The Orange Fox And The Lioness

Dedication

He was caught, like a Fox in a hunter's trap. Pain had cut off all his mobility, so there was no escape, no back up to come help him as he had ordered everyone to stay away for their own sake. Naruto was scared, to be honest. He knew that without a way to defend himself, he would die. So he dealt with this fear with the same way as anything: keeping up his bravado of courage.

He knew that there was no hope though, as his adversary closed in on him for the final attack. But he wouldn't look away; wouldn't stop thinking of a way to get out till his last breath; wouldn't back down regardless of whatever the outcome may be. There were so many things he hadn't done, like bring back his 'brother' back home to Sakura. He would never become Hokage, never find someone to love—then a war cry cut the air catching both men's attention, and Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as the most unexpected ally jumping between him and Pain.

Her lavender hair waved through the air, as Hinata stood in front of him. She had instantly slipped into her fighting stance. He at first shouted out to her, but was cut off when she began to speak. Naruto was tempted to interject again when the Fox whispered, 'Be silent for once, boy. She has something important to say.'

He stayed silent only to have his eyes widen even more, if possible. Three words came from her mouth, words that he had never heard from anyone. Naruto was stunned, literally speechless. All he could think was 'Why me?'  and 'For how long?'. In the blink of an eye, the normally quiet girl he once thought he knew spun on her heel, striking the poles that were blocking his chakra! She was instantly repelled by Pain, only to get up with blood on her face.

Naruto caught a glimpse of rage that he had never seen on Hinata's normally calm face after Pain had stepped in-between him and the girl, as she suddenly conjured up Twin Lion heads on her fist. He knew in his gut that on any other enemy other than Pain, the attack would have been fatal. The raven haired kunoichi rushed Pain in an attempt to strike….and succeeded in landing a blow!

Having pushed the threat further away, Naruto watched as Hinata turned back to help free him—her efforts were in vain when she was repulsed into the air, almost gracefully like a ballerina. All the while, the Fox's voice echoed in his head as he screamed out her name, 'She loves you for you, boy. This girl came here to save you, despite know that may very well cost her own life. What are you willing to do to avenge her, if she dies before your eyes for your own sake?'

He can only watch as she pulls herself up, voicing his wish for her to stop. She's at first limping towards Naruto, Pain doing nothing but watching this event play out before him. Naruto can't stand the guilt in his heart for not recognizing this amazing girl earlier on. Pain ask her why she's willing to risk her life for the Fox's jailer and her response cause Naruto to look at her one more time: "I stand by what I say….because…that's my ninja way."

Those words…he had said the same thing to her, to everybody, once upon a time. His nindo was her nindo, and Naruto couldn't believe it for some reason. Then, every sound is tuned out from around him, as he can only watch Pain project her into the air and slam her next to him. The only thing that penetrates Naruto's state of shock is the sound of metal piercing flesh.

Something inside of Naruto snaps….the only girl who's ever loved him, has now perished at the hand of the man who has killed his teachers. It goes against everything he believes in to use this power, but the rage in his heart is now not something a promise can quell. Naruto can only see red….for anger….for rage….for love that will now never happen….

                                                                                            ***

It's a reckless thing—love that is. It makes you do things you promised yourself you'd never do, or things that you wish you would earlier on. Hinata had heard from Sakura what happened to Suna's Kazekage. She's had nightmares about it happen to Naruto ever since then. Hinata knows that without someone to back him up, Naruto will more than likely die. She…she can't have that, she won't allow him to die….at least not before he understands how she feels.

So here she was standing in between the boy she had come to love over the years and the man who had singlehandly destroyed her home. She smiled to herself, as he told to get to safety, to run. "'Idiot I can't do that. Not with you like this.' I'm just being selfish," The Hyuga heiress started to say.

It had only taken her a minute to say what she needed to express, but for her it felt like a lifetime. As she spoke she remembered all the times he had helped her, inspired her to be better without really knowing he was doing so. Naruto, of course, was stunned. Not that she was surprised—it wasn't ever day a girl you thought as a dark weirdo confessed her love to you on the battlefield. Taking a silent breath, Hinata slipped into her Gentle Fist stance.

With her Byakugan blazing she saw Pain tense a little. Inside her head she smirked, but in reality Hinata spun around to strike one of the poles. Both men were caught off guard by this, but Pain didn't hesitate in blasting her away with some unknown power. Creating some distance between her and Naruto, Hinata's eyes narrowed as Pain.

She rushed her adversary with her strongest attack, regardless of the fact it would be useless, for he had killed both Kakashi and Lord Jiraya. Unexpectedly a blow connected with Pain's jaw, but instead of following up she turned to her primary target: rescuing the boy who had saved her from herself.

When she reached him, Hinata got in at least another good strike in before being repelled again. She hit the ground, her only thought on her mind at that moment was 'Did I just crack a rib?' Despite the pain that was jolting through her entire body as she stood, she still had a personal mission to finish. She wasn't dead yet, so what reason was there to stop? Her knees gave way as she struggled toward Naruto, but she was resolved not to quit as she crawled to him.

When Pain asked her as to why she was doing this, Hinata smiled. The words she chose to respond with were sure to get rid of any doubt in Naruto about her affections, that they'd inspire him as it had done her. She needed to tell this boy who had been so alone in the world for so long, that he wasn't alone any more, not truly.

When all was said, the next thing Hinata knew was being slammed into the ground and then a sharp piercing feeling in a near her heart. She lay motionless, the pain was too great to attempt to move as a fericous roar shook the ground below her and a flash of light reflected against her white eyes….

                                                                                          ***

A month had now passed since that single event. Not to say that Naruto had been avoiding the girl, but he had done a pretty good job in making sure to steer clear of her. It's not that he didn't want to talk to her about it, it was more like he hadn't found the time too what with dealing with an old friend of his. That and he didn't exactly know how. What, was he supposed to say 'Hey, you love me, I think your cute, let's go fall madly in love with each other?'?

He had always wanted to be accepted by others, he never thought someone could actually feel for him the way she did. He couldn't even make sense as to why—okay he knew very well as to why, but he didn't know approach her about it. Never knowing any type of affection how was Naruto supposed to show it to someone else. Respect he could do. Admiration, sure. A small crush that'll lead to nowhere, no problem. But the 'L' word? That was something different entirely.

The boy was so lost inside his own thoughts that he couldn't even eat his ramen—or notice that a certain raven-haired shinobi was sitting beside him! The second he looked up and to his right, Naruto fell out of the chair with a startled cry. "Hi-Hinata! How long have you been there?" He stammered. The girl giggled a little, before standing up and offering him a hand.  

"Only a few minutes, Naruto-kun." He took her hand, afterwards sheepishly scratching the back of his head and looking off to the sides. "Can we talk?" Naruto's head snapped up and looked at the Hinata, hand releasing from his cranium and lowering. The girl's eyes were soft and saddened but her smile still warm and gentle. Naruto simply nodded, then pulling out his cherished toad wallet to pay for his meal.

Stepping out into the street after following her lead, he was the first to speak when she turned to face him. "Did you really mean it?" He asked almost hesitantly, his eyes flickering from her face to her chest, where he was sure a scar was to be found, "About  what you said About what you said when I was caught fighting Pein? About loving me of all people?"

There was a moment of silence between the two, until Hinata's smile widened. "Yes." She replied, her voice ringing clear, "And I won't take it back, nor do I regret what I did." Naruto's smile appeared, the light in his blue eyes suddenly sparking again. The negative voice in his head made him somehow believe that she wouldn't hold true, especially after showing what he was carrying within him. "So you would object to a date with me tomorrow night?"

Hinata nodded once, Naruto giving his closed eyed grin as she started to blush. When he opened them again, she was already falling backwards. "Hinata? HINATA?!" He cried out to her, arm out reached but useless. He squatted down beside her, and after a few waves of his hand in front of the heiress face, sighed. She had fainted…again. Now he would have to explain it all to her father. Hokage help him.