NaruHina: Postscripts

Forty-seven

She smiled again, and he found himself looking closely at her lips. "I just wanted to thank you for all you did for us. It's the least I could do. And you don't have to take it, of course. I just hope it's something you could use. But if you end up using it, I would be very honored."

Her hand was out and he found himself unconsciously reaching with his good arm to accept this gift from her.

"Thank you," he said and he saw her smile burn more brightly as he placed the ointment in the bag he had strapped over his shoulder.

Hinata shook her head and because she knew what he'd sacrificed to help bring about this peace with Naruto, she placed her hands on her thighs to offer him a formal bow of thanks.

It was a deep bow, bringing her head close to the ground. At the same time, a gust of wind kicked up the soft dirt lying on the earth and sent it spinning up—right into her face and into her eyes.

She gasped and abruptly stood up, blinking and rubbing at her eyes.

Hearing her soft exhalation and the distress in her tone, Sasuke stepped forward to touch her face.

"Here, let me see," he said as he tilted up her chin so he could find the dirt lodged in her eyes.

Hinata, caught unaware, stilled and let him touch her gently on her face.

"What the hell are you doing?!" came Naruto's angry voice.

He didn't know what caused the sudden tension in his friend, but Sasuke dropped his hand from her face just as Hinata rubbed again at the corner of her left eye. She blinked, smiled with relief at him, then said, "Thank you."

She turned around still with a smile on her face to look at Naruto. On seeing him, a blush spread over her face, but the pleasant expression died when she saw how tight Naruto's face was as he finally reached their side.

Sasuke's gaze lingered for a second on Hinata's face, just as Naruto poked him hard on the chest. "Sasuke! Why the hell were you all over Hinata like that?!"

Sasuke only raised a brow and remained quiet, just as Hinata stepped forward to cut off this attack.

"Oh, Naruto, no! He was just helping me with some dust that got in my eye."

She was bewildered by Naruto's reaction, Sasuske could see. And Naruto, stupid idiot that he was, didn't know himself why he was so damned angry.

And because he was who he was, he couldn't resist teasing his friend.

. . . . .

Naruto barely glanced at Hinata, he was still glaring at Sasuke.

He'd seen them from afar, when they'd been talking. At first he'd thought it was harmless, but when Sasuke had laid a hand on her skin, Naruto had felt compelled to run up to them and ask what the hell was going on.

Sasuke...touching Hinata...

His heart was still pounding because the image of it seemed so wrong.

And why? What reason did Sasuke need to reach out like that?

He watched as Sasuke smirked, patted the bag at his side, where he could see a small part of a metallic canister that looked familiar.

"I just wanted to help her since she was so kind, giving me an ointment for my wound," Sasuke said, almost gloating.

Naruto momentarily froze. He blinked in surprise then turned accusing eyes to Hinata. "You gave him your special ointment?!"

For some reason, he was hurt by that. As if he'd fully believed that the ointment the Hyuugas made were just for him, that all those years ago, the one that Hinata had given him was his alone.

But there was no mistaking the same gold canister sitting so smugly in Sasuke's bag, almost taunting him with its existence.

Naruto continued staring mutely at Hinata because he didn't know what else to say, he couldn't get past the emotions in his throat because he just felt so betrayed.

"She's being kind, Naruto," Sasuke said quietly, and in a tone that made Naruto suddenly snap out of it.

Of course. Hinata being Hinata, would only want the best for everyone—including Sasuke, who was probably going to be by himself as he set off for his journey on his own. Maybe it was her way of reminding him that Konoha was his home, that every time he looked at the ointment canister to use it, he would look at the symbol of the falling leaf and remember the people who waited for him at home.

Naruto shook off his momentary madness, this insane urge to rip out his friend's guts, and finally grinned at Sasuke. "You're right, Sasuke. She's just being nice."

Hinata, still flustered by the intensity between the two friends, smiled tentatively at both of the men. "Sasuke, good luck on your journey. Stay safe."

Sasuke nodded and didn't say anything more. He turned to Naruto by her side and noticed the protective stance he had around her.

He shook his head and huffed a snort. Naruto wouldn't understand even if Sasuke tried pointing it out to him. In fact, he would probably refuse to hear anything he would say because it was coming from him.

"Right."

He turned around and abruptly left.

Still, though, his hand unconsciously patted the ointment canister inside his bag, making sure to manipulate it to the bottom so that he wouldn't lose it along the way.