Orange, Spirals and Everything Nice

Sixteen: Just Friends

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.

The cold winter breeze blew from the windows of Hinata's hospital room where Naruto had taken her after she suddenly fainted after he attempted to blow the dust off her eyes earlier.

Sakura had hit Naruto's head after he had explained what happened to the heiress when his teammate checked on her. The medic-nin had lectured him about being cautious whenever he decides to get close to the Hyuuga.

Naruto wondered about that.
Hinata didn't faint the last time he hugged her abruptly.

"So why did she faint now?"

The hero's eyes strayed towards Hinata when the girl finally fluttered her pale eyes open and jolted up on the bed the second she realized what had happened.

"How are you feeling?" Naruto asked guiltily while he sat on a chair beside her bed.

Hinata turned to him and instantly flushed when she remembered what happened just before she fainted. She honestly thought that she had gotten over the fainting habit already.

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun. I caused you trouble again." Hinata apologized and bowed to the hero.

Naruto frantically shook his head at her while waving his hands in the air. "Sakura-chan told me that I might've made you uncomfortable when I got too close to you. I should be the one apologizing, Hinata."

Hinata quickly shook her head at him. "It-It's alright, Naruto-kun. I wasn't offended or anything at all." she reassured him, because she obviously can't tell him what she really felt a while ago.

Naruto sighed with a small pout as he squinted his blue eyes at her as if he was analyzing her features. Hinata quickly turned away from him to hide another furious blush.
She can't afford to faint again.

And she really needs to do something about the fainting.

"You're a little too kind, don't you think?" Naruto finally broke the long silence between them.

Hinata shot her head back at him with a confused look on her face.

The hero chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "You should probably speak up more, Hinata." he advised casually without meeting her eyes.

"Because it's not fair if only I keep on receiving your kindness. So I'd prefer it if you complain about my mistakes like Sakura-chan or Shikamaru. And I'd rather listen to you nag at me sometimes because I strangely find it comforting in a way. Sorry, I can't really explain it either... but that's how I feel -ttebayo."

Hinata blinked in shock after hearing those words from the knucklehead. Naruto just gave her another reason to lose her mind. But she also felt butterflies in her stomach and her heart was filled with warmth.

Hinata was absolutely delighted to hear those words from the boy she admired all her life. It's a pity that Naruto was so new to those kinds of feelings. It's also a little disappointing that he didn't understand what his own emotions are telling him at all.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata simply answered with a heartfelt smile, making the blonde even more confused. But he chose to let it slide because he saw her smile again.

Smiling really suited her more.

"But I don't think I'll ever complain about your mistakes because I don't really consider them a bad thing." Hinata continued. "Yes, you do cause a lot of trouble but you always make up for them anyway. Because you are kind, Naruto-kun. And you always do everything you can to help others. I've consistently looked up to you because of that."