Archive of Our Own ^beta

At first Hinata was grateful for the chairs, but once she sat down, all adrenaline started leaking through her limbs.  It’s taking everything for her to sit upright and at least pay attention to the bright video screens before them.

Shikamaru and Naruto are doing most of the talking.  They sound alert.  They sound official.  Their responses to the incessant questions from the most powerful leaders in the shinobi world are quick and to-the-point.

Well, mostly.  Naruto still sounds like Naruto, answering questions in his Naruto-way of speaking.  “Yeah, you saw right, he just cut the Moon in half with a huge chakra sword and he didn’t put it back together.  I’m wondering why the two pieces aren’t floating apart right now, you know?”

The Raikage is a scary-looking, hulking man with a scary-sounding, aggressive voice and attitude to match.  “You should’ve captured Toneri!  He needs to be put to trial!  He should be locked up and made to atone for his crimes!  Because of him, our people have suffered, and he hasn’t fixed anything for us!  Isn’t this so, Mizukage?!”

“Yes, thank you for your concern, Raikage-sama.  I agree, but we must figure out how to apprehend him later.  My main concern right now is fixing the Moon and sending it back to its previous orbit before my country gets flooded any worse.”

“There were three ways Toneri controlled the Moon,” Shikamaru starts.  “The first was the Tenseigan in the center of their artificial sun, which Naruto and Hinata destroyed first.  That’s what initially halted the Moon’s progression.  The second was through the development of Hanabi’s eyes over several days, which lost their Tenseigan power after Naruto defeated him.  We returned those eyes to Hanabi, and they are now normal Byakugan.  The third was Toneri’s attempt to recreate the original Tenseigan in himself through amassing his clansmen’s eyes.  The accumulating chakra overpowered his control, and Naruto freed Toneri of the malignant chakra, releasing all the Byakugan into space.”  Shikamaru sighs, and it’s amazing to Hinata how he can so easily summarize everything, while it feels like she’s still trying to process.  “Even if we captured Toneri, he wouldn’t be able to put the Moon back to where it was before.  Although he was a powerful adversary, he can no longer control large spaces, not even all the puppets he used.”

Something cold drops into her gut, pooling hot, a memory of being used.

“Why not just use that chakra cannon thing you told us about?”  Naruto’s bright voice cuts through her sinking thoughts.  “Just Earth it back together?”

The Raikage leans forward.  “What do you mean?”

“Couldn’t we use your cannon to send some Earth Jutsu into the Moon, and so you’d just Earth the two parts back together?”  Naruto’s accompanying hand motions are as silly as they are effective in communicating what he meant.  “And then, uhh, at the same time, push the Moon backward?”

“At this point, we should just blow up the Moon!  A fitting punishment for that criminal!  It’ll solve all our problems!”  The Raikage’s stormy attitude is tiring.

She doesn’t want the Moon to be blown up.  It was Otsutsuki Hamura’s home.  Her ancestor’s.  An entire people’s home and graveyard.  They already explained this, yet somehow, the Raikage only wants quick fixes.

She can understand the need for a quick fix, too, but, surely, there’s a better way?  Wouldn’t Naruto-kun’s idea work?

“Wouldn’t Naruto’s idea work?”  The Kazekage surprisingly echoes her thoughts, and she blinks out of her mood to refocus back on one of Naruto’s best friends.  “Raikage-sama.  Are your cannons capable of transporting or diffusing Earth nature transformation?”

“They were made to fire Lightning chakra.  The cannons are still loaded at 100%.  I’ll have to release the chakra anyway or waste it all.  Why not just blow up the Moon with it?!”

The Mizukage leans forward.  “I would also like to try Naruto’s idea.  My people have relied on the tides for their livelihoods.  Although right now the Moon’s pull on the ocean is destroying their homes, taking away the tides would take away their means of survival.  They would never get any sense of normalcy back if you blow up the Moon.”  Her calm interjection makes the Raikage grumble.

“If I may add, blowing up the Moon may have disastrous effects on our climate.”  A blond woman, who seems to be a new advisor for their leader, speaks up.

“Please, go on,” their Hokage invites.  

“Thank you.  The Moon’s effects on our lives has not yet been thoroughly discovered, but my science research team has reason to believe that its gravitational pull is large enough to determine our seasons as well as the length of our days and nights.  We are already seeing the effects of a stronger gravitational pull.  Please imagine how none at all may cause even worse changes.”

A silence pulls over the group.

A quiet “humph” is audible from the Raikage’s screen.

Naruto slowly turns in his chair.  “Sasuke!  Stop hiding back there already.”  His loud voice carries over and interrupts the others’ thoughts to the researcher’s revelation.  “When did you return?!”

She can’t tell if she’s just too tired or if Sasuke is really just that sneaky and skilled.  Both reasons might explain why she never noticed him enter the room.

“Forget the cannon.”  Sasuke says this directly to Naruto, completely ignoring the screens of Kage.

Kakashi shrugs nonchalantly at his former students’ rudeness, but the Raikage seems only to get more and more riled up as he leans forward with his hands in visible fists.

Sasuke turns to address the screens.  “Tsuchikage.  Rally your strongest Earth users.  I will transport them to the Moon myself.”

The Tsuchikage frowns, a glare apparent.  “Give me a good reason for me to trust you over Raikage-dono’s cannon.”

A dark, swirling hole appears beside Sasuke.  He steps into it.  He’s gone.

…Where did he go?

And Sasuke appears in the Tsuchikage’s screen, right beside the astonished and upset old man.  “I can bring your shinobi straight to the Moon to repair it without risk of blowing it up.  I can also apprehend the Otsutsuki if necessary.”  Sasuke’s voice carries through the speaker.

Everyone seems too speechless to react.

But Naruto’s standing up with a huge smile, like a proud or excited father.  Sakura is shaking her head slightly, a small but knowing smile on her face.  Sai’s arms are crossed, face blank and expression observant of the Kages’ facial reactions.  Shikamaru looks resigned, a hand at his head and his body already turned toward the exit.  Hinata feels the same.

The best solution possible with the least amount of risk has appeared, and she just wants to leave and check on Hanabi at the hospital now.

Yet more squabbling ensues just for the show of it, their Hokage calmly and rationally defending Sasuke, and finally after thirty more minutes of talk that their team no longer has any part to say in (yet somehow Naruto manages to include himself), the video meeting ends.

Kakashi turns to them, his shoulders now sloped more in exhaustion, his weariness showing through.  “Congratulations again on a successful mission.  Shikamaru, I’d like your mission write-up as soon as possible.  And although the work isn’t over, I’m ordering you all to get a few hours rest.  I need you ready within the next 5 hours to help with recovery around the nation.  Hinata, stop by the hospital first and then go get some rest.”

Hinata finds herself bowing and excusing herself before everyone else, surprised at her own rudeness.  “Thank you, Hokage-sama.”

“Ah, Hinata, your father was here earlier, but we sent him to the hospital.”

She pauses in her path.  He came home while we were gone!  He must have gone to pick up Hanabi…

“Sasuke brought him back.  Hiashi-san should be stable by now.”

Dread drops down her gut, and new adrenaline floods her system.

Should be…?   Meaning he was not stable earlier?  And might not be now?  And Sasuke brought him?  Meaning…

She bows again and rushes out the door.

How her eyes rounded, realization striking her at the same time it did the rest of them.

She almost lost her sister and, apparently, also her father.

“Hinata-”  Naruto takes two steps toward the door, remembers to toss up a hand in goodbye, and runs out after her.

He doesn’t even see her in the hallway anymore.  A push of chakra and he’s outside soon enough, and the brightness of the gigantic Moon in the deep dark of the late hour dazes him for a second.

She’s running.

“Hinata!”  He comes up beside her as she slows and turns her head to look.

Her eyes catch his gaze before dropping back down.  “You don’t have to come with me.  Rokudaime-sama said that my father should be fine.”

But instead of accepting her dismissal, he takes her hand.  “I’ll go with you.”

She silently nods her head, her pace picking back up, and he matches her speed.

Upon entering the hospital, she lets go of his hand to check in.  “I’d like to see my father, Hyuuga Hiashi, and my sister, Hyuuga Hanabi.”

The receptionist looks up at her and then at him for a moment, and Naruto knows that neither of them should have to introduce themselves, but she asks anyway, “May I see an ID, please?  Also, I am very sorry, but visiting hours start at 8:00, so right now is immediate family member visitations only.”

“Oh.  Yes, but…you see, I’m here on official business.  We just came back from kicking the butt of this dude on the Moon and debriefing with all the Kage.  True that Hinata’s here to check on her dad, but Kakashi-sensei wants me to talk to him about something.”  He stares into the eyes of the skeptical receptionist and brings his hands together.  “Please.  I’ll be quick and won’t disturb the man if he’s resting.”

“Well,” the receptionist clears her throat, “okay.  May I see your ID, please?”

He flashes her a smile of gratitude as they hand her their IDs.  “Thanks a lot!”

She smiles politely.  “Please sign in.  Your sister has been released from care.  Hyuuga-san is in Room 310.”

They sign the record sheet, Hinata thanks her, and soon they’re taking long strides toward the stairs.

To prevent echoes, he whispers, “I’m glad Hanabi is alright.  And I’m glad the receptionist believed me.”

“Yes, I’m glad, too.  Though, I don’t think…she really believed you.”

They’re taking two steps at a time.

“She let me go, though?”

“Yes…I think that it’s because you’re you, Uzumaki Naruto.”

“Mmmm, well, if she had been younger…but the receptionist seemed much older than us.”

For the first time since they dropped back down from the Moon, Hinata smiles, though this one looks amused, like a secret she’s keeping from him.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing.  I just don’t think she really believed you.”

“My lie was pretty good.  For all she knows, I really do have to talk to him.  If she didn’t believe me, she didn’t have to let me go.  She could’ve made me go get a message from Kakashi-sensei.”

Hinata’s nodding, her face turning away from him slightly, but he can tell that she’s trying to hide her smile.

And he wants to pick at her for her secret amusement at his expense, but they make it to the third floor, and Hinata’s taking long strides to the room.

She slowly pulls the door open, and Hanabi is sitting beside the bed.

Hanabi stands, and the two girls are suddenly hugging.

“I’m so glad you’re alright.”  Hinata’s whisper is barely audible as Naruto closes the door.  He stays there, surveying the reunion and the father, who’s sleeping peacefully.

Even though all the lights are off, the glow of the too-close Moon reaches through and around the curtains, casting everything in a strangely soft light.

Hiashi’s been cleaned up, not a scratch on him, nothing left on his visible skin to explain his hospital admittance.

There must have been great damage to warrant Sasuke bringing him home, but he can’t see anything amiss with the sleeping man.

Pulling away first, Hinata takes in her father.  She whispers, “Do you know what happened to him?”

“Not really,” Hanabi whispers back.  “The medic told me that he was admitted a little before I got here.  He had severe chakra exhaustion and dehydration besides his wounds and had only eaten soldier pills for several days.  His worst injuries were fractures in his arm and shoulder, and he had a cracked rib.  His head showed signs of healing from old impact wounds.  The medic also said that he was really dirty.  Sand and dirt under his nails, in his clothes, old bruises and severe sunburns all over his body.  Apparently he could’ve died if Uchiha-san hadn’t brought him back.”

Hinata looks like she wants to hold her father, her hands hovering toward him but not knowing if she can touch him.  “Otou-sama.”  Instead she kneels to the ground, her hands on the bed.  “Where was he?  Where did this happen?  Who would do this?”

Hanabi puts her hands on her sister’s shoulders, comforting her.

Ah, I should be trying to comfort them!  I came here to-   He steps toward them tentatively, and Hanabi only then gives him notice.

Naruto gives her a nod of greeting, and, surprisingly, Hanabi doesn’t say anything.  The energetic girl who woke up on the Moon seems dispirited now.  Instead of acknowledging him, she helps her sister up again, clutching onto her older sister’s arm.  “I thought that he doesn’t take missions anymore…he only told us he had a meeting.”

“It’s been…three weeks?  No, we were on the moon for 6 days…so he left…a month ago!”  Despite Hinata’s hushed tone, the realization hits him just as hard as if she had yelled it.

How long had her dad been injured?!  Exactly when did he get attacked?!

Hiashi sleeps peacefully now, unable to answer their questions, and who knows how long he’ll need to recover.  

Hinata isn’t taking her eyes off her father.  The side of her face strains into the distinctive chakra veins of her Byakugan.  She nods, and just as quickly, her skin smooths out.

“He’s just resting,” Hanabi quietly affirms.  “They said that once he eats and rests properly, he’ll be okay.  They wouldn’t tell me when he’ll be allowed to go home, though.”

Considering everything that’s been going on, Naruto assumes that leadership didn’t have time to investigate Hiashi’s circumstances.  He probably needs to stay in the hospital for questioning.

His lie was totally believable!

But…well…

Since it’s night and family visitation only…

Maybe Hinata’s right that the lady didn’t actually believe him…

A presence at the door interrupts his pointless musing, and he turns to see Sakura peeking in.  Her eyes are dull with fatigue, but her voice is just as sharp despite her whispering.  “You two, rushing off!  You could’ve waited to hear why!”  She gestures for them to come out into the hallway, and so they all obediently step out of the room.

Out in the hall, Sakura lets out an exhausted sigh.

Hinata bows deeply and voices her apology, but Naruto frowns.  “Kakashi-sensei could’ve explained things a little quicker, like before he said that Hinata’s dad is in the hospital?  So that Hinata wouldn’t panic?”

Sakura sighs again, her eyes dropping to the floor.  “You’re right, I don’t blame you at all, Hinata, you don’t have to apologize.”  She shakes her head, her hands in fists.  She sighs yet again, and Naruto realizes her touchiness is either due to her exhaustion or the news she’s about to deliver.  Or both.  “So, what happened was this.  Toneri secretly communicated with your father.  Your father decided to meet with Toneri to tell him that he wouldn’t cooperate with his plans and that Toneri couldn’t marry you.  He planned to try to incapacitate and capture him because his ideas were crazy.  He underestimated Toneri’s strength, and somehow neither he nor two of your accompanying relatives noticed the puppets that were waiting to ambush them.  There is a team already out to recover the other two.  Your father was able to escape Toneri, or Toneri let him escape, and even though he was severely wounded, he tried to make it back here.  Luckily, Sasuke-kun found him at our border with Wind.  They came back here, and your father was able to tell Hokage-sama just in time that we were up there.  Otherwise the Raikage was about to blow up the Moon.  It sounds like he passed out soon after he knew for sure that we completed the mission and received word you two were safe.”

Hanabi’s eyes are wide, incredulous, her hand clinging to Hinata’s elbow.

Stress weighs on Hinata’s brow, her expression clearly upset.

He doesn’t know what to say, either, a twisting knot in his gut leaving him speechless.

Potentially a month of soldier pills.  Stranded, injured, yet desperation driving him to make it home to save his daughters…

And after leaving Hinata’s father and other clan members to die, Toneri kidnapped Hanabi likely with some of those same puppets.  Toneri would’ve gotten Hinata, too…at least he sliced those puppets in half, but….Toneri eventually did get Hinata…

“Stupid Otou-sama!” Hanabi spats out.  Head hanging, she turns and goes back to the room.

“Hanabi!”  Hinata’s soft chiding doesn’t make Hanabi stop, and Hanabi disappears back into the room.  Looking exhausted, Hinata faces Sakura again.  “Thank you for coming all this way to tell us.”

Sakura waves off the appreciation.  “I’m going to go home and get some shut-eye.  You both should, too.  We still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

“Thanks, Sakura.”  He watches his old teammate give a quick smile and start heading toward the stairs.

“Naruto-kun, you should go home.”

Blinking in surprise, he frowns at how Hinata’s not looking up at him.  “Will you?”

Instead of answering, she looks to the room where her father is.

“You should rest, too.  Hanabi, too.”

She nods silently.  And slowly, she heads to the room, calls for Hanabi, and convinces her to go home with her.

Hanabi’s hands are balled up in fists, and Hinata encourages her into another hug.

“I know, I know…”

“Otou-sama’s so stupid.”

“...He’ll be alright.”

“So dumb.”

Hinata sighs and takes one of the fists into her hand.  “Let’s go home.”

He finds himself following them out of the hospital while observing how the younger sister relies on Hinata for comfort.  How Hanabi voices misdirected frustration, anger that has no real target anymore, and then how Hinata only nods, murmuring, “I understand.”  

He himself feels skin-tight, mind scattering back to his fight against Toneri, how he fought for their lives, and yet, even still, none of it feels like enough.  Fitting in one more punch, one more kick wouldn’t have made a difference.  Even one more apology from the nutcase wouldn’t have helped.  Killing him really wouldn’t have helped.

There’s nothing they can do right now other than accept Hanabi’s pinched face and emanating anger as enough to represent all of their bitter feelings.

“Naruto-kun, I can take Hanabi home.”

“Yeah.”  He glances at the Moon, it’s eerie presence as if Toneri’s black holes for eyes can still watch them.  Up there, he was ready to forgive the misguided dude.  His feelings are suddenly more complicated than earlier.  “I’ll go home right after I see that the two of you are safely home.”

Hinata tilts her head skeptically.  “You don’t have to.”

“It’s okay.  It’ll be quick.”

She nods, seemingly unwilling to argue with him, and the walk is silent after that.  The empty houses and buildings on both sides of the street are disturbingly lifeless.  Too silent even at this too early hour.

They’ll be able to fix all this in the morning.

They’ll be able to bring everything back to normal soon.

I’ll make sure of it.

In front of the Hyuuga compound, he finally finds his voice again.  “Hinata.  Hanabi.  I’m glad you guys are safe.  I’m glad your dad is safe.”

Hanabi turns and gives him a stiff bow at the waist, a formal one that he can’t really remember ever seeing from Hinata’s more excitable sister.  “For saving me.”  She holds her deep bow.  “Thank you very much.”

“Ah, no, it was a team effort.”  He overcomes his embarrassment to look meaningfully at Hinata.  “We all did it together.”

For a moment, Hinata’s stressed expression relaxes, a softness there, a glimmer in her eyes up toward him, and he can tell she’s also genuinely relieved, grateful, and that...

“Nee-sama, thank you.”

Hinata turns back to her sister, raising her up from her bow.  “Hanabi.”  She brushes her sister’s hair back from her face, and there’s so much care in her expression.

So much love.

Hanabi relaxes beneath her touch.

“Of course.”  Hinata’s soft murmur carries her meaning.  Of course she’d go anywhere to rescue her.  Of course she’d do anything and everything possible.

Of course she’d risk her life.

Of course.  That’s just how Hinata is.

That’s Hinata’s love.

His heart feels like a weight in his chest, this intensity welling in his throat.

Hanabi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, and it’s like all negativity leaves her.  She perks up, a soft smile to match her sister’s.

And he lets out a held breath, too.

He’s so glad Hinata’s safe.  Hanabi, too, but he’s so, so thankful Hinata is safe.

What would they do without her.

Hinata turns her smile back to him.  “Good night, Naruto-kun.”

It’s so automatic to smile for her, to mirror her gentle expression.  “Good night, Hinata.  Get some good rest, both of you.”

“Yes.  You, too.”  Her gaze lingers even as she carefully turns Hanabi and herself toward the door, and he truly can tell now that her incredible love extends to him, too.

He steps back, watching them go inside, reliving that big feeling of…

That indescribable high of…

Properly confessing…telling her how he feels…exactly how he feels…and then how she accepted all of it…

How he knows they both understand each other…they really feel the same way…

And then their kiss… 

He’s so warm from the memories, the winter night temperatures only feels like a soothing nip on his cheeks.

All of the worries and concerns that arose during the meeting suddenly feel more manageable now.

Everyone on their team made it back safely.

They rescued Hanabi.

Their father is alive.

Sasuke is handling the rest of the Moon issue.

And Hinata actually loves him.  And he loves her.  And he’ll get to see her again in the morning.

With that happy thought, he eagerly rushes home.

It turns out that Hanabi’s not tired at all.

“I slept for 6 days, Nee-sama.  I think those horrible puppets did whatever they had to do to keep me alive, I don’t know why, Toneri only wanted my eyes.  I guess I’m glad he didn’t kill me…”

She hasn’t told Hanabi yet about all of Toneri’s plans.  She already knows about their almost-marriage, and how Naruto busted in at the exact right moment.  But she doesn’t know about how ridiculously lonely Toneri was his whole life.  It could be that he couldn’t bring himself to actually kill Hanabi, considering he had no family left.  Or maybe he was planning on putting her in a centuries-long hibernation, too.  Involving her in the eventual repopulation of Earth…

I won’t tell Hanabi about that…repopulation part…   At least not for awhile.  “I was really relieved you were safe.  I think he was using you as bait for me.”

“Ohhh…”  Hanabi nods, seeming to completely accept that explanation.  “Well, I’m not tired, but you must be.”

“...Yes.”  And she probably only has about 4 hours left to recharge.

Hanabi follows her to her room.  “Are you going to shower?”

Maybe Hanabi doesn’t want to be alone again.  “...I’ll do a quick one.  I’ll be able to rest better.”

“What are you going to do with those clothes?”

She blinks at the follow-up question and then looks down at herself.  Somehow, she forgot she was in all this ceremonial attire.  An Otsutsuki wedding dress.

“You should throw it away.”  Her voice is cold and hard.  Leftover frustration and resentment still in her tone, and she can tell that Hanabi has found a new target for her emotions.

She stares down at the dress, remembering how Toneri controlled her.  Used her to fight against Naruto.  How her mind was still awake, but her body was a cage.

She’d never felt so…violated…

Looking like this, like another of Toneri’s puppets, and that coiling, raw, and uncomfortable feeling pools in the pit of her stomach again.  She gulps it down, using logic of place and circumstance to ground her.

They’re safe.

And Toneri…was pitiful, more that than anything else.

She takes a deep breath and starts to undress.  “I’ll get rid of it.  We’ll never have to see it again.”  She makes sure to say this with finality.  To reassure her little sister that no sign of him will ever be near her again.

She unpins the earrings, and soon enough, she’s left in only her personal underwear.

Hanabi nods, apparently satisfied, and her stance relaxes more than before as if only now they’ve truly returned home.

After encouraging Hanabi to go get changed while she cleans up, she’s left to her own thoughts.  She definitely doesn’t want to keep the clothes.  No matter how inspiring Naruto’s forgiveness was up on the Moon, and no matter how much she was willing to support that and invite Toneri to come back with them, she doesn’t want to hold onto such burdened garments.  Just looking at them fills her with disgust, pity, and some kind of morose regret for an entire people.

If only she could just give it all back.  But it’s likely that no one will ever wear this again.  If she threw it away, probably no one would care, it’s possible that Toneri wouldn’t care, either.

That’s what makes it even sadder.

Whether this dress was made especially for her or once belonged to Toneri’s or someone else’s mother, it was obviously crafted with care and in respect to long-practiced customs.

A whole people ruined by a terrible misunderstanding.

Visions of their war, of the tomb, of all the souls who relied on her to stop Toneri make her clench the garment in her hands.

I don’t want this.  I can’t bring myself to throw it away.  What should I do with it?  Maybe give it to a charity?  Can I give it to Rokudaime-sama?  What would he do with it?  Would he somehow be able to get it back to the Moon?

Finding no immediate answers, she folds everything up, finds a bag to put them in, and gets ready to take a shower and go to bed.

Memories of Naruto’s grounding presence at the hospital, his promise as they left the Moon, his embrace, and their shared kiss return in place of her troubles, sending sparkles through her heart, making her question the reality of such an astonishing miracle amidst the panic the rest of the world is struggling through.

Turning over in bed, she closes her eyes, and in the dark of her minds-eye, she can feel the air rushing past and his arm securely around her as he blasted them through the roof of the cave.

Up in the sky, so high that the rest of the world fell away…

Naruto’s peaceful expression, the confidence and security that he wields like armor, like everything is and will be alright…

Morning brings renewed clarity of mind.  Only a few hours prior, she’d felt heavy with so many emotions.  The clothes is seriously the least of her problems!

Hanabi is still awake, fussing around in the kitchen.  Apparently her sister was practicing cooking on her own, just like she herself used to when she was younger.  Hanabi serves her a bowl of rice and grilled saba with an intense look on her face.  “Tell me if it’s too salty.”

Warmth fills her heart, full and wonderful.  “Thank you, Hanabi.”  These moments are what she was protecting.  Her little sister, at times sassy, at other times so sweet, is worth any sacrifice.  She’ll probably get reprimanded for her rash actions on the Moon once the Hokage finds out later from Shikamaru’s report, but she can’t find fault with herself.  If time rewound, she’d choose to do the same thing.

The saba is salty but hasn’t lost its tenderness.  Just the way it’s supposed to be.

“It’s perfect.”

Hanabi gives her the most pleased and proud smile, hurries back to the kitchen, and comes out with several stacked and wrapped bentos.  “I made a lot.  I didn’t want the fish to go bad.  Do you think I can give them out?”

They quickly stop by the hospital to check on their father, who’s still asleep.  They leave a stack of bentos for the workers caring for him and in case he wakes up.

At the Tower, they give their Hokage another stack so that he can have one for himself, a couple for his advisors, and extra for anyone else who’s around or comes in.  Shikamaru and Sai decline, claiming they already ate.  Sakura gratefully accepts one and hurriedly begins eating.

Their sleep-deprived leader also immediately thanks Hanabi and sets one on the side for himself.  “You didn’t sleep?”

Hanabi stands tall and straight.  “I was forced to sleep for 6 days and am somehow still alive and completely healthy.  I am the most awake and ready out of everyone.  As a Konoha shinobi, I am here to report for duty, Rokudaime-sama.”

Hinata has a hard time hiding her smile.  She can tell that even the Hokage and her teammates have a twinkle of amusement in their eyes.  When her sister tries to act mature, somehow she seems even more childish.  But she’s proud to be her older sister.

The door opens, and Naruto steps in.

The energy in the room heightens, or is that just her own feeling?

He’s smiling right at her, and she can’t remember ever seeing him quite like this, quite so happy to see her and so warm and, and…he’s standing right beside her, still looking at her!

She could float away right here and now.

“Good morning, Hinata.”  He’s too wonderful and good and lovely, and his gaze and gentle voice and everything warm her up.  He’s too amazing.

Yet she manages to answer, “Good morning, Naruto-kun.”  She finds herself smiling just as much as him, the glow in his eyes sending heat to her cheeks, and a small yet joyous voice in the back of her head cries, It’s true!  He really!  He really did!  Say that he wants to be with me for the rest of his life!!!

“Ahem.”

She blinks away to find the Hokage staring at her.  At them.

Her sister looking like she’s got way too many things to say to tease her.

And the rest of their team watching them with varied expressions of knowing and amusement.

Shock has her searching the ground for a hole to sink into, but Naruto’s easy laughter pulls her out of embarrassment.

“Naruto, Hanabi made you a bento if you’d like one.”

“Oh!  Thank you, Hanabi!”  He takes one and says around mouthfuls, “It’s super good!  Thank you!”

She’s certain it’s not just her own feeling.  Naruto exudes warmth to everyone, to the whole space.

“Here is your next mission.  Hanabi, you will join the other genin and chuunin at the shelter.  Help guide the residents back to their homes.  I want every civilian back before nightfall.”

“Understood.”

“The rest of you will provide back-up for teams that have already been sent out to take care of other villages.  Some have been damaged by the meteors, and our coastal villages have been flooded by the high tides as well.  Sakura and Sai, you are to assist the team at Niihama Port first and then make your way along the coastline providing medical and transportation aid.  Shikamaru, Naruto, and-”

The door quickly opens.  “Hokage-sama, urgent news.”  His advisor easily gains their full attention.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but the Moon is moving back to its previous orbit.  On its own.  Uchiha Sasuke has not yet taken Iwagakure’s team up.  They were just about to go, and they’re making preparations now to investigate this new development.”

After a beat of silence, Naruto shifts.  “Well, now that you mention it, Toneri did say that he’d make sure the Moon never approaches Earth ever again.”

“So Toneri still has power over a Tenseigan,” Kakashi surmises.

Shikamaru looks deep in thought.  “He must have been amassing back all his clansmen’s eyes over the past few hours, building a new Tenseigan to move the Moon.  That must be also how he was able to control the Moon from splitting apart this whole time.”

“Sasuke will take care of it.”  Naruto’s easy conclusion makes everything seem so simple.

Even Kakashi nods his head.  “Thank you, Amano.  Please continue to monitor the situation.”  After she bows and leaves, he returns to directives.  “Shikamaru, Naruto, and Hinata, the three of you will be joining a mostly medic team at Kawamoto, a village up the Mogami River that is one of the most badly damaged from the meteors.”

“Yes, understood,” they respond, and although the situation is serious, she can’t help but feel happy to be with Naruto.  And relieved.

With Naruto-kun, everything will be alright.

They set off quickly, packed for potentially a week of rescues and rebuilding.  After Kawamoto, they’ll be heading to another village.  He can already imagine how he’ll divide up his clones to be as efficient as possible.

Shikamaru is the de facto lead, heading the three of them through frosty branches along a slowly widening stream that gradually moves uphill.

Upon connecting with the large Mogami River, the first thing that catches his eyes is the off-color brown of the rapids.  Then a few chunks of debris flowing down.

Hinata’s brows furrow, her determination and solemnity apparent on her small face.

“C’mon.  We’re almost there,” Shikamaru calls, and they pick up the pace once again.

He can sense the destruction before they can see it.  There’s a subtle change in the air, the sounds around them, the smell of the forest.  Hinata and Shikamaru also seem even more alert, likely just as aware as he is.

Before long, they can see it.

A crater opens up ahead, the trees collapsed at the edges, houses and buildings that are outside the impact zone are toppled over simply from the resulting blast.  The river that flows strongly beside the destroyed village carries pieces of flung apart materials and trees downstream.  People rush around the rubble, working together to take apart and carry collapsed walls and roofs.

The crater is not at all close to the size of the one Pein inflicted on Konoha, but the damage is done.  Innocent lives were obviously lost, and just the sight of all of this reminds him of his own helplessness in the face of a force that seemed too big for him…

Hinata had been there for him that time…

A soft touch on his arm brings him back to the present.  Her clear eyes gaze up at him with care, her mouth set in a determined line.

“Naruto.  Hinata.”  Shikamaru’s carefully watching him.  “Let’s get to work.  I’m going to meet up with the team lead in the tent over there.”  He points to a large white medic tent that constantly has people moving in and out, carrying stretchers.  “I want you two to begin helping with your sensory abilities.  I’ll meet up with you guys later to give you a proper rundown of the situation here.”

“Got it.  Thanks, Shikamaru.”

“Thank you, Shikamaru-san.”

Without wasting another second, Shikamaru starts down a dusty path toward the village.

Hinata’s about to turn away, too, but he catches her hand.

She looks back up at him, and the pink on her cheeks makes him realize that they haven’t held hands since last night.

“Sorry, I know we really gotta get to work.  Just, thank you, Hinata.”

She shakes her head in her usual humble attitude.  “Thank you for being with me last night, Naruto-kun.  And…I’m glad we can work together again now.”

Huh, I thought I didn’t do anything to help last night at the hospital…maybe me being there really did give her some comfort.

Squeezing her hand a little tighter, he leans down just a bit, her eyes widening before closing, and he leans down the rest of the way to meet her.

Their second kiss is quick, hardly even a second, yet the brightness that rushes through his limbs is better than any energy pill.  Her little smile as they settle back is more motivating than ten bowls of ramen!  

“I’m ready.  Let’s make things right,” he declares, and her smile widens, setting her eyes aglitter, and he is totally, definitely ready to work now.

“I’m ready, too.”  Her soft response is more than enough coupled with another squeeze of her hand around his.  Her eyes set to that determination again, but he’s certain he sees a new fire lit that hadn’t been there earlier.

They nod at each other.

He calls forth twenty shadow clones as Hinata’s doujutsu sparks alive.