AN: Taking a short break, less then three hours, from BLIND, my fav fan fic. This is a sequel to Moonlight Snowfall, or whatever I called my second One Shot. You don't need to read it to get this one thought, but I like it.
Maybe you will too?
Neh?
Meh.
Sunlit Snow
By Tazaki4
Freshly fallen snow covered the city of Konoha in a blanket of white.
No missions were being given out today except D-ranked ones to genins who needed extra money for the holidays. No one was really doing anything, most shops were closed and people were inside enjoying the warmth of a roaring fire and pleasant company.
One girl, though, was on a mission by herself.
An unofficial mission.
Her goal?
To make one of her best friend's stay in the hospital a little more enjoyable.
Naruto Uzumaki had recently been brought back to Konoha on the very verge of death, so close that no one even understood what kept him going. Hinata had thought she was about to lose the most influencial person in her life.
When he had recovered miraculously, she had been so relieved she barely remembered doing something she would never had done under any other circumstances.
Hinata Hyuga, carrying a covered bowl of hot ramen in her hands, while hobbling on crutches, had to stop for a moment and calm herself at the memory.
Her cheeks weren't just red from the cold.
She brought one hand up to her lips and touched them lightly, remembering exactly what she had done when Naruto had slipped into unconsciousness.
Most people wouldn't understand what Hinata saw in the blond haired kid. He was a decent shinobi, but no genius. He survived things others couldn't, but that just meant he lived to die again later. He never quit, but that really just meant that he failed a lot and was to stubborn to admit defeat.
These attributes were seen by others as his downfalls.
Hinata saw them as his upbringings.
He was a great shinobi while not being a genius, proving that even the worst can work hard to achieve their dreams. He could survive where others could not, making him unique and gifted person. He never quit, meaning no matter how many times he fell he would get back up again.
Just the kind of person Hinata needed to be. To look up to.
To fall in love with.
It was true. Hinata had been in love with Naruto for a long time, longer then she could remember. It had started as a crush, but somewhere between age nine and eighteen it developed into a very sincere love.
And then, while he had been under the influence of a near death experience and heavy pain killers, he had asked her on a date.
Hinata knew he probably wouldn't remember he ever even saw her there that night, two nights ago, but that moment and the one to follow it would be forever burned into her memory.
The kiss.
Hinata blushed again as she carried her extra large bowl of miso ramen, steaming even through the covering on it. She was still on crutches from her accident a few days ago in the great race to recover Naruto from the Akatsuki.
Hinata stepped through the snow with the telltale sound of fresh snow. A sort of crunch that no one understands, but makes sense anyway. She smiled. The snow shined in the sun like a billion sparkling diamonds, each flake catching the light so perfectly as to reflect it back to her in all their glory. It was like they were each shouting at her, "Look at me, I'm the most beautiful out here!"
Hinata giggled at that thought and kept walking.
Hinata Hyuga was the Hyuga heiress and a very well brought up girl. Proper and kind, shy and diminutive, calm and serene. Hinata was like physical grace walking. She had matured over the years to become that way. True, no one noticed her flowing dark blue hair that came to her waist. No one noticed how her face had gone from 'kind of cute in a way' to 'she's pretty hott'. No one had noticed the change, like it had never occurred.
The only person who had ever told her she was beautiful was her sister, and it was in a jealous manner.
If a complete stranger to Hinata had walked into Konoha looking for a woman her age to marry based on looks, wealth, or personality… Hinata would win in every case.
But she wouldn't tell you that. She didn't even see herself as pretty or having a good personality.
Maybe because the only one's attention she wanted…
Had eyes for another.
Hinata sighed. She was nearing the hospital, and only then did she realize that Sakura might actually be there.
Maybe she already brought him ramen!
Hers would just go to waste…
No, that was a foolish though. Naruto never didn't have room in his stomach for ramen.
Hinata remembered times when she would randomly find herself in the ramen bar at the same time as Naruto. The only reason she had started eating ramen was because she had heard Naruto say it was the best food he had ever tasted. So she had tried it and thought it was pretty good. She would have a bowl every once and a while and Naruto would sometimes have twenty a day.
He was like that.
And she loved him for it.
Why?
Hinata had no clue.
It was just one of his delightful personality quirks, like being trusting of everyone until they gave him reason not to. Protecting people he never knew before because it was the right thing to do, even if it cost him his mission's success. And changing people for the better just with a few words or a fight…
She had been on the receiving end of that one…
Maybe that was why she loved him so much.
Hinata had finally reached the hospital, where she tried to stamp the snow from her boots, but failed due to her ankle, before taking out her pair of inside shoes, which she always had in a pocket, and put them on. She once again picked up the bowl of ramen and smiled at the nurse on duty.
"Ano… is… Naruto-kun… awake?"
"Hm? Uzumaki? Yeah, he's fine now. Slept all day yesterday, but now he's trying to escape."
"That… that sounds like him."
"Third door from the end on your right."
"Arigato."
Hinata walked calmly down the hallway, trying her best to remain calm on the inside as much as she looked on the outside. She walked with all the grace of a dancer or an assassin, both of which she was capable of. Even with crutches, her movements couldn't be called anything less then divine.
She stopped outside his door, pausing to calm herself one last time before knocking on the door.
"Oi! Is that you, bachan?"
"A… ano… um… actually… it's me…"
"Me? Me who?"
"A… well… I…" She was spared the trouble of answering when Naruto himself opened the door.
"Hinata?" Naruto's face went from smiling to slightly confused.
"A… hai. I… I brought you some ramen… Naruto-kun."
"Ramen? Alright Hinata! They won't let me eat anything here but vegetables! You're a lifesaver." He ushered her in and she tried her best to smile and not blush as she took a seat after handing the bowl and a pair of chop sticks to Naruto. She failed in the blush department, but managed a smile.
"Alright, ramen. Itadakimasu!" And Naruto dug in. Hinata just sat in a chair and watched. She did this for about ten seconds before Naruto got about half way through the bowl. Then, strangely, Naruto stopped and looked at her with the same confused look on his face.
"Hinata… do you have anything to eat?"
"A… I… I ate before I came…" It was a lie, but if, dare she think it, he try to share his ramen with her, she would probably die of joy overdose. It was a great plan, until her stomach betrayed her. It let out an incredibly loud grumble in the silence of the room. It only made her blush more and look away from him.
"Hm? It sounds like you're still a little hungry. Do want to eat some?"
"No! I mean… I couldn't… it's yours, Naruto-kun."
"But you bought it."
"I bought it for you, though."
"So I can give it to whoever I want, right?"
"Demo… you love ramen, Naruto-kun! I… I thought… you'd want it all. I'm fine, really."
"If you're sure…"
"Hai. Please, Naruto-kun… enjoy it."
"Alright, but only because you told me to."
Hinata blushed even deeper red as he finished the bowl.
Because of me?
When Naruto was done he happily patted his stomach in a way that reminded her exactly of himself six years in the past.
Naruto glanced at her again, and once more had a strange confused look pass over his face. Finally, after a few seconds of just staring at her with her looking away, he said something.
"Hey… Hinata… do you know what happened to me in the Akatsuki layer?"
"I… not really. I broke my ankle trying to find the trail. So… I wasn't able to go…"
"Oh, that was you?"
"Ano…"
"I heard someone ran on a busted ankle for a few miles to get the information to the Hokage. That was you? Thanks!"
"Ano… I…"
"Really, Hinata, arigato."
She smiled back at him as he smiled at her. Then his smile dropped a bit.
"When I was in there, they dragged the Kyuubi from me. That is what almost killed me."
"Oh, Naruto-kun. Gomen…"
"Why, it wasn't your fault? You don't need to be sorry. I just wanted you to know because, well… because I don't contain a demon anymore."
"… and?"
"And… I thought you told me… that one time… that you respected me because I had that in me…"
"That's not what I meant at all, Naruto-kun! I said… gomen, for shouting…demo, I said that knowing you had a demon trapped inside you only made me respect you more. I… I always respected you, Naruto-kun. Since… since before I can remember."
"Really?"
"Hai."
"I… I guess I just thought… cause… well… no one really cared about me for the…"
"Naruto-kun, I always cared for you."
"Cared for me?"
"I… ano… what I meant to say was…"
"Hinata, can you tell me something?"
"I… probably?"
"Before I went unconscious two nights ago I heard someone talking to me, it was what brought me back. I guess I decided that if someone was going to cry over me then I had to keep living a while longer. Then… I saw you and bachan for the smallest instant. And then I closed my eyes and… and I thought I felt someone kiss me. Can you tell me, was that bachan?"
Hinata didn't know what to say. He had felt it? He had noticed? He had heard? Hinata blushed redder then blood. She couldn't answer so she just shock her head, no.
"I didn't think so. That wasn't her tears I felt on my chest, either."
Shake of the head.
"And the talking?"
Shake of the head.
"It was you?"
No movement at all.
"I'm not angry with you, Hinata. You literally brought me back to life with your words."
No movement still.
Naruto sighed.
"Hinata… I… I wanted to tell you that I really appreciate you always being there for me and for everything you've done for me. Everything… and… and I wanted to tell you that two nights ago I saw something I can't believe I never saw before. You… you're beautiful, Hinata."
Hinata let out a small gasp.
"I'm not just saying that. You… you don't know what it is like to wake up from death and see the face of an angel only to find she's staying here on earth."
Hinata didn't laugh, she was too shocked.
"So… well… you see… if you wanted to do the whole… go for ramen sometime thing… I'd be up for it."
Hinata just stared at him. Her mouth was moving but no sounds came out.
"Hinata? Are you ok?"
Hinata shock her head, no. Naruto's face grew worried.
"Do you need a doctor? Are you sick? It was me, wasn't it… I shouldn't have just rushed into it like that…"
"HAI!"
"Huh?"
"HAI, I'LL GO FOR RAMEN, NARUTO-KUN!' Hinata acted like she was forcing the words from her throat and they were trying to hold on. She looked in pain from saying those words. Naruto smiled.
"Really?"
"Ha…Ha…Ha…."
"Hai?"
Nod.
"Should I stick to yes or no questions?"
Nod.
"Hinata, if I told you I thought I might, possibly, have started falling in love with you since that time we were chasing after Sasuke two years ago, would you be happy?"
Vigorous nods.
"Well, I think I'm falling in love with you, Hinata-chan."
Hinata passed out.
As she fell into Naruto's arms the sun started to shine into Naruto's room. Naruto walked to the window and looked out at the blinding whiteness that sparkled and shown like heaven had burst open.
The sun was beautiful today, and the snow just made it more so.
Naruto looked back at Hinata who had a silly grin on her face.
His sunny place was even more beautiful then all of Konoha under the blanket of diamonds.
He couldn't even compare the two.