expressions.
"He's supposed to be here…." He added in slowly. All eyes fell on Hinata. She was beginning to turn redder and redder by the second.
"Um…here? Are you sure it isn't with Sakura-chan? Or Ino-chan?" Hinata asked, her voice squeaking.
Kakashi seemed to enjoy the response.
"Yes. He'll be working here for the next week or so, since all the ninjas are being assigned units to help all the other units in need." Kakashi added in, his eyes twinkling smugly.
"Kakai-sensei, what if he worked in the same department as I did? Or as Ino does?" Sakura asked, nudging her sensei.
"Well, I don't that's possible," He said. He continued on, placing his book on the wooden counter. "You've been already assigned…for example, for the rest of the week, Sai will be helping you, Sakura."
"WHAT?" Ino and Sakura yelled at the same time. Kakashi's smile was outlined through his mask.
"I don't wanna be paired with him!" Sakura shouted.
"I don't want him to be paired with her! Let him work with me!" Ino pleaded. Kakashi chuckled,
"Well, I don't make the rules, I only enforce them."
He turned around, beginning to make his way out.
"No can do! Besides, Ino, you're working with Lee." He waved, walking out.
"Lee? The one who overdosed on eyebrow growing tonic?" Ino asked in despair.
"Lee-san's really nice! You just gotta get used to him…he's really, REALLY, energetic." Sakura said.
"Um, I see Lee-kun every time he trains with Neji-kun. He's a really caring person, and he's good at listening to directions." Hinata added in, hopping off the table to congregate with the other girls. Dusk was approaching, meaning that Hinata would only have a little time to set-up her sleeping bag and other night necessities.
"Hopefully, Sai won't be such an idiot and actually help me." Sakura grumbled, preparing to leave the tent.
"Same." Ino sighed, getting up as well.
"Hinata, I have to go back to my own tent…good luck with Naruto!" Ino waved goodbye. Hinata and Sakura watched Ino leave. As she did, Sakura turned to face Hinata.
"Don't worry, he's not avoiding you." She said, reading Hinata's mind.
"It's so obvious, Sakura!" Hinata insisted. "I ruined our friendship…"
"Even if you did, Naruto will still bounce back to you. He's not the kind to be a moron to." Sakura assured her. She collected a few necessary items, placing them in her small basket.
"Don't stress over something like that. What you did is something only someone brave could do that. I'm proud of you Hina." Sakura added in, reaching over to give her friend a hug. Hinata fought back tears, as she hugged her back, biting her lip.
"Thank you." She whispered in her ear. Sakura smiled.
"No prob. Stay strong for me." Sakura pulled away from the hug, and gave her a smile. With a wave, she left. Hinata looked around at the currently vacant tent around her. On makeshift shelves, bottles of medicine were strewn across, cotton balls, swabs, gauze, tape, and all the other things necessary to avoid surgery. She began tidying up, even though it wasn't needed, singing to herself. As she cleaned, she only thought of one thing: Naruto.
~o~
"C'mon Kiba, how bad can working underground be?" Naruto asked Kiba, Sai and Lee short on their heels. Kiba groaned lazily.
"Ugh, it's the worst…it's not even an exciting job! I have to re-fix all of the damn water pumps…I don't even know why I was chosen for this and not you! I specialize in tracking, and finding things!"
"That is true, but is it also not true that majority of the water pumps have been buried by the damage?" Lee added.
"He's right. ANBU sometimes travel underground against the pipes, and without that, we're ridiculously invulnerable." Sai added in. "Shizune assigned us all units to work with, didn't she? I have to work with Sakura-san. It isn't bad, but she hits really really hard." Sai sighed.
"I have to work with Ino-san! I'm positive that we will get together just fine! I'll help her till the very end!" Lee pumped a fist in the air.
"Who are you working with? I'm working with Sakura." Sai said, directing the question to Naruto.
"I dunno." Naruto shrugged. "I have to go find out from baa-san's assistant." Naruto said.
"I have the list right here…you wanna see it?" Kiba asked, taking a folded, crumpled piece of paper out of his left knee pocket. Naruto took it, reading the names. Tenten and Neji…Kakashi and Iruka….Sakura and Sai…Ino and Lee…there it was! Naruto and…Hinata?
Naruto stood with his mouth open. He couldn't decide whether he was supposed to be feeling lucky, or entering hell.
"What's the matter? You're working with Hinata! That's like the best person you could work with!" Sai said.
"Very true! When I was practicing with Neji-san and Tenten-san at the Hyuuga training ground, Hinata took very good care of us !" Lee added in enthusiastically.
"But…" Naruto started. He caught himself. Should he tell his feelings? They were never going to take him seriously if he did…in fact, they probably wouldn't even believe him! Naruto was shaken out of his thoughts by Kiba. Sai and Lee had continued walking up the path, not noticing them two. Kiba pushed him into a nearby tree. The branches shook from the impact.
"Listen Naruto…you're my friend, and so is Hinata. I swear to God though, if you do ANYTHING that will piss her off or make her uncomfortable, don't think I'm not going to get mad. Okay?" Kiba said, gripping him by his shirt. He let go slowly.
"Jeez Kiba, you act like I'm gonna molest her or something! Chill! I'm helping her out for a little bit, that's all! I promise you, I won't annoy her or anything!" Naruto promised. The unspoken words nearly left his mouth though.
"And I definitely won't confess that I love her."
Chapter 2 shall be out in some time
