NaruHina: Postscripts

Ninety-six

If you're still accepting drabble requests can I request for some fluff where Naruto or Hinata finds the other person right after the war ended? Because this happened in the middle of the war

He could barely keep his eyes open, but he was grateful he could still see. Sakura had already stopped the bleeding in his arm, and he could hear her fussing over Sasuke.

Kakashi's face suddenly loomed over him. His vest was long gone, the rest of his clothes were torn and burnt.

But he was smiling underneath that mask.

"Naruto, you're a mess."

Relief. Pride. Love.

He could hear it in Kakashi's voice. Naruto laughed and he closed his eyes briefly, grateful that this long war was finally over. He turned his head and saw Sakura leaning over Sasuke, tears in her eyes as she cupped his cheek.

It was done. He could finally let down his guard...

But first, he had something else to do.

He closed his eyes, called up the remaining dregs of his chakra.

He only needed just a little bit to find her.

Hinata? Are you okay? he called out to her in his mind, knowing she wouldn't be able to hear him. He did it anyway because he just wanted to make sure that she was fine.

He'd felt her call out to him just as the God Tree's roots wrapped around her. She'd said his name, and her chakra had touched him for one brief second, distracting him in his fight with Madara. He'd wanted to rush and help her immediately, but Sasuke had reminded him that there was something else to be done before they could save everyone else.

Now that their fight was over, though, he just wanted to find her.

Naruto was exhausted and barely hanging on, but still, he couldn't let it go.

He called again, but she remained silent because she was still buried underneath the layers of the God Tree's roots, he realized.

A feeling of panic filled him. He tried to get up.

Kakashi pushed a hand down his chest. "Naruto! Stop. You need to rest. You can barely stand up."

Naruto shook his head. "No. There are others that need to be saved. We have to undo the bindings of the trees, rescue everyone imprisoned inside."

Sasuke heard it and he tried to get up, too.

"Sasuke! You'll make yourself bleed again," Sakura cried out.

"Naruto's right. We have to release the illusion everyone's under."

With the help of Kakashi and Sakura, the two of them smiled at each other and weaved the signs that released everyone from the tsukuyomi.

. . . . .

Hinata struggled to free herself. It was dark in her mind, but there was a flash of something, a little sparkle of light that flickered behind her lids.

She strained to hear it, but panicked when she couldn't hear it, find it because it was dim and weak.

She foundered—if that was the word. She felt suspended. It was difficult to find a firm hold, a grip, or just even put her foot down on anything solid.

Hinata!

It was faint but she knew who it was.

Slowly, the memories of her real life came in slow trickles. Her sister, her father, Neji, Shino, Kiba, Kurenai-sensei, her friends, Konoha.

Naruto.

She could see him, but his image was still blurry. But the suspended feeling was fading. She felt as if she could finally stop feeling so lost. Imagining his eyes, focusing on their color made her aware that she was stuck in this dream-like state.

Still, though, she tried to reach him, tried to visualize him as she remembered him

His hair, when he walked underneath the sun. His laugh when he was teasing everyone. His squint when he was trying to figure out things. His hand when he held hers. His eyes when they looked at her. His voice when he said her name.

Hinata!

And then she felt him reach her consciousness. Felt him try to reach her in her mind. She knew he was using his chakra to sense her presence.

Naruto! she cried out in her heart.

And felt his chakra collide with hers, that jolt of joy he felt when he found her.

It was enough to make her open her eyes.

She slowly sat up and looked around, at the carnage left by the war.

She closed her eyes and knowing it might be impossible, reached out with her chakra to try to answer him back. It was probably nothing, but she called out his name.

"Naruto. I'm here."

She felt a little ray of sunshine burst through her.

Okay, she thought she heard. I'm glad.

But she didn't immediately go to him because somebody groaned next to her.

Hinata rolled up her sleeves, stood up slowly, and went to work.

There were injured people around her who needed her help. She knew Sakura and Kakashi-sensei were with him.

Naruto was fine.

She was sure of it because she was awake, and moving, and not filled with darkness. Madara was defeated.

She'll find him later.

After.

Because she knew she could. Because she knew there was time.

Naruto, wait for me.

Hinata.

I will.