Starting over

#35 The Meaning of Love

Naruto POV

I didn't know when I fell asleep but I woke up when I felt something move next to my head. Once I had registered where I was I looked around the hospital room. I had pulled a chair to the side of Temari's bed to wait for her to wake up but apparently I had fallen asleep. My head had laid on the rim of her bed next to her legs and they had moved a bit causing me to wake up. Then Temari opened her eyes. She looked around slowly trying to figure out what happened. “Good morning.”, I greeted her. Temari looked at me before remembering what happened. Her eyes went wide as she let her hands search her back and chest for any signs of her injury. She winced when she found the remaining wound. “The doctors could fix most of it, but you still have to recover.”, I explained. “What happened?”, she asked while looking for other wounds. “Well you know how Orochimaru attacked the Kazekage, after Rasa fled with Fly and Baki he saw that Gaara Cat and you had Kabuto cornered so he decided to retreat. He threw a few Kunai at me and Dragon but missed and then he threw Kunai in your direction. The one meant for Gaara was deflected by his sand, Cat sensed it and evaded it. You on the other hand got hit Square in the back. Gaara went crazy and almost transformed when he saw you go down. Orochimaru and Kabuto fled and I got you to the hospital where they were operating a few hours on you trying to heal your wounds and restore your hurt organs.”, I told her. Even the thought of Temari getting hurt sent waves of anger and sorrow through my body. “Did you stay here the whole time?”, Temari asked with a look at my clothes who still had her blood on them. I nodded sheepishly. “I couldn't leave you here.”, I said smiling. Temari blushed slightly.

Temari POV

Did he really stay here just to keep me company? He is such a good friend. I love him.

I blushed at that sudden thought. Naruto and I had grown really close since he had moved in with us. Our daily routine with him cooking breakfast for myself and him brought us together to a point where he would notice when I had a bad day and then prepare some special pancakes for me that always cheered me up. I smiled at the boy ,reached out to him and pulled him into a hug. He was a bit surprised by that but returned the hug nonetheless.

Naruto POV

As Temari reached out and hugged me I felt a blush creep on my face. I had long ago noticed my feelings for the girl but didn't really know what they were. But when she hugged me I realized by the warmth of her hug and the obvious trust she put into me that I had fallen in love with her.

“Thank you for keeping me company and for being there for me when I need it.”, Temari said after we pulled away from our hug. “It's no big deal.”, I said smiling before stifling a yawn. “I'll make it up to you one day. Now go and get changed and get some rest. You have earned it.”, Temari instructed grinning at me. “I'll do that but first I'll go and tell the nurses and your father and brother that you woke up.”, I said standing up.

After I got to the house I came to call home in the past few years I got some comfortable clothes out of my closet and went into the bathroom to shower.

After I had showered I threw myself into my bed and closed my eyes. I had taken a look at the clock when I got my clothes and had realized that it was already noon. That meant that I had stayed the entire evening, night and morning at the hospital waiting for Temari to wake up. I felt the exhaustion catch up to me since I had only slept a few hours at the hospital and they were not recreative.

Once I had closed my eyes my thought ran wild. I had one image in my head and whatever I thought about something else it would push itself back into my thoughts; Temari blushing after she realized that I had stayed by her side. I had a feeling that this blush had a more important meaning to it than just being a blush but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

After I had tried to sleep for a few hours I heard shuffling downstairs indicating that either Gaara had come home from his visit to his sister or that Temari had already been released from the hospital. “Naruto we are home!”, came Temari's voice from downstairs. I smiled knowing that Temari had already healed enough to get out of the hospital. I turned on my back and tried to fall asleep again. “He must be asleep.”, I heard Gaara say probably to his sister. Then I heard someone silently walking up the stairs and carefully open my door.

I smelled the discreet perfume of Temari and decided to pretend that I was sleeping. Temari silently closed the door and came close to my bed. “Thank you for everything my little sunshine.”, she said before kissing me softly on the cheek. I had to try really hard not to smile and give away that I was awake but at the end Temari got up from the edge of my bed and left my room with light feet. I blushed once I heard my door close promising myself to make Temari a special surprise tomorrow morning. Then finally I felt the sweet darkness of sleep consume me.