Yeah, they really do.

"I… please only do that if you're sure that's a good idea? I—well—we're worried that could get us in trouble for telling you."

"And… this is important, but… we were going to fix your food problems, and that's important too?"

Naruto deflates a bit.

"Right. Yeah, we should probably talk about that too."

"So… what were you going to do to help me?

I know Hinata's family has money, but I'd still feel weird taking any from either of you, and I don't think we could exactly just… talk the villagers into charging me a normal amount. Definitely not if they blame me for… that stuff."

"…I guess we could talk to the Hokage about this too? But I doubt that'd actually work.

If he was hiding all this from me, I doubt he'd really help with the rest of it—and I don't actually know what he could do, anyway: the shopkeepers would just deny it."

"Um... I c-could go shopping for you? And use my clan d-discount to make your st-stipend go f-further? We n-need to know what you can c-cook, though."

Oh, yeah that makes more sense.

"Wow, that'd be wonderful, Hinata!"

"…What I can cook, though? I… not a lot."

"I mostly eat cheap dried noodles, with whatever vegetables I can boil easily, and whatever fish I can catch myself.

I don't really have a lot of time to cook after class most days, but I can usually get by with cooking a few days' meals on the weekend, and then again partway through the school-week."

Hinata frowns thoughtfully. That's not a lot of cooking options.

{Maybe we could do a bit of teamwork here? What if we all go over to help with cooking sometimes, and teach Blondie some easy recipes we all know? Cooking will be faster if we do it together, right? And maybe your mom would be okay with providing lunches, just so that's less for Blondie to have to keep on top of making?}

{That sounds great! Let's do that.}

"Okay, how about we come over to your place after class tomorrow and on the weekend, and try cooking together? I'll bet we can figure out more options that work for you that way."

Thank the kami for those kunoichi classes, huh? There's no way they'd know enough to actually help him learn to cook more if they hadn't had to learn a bunch this year, themselves.

Yeah, that's going to come in really handy here.

Go over to Naruto-sama's apartment!? And help him cook!?

Hinata nods vigorously.

Wow, Sakura and Hinata coming to his apartment?

Ok, no, don't be weird about it! Don't be weird, just say something normal—he really needs their help here, and it will not help to make either of them uncomfortable!

"That sounds amazing! Thanks so much for helping me with all this—I have no idea what I'd do without you."

There! A normal human response that won't creep them out or make them uncomfortable!

{Possibly starve or be horrifyingly lonely as the village continues to mistreat you? Never crack your eggshell? Be insufficiently trained because how much do we wanna bet at least one or two of the teachers are being shitty to you too?}

Still not really a happy inkblot.

Hinata, still blushing, murmurs in reply, "Y-you a-already helped m-me."

{Yeah, there's a lot to still be upset about.}

Hmm… that's something to ask about later: What has Naruto done for Hinata, that she feels so obviously grateful for?

"Then it's decided!"

"But for now, let's get to the training field? We've still got a lot to do, and I don't wanna waste the daylight."

Oh right, they had plans!

"Right, sorry about that. Yeah, let's get going."

Hinata nods and follows.

{Blondie should probably not be apologizing about this. None of y'all should be apologizing, the world owes y'all apologies.}

It huffs. Stupid world being mean to its cuties. Not allowed.