Chapter 16

-Hinata's POV-

Once I was fed, and the two girls were satisfied I couldn't eat anymore, they offered to help me bathe, which I refused wholeheartedly. So, I sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Naruto to return.

I said I didn't need him to help me with every little task, but he insisted I let him for at least today, so I relented. He was running a bath for me and ensuring I had a change of clothes.

My face warmed as I frowned down at my hands. It didn't feel real yet. I didn't know how long it would take until it did, but I also worried that the moment I let my guard down, we'd all be separated again.

"Alright, let's go!"

I jumped in fright, only to look over and see Naruto offering me a hand. It was still painful to move around, but the more I did, the less it became. He led me into the ensuite before letting his hold on me go and awkwardly averting his gaze to the ground, "I'll be right outside if you need anything, okay?"

My face warmed to match his color, and I nodded with a small smile. Then the door was shut, and I was alone. My lips fell back into a frown, and I looked around the room.

The mirrors were covered with steam, and I could see that the water was full of thick bubbles. The tub was one of those fancy ones that sat center-room rather than against the wall. Some neatly folded clothes were on the bathroom counter with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. A wide array of bath products sat on the edge of the tub.

With a sigh, I pulled the robe's tie undone at my waist, and it fell down to my elbows and lower back when I realized I still had the bandaging on for my shoulder wound. My brow furrowed when I realized it wasn't the disposable gauze but the washable and reusable type. I ran my fingers over it but couldn't find the small clamp holding it tight against my skin.

With my red face warming again, I pulled the robe back up in the front and ensured it was closed.

"N-Naruto…" I wondered if he could tell how defeated I felt by my voice.

After a moment, I heard him speak from behind the door, "Are you okay?"

I checked once more that the robe was closed in the front despite my back being visible, "You can come in."

My eyes danced down to the floor when he did, and I gingerly turned so he could see my back, "C-Can you help me?"

"H-H-Hinata!"

My eyes shot up to meet his because he sounded so stunned, and when I saw his face, I was confused. He looked extremely bashful with a face as red as a tomato. I frowned and looked down to verify I wasn't exposed, only to give him another concerned look when I realized everything that needed to be covered was.

"W-What's wrong?" He was making me nervous, more so than usual.

He shook his head before lifting a hand as though he was going to do as I'd requested and help, so I turned so he could reach my back again, only for him to back off with his eyes squeezed closed, "I'm sorry, Hinata, I'm just shocked! I didn't expect you to be so forward."

I looked over my shoulder at him and slightly turned my body to look at his face, humiliated, "I'm sorry for asking, but I can't reach it. Can you get Ino or Matsuri for me?"

Blue eyes stopped darting around nervously and locked onto mine. Suddenly, Naruto looked as confused as me, "You can't reach…. What is it you need help with?"

I motioned toward the gauze and almost dropped the front of the robe before frantically grasping the silky cloth back against my front, "The bandage?"

His face paled before turning red once more, and he slapped his forehead, "Sorry. Yes, here, let me get it."

I was too nervous to say anything, so I simply turned to face away and waited for him to get it over with. Calloused fingers brushed against my bare skin as he gently moved my long hair out of the way.

That's when I realized why he'd gotten confused. My hair was so long now that he couldn't see the gauze. I squeezed my eyes shut, mortified. Just what did he think I was asking of him!?

The clasp was undone, and the tight cloth loosened instantly and slid down my shoulder. "T-Thank you."

There was no response, and I almost turned to see if he was still standing there, but goosebumps rose on my skin when I felt him suddenly brush a finger just under the bullet wound. My arms tightened around my front, and I looked down at the tiled floor, feeling an emotion I'd never felt before.

I've never wanted someone to think I'm pretty so desperately. That wound would likely leave a scar, and I already had the one on my stomach from surgery. Would he think I was more attractive without them?

"Do you need help with anything else?"

This time, I did turn to look at him, my hair swinging back down as he let go of it, and somehow managed to give him a smile, "I think that's it. Thank you." He returned it with his face still a bit red before stepping out of the room and shutting the door.

I held my face between my hands and held back the urge to groan. After finally realizing the Dream Naruto and real-life Naruto were, in fact, the same person, I've been unable to tell him how I feel. All those days in that white room, I said to myself that if I ever got the chance to speak to him again, I'd confess my feelings, but now that I'd been given that chance, my anxiety kept freezing me.

I took the robe off and unraveled the gauze from my shoulder to sit it on the counter before slipping into the bath with a sigh as the hot water soothed my muscles.

Not only was I more nervous than I anticipated, but Dream Naruto kissed me that one time and tried to do so multiple times after that. The blonde was under the same impression that I'd been, that it was just a dream. So he hadn't hesitated to try and do or say things that he might not have done if he knew the truth. Now, I was stuck trying to decipher what was sincere and what'd been a mere fantasy.

The soap washed the remaining dirt and dried blood from my skin. Then, I sank under the water to wet my hair all the way before reaching to grab the shampoo. When I reached up to lather it into my hair, a sharp sting ran up my shoulder from the bullethole, and I jolted to sit up straighter with a small curse under my breath. The shampoo bottle clattered loudly on the floor, but I ignored it as I tried to reach back and touch the wound to ensure I hadn't torn it back open.

"Hinata, what was that? Are you okay?"

I hissed at the throbbing muscle pain in my upper arm as I tried to bend it awkwardly, "U-Um, can you get one of the girls?"

His voice came a bit louder as he'd obviously gotten to his feet behind the door, "Are you hurt?"

I unbent my arm, let it fall heavily into the water, and rubbed my aching shoulder with my opposite hand, "I can't tell if I'm bleeding."

Then the door opened, and I saw Naruto rushing toward me, looking extremely concerned. A small shriek left my lips, and I sank further into the bubbles with my arms over my chest, "N-Naruto!"

He put a hand over his eyes but came closer, "I'm sorry, I just panicked! Are you okay?"

My body felt hotter than the steaming bubble bath, but I reached around with my good arm and pulled all my hair over my left shoulder and away from the hurt one as I sat up slightly, "I-I-Is it bleeding?"

I heard him get closer and kneel at the end of the bath behind me, "Ah, yeah, it is. What'd you do?"

I pressed my forehead against my knees as they bent up against my front, "Tried to wash my hair."

It got silent like earlier, but I turned to look at him instead of sitting there awkwardly. His eyes widened when mine met them, but he didn't look away as he spoke in a bashful tone, "I could do it for you…. Wash your hair, that is."

The look on my face must've clearly expressed my shock because he immediately put his hands up in defense, "O-Or I can go get one of the girls! You're probably uncomfortable."

For a few moments, I thought about how I'd been trying to gather some courage and stopped him from getting up before realizing what I was saying, "Okay."

His face was turning a deeper shade of red by the minute, "Okay, do it, or okay, go get the girls?"

I turned away from him again and hugged my knees, "Y-You can do it if you want…."

A few minutes later, we sat silently as he massaged shampoo into my hair. I didn't dare turn to look, but I was sure his face was the same as mine: both expression and color. I probably would've fainted by now if I wasn't so sure he was nervous.

Fingers slowly moved down to lather the soap into the ends of my long hair since he'd finished with the top, only for a shiver to run through my spine when his fingers brushed the middle of my back. I squeezed my eyes shut, "S-Sorry…." He didn't say anything but returned to what he was doing.

Soon, he finished the shampoo, and I sank under the bubbles to rinse it. When I returned, he got to work more quickly than I thought he would, rinsing the soap I didn't manage to get out.

When he grabbed the conditioner bottle, I spoke awkwardly, "It doesn't go on the roots, okay?"

Then his fingers were at work again. It was silent for a while, but he suddenly said, "You have really pretty hair." My breath caught in my throat, but he didn't seem to be waiting for a response and continued.

The air was surprisingly calm, considering how panicked my heartbeat was. Gathering what courage I could, I opened my mouth to try and thank him, only for Ino to walk through the bathroom door.

Blue eyes danced between my face, Naruto's, and then his hands on my hair before her fair skin turned red with anger, "Naruto Uzumaki, what did I tell you about taking advantage of Hinata! You even left the bathroom door open!"

She crossed the room and grabbed his ear so she could pull him away, causing me to panic, "I-It's not like that, Ino!"

The young woman turned to look at me, as did Naruto, and I tightened my arms over my chest, "You want him in here?"

I nodded, unable to meet the boy in question's eye as I stuttered, "I-I-I told him he could help."

Her expression dropped, and she tilted her head at me in silence for a long moment before releasing Naruto's ear so she could lightly hit her fist into her palm, "Stockholm Syndrome."

The blonde young man and I both let out a sound of objection, and her brow furrowed, "Hinata, you told all of us you've never even kissed a boy! This is skipping a few steps."

I glanced at Naruto, and he glanced at me simultaneously, making her mouth drop in disbelief, "Oh my god! When? Today?"

As soon as she asked, I knew she would get angry at my response, but I had no choice, "The day S-Sakura and Hidan fought."

The silence was deafening, but not as much as the shriek that left her lips, "What! Why the hell are you just telling me now?"

I stared down at the sudsy water with a red face, anxious to end this conversation before the bubbles all went away so no one could see my body, "W-Well, I wasn't sure if it counted or not."

There was another long pause before Naruto spoke in a pleading voice, "Hinata when you say it like that-"

"What did you do to her! Why wouldn't a kiss count, Naruto? Where was it?" She shuddered and shook her hands as though disgusted, "Ew, never mind, don't answer that."

Naruto spoke, finally getting to his feet, "It wasn't…We weren't…It was like kissing during M.A.T. or something, okay?"

Ino finally seemed to understand and visibly relaxed, "Oh, okay. Well, whatever, then. Carry on. Use condoms." My mouth fell open in disbelief, as did the blonde man's, and we watched quietly as she left.

Later that night, after Tenten, Matsuri, and Kiba left from visiting, Naruto and I went to bed. Neji had yet to come to talk to me, but when I asked Tenten if I should make the first move, she told me it'd be a better idea to be patient and let him do it. I was trying to be understanding because he likely only came clean in that arena because he thought I was dying and wanted me to know beforehand. It was making me unbearably anxious, having to wait, though.

"-nata. Hello?" My eyes refocused, and I blinked a few times to try and quell the sting from dissociating. "Hey, there you are. You didn't blink for like three whole minutes." Naruto lay on his side, facing me, on the other side of the bed.

I was informed by the girls, and Kiba, that once we leave here, we all have to sleep in groups because electricity has become scarce. Everyone seemed to have gotten used to it by now because they'd done it, even Gaara, but that was not the case for me. To this day, I've only slept in a bed with my little sister and then sort of with Naruto if you count that one time after Orochimaru'd done the procedure on my eyes when he cuddled me because he didn't know what else to do to help.

My chest warmed softly at the memory. Even then, he went out of his way to help me when he didn't have to.

"-ou okay? Hinata! Hey!" My eyes focused again, and I shook my head before looking to see that Naruto was right before me rather than across the bed.

He sighed stressfully, "You've been dazing out like that all day."

The habit was all I did for an entire month, so naturally, my body had started defaulting to it. "Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for everything you do," he said with a sad smile. My face warmed, and I bit my tongue when I automatically wanted to apologize again.

"Hey, about earlier with Ino, I don't want you to feel pressured into anything because of that, okay?"

The memory of his fingers brushing my skin made my entire being heating with nervousness, but I had to push it aside and focus on what he was talking about. With a trembling hand, I averted my gaze from his and gently grabbed the front of his shirt. Naruto seemed to understand what I wanted and silently moved closer so I could rest my forehead against his chest.

"I-It's okay as long as it's you," I said before giving myself a chance to chicken out.

He didn't immediately respond. My eyes squeezed closed, and I took a deep breath before trying again, hoping to clear things up if he misunderstood, "You can touch me…a-and stuff…."

Then I realized my words might pressure him, so I spoke a bit louder as I panicked, "B-B-But only if you want! You don't have to!"

When I moved to back away a bit, fearing I'd stuck my foot in my mouth, his arms came around and pulled me up against his chest. My eyes shot open in shock. "You know I want to, Hinata. I just don't want to rush things and scare you away like before." He talked about how I wouldn't let him kiss me again after the first time.

I shoved against his chest so he'd let me back up and looked him firmly in the eye despite the blush on my face, "I didn't push you away because I was scared. I did it because I thought taking advantage of the situation would be wrong. Y-You're my friend, and I didn't know it wasn't just a dream and-"

"Do you really consider me a friend?"

My brow furrowed at his serious face, but I nodded, "Of course I do! Do you not consider me one?"

He paused momentarily, and I thought I'd made him angry, but he didn't sound upset when he finally replied, "I don't want to do the things I want to do with you with any of my other friends."

My blush returned, and I opened my mouth to reply, only for him to cut me off, "I know I said I didn't want to rush or pressure you, but can I ask a question?"

I nodded, worried about what it might be. "Is there anything you want to do to me that you wouldn't do with anyone else? Even one thing?"

My eyes were wide as I searched his. Answering this question with the truth would indirectly tell him how I feel, at least a little bit. Slowly, I nodded.

He surprised me with a sudden sigh of relief, his usual grin returning to his lips, "Oh, thank god! I was worried I've been reading you all wrong."

A small laugh slid past my lips, and I raised a hand to cover it. With that, we confirmed our mutual feelings without word-for-word making confessions. It wasn't quite the set-in-stone conversation I'd hoped for, but it made me smile for the rest of the night, even as I fell asleep.