"I'm going to die here," Naruto announced to the waiting room ceiling. "I swear. This hospital room is a secret Konoha torture technique. It's the white walls, they suck the life out of you."
Sakura looked up from a medical scroll she wasn't really reading, her patience clearly worn thin. "It's only been ten minutes, Naruto. You've lasted two days, what's ten more minutes?"
"It's ten minutes of waiting! That's like ten hours in normal time! My butt fell asleep half an hour ago."
Sakura sighed, returning to her scroll.
They were in limbo. Two days had passed since their chaotic and triumphant return. Two days in which the world seemed to have shrunk to this sterile hallway, waiting for news on Sasuke while the rest of the team was debriefed, checked over, and finally discharged.
The door to the intensive care unit hissed open, and they both shot to their feet, Sakura's heart hammering in her throat.
Kakashi stepped out. He looked exhausted, his jōnin vest was wrinkled, and his silver hair seemed even more gravity-defying than usual, but the tension in his shoulders, that stiffness he'd carried since they stepped on the bridge, was gone.
"Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura's voice was barely a whisper. "Is he...?"
Kakashi looked at them both, and his single visible eye curved into a tired but genuine smile.
"He's stable," Kakashi said, and Sakura felt her knees buckle from sheer relief. "Tsunade-sama just finished the last procedure. He's officially out of danger."
Naruto let out a "Yeah!" that echoed down the hall, earning him a murderous look from a passing nurse.
"The cellular necrosis Haku's jutsu caused has been completely reversed," Kakashi continued, his tone turning lighter. "Thanks to Tsunade's intervention... and your strange healing jutsu, Sakura. He's going to be fine."
"Is he awake?" Naruto asked, bouncing slightly on his feet.
"No," Kakashi said, his tone turning serious again. "He'll be unconscious for at least another week. His chakra system needs to completely reset after the trauma. But he'll live. And he'll make a full recovery."
Sakura felt the tears she had been holding back for days finally well up, and she covered her mouth as a sob of relief escaped her.
"Thank God..."
Kakashi placed a hand on her shoulder, a surprisingly paternal gesture. "Good work, Sakura. You've been here almost non-stop. Now, go home."
"What about you, sensei?" Naruto asked.
"I have to stay and watch. And honestly," Kakashi added, "I think I owe Tsunade-sama several bottles of sake for the bets I clearly lost about your ability to find her. It was a successful mission."
He looked at them both again, a new warmth in his gaze. "The mission is officially over. The report is filed. And the Hokage has approved three days of mandatory rest for the entire team. Now, go. Sleep. Don't cause trouble. That's an order."
Sakura nodded, wiping her tears on her sleeve. "Yes, sensei."
She felt emotionally drained, almost empty, but the relief was so immense she could barely stay on her feet.
"See you later, Naruto," she said, and began walking down the hall, her steps a little unsteady.
"Yeah! Get some rest, Sakura-chan!"
Naruto watched her go until she turned the corner, so he was left alone in the hallway as the hospital silence settled back in. He felt... restless. The mission adrenaline was gone, but the energy from his new stats was buzzing under his skin. He didn't want to go to sleep, but he couldn't stay here either.
He went out into the cool afternoon air and walked aimlessly toward his apartment, but the euphoria from the mission's success began to fade, replaced by that old emptiness he felt in his apartment. He opened the door and the silence hit him.
"Three days off..." he muttered in the empty room.
He tried to lie down, but it was useless. He tossed and turned, and the energy buzzing under his skin wouldn't let him rest. He felt supercharged, unable to stay still.
I can't.
He jumped up and started pacing the small apartment, and that's when he saw his ridiculous frog wallet on the table. It was fat. Swollen. Bursting with the money Tsunade had given him from her casino winnings, his "commission" for being the "Orange Lucky Leech."
"I'm rich," he said aloud, staring at the wad of bills. "Seriously, I'm rich! I have more money than Iruka-sensei! I could buy Ichiraku!"
Right, maybe not buy it, he thought, pocketing the wallet. But I can eat there every day. For a year.
He touched his cheek distractedly.
The memory hit him gently, which was weird.
He remembered his first date with Hinata, the night before everything went to hell. The feeling of Hinata's lips, soft and quick.
She... kissed me.
He stopped in the middle of his apartment.
Wait a minute.
His brain, which usually ran at a thousand miles an hour in chaotic directions, suddenly started connecting dots with a logic that was purely his own.
Hinata was the first. She was the first one to trust me. When I told her about the Falna, she didn't laugh. She didn't call me crazy. She just said 'Yes'.
He remembered Kurenai, on the porch, saying trust was the key.
She trusted me! And then Sakura trusted me! And Kurenai trusted me! And we all got super strong! Hinata was the start of it all!
His mind jumped to the Hyūga compound, to Hanabi's scorn.
And she defended me! In front of her weirdo sister! And then she gave me that kiss!
He looked at his frog wallet, now bulging with money.
That kiss... It had to be a good luck charm! A power seal! It gave me the luck to find Tsunade! And Tsunade's money came from my luck!
The conclusion was instant, brilliant, and absolutely logical to him.
It's all thanks to Hinata! She's the first member of my 'Familia'. I'm the leader. And the leader has to reward his team! I'm rich, and she's the one who started it all.
"That's it!" he yelled, making a nearby dog bark.
"This is a mission! A Thank-You Mission of Rank S... no, Rank SS! Super-Special! Objective: Find Hinata and buy her the best bowl of ramen a legendary Sannin's money can buy! Dattebayo!"
With a new purpose burning in his chest, he shot out of his apartment, leaving an orange dust trail behind.
He raced through Konoha's streets at full speed, dodging civilians and leaping over vegetable carts, completely focused on his "SS Mission." He rounded a corner near the market and slammed head-first into something solid that smelled like wet dog.
"Oof!"
"Watch where you're going, idiot!"
Naruto untangled himself from a mess of limbs and white fur. Kiba was on the ground, rubbing his head, and Akamaru was barking, indignant.
"I don't have time for you, Kiba!" Naruto snapped, jumping to his feet. "I'm on an ultra-secret mission!"
Kiba got up, brushing himself off. "A mission? We just got back?" He narrowed his eyes, his nose twitching. "Wait... Do you smell like money? A lot of money? Did you rob a bank, Naruto?"
"It's the mission pay!" Naruto lied. "Now get out of my way! I have to go see Hinata!"
Kiba froze. "Hinata? My teammate, Hinata? Why are you going to see her? And why do you have that idiot look on your face?"
"It's... tactical! Team stuff! See ya!"
Naruto shot off again, leaving Kiba alone in the middle of the street.
"Team stuff...?" Kiba muttered, confused. "That idiot... What the hell is he plotting now?"
Naruto ran up to the imposing gates of the Hyūga compound. And stopped dead.
Okay. The gate.
The mission confidence faded a bit. He remembered the last time, the icy chill from the guards, Hanabi's arrogance. He remembered Kiba's stories about how strict they were.
I can't just yell her name. That's not... worthy of a Thank-You Mission. I have to be respectful.
He paced in front of the entrance. Do I knock? Do they have a doorbell? What if her scary dad comes out and hits me with his weird fist?
He was about to lose his patience and just yell her name anyway, when the main gate slid open.
Hinata stepped out.
She wasn't wearing her mission gear, but a simple, pale lavender civilian dress and sandals. She was carrying a small cloth bag, ready to run errands. She looked... normal. Relaxed. And when she looked up and saw him, she froze.
"N-Naruto-kun!"
Naruto felt a wave of relief. "Hinata! Just in time! I was... uh... waiting strategically!"
She blushed, a color he was already finding familiar. "What... what are you doing here? Did something bad happen? Is Sasuke-kun...?"
"He's great!" he interrupted, running up to her, vibrating with energy. "He's out of danger! Tsunade fixed him! And that's why I'm here!"
"That's why?"
"Yeah! Listen, this is important!" He stopped right in front of her. "First, thank you! For everything. For believing me about the Falna, and defending me from your sister, and... well, for everything!"
"I... I didn't do much, Naruto-kun..."
"And second!" he continued, not letting her finish. "That kiss you gave me on our first date!"
Hinata's brain shut down.
The color drained from her face. "The... th-the... k-k-kiss...?!"
Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. He remembers. He's going to make fun of me. He's going to tell me I'm a weird stalker. He's going to hate me. I'm going to...
"It was awesome!" Naruto yelled.
Hinata stopped in the middle of her panic spiral. "...Huh?"
"Yeah! I think it gave me super good luck!" Naruto shook his frog wallet in front of her face, which jingled with the sound of many coins. "Because right after that, I found Grandma Tsunade and she gave me all this money! And since you were the first one to trust me and you gave me the lucky kiss, it's my duty as team leader to thank you properly!"
Hinata could barely breathe. "D-duty...?"
"Exactly!" Naruto nodded, his logic impeccable to him. "So! I'm taking you on a date!"
He said the word "date" with the same seriousness and matter-of-fact tone he would use to declare an S-Rank mission.
For Hinata, however, the word was a direct Jūken strike to her nervous system. Her face went from pale white to the deepest red Naruto had ever seen.
"D-d-d... da... te...?"
Hinata's eyes rolled back. Her body swayed.
"Ah, crap!" Naruto yelled, realizing what was coming. "Wait! Not again!"
He lunged forward just in time to catch her before her head hit the pavement. He ended up on his knees in front of the Hyūga compound gate, holding a completely unconscious Hinata in his arms.
A Hyūga guard at the watch post simply glanced at him, sighed, and looked away, proving this was an almost normal occurrence.
Naruto looked down at Hinata's peaceful, fainted face.
"...Is that a 'yes'?"
Half an hour later, Naruto was in his element, sitting on his favorite stool at Ichiraku Ramen, devouring a Miso Char Siu Deluxe bowl. Beside him, Hinata sat very straight, sipping a glass of water with both hands, visibly recovering from the shock.
Ayame leaned over the counter, a mischievous smirk on her face.
"Alright, Naruto, you have to tell us," she said, wiping an already clean glass. "This is the second time you've brought a Kunoichi on a date." She gestured to the pale girl. "And this time, you had to carry her here. What exactly did you do to her, Naruto?"
Naruto swallowed loudly. "I didn't do anything! I just asked her on a date! And it's an official date!"
He slapped the frog wallet on the counter, where it made a satisfying thud. "Two deluxe bowls, Ayame-neechan! Double char siu and double egg! Today, Grandma Tsunade is paying!"
Teuchi laughed from the kitchen. "Well said, Naruto! A ramen date is the best kind of date. And one paid for by a Sannin is legendary."
"A date...?" Hinata whispered, her voice finally returning as she stared at the water glass.
"Sure! A Thank-You Mission!" Naruto said. "And you have to eat. It's the best part!"
The steaming bowls arrived, and the heavenly aroma of the broth seemed to bring Hinata back to life. She took a timid sip, and then another. A little color returned to her cheeks.
"It's... it's delicious, Naruto-kun," she said, managing a small smile.
"Right? Best in the world!" Naruto started talking between slurps, telling his version of the story. "And then Kurenai—I mean, Kurenai-sensei—was on the ground, bleeding! And I got super mad! And then, BAM! The bad guy was on the ground! And then Grandma Tsunade gave me all this money 'cause she said I was her 'Orange Lucky Leech,' which is a cool nickname! And then you fainted!"
Hinata listened, her new confidence and the power of the Falna helping to keep her anchored. She was no longer the girl who fainted at every word. Well, mostly.
"I... I'm glad you're okay, Naruto-kun," she said, her voice gaining a little strength. "What you did in the swamp... It was... it was very brave."
Naruto blushed, which was rare for him. "Ah, that was nothing! A good leader has to protect his team, you know! And she's part of our family now! Just like you!"
"Family..." Hinata repeated, and this time, the smile was wide and genuine. "I like that."
They ate in comfortable silence for a moment. Naruto realized something. He wasn't trying to impress anyone, like he always did with Sakura. He wasn't competing, like with Sasuke. He was just... eating ramen. With his friend. A friend who thought he was brave.
"You know," Naruto said, finishing his broth. "You're the only person who hasn't called me an 'idiot' all week. That's a new record!"
Hinata giggled, a soft, clear sound. "That's because you're not an idiot, Naruto-kun." She paused, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You're just... very loud."
Naruto threw his head back and laughed, a loud, honest sound. "Better! Better than idiot! I'll take it!"
"Alright, main course is over," Naruto announced as he paid the bill (leaving an absurdly large tip that made Ayame hug him). "Time for dessert!"
"Oh, no, Naruto-kun, I'm so full..."
"Nonsense! A true shinobi always has room for dango! It's tactical energy storage! Let's go!"
He dragged her, this time only figuratively, to a nearby dango stand. He bought two sticks of mitarashi dango and handed one to her. They walked slowly through the Konoha streets as the sun began to set, painting the sky orange.
It was... nice. Peaceful. Naruto talked about Tonton, and Hinata actually listened, asking questions about what Shizune was like.
Just as they were chatting, they saw a pink-haired figure walk past them.
"Naruto? Hinata?" Sakura stopped, surprised to see them together.
Naruto, his mouth full of dango, waved with the stick. "'Hey, S'kura-chan!" He swallowed hard. "We're on a date! Look, I bought her dango! Want one? I'm buying! I'm rich!"
Sakura looked at them. Naruto, with soy sauce on the corner of his mouth. Hinata, blushing, but... smiling. A genuine, not-about-to-faint smile. They were alone. Sharing food. And they looked... good.
Hinata even dared to speak. "G-good evening, Sakura-san. We just... came from Ichiraku."
Sakura's brain processed the scene. A date? He... he asked her on a date? A real one?
The memory of the kiss at the camp, her desperate, clinical experiment, hit her hard. The embarrassment, and then, the memory of how Naruto had covered for her in front of Hinata. How he hadn't made fun of her. How, instead of calling her weird, he had just joked about it.
He... he was nice.
Her heart gave a weird, uncomfortable thump.
He's an idiot. He's loud. He smells like ramen.
She watched Naruto offer her a dango stick, his smile wide and uncomplicated.
But he's... nice. He's nice to me. He's nice to Hinata. He's... actually a good guy.
She felt her face heat up.
Oh, no. No, no, no. I can't be... Am I... jealous? The thought was terrifying. He's buying Hinata dango. Will he ever... ask me on a date? A real one?
"Sakura-chan? You okay?" Naruto's voice pulled her from her trance. "Your face is red. You want one or not?"
Sakura blinked. "Ah... What? Oh. Yeah. Sure."
She took the dango stick, her fingers brushing his. She took a small, shy bite, looking away so they wouldn't see her blush. The dango was sweet.
"Thanks, Naruto."
"No problem!" he said, grinning. "We're a team, you know! We share the spoils! And I've got a lot of spoils right now!"
Sakura looked at him. Really looked at him. And for the first time, she thought the dango crumbs on his cheek were... almost... adorable.
I'm in so much trouble.
***
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