DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters or the setting of the story. They all exclusively belong to Mr. Masashi Kishimoto in all its rights.
Hinata held her breath as she stared far into the forest facing the now ruins of their beloved Konoha. The Leaf was completely destroyed by Pain -- leader of the Akatsuki -- in their search for Naruto in order to take the Kyuubi from the jinjuriiki.
However, in the midst of the massacre, the targeted shinobi himself, came to everyone's rescue and saved the village and its people.
Just a while ago, Hinata selfishly jumped into the battlefield, blatantly ignoring Naruto's instructions not to interfere as he fought Pain all alone. Her overwhelming worry for her blonde friend instantly overcame her instincts as she saw him being helplessly pinned down to the ground, clearly worn-out and defeated.
And so she fought.
And she confessed.
Knowing precisely the consequences of her stupid meddling.
She was going to die.
And she'll absolutely regret it if she'd end up dying without even giving herself a chance to convey her deepest, most honest feelings for the boy she admired quietly from the shadows.
As expected, Hinata was completely beaten, a chakra rod piercing her flesh through and through, as her warm blood spilled out of her like a stream... her consciousness drifted away as she forced herself to look at the still pinned and helpless Naruto a few yards away.
She was hurt, in pain... but she was more aggravated by the unforgiving truth that she couldn't help him in the end.
She was just a nuisance after all.
Even in her dying breath, Hinata asked for him to forgive her one last time.
"I'm sorry... for not being strong enough...to save you
...like you always do for everyone, for the village..."
Hinata wished she could've done more.
Her pale eyes were losing their focus just as she heard Pain ask Naruto if the latter hated him for the actions he did.
Hinata had always known that Naruto, -- in his infinite kindness -- could never ever harbor such intensified hate for anyone because he always found a way to forgive them. Even the most unforgivable ones. He always tries to understand what they were going through.
Since he was able to forgive Sasuke for all of the twisted logic that he had; which no one could ever really comprehend. Naruto always said that his friend had his reasons for doing the things he did. Reasons that got Chouji, Neji, Kiba and Sikamaru end up fighting for their lives once, trying to save Sasuke.
That's why maybe he could find some light in Pain, too.
He always does.
Until Hinata heard the blonde ninja's deafening scream as an answer to Pain. Then all of a sudden, Naruto was engulfed in a massive black-crimson cloak of ravenous, blood-thirsty chakra as he roared and spiraled out of control. Six giant tails danced savagely in the massive crater where all the horrors of the village destruction had settled.
To say that Naruto was enraged was an understatement.
He had transformed.
All traces of the hero immediately disappearing as the demon fox inside him completely took control.
Hinata watched in pain as she saw Naruto's form inside the monster's cloak.
His skin was rapidly peeling off, leaving wounds that she could only imagine killing him twice or thrice as fast. His screams reverberated to every inch of the battlefield, and it wasn't just because he was furious.
He was hurt and bleeding...and probably...
Hinata couldn't help herself from drifting off to sleep any longer.
This was her limit.
Yet, in her mind, she prayed from the bottom of her heart to all the Gods and spirits that might give her an ounce of mercy in her last moments.
"Please... Please save Naruto-kun...I beg of you..."
_____________________________________________________
The leaves rustled as a gush of wind swept through the air before Kakashi's form emerged from the trees.
He was carrying an exhausted but alive Naruto on his back.
Hinata slowly lifted her head from the ground as she let out a breath of relief and loosened the grip on her clasped fists on her chest. Her pale eyes instantly blurred with tears as her vision raced towards the blonde, blue-eyed ninja who managed to survive and finally return home where the village wholeheartedly celebrated his victory.
She was completely overshadowed by the intense cheering of the villagers for the Hero.
It was definitely a mesmerizing scene.
Naruto had finally overturned his reputation from the lonely and despicable monster to an adored and respected savior. Hinata clenched her fist tighter in her chest as her tears flowed endlessly on her face. She was beaming with gratefulness and pride for the boy who saved her from her dark world.
"Thank goodness. He's alive." Her heart cried out.
For a moment, a desperate part of her wanted to dash across the sea of people welcoming the hero but everything fell out and Hinata froze in her spot for a few good seconds. Her blurred vision catching a glimpse of pink which always reminded her of those breathtaking cherry blossoms.
Sakura confidently strode through the crowd, her pink hair swaying in the wind and her eyes focusing on one person at the end of her path.
Naruto.
There was a moment of silence and everyone watched in utter amazement as Sakura proudly wrapped her arms around Naruto in front of the village. She openly thanked him for saving the village, the people... and she thanked him for coming home alive and well. Sakura just managed to voice out all of Hinata's choked words for the boy.
Sakura was saying she was proud of the ninja as Naruto finally offered back a smile.
His heart overwhelming with happiness.
Hinata knew it, and it broke her heart at the same time. She didn't know why she was suddenly feeling selfish and bitter as the scene in front of her continued. She shouldn't be this negative when everyone around her was busy celebrating.
But she couldn't help it.
_______________________________
Konoha 11 were now tossing Naruto in the air.
Further marking his victory and Hinata couldn't be more proud of him. He had been through a lot. Some of which no one could have ever survived. But he was the Naruto of the Leaf.
And no one could ever take that away from him.
"Hinata-sama." Neji caught her out of her trance as he stood quietly beside her, choosing not to meddle further with the cheering and the celebration. They were standing a few yards from the commotion but nonetheless congratulating the hero.
Hinata must have absentmindedly stared at Sakura's back as the latter participated in tossing Naruto in the air. Neji must have noticed her slight shift after Sakura hugged Naruto and the latter in return.
Hinata brushed away her new set of tears from her cheeks as she turned to her dear cousin and gave him a reassuring smile. Which she clearly failed because her lips trembled at the sight of his worried pale eyes.
He had just given her a lecture a while back after she woke up from death, thanks to Sakura healing her. Hinata knew that Neji was only worried about her after her recklessly stupid act of courage to save Naruto.
"Are you still in pain?" Neji asked softly as she lowered her head and bit her lower lip to keep herself from tearing up again. "I told you to rest a little longer because you weren't completely healed yet, didn't I?" He continued. His voice reprimanding but concerned at the same time.
Neji had never voiced it out before but Hinata knew that her cousin deeply cared for her, just as she for him. Although his last words rang differently in her head.
Completely healed.
Of course, her wounds would soon heal, courtesy of the respectable medic-nin who just saved her from the grasp of death. Even the scar left by the chakra rod that Pain previously pierced her with, will also disappear in time.
But her poor heart might not be able to function well for the time being. She knew she ached at the sight of the very same medic-nin comforting that special boy she happened to respect and love.
Gosh!
She even confessed to him!
Maybe that's why it hurts twice as much now. She even witnessed him scream in unfathomable pain after the kyuubi devoured his fury and her heart ached for him once again.
And now, Hinata was even more in pain that it was taking all her might to compose herself. She should be happy right now. It was just so wrong of her to be selfish in the middle of such historic celebration.
"I'm fine, Neji-nii-san." Hinata finally answered after taking a long deep breath and looked up at her cousin's questioning eyes. "I'm just overwhelmed, that's all." She continued but she didn't bother to smile because she knew that he didn't believe her at all.
She was thankful when he chose to sigh in defeat and glance at the source of her discomfort. Hinata almost smiled when Neji showed an obvious frown on his face as he glared and maybe cursed at Naruto in his head.
She quietly thanked him for understanding, just as he always do.
_______________________________________________________
The crowd slowly dispersed as the heat of the celebration slowly died out.
Nonetheless, the pride and respect for Uzumaki Naruto will be contained in everyone's hearts for a very long time.
Maybe for eternity.
But for now, the village needs the most attention.
There needs a lot of rebuilding, to create a new start for tomorrow and the challenges it will be serving.
"Oi! Hinata! Aren't you going to say anything to him?" Kiba asked a little loudly as he caught up with Hinata's quiet group, along with Shino, Neji and Tenten. Kiba had been one of the Konoha 11 who tossed and cheered for Naruto as loudly as his nature allowed him. He was beaming with pride and a hint of positive envy for his self-proclaimed rival.
Hinata's group chose to disperse along with the villagers and start mending their own stuff, while Kiba and the rest stayed with Naruto.
Kiba, who obviously knew Hinata's deep infatuation for Naruto for a long time now, playfully teased her like he often did whenever he got the chance. He seemed supportive of that fact and Hinata could only blush in return, never denying the truth.
But right now, the undeniable sting of the recent show was slowly eating her whole. She was too hurt to address Naruto with any kind of positive thoughts or feelings.
"Kiba." Shino's cold tone interrupted as he faced his teammate with his iconic emotionless face. "Hinata needs to recover first. Why? Because she contributed in Naruto's victory in her own way." He explained straightforwardly.
"She has the right to heal for doing her best." he added.
Hinata suddenly felt her whole body quiver the instant she let Shino's words fill her emptiness.
Her emotions gradually overwhelming her and a few seconds later, she was crying her eyes out once more. She thought she exhausted all her tears a while ago but hearing someone compliment her like that definitely flooded her with warmth and comfort.
She never realized that she also needed it...so bad.
Hinata continued to quietly wail when she felt Neji and Tenten's arms around her.
She literally felt like dying inside and she wasn't even trying to save herself.
She just let the pain consume her in ways she so felt familiar with.
The darkness of her past came crawling back at her, scratching her fresh source of weakness and amplifying the emotions she had worked so hard to forget throughout the years.
"I'm sorry." Kiba said in a low and worried tone as he reached and gently patted her head. "I'm sorry I forgot how brave you are back then. I also forgot that I wasn't strong enough to level your strength. Like, hell, Hinata! You were strong enough to save the whole village! I wish I could've done the same!" Kiba rambled and eventually earned a small giggle from her in between sobs.
And here's another one of her most important people trying to cheer her up.
"I swear, I'm gonna kill that idiot one of these days." Neji cursed as Hinata finally stopped her sobs and wiped the rest of her tears away. Her eyes stung from the endless crying but her shattered heart was beginning to collect back its pieces.
Yes, she felt a little better now.
Thanks to everyone who managed to see through her unspoken wishes and actually care about her.
"He doesn't deserve you, Hinata." Neji continued. Firmly dropping the honorifics for once as his overprotective instinct enveloped his words.
Hinata could only love her cousin more.
"Call me when you formulate a plan to kill him." Kiba nodded at her cousin. "I'm gonna grab every chance I'll get to beat him out of his freakin' senses." he growled.
"I might have a plan of my own." Shino joined in. "Why? Because Hinata is a precious friend and I won't let anyone hurt her. Even if it's Naruto." he reasoned out.
"For Hinata." Tenten chimed with a determined smile and held out her fist inside the space their group had created. "Count me in in your plan, boys." she grinned.
"Yosh!" Kiba exclaimed and stretched out his own fist next to Tenten's with Akamaru barking beside him in agreement. "This is going to be lit!"
Shino and Neji quietly nodded and bumped their own fists with the other two. A look of determination and challenge in their eyes.
Ultimately, they formed a pact to avenge or protect Hinata from getting hurt again.
Although Hinata wasn't exactly sure why everyone became so enthusiastic about their plan, she let out a small giggle as she bumped her own fist with the rest of the group.
And they all laughed.
Suddenly, her heart was filled with ease and comfort.
She was healing.
Her previous heartache disappearing slowly in the back of her mind.
Although the wound is still fresh and throbbing, it doesn't hurt as much anymore.
Because she was surrounded with more love and positivity.
Her own bitterness fading along with the rush of her old nightmares that she now calmly buried once more into the depths of her memories.
She will get better...soon.
And her heart.
Her hopelessly aching heart will again beat for the blonde knucklehead.
She knew it.
Hinata will admire and adore him like she always did.
No matter how painful it might be.
No matter how many times he'd ignore her in the future.
She will always love him.
Because her love for Naruto was so pure that she never expects anything in return.
Because her love for Naruto is so forgiving that she was prepared to wait and get hurt in order to get his attention no matter how many times it'll take.
Because her love for Naruto is so deep and honest that she was willing to accept everything about him.
It's incredibly stupid, her love for him.
But Hinata loves him all the same.
Just like that.