A Light In The Dark

Untitled Part 7

I do not own Naruto.

Izumo grinned and he followed Hinata throughout konoha. Her friends looked at the pair oddly but soon enough strolled over to see what was going on. Naruto, Ino, and Menma were the first ones they saw. Naruto was giving Izumo a disapproving look, but he figured he wasn't quite informed of their current situation. "Naruto..." Izumo began but the look of dislike didn't leave his face. "Why are you following her around?" he asked, a look of sheer distaste was on his face. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were pursed in an amusingly accusing way.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata said with a smile and Naruto shivered and slowly looked at her with a nervous smile. "Do I need to begin the search for a new Hokage?" she asked and even Izumo paled, she still had some evil in her after all. "H-Hinata-chan... that isn't necessary..." he said and Sasuke strolled over and blinked then glared at Izumo. "So it was you..." he grumbled darkly which sent chills down Izumo's spine. "What did I do?" he asked and Sasuke glared at him and opened his mouth to speak but Hinata walked in between her blonde friend and raven haired friend. She giggled lightly and draped her arms around Sasuke and Naruto's necks.

"Now, boys...I understand you are jealous... but seriously, there's no need to be jealous or overprotective." Hinata said with a smile as the grip of her arms around their necks tightened a bit. "Oh, Sasuke..." she said with a ruffle of his hair. He looked at her with curious eyes. "I'm surprised you made it out of the hospital this month...but even more surprising you made it out this week. I could arrange a trip to see Tsunade-chan if you wish." She said sincerely and he paled and locked eyes with Izumo, then he grinned.

"She's all yours, bro. It was nice knowing you." Sasuke said and Izumo sighed. "Look...I know she has the ability to scare the hell out of the both of you...but I mean really...I understand. I would love to have the old Hinata back, the sweet kind hearted woman who would never raise a fist to anyone who didn't deserve it, but you know...life sucks and shit happens. Either way I accept her just as she is." Izumo said and Hinata's arms dropped from her friends shoulders.

Her eyes were clouded over in disappointment at her brash nature and she looked down to her hands. "Thank you Izumo...I just wish I could be that person again...but I never will. I have made mistakes and so has everyone else, but mine...my mistakes made me unconsciously belittle you and bully them...I'm sorry." She said and was fiddling with her fingers, but it was not as it used to be she wasn't nervous, she wasn't blushing. She was just disappointed in herself for acting like a spoiled child.

That had been the first day back in konoha, the two had heard that someone had made her mood brighter and they figured that it had been the one everyone thought she would get with, but it had been the one who she had looked over for so long. Hinata opened the front door to Naruto's house, Naruto, Menma, Sasuke and Izumo had been there helping set up baby Menma's new bedroom. It was something friends did she guessed. She looked over at Izumo with a small smile. Everything felt different with him...some things were better...some made her chest hurt...

He held a hand out to her and she smiled and reached for his hand. "Now how about be go get something to eat." He said and she nodded and smiled, but behind her smile was a frown, his hand was comforting and warm...but it was different than what she had felt before when she had reached to grab HIS hand...his had felt like a guardian, like he would always be there to protect her and care for her. His hand had always pulled her to her feet when she was down, his had given her strength, but in the end...his took her strength away. He was never there anymore, he was always avoiding her, he let her fight her own battles and only showed up when it threatened to kill his mission or information he needed.

Ino watched as Hinata walked off with Izumo, a frown stretched over her lips. "She likes him...but she doesn't like him like that. She is trying to fill the hole a certain someone left." Ino said and Naruto frowned. "You know this... how?" Sasuke asked and Ino bounced Menma on her hip as she looked over to her raven haired friend. "Her eyes said it all..." she sighed and Naruto frowned. "Hinata always did have bad taste in guys." Naruto sighed and looked over at Ino who glared at him.