Hinata And Naruto: After The Kiss

Chapter 29

Naruto was tired. They where almost due to go back to the Hidden Leaf and he couldn't wait. Naruto had spent the free time he had either with Hinata or training with Gaara. Gaara had been working him for the past two days straight almost no time to rest. They had gone out about a half hour into the dessert so that any stray attacks wouldn't damage the village. Hinata had stayed with them for the first day but had then gone back to the village to help with the finishing touches on some of the buildings.

As Naruto and Gaara walked back to the Sand Village the chatted about everyday complaints and over all acted like tired teenage boys. Gaara had enjoyed the time spent with his friend but the responsibility of being Kazekage was weighing in again. A skirmish between sand ninjas and a nomad tribe was giving him a headache. Hinata and Naruto where leaving in three days so they were on a rush to help finish one last building. If Gaara hadn't kept Naruto for training and talking they would probably be done by now.

As they neared the village Hinata greeted them at the gate. She politely greeted Gaara and then gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at his slight blush and explained why she was here to meet them at the gate. Temari needed Gaara to help resolve a paperwork issue and Naruto needed to come with her to the building sight. They had to finish the main framework for the last building today if they were to get done on time. Naruto complained of his tiredness as he dutifully followed Hinata to the build site. When he got there he waved to the few clones running around. He had made a habit of leaving a few clones to help build when he left to train. These ones had been going for a full day now but where still going strong. Or so he thought.

As they set about work the clones and the original Naruto were lifting heavy beams up into place. They were lifting the beams up on a pulley system. They had been using the same set up the entire month they were working so a rope had begun to fray. Many things coincided at this moment to cause disaster. Two clones ran out of chakra and poofed, a rope snapped, and Hinata was walking underneath the beam. Naruto looked on in horror as the beam fell. He couldn't move. Terror had him bolted in place. Hinata looked up and her scream shattered his restraints. Naruto started to run. He had to make it. But he wouldn't. He gather chakra in a split second and flung it out from his body into a shield around Hinata. She was enveloped in a cloud of yellowish orange chakra just as the beam struck.

Naruto skidded to a halt as dust filled the air. "Hinata!" He cried hopping to hear something that proved she was alive. He got no response. "HINATA!" The dust was settling and he saw it.

The beam lay shattered into pieces on the ground. The pieces lay on the ground surrounding the figure of a crouch Hinata. Who was still alive! She was cowering underneath a fox head shaped shield of chakra. The fact that he had successfully made a chakra shield was a thousand times less important than the fact Hinata was alright. He rushed forward and passed right through the shield as it dispelled around him. He wrapped Hinata in his arms and sat down as his legs gave out in relief.

Hinata sobbed into his shirt. She clung to him and he sat there trying to calm his racing heart. She didn't seem to be hurt but she seemed scared still. The emotions he felt must have been nothing compared to how Hinata must have felt. He held Hinata close as he could and tried to make sense of the emotions that ran through him. Relief now coursed through him as he held Hinata close. But the fear of what could have happened remained in the front of his mind even as others showed up drawn by the sound of Hinata's scream. People gathered around in a circle around the debris and the shaken young couple.

After giving a shaky and terror filled account of what happened Naruto and Hinata where escorted back to their apartment and left alone for the time being. Sitting in silence together was all they could do. Naruto refused to let go of Hinata's hand. He couldn't let go. If he let go he felt the pain of thinking he had lost her. Finally Hinata whispered that she needed the bathroom and he let go. The cold feeling that filled him made him shiver. As he sat there the thought in the back of his mind wormed its way to the front.

Thinking he had lost her had made his resolve solid. He couldn't wait any longer. He stood up and walked over to his bag. His bag sat limply in the corner he had tossed it to when he had finally unpacked into the drawers in the room. But the bag wasn't completely empty. Inside the bag sat a small box. The box held a ring. The ring was meant for Hinata. He had brought the ring with him for some reason. He didn't want to keel the ring anymore. The ring was Hinata's now. Even if he didn't give it to her now, he was asking Hiashi the second he got back. He couldn't wait any longer. The door to the bathroom clicked and Naruto tucked the box into his pocket as he stood. He turned to face Hinata and almost fell over as she rushed at him and entangled him in a hug.

"I was so scared." Hinata whispered into Naruto's shirt as she clung to him. "I heard the snap of the rope and I looked up to see this shadow racing down on me. I screamed. I thought it was the end. Then it was warm. I thought I was dead. But I wasn't. You saved me."

Naruto just held Hinata. "I thought I had lost you. The pain in my heart for those few seconds I didn't know if you were alive is something I will never ever forget." A soft sob from Hinata was the only response he got.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little box. "Hey Hinata."

"Yes Naruto?"

"Will you marry me?"

A soft laugh came from Hinata. "You know I will."

"No I mean really." Naruto pulled away from Hinata and held out his hand with the little box. "This is not how I thought I would do this but I can't wait. Hinata Hyuga," Naruto paused to do as the book said, he got down on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

Hinata's hands flew up to her mouth and she started to cry all over again. She shook her head up and down vigorously and reached out to open the little box. As she opened the lid she saw a very simple yet very beautiful ring. A simple gold band with a small diamond set in it. A small carving of the hidden leaf symbol was on the inside of the ring next the the characters spelling out Hinata Uzumaki Hyuga. Naruto lifted the ring out of the box and held out the ring. Hinata extended her fingers so Naruto could slide the ring on her finger. The cool metal brushed against her flushed skin as the ring slid into place. She lifted her hand to look at it and then looked back at Naruto. He was standing there with a smile so big it looked like it would break his face. She smiled back and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She pulled back after a few seconds. "I love you."

"I love you too. More than you know."

"I love you more than that. And before this turns into a cheesy argument can I kiss you again?"

Naruto chuckled deeply. "Of course."

Hey people! This chapter marks the beginning of the end of this story. While the thought makes me sad we all knew it had to come around sometime. I can't believe how much this story has grown since I published chapter 1 back in September of 2016. I love all you guys and I'll see you all for the next chapter!