Hey... get ready for some NaruHina feels to hit you like a stone in this chapter and the next! You're very welcome!

Japanese Military Support Base - Naruto's and Sasuke's Office

Naruto

"I understand, sir," I ran my free hand through my hair once, wincing a bit.

The commander continued yelling into my ear nevertheless. I had to pull the phone away from my ear a few inches as he continued to bark. I can literally picture his red face fuming and turning worst as he continued shouting insults at me.

The operation was really simple but it required a lot of men. I though a rookie could use some experience during something like a rescue mission of only three people. I'm not saying it was a job I underestimated. It was an event where I wasn't able to stop him from doing something so rash.

But I did stop him from losing an ear.

"The surgery went well," I looked over at Sasuke who was focused on his screen monitor. "He's in recovery."

"Make sure he uses his head next time you decide to take him out into the field," Then the commander hung up.

I shut my eyes for a second and groaned. It's true that I handpicked these soldiers and they are indeed special in a lot of cases but their stupidity is something that I couldn't foresee.

"Shadow to Captain Kyuubi over," My walkie at my desk sounded.

Sasuke looked over his monitor and simply said, "It's for you."

No shit...

I walked over and answered, "This is Captain Kyuubi, over."

I held the communication device to my ear as the next words came through, "Your presence is wanted in the dining hall, sir."

"Who?"

I run this base so if someone wanted to see me, they come and find me not the other way around. Who has the nerve for that anyway?

"So you want me to tell them to go away, then?" Shikamaru asked, bluntly.

I inwardly sighed, "I am simply asking who is demanding to see me, Shadow because they obviously don't know who's in charge around here."

"So yes you want them to go away?"

"I never said that!" I snapped. I heard Sasuke choke on a piece of his sandwich as he chuckled at his desk.

Shikamaru answered after I chucked a pencil at my deputy, "So what should I do, Captain Kyuubi?"

"Tell me who wants to see me and why they think I should go to them and they not come to me," I took a step away from my desk then turned back around towards it.

"It's Leader Hyuga."

The moment he said that, I stubbed my toe against the edge of the desk as well as dropping the walkie in the process.

"So should she go away or -"

"No!" I snapped, surprising even Sasuke. The pain in my arm jolted through my entire body.

Collecting myself a bit, I said more gently, "Please send her to my office."

''''''''''''''''
Hinata

Apparently normally I'm not supposed to hear any conversation over the radios between soldiers but when I found Shikamaru in the dining hall after dinner that night, he thought it would be hilarious to mess with Naruto who didn't show up.

I listened to the captain's fail on the other end of the walkie as Shikamaru silently laughed at himself for causing Naruto to look like such a fool. Or sound like a fool, same difference.

Shikamaru led me from the dining hall upstairs to where Naruto and Sasuke shared an office. My mind kept telling me not to bother going to him. If Naruto didn't go see any doctors after we were done with the surgery that means he's okay.

At the same time, I know the captain probably thinks it'd be a waste of medical supplies if used on him. The first aid kit I had in my kind was one of three dozens Hinode General Hospital sent with us. This idiot needs to realize that he'd be way better alive than dead.

I honestly should've sent Mina to go and check up on him...

The moment we reached the door, it opened revealing Sasuke. He looked from me to Shikamaru then back again.

"Captain is waiting inside," he said emotionless. "We'll leave you two alone now."

Shikamaru was barely able to do anything before he was hauled back down the way he came; complaining about how annoying it was he walked up those stairs only to climb down seconds later.

How did a lazy man like him become a soldier, again?

That's a mystery for a later time. Right now...

I knocked three times before pushing the door open.

"Captain Uzumaki?" I called into the barely lit office. The only light were the screens of two computer monitors and a single floor lamp standing beside a sofa.

Exactly where the captain was laying on.

I looked behind my shoulder once more to see Sasuke and Shikamaru settled down at the dinner table, chatting. Good, they're in reach if I need someone to run to the medicure to to grab something.

I entered the office and slightly shut the door behind me. Making my way over to Naruto, he stirred a bit with his eyes glued on the ceiling.

"C-Captain?" I stood a good foot away from him.

He finally looked at me, "You wanted to see me?"

Straight to the point. I like it.

"Yeah," my eyes settled on the one arm resting across his forehead then the other one hanging off the side of the sofa.

Dammit, which one was hurt?

"Here I am," Naruto blinked once. "What is it, Leader Hyuga?"

What if I imagined the entire injury? It was only a little amount of blood in the first place so it could've been some small wound that he was able to easily fix up with a bandaid.

And it took me the entire afternoon to pep myself into coming here.

I quickly hid the kit behind me, "I-it's nothing."

I turned very quickly and took a step forward.

"Hinata?" I heard Naruto suddenly move from his position. "Wait!"

Then came a grunt of pain.

I whipped back around, wide-eyed.

Naruto was gripping his right bicep with his left hand. That's when the small trickle of blood returned.

"You're hurt," I was in front of him in miliseconds. I knew it! I sensed it!

This idiot really is wounded.

He didn't look at me, "It's nothing."

"Stop lying," I replied. "Take your jacket off."

"Really, Hinata I'm fine," Naruto barely had the strength to even look me in the eye and lie.

"Just leave it alone, alright?" Cold sweat formed around his brow.

I sighed, frustrated, "I'm not leaving it alone, alright? Take that jacket off, now!"

"Hinata, I said I'm fine! Just mind your own business and leave me alone!" He snapped with as much strength he had.

If there's one thing Naruto didn't learn about me in the time we've been separated is that I've gotten a harder head.

I grabbed his injured arm and looked him straight in the eye, "I'm not leaving until that wound is tended to."

"Hina-"

"Naruto-kun," Then softly, "Please."

He sighed loudly, then looked at me again.

"Please," a small smile twitched against my lips.

Naruto finally chuckled once, looked away, then looked at me again, "Only you can make me waver so much."

"Glad I have that power over you," I giggled lightly.

I helped Naruto slide his camouflage jacket off and nearly gasped when I saw the wound.

There was even a piece of the blade that injured him still stuck in it!

"And you've been around with this all day?!" I opened the kit immediately.

"Just about..."

"Naruto-kun!" I snapped at him, "You could've lost that arm!"

Gloves, check!

"My soldiers before me."

Found it!

"What good of a captain are you if you only had one arm?" With the clamping tool ready, I set to work, "I'm going to take it out no-"

"W-wait!" He suddenly grabbed my gloved hand.

"What now?" I blinked at him.

Naruto drew a breath then another, "Be honest with me, Hinata."

"Be honest about what?" I raised an eyebrow.

His blue eyes suddenly crowded with fear, "W-will it hurt?"

...

"Owwww!" Naruto shrieked. "Why the hell did you just do that?!"

I applied some gauze to the injury with one hand and placed the piece of blade down with the other, "You were least expecting it, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Then good," I smiled. "You didn't give it much thought, at all. So it shouldn't hurt."