Manicherryblossom33
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Finally new chapter! I am both late and early, as its been two weeks since I posted the last chapter and also I said I would only post on Tuesdays. This chapter is a bit long as I am trying to wrap up this flashback in 3-4 chapters. As this is only the second chapter of the flashback, it will be easy to get mad at me. Hahaha. Also, in case you haven't picked it up from all the foreshadowing I've done in previous chapters, this flashback does NOT END WELL. You will be furious at certain people, possibly me included. However, once we get back to present time, you'll be happy again. Maybe.
Enjoy chapter 37! Please leave a comment.
Everybody loves comments(most of the time)...
Edit: Here are the links to the other chapters
Chapter 30 has links to chapter 19-29. Chapter 19 has links to chapters 1-18. VM me if any of the links are broken.
Naruto Fanfic A future without you
Chapter 37: two years ago, part 2
FLASHBACK CONTINUES HERE
NARUTO’S POV [HYUGA ESTATE, FRONT GATE; KONOHA, TWO YEARS AGO]
He rapped his knuckles against the thick wooden doors thrice and stepped back, flexing his fingers, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Exhaling, he clenched his fists and started pacing back and forth, casting wary, anxious glances at the gate every second. When it finally creaked open his heart dropped into his stomach and he flinched inwardly as the tremoring pain in his stomach grew worse.
Ko Hyuga stepped out, his eyes narrowing slightly as Naruto came into view. That made him ill, but Naruto rushed forward anyway feeling the knot of pain in his stomach swell.
“Is Hinata home? I need to talk to her right away.” He said in a panicked tone that didn’t suit him. But he didn’t care at the moment, even when Ko seemed to glare back.
“I’m afraid Lady Hinata is out.” Ko said flatly and attempted to step back inside. Naruto pushed through and put his foot out to block the gate.
“Wait! Where is she?” He asked with a look of desperation. “At the hospital? On a mission?”
Hinata had been a frequent visitor of the hospital as she learned about medicine and medical ninjutsu from Ino and Sakura-chan.
Ko blinked as if Naruto had stabbed him with a needle, his eyes filling with very skillfully suppressed rage.
“I am not at liberty to reveal her location. Excuse me.” He forcefully shoved Naruto out of the way and closed the gate in his face.
Naruto let out a long, shaky breath and clutched his stomach as he stepped back and walked sideways away from the door as he looked at the walls surrounding the Hyuga estate. What was this pain building up in his stomach? And why was there so much pressure in his chest and throat?
His mind raced back to earlier in the day, when he had chased Hinata away with the truth. He’d half expected that reaction, and had been tempted to lie to her: tell her he loved her, accepted her feelings. But he knew she would see through it and never forgive him for lying, and he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself if he tricked her like that.
But he hadn’t understood her question! Not entirely, anyway. It passed through him like a ghost and left him feeling cold and vulnerable. She stood apart from him, crying, preparing to take a road away from him. He was afraid of losing her forever, of never having anymore of their secret visits in his parents house, any time together at all. The gears had cranked up speed in his head, jutting out half answers, things that were true and devious at the same time. He’d pushed them all aside and smoke filled his skull, making him dizzy, and her tears made him anxious. He had to tell her something! Anything! And then that question had appeared.
Did he love Hinata?
Yes, his mind had screamed. As a comrade, as a friend. But that wasn’t what she meant when she’d confessed to him on the battlefield or now and he understood that now. So he thought of his parents, of ero-senin’s one-sided love for ba-chan, of Sakura and Sasuke, of his love for Sakura-chan.
And he knew the answer was no. And as soon as he thought of this, he felt his breath become trapped in his throat and his heart raced from fear. There was something missing, he knew it, but he had to be truthful. Maybe if he was honest she would stay with him.
That had been nothing but a false sense of security. Something he’d made up on the spot to make it easier for him to tell her. Otherwise he would have never been able to force the words from his mouth.
SORRY... NOT INTERESTED.
She DID run from him, and he was left alone in that ally to sit and think. Nothing came to mind, nothing at all. Not the weather, not his mood, not the past or the future. All he knew was the horrible knot of pain in his belly and the choking sensation. He couldn’t breath, couldn’t move. His heart had been punched out, carried away, and hidden somewhere or destroyed. He slowly recalled her question, and his answer, and his mind nearly collapsed from panic. There was something missing. He had said the truth, and yet it was a lie. That wasn’t the right answer, or maybe it was but he’d said it wrong? Anyway, she was gone.
What if she was gone for good?
He shot to his feet then and ran here, in the dark of the night with the pain in his stomach making every step unbearable.
And now, here he stood. Ko had been Hinata’s aid since she was a little girl. She was about eight years younger than him, and he was as close as she could get to a childhood friend. From the way he behaved, he knew what happened between them that afternoon and wasn’t going to let Naruto get anywhere close to her.
He dashed up the wall, jumping behind a bush without making a sound and peering through the leaves. It was a huge foundation with a bunch of traditional buildings and a fancy garden and fountain in the center.There were outdoor tile walkways lining the homes and structures, and sliding paper doors.
He checked for Ko, or anyone else. What if they all knew? Had she told them? He couldn’t picture her doing that, but somebody close to her might have noticed. He froze from fear. What if her dad knew?
He double checked and snuck into the courtyard, climbing onto the wooden walkways and looking about as he listened carefully. He heard snoring from within the walls and kept walking. Hinata didn’t snore. And he only knew that because she had passed out at his parents’ house once!
He turned a corner, keeping an eye out for a windowsill with a flower sitting on it. Hinata had said she kept a potted orchid on her window sill. It had been a gift from a secret admirer, one she still didn’t know the identity of.
His fists clenched tightly, turning his knucles white but he ignored them and focused as he turned another corner.
He practically jumped out of his skin when his vision became full of pupil-less Hyuga eyes and long dark hair. He struck a fighting pose, but relaxed when he noticed it was Neji and not Hinata’s father.
He sighed in relief and proceeded to make an angry yet comical face at Neji, who was expressionless.
“What are you doing in the middle of the night?!” He hissed, cupping one hand around his mouth.
“That's my line. Naruto…” Neji began, looking down in disappointment.
Naruto relaxed, still clutching his stomach. “Whatever. It’s okay I guess. You know where her room is right? You’ve got to take me there. I’ve got to talk to her right away, Neji—”
“Go home, Naruto.”
Naruto flinched. It took several moments for him to process and acknowledge it. And then he still questioned: had he heard him right?
Neji looked at him almost pleadingly, his calm exterior a mere façade. He repeated himself, this time more forcefully, and yet it still sounded almost like a request.
“Go home, Naruto.”
Naruto gaped at him. “What’s wrong with you?”
Neji shut his eyes. “Lady Hinata doesn’t want to see you. You’ve done nothing wrong. Just go home.”
Naruto knit his brow. “I can’t go home until I talk to her. I need to apologize, make her understand. Please Neji, I have to—”
“No.”
It came out strong, and firm. Like he had hit Naruto with a battering ram.
“Whose side are you on?!” Naruto demanded in a low voice.
“Naruto, you can’t help her.” He stated, still firm. “You only told her the truth, right?”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“And she accepted the truth.”
“But Neji—”
“Enough!”
They both flinched as the snoring momentarily stopped. They both held their breath, watching eerily until the cacophony resumed.
Neji sighed. “You can’t help her. You have nothing to apologize for. But this is still hard for her. She needs space, and time. Give her that, and maybe she will return to you as a friend one day.”
“Maybe?!” Naruto asked with a painful expression in the lowest shout possible.
Neji shook his head. “I’m… I’m sorry. This was an imminent possibility from the beginning. Friendships don’t always survive this kind of incident.”
Naruto stepped forward and shook him, keeping himself from shouting only by hissing angrily:
"What do you mean 'from the beginning?!' Why did it have to turn out like this anyway? We were so close and then she suddenly decides she loves me? And now she's cutting me out of her life just like that?"
Neji knit his brow. "She has always felt this way. Ever since early in the academy. Always. Didn't she tell you that?"
Naruto wavered. Did she? He couldn't remember. And if that was true...
He felt a cold fist close over his heart. That would explain so much. The shy, timid Hinata he remembered from the academy and the chunin exams and for a long time after that. The Hinata who couldn't meet his eyes, or blushed when he so much as looked at her. Who fainted at the slightest contact between them, but who would come to his aid in the worst of times.
His arms fell uselessly at his sides and he looked down, noticing a second pair of feet a short distance behind Neji. Gasping, he looked up, causing Neji to turn around.
"Lord Hiashi." Neji said, and Naruto could feel the atmosphere become a lot more awkward and suffocating as Hinata's father gave him a look of immense disapproval.
He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. It was in his eyes. His real thoughts...
"Neji, escort him out." He ordered, turning and leaving.
Neji nodded solemnly. "Yes sir."
NARUTO'S POV [FOUR DAYS LATER]
He didn't try to sneak in again after that. However he still looked for Hinata in the streets of Konoha constantly. The pain in his stomach had gotten worse, as did the pressure in his chest and throat.
It was evening now, and the only ones still in the streets were kids. Lots and lots of kids. They were playing various games and causing general havoc in some cases, which made him laugh. Many of them ran up to him all at once as he came to a stop in front of the tea shop. He felt them grab hold of him, taking his hands, gripping the knees of his pants. Other children who'd missed out on these decided to jump up and down around him while some of the younger kids hopped on his back, his head. He felt a few of them pull on his hair, or bury there faces in it as they muttered: "Spiky, spiky!"
"Ow!" He yelled, tilting his head back as one child pulled to hard. "Guys! I can't walk!"
"You're not walking! You're staring!" Corrected one of the boys around four years old, who was holding onto his back like a baby koala.
"Play with us, play with us!" A girl shrieked, beaming as she hopped up and down, her hair bouncing around her."You're free right, nii-san?"
His heart ached as he watched her hair move. Hinata's hair would do that.Whenever she walked down a flight of stairs,or slipped on something, her hair would fly upward and then settle as soon as she did.
He stared back at the tea shop. It was open, but no one was at the counter.
Hinata liked to come here. She liked their cinnamon rolls, and would sit quietly at one of their high tables reading a book with one hand while she gently picked apart pastries ino bite sized pieces and fed herself quietly. She'd caught him staring once, and had waved him over to tell him that her father had started asking questions about where it was she disappeared to during the day. He laughed at that.
"Nii-san, play with us!" Another child demanded.
Naruto snapped out of it and grinned at them, but with a look in his eye not unlike the one Jiraiya had given him when he had demanded something.
"We want to play ninja with you!" One of them, who might have been a cadet, stated.
He chuckled at this, and secretly hoped Sasuke wouldn't catch him.
"Sure why not?" He said, grinning.
HINATA'S POV [HYUGA ESTATE]
"Good morning, Lady Hinata." Said one of the maids,bowing politely to her.
"Good morning." Hinata smiled, returning the gesture with a bow of her own.
The maid continued past her and the smile faded away as she finished out the hall and turned onto the outdoor walkway. Lucky for her she did not run into anybody there as the gardens were deserted. She loathed pretending she was fine, but the idea of being pitied wasn't something she could stand.
She came to a temporary stop where she could see an opening in the surrounding trees, making the evening sky visible. She loved the way clouds could catch light.
Not something everybody could do.
She flinched as she started to remember it and shook her head, stalking past sliding doors to make a turn and ran into Ko.
He was too quick to bow, and caused her to jump--"eep!"--and slap her hands over her mouth. He immediately straightened up, keeping his head bowed.
"Forgive me, Lady Hinata. I did not mean to startle you." He apologized, looking up ever so carefully.
Slowly, she lowered her hands. "It's alright Ko... I... I'm just a little jumpy."
"Lady Hinata, are you leaving for a mission now?" He asked, leaning in.
"No, no. I was just going to take a walk." She said, smiling warmly.
Ko's face went bizarely red and he wrung his hands as he opened his mouth widely to speak, only to have no sound come out. Realizing it was useless, he shut his mouth and half bowed, holding one arm out in a polite gesture for her to walk ahead of him through the garden.
Hinata blinked at him, unsure of what he was doing.
"If you..." He choked out, clearing his throat and looking up at her pleadingly, "If it is alright, I would like to speak with you about something. Can we walk?"
Hinata hesitated, but nodded in the end as she gestured for Ko to sit up. They began walking between the flowers on the stone pathways. Ko dawdled, twiddling his thumbs, seeming too nervous. Hinata vaguely wondered what sort of thing he wanted to talk about, guessing it had to be something of great importance or embarrasment for him to be taking so long to bring it up. Meanwhile, the sky grew ever darker, and more and more of their clan turned their lights out. The garden lights came on, and the moon hung full and bright in the sky amongst the stars.
"Lady Hinata...!" He shouted, causing her to whirl. He then rubbed his neck nervously and cleared his throat once more. "Lady Hinata, I... believe in you. You are... without a doubt the most courageous, most worthy, most implicitly elegant and astounding woman in Konoha. I am very proud to call myself your aid... And I want you to know you do not need the approval of... Uzumaki Naruto to be a true shinobi."
Hinata felt a strange unease in the pit of her stomach, but nodded dully as Ko clenched his fists ever tighter.
"Thank you, Ko. But how did you know about--"
Before she could finish, he had removed an envelope from his pockets and held it out to her. She took it, gently grasping the short ends. It was blank, with neither her name or his were written on the back.
"What is this, Ko?" She asked politely.
Ko gulped. "It is... a letter. For you, Lady Hinata. From ME. And I... I would like it if you would please... If you would allow me to take you out for... tea. Or a meal..."
Her eyes shot wide open as she flinched back. This was evidently not the reaction he was hoping for as his mouth dropped open and he half reached out to her before pulling his arm back.
She rolled her lips back and held the letter close. Ironically, it seemed to shield her from the situation. Her eyes shook as her gaze switched from one flower to the next.
No. This was not what she wanted. Still... Ko? There was such an age difference betwen them, and she had often looked up to him as a child, and even now, as if he were her older brother. He had often comforted her when her father seemed to neglect her, and when she mourned her mother or was beaten by Hanabi. She was grateful to him.
But this was not how she wanted to repay him.
SORRY... NOT INTERESTED.
The words came back to her like an electric shock. She stared off, disappointed in herself. What was she thinking? Would she treat him the same way? How long had he harbored these feelings for her? Was it only recently or long term?
All he was really asking for was a date, which was a lot more reasonable than what she had been asking for. How could she deny him his request? She didn't have anyone. Nor did he. And perhaps this was her salvation. Finally, some reprieve for this broken heart.
She should move on. He wasn't going to change his mind. He would either win Sakura-chan, or watch over her forever. She was his only one.
Meanwhile, would she share his fate? Live without love? She had, since she was very little, dreamed of having children. Would she miss out on that?
She looked at the letter and slowly smiled. To continue as she was now would be pitiful and pointless. Tears won't heal her heart.
With a deep breath, she smiled at Ko, who stared back. There was cautious hope in his eyes which exploded into joy when she smiled and nodded.
Tucking the letter back in her pocket, she allowed him to hold her hand as he walked her back to her room.
NARUTO'S POV [THE FOLLOWING DAY, NOON]
The weather was terrible that day. Following the war there had been a long period of sunny days, with cool breezes and pure white, clear clouds. When Naruto visited Suna, it felt significantly less hot. Kirigakure, which had a reputation for endless humidity and fog, had started to seem more like the Konoha.
Thanks to this people had more time on their hands. Mothers and daughters hung up more laundry, had it dry by the following afternoon, and were able to spend the rest of the week meeting with freinds or reading. Boys were restless, switching from one game to the next or racing each other up the steepest hills. The streets were more busy than ever, as almost no one was at home, and if you weren't careful you'd end up trampled.
But not today. Today, there was a fierce thunderstorm outside. The clouds were dark gray and almost black in some sections of the sky. In the distance, some had curled down and gotten stuck in the shape of a giant midair cornucopia. The rain was so thick that if you happened to be standing in the hokage's office at the moment, looking out the window you wouldn't be able to see much more than the silhouettes of some of the closest buildings and beyond that, nothing but the shifty combination of thousands of rain drops.The wind screeched and made the rain fall sideways, shaking the windows so much that you would seriously believe they were on the verge of shattering.
Naruto looked out Granny Tsunade's window while sitting on its windowsill, with one leg propped up and bent while the other hung over the side. He leaned against the wall, his fists pressed against the sill for balance. Tsunade sat at her desk filling out papers, casting glances at him over her shoulder whenever she felt like it. Meanwhile he was frowning, brow furrowed, feeling annoyed by the rain, anxious in spite of his lack of energy, and stressed from the sound of Kurama snoring away in his psyche.
Stupid bipolar weather, he mentally cursed, you were just fine yesterday!
"Okay, that's enough." Tsunade said, pushing her chair back and standing up. "I can sense you're bad mood and it's not going to make the rain lighten up or you. Want to tell me what's wrong?"
Naruto sighed through his nose and looked away from the window, at his fists.
"Nah... Not really." He admitted. He really couldn't think of anyone he'd be willing to talk to this about. Not Sasuke, not Iruka-sensei. Regrettably, he had a feeling that the one person who would be capable of helping him was the yondaime. But talking to him was impossible.
Tsunade sighed and leaned against her desk while facing him.
"Well, listen then." She ordered calmly and managed to capture his attention. "Not a soul in this village isnt aware of the mood you've had these past few days. You know how everyone watches you, don't you? The villagers, the shinobi. They're all hoping you'll take over soon. You've been doing good to live up to everyone's expectations and I'm close to getting the consent of THOSE TWO. But this mood you've been in... Its making things diffixult. This is too important a time for you not to be yourself. Whatever's happened... You can still fix it."
He stirred, his face falling a little.
"How?"
Granny's eyes were clear. "Decide what you want to do. Sitting around like this doesn't suit you."
She turned away, walking back to her desk but did not yet sit down. She instead dug through her drawers and pulled something out before returning and handing it to him.
It shocked him out of his gloom, and managed to bring a surprised smile to his face.
It was a photo. A very old one, of his father, ero-senin, mom, and a dark haired boy that looked a little like Sasuke. Dad, mom, and the boy were still children, gennin. Ero-senin was leaning over, grinning like an idiot with his hand in Dad's hair, who had been in midlaughter when the picture was taken. To his right was mom, who was grinning, leaning forward so as to stand out more than others as she made victory signs with both hands. On Dad's left was the unnamed boy. Yeah he looked like Sasuke. Dark hair, dark eyes, high-and-mighty expression. He looked at Dad the same way Sasuke looked at idiots or showoffs or Naruto. Raised brows, squinted eyes, pursed lips, chin up, folded arms. Yep, exactly the same annoying expression.Naruto hmmed, annoyed at him before looking back at the other three and smiling again.
Tsunade smiled at him and tood close, admiring the photo herself.
"You know, this reminds me of when Minato was upset during his time in office." She said, earning a shocked expression from Naruto. "I'd already left by then, but I got messages from Jiraiya frequently. There was this one letter from him that said that Minato had been 'uneasy the past couple of days, and wouldn't tell anyone why.'"
"Why? What was wrong?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade shook her head. "I don't know, I never got the chance to ask him. But it was just a few months before you were born. Maybe it had something to do with you. Minato could be..." She paused to laugh lightly. "Hillarious when it came to babies. He outright ran when offered the chance to hold Sasuke.He was afraid he would drop him."
Naruto's eyebrows shot up. "Sasuke? He knew Sasuke?"
"He knew his parents. His entire clan, actually." Tsunade recalled. "Minato was one of the few outsiders the Uchiha clan trusted. He had a sort of charm, after all. Even his enemies liked him."
"But why'd they trust Dad?"
"Uchiha Fugaku." Tsunade answered, pointing at the previously unnamed boy in the photo. "Sasuke's father. They were close."
Naruto's eyes drifted slowly back to the dark haired boy, followed by the turning of his head.
That didn't make sense.
Certain memories came back to him and Naruto frowned. It wasn't that surprising, if he thought about it, given what Sasuke used to be like. This guy was probably the same.
"Lady Tsunade!"
They both looked up, seeing Shizune standing in the door way with another tower of papers. She stepped in, closing the door behind her with her foot, and placed the papers on the floor beside the desk as it had no free space left.
"Ugh." Tsunade half sighed, half groaned. "HOW did you get them in this rain?"
Shizune smiled, picking up Tonton who'd trotted in behind her.
"Izumo's water suspensery justu. Very useful for heavy storms, don't you think?"
Tsunade didn't seem to agree as she glared at the newest stack of papers. She'd begun at the crack of dawn, and wasn't even halfway done. That was probably the one thing that Naruto didn't look forward to: the paperwork.
"Did you hear the latest news?" Shizune asked eagerly as Tsunade sat back down to continue her work.
"Again with the gossip? I'm really not interested, Shizune." Tsunade replied.
"But this is really shocking! Especially considering all the offers she's rejected over the years!" Shizune continued.
Tsunade showed only miniscule interest. "Who?"
"Hinata Hyuga, milady. People say she's accepted a date Ko Hyuga!"
Tsunade froze, ping her knuckles slightly under her chin.
"Really? But she's always turned down everyone who--"
"WHAT?!"
They both stiffened, turning to look at him wide-eyed and shocked. Naruto had gotten to his feet, picture still in hand but forgotten. His feet stood apart with his arms hanging on either side of him as he looked them in the eye, hoping Shizune would say "kidding."
But she didn't.
He raced over and grabbed her shoulders.
"That's not true! Its got to be a lie! It is, right?"He asked, shaking her.
Shizune laughed nervously. "It's true! I got the news from a reliable source."
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked.
He grit his teeth and let go of her, placing the picture on Granny's desk before dashing around to the door.
"Where are you going?!" Tsunade asked.
"To the Hyuga place!" Naruto answered.
"In this rain? You must be joking! You're water style hasn't been perfected yet! Naruto--"
He slammed the door shut behind him and raced off, down the hall and the stairs, turning and pushing through the front doors.
He was blinded instantly by the rain, and soaked to the bone in less than a minute. His ears were filled with the combined sound of screeching winds and vicious rain. Lightning crackled overhead, lighting his way enough so that he knew which road to start with and from there he simply navigated by memory. The streets were flooded in some parts, soit was like his feet had gone for a swim.
His clothes were glued to his skin, and his hair was so wet it hung like a curtain around his face in some parts. He pushed through, and it felt exactly like he was drowning as he could hardly breath and his nose and mouth were full of water.
An eternity seemed to pass before he collapsed against the great wooden gates of the Hyuga estate. The short patio roof overhead was useless to shield him from the rain as the wind now blew it in various directions. Knowing no one would answer if he knocked, he pushed the gate open and stumbled through. From there he really was blind, as he had really only been inside this place once. He vaguely noticed when his feet sank through the mud and flinched when something sharp and plentiful in numbers wrapped itself around his legs and stabed into his skin. But this was nothing compared to the injuries he'd sustained on the battlefield so he simply stomped free of the quagmire, creating knew holes in his pants. He waved his arms about but completely missed the wooden pillars and tripped over onto the outdoor walkways.
Still exposed to the rain, he decided he didn't care if he got caught anymore. He was going to get to a dry place. And then he was going to find Hinata.
Sliding the door open, he entered one of the Hyuga buildings and collapsed against a solid, wooden wall, panting and blinking the water from his eyes. With his head leaning back against the wood, and his arms and legs feeling like overcooked noodles, he noticed just how dark it was. There was a brief moment of panic when he thought he might be blind. But he could see, even though it was a little like looking through smudged, wet eyeglasses. He could see the roof, and lights, which were out.
He let out a shaky breath and felt a towel drop over his head. Then there were small, childrens hands on him from behind the towel, drying his hair, his face. He took over and patted the rest of him dry, or as dry as he could get. When he was finished, he was no longer dripping wet and the floor was saved.
"Nee-chan's room is at the end of the hall." Said a little girl, probably the one who had brought him the towel.
He nodded, groaning as he got to his feet and stared ahead. Hinata's room...
"Thanks." He said, looking around for the girl only to find himself alone.
Shrugging, he wrapped the towel around himself and trudged down the hall, taking care to keep as quiet as possible. There were other doors, not paper ones but ones with locks, lining the hall. He could only imagine who lay beyond each, and thanks to that he kept picturing her father jumping out at him every time he got close to one.
When he reached the door, he was conflicted. Should he knock or just walk on in? It was a girls room. Then again, it was noon. She might not even be in, not that he could imagine why she would be out.
Turning the knob, he walked on in and shut the door behind him. No sooner than he did did he find himself pinned againt the wall with a kunai to his throat.
"Stop! Stop!" He whispered, dropping the towel to wave his hands in truce. "It's me! It's me!"
He heard a gasp, and the knife dropped as she flicked the lights on. He saw she was wearing plain black clothes, the ones donned by ninja when they were off mission and relaxing in the village. Her hair was down as usual, and messy as if she had been taking a nap. This made him remember how she had complained to him once, in a joking manner, how sleepy she got during heavy rainfall. It made concentrating difficult, she had said.
"Naruto-kun!" She gasped, picking the towel back up and throwing it back around his shoulders. "You're freezing! Don't tell me you ran here! Oh! You're shaking!"
Was he? Oh yeah, he was. He hadn't noticed. Though now that he did, it felt like his bones were rattling beneath his skin. Instead of feeling like a melting icycle, he felt like an egg that had been fried on sidewalk.
She grabbed his arms and gently steered him to the center of the room before going over to the window and picking up the extra blanket, which she threw around him over his towel.
She smiled at him with concern. "They say that fools can't catch colds. But you should be more careful."
He panted, feeling relieved as his head bowed. He felt his forehead hit her collar bone and her arms flinch as she tried to warm him up by rubbing her hands up and down his arms through the blanket.
He found her. Finally. He'd finally reached her. He could finally speak to her. And yet he was so exhausted, talking felt as laborous as one of Guy-sensei's and bushy brow's penalty training exercises.
But he had to tell her.
"Hinata, don't go to him." He said from between heavy, laboured breaths.
This froze her. He didn't raise his head yet, but if she had looked him in the eye then she would have seen crystal clear resolve. It was different from before, when he didn't know what to think or say to make her stay. He knew how to really answer her now, and with the real truth.
"What... What are you saying?" She asked, and it was clear from her tone just how disappointed, betrayed, and hurt she felt. But he sat up, already feeling better and took her hands.
"Don't go to him." He said again, and he could've sworn there was enough resentment in her eyes that if he weren't holding her dominant hand she would've slapped him.
"Who... Who do you think you are?" She asked. When he didn't answer her, she narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly and stood, wrenching her hand free. "Leave."
He hopped to his feet as she made to leave and went to stand between her and the door.
"Don't go to him!" He said, almost begging for her to listen to him.
"Stop!" She ordered, jutting her chin out at him as she was significantly shorter than him. "You're the last one I want to hear that from! Did you expect me to simply heed your every request because I love you?"
His mouth formed a tight line. Yes, he had expected that.
"Running through the rain, showing up in my room out of nowhere, and telling me not to go to him." She shook her head. "That's despicable, Naruto-kun! Telling me not to leave you after you've already expressed to me how YOU feel about me... That's selfish! Do you have any idea how much it hurt to hear you say that? But I accepted it anyway! Because, like you said, to make somebody love you is impossible. The fact that you would show up here and tell me not to go... Just what are you after? You want me to keep you as my number one, the way you have with Sakura-chan? To follow your example? With any other situation, maybe I would do as you do. But not now! Not with this situation!"
Naruto knit his brow, feeling a little angry himself.
"But you don't even like him!" He argued. "Don't say you love me then go to somebody else!"
"Don't reject me and then come calling after I've accepted your rejection!" She countered. "It's like you've come back out of pity, and it's insulting! Now leave!"
She reached around him but he lashed out and grabbed her wrist. She opened her mouth, probably to yell at him some more, but instead they both flinched when they heard footsteps coming from down the hall. Dropping her wrist, Naruto ran and hid (hoping for all he was worth that whoever it was didn''t have their byakugan activated; there was no hiding from those eyes) in the open closet.
"Lady Hinata?"
"Come in, Neji." She replied in her usual kind, charming tone.
He opened the door, remaining in the doorway much to Naruto's relief. He didn't have to see him (which he couldn't) to know he was looking around the room expecting to see an unwelcome visitor or intruder.
"Is everything alright? I heard voices." He asked her.
"I'm fine. I was just thinking aloud." She lied, not convicning in the least. Behind Neji, another voice asked:
"Should I send Ko to keep you company?"
It was her father. The question itself made Naruto's blood boil, but he buried the rage so as not to blow his cover.
"I'm fine." She insisted, which made him feel better in spite of the situation.
Reluctantly, the pair exited, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone once more. He waited, not wanting to speak too soon and have them return. After a while Hinata said "They're gone."
He stepped out, sighing in relief at having avoided them. But she stared at him expectantly, either wanting him to finish what he had to say or leave.
He went with the former.
"Hinata, I..." He reached out to her, and to his surprise she actually let him take her hand. He grasped it lightly, reminiscent of how he'd held it before. Only now she was facing him, and she wasn't crying, and his mind was clear. "I'm sorry. About before, I really didn't know what to do so I just... I said what i thought I had to without really saying the truth. I mean..." He reached behind his head, burying his fingers in his hair anxiously. "I'm not really good with trying to come up with answers on the spot. I just wanted to say something to keep you from leaving so I said the first thing that I could come up with, and assumed it was the truth. But afterwards I felt really... Like I'd lied or something, to myself, and it felt wierd. It still does. But then when I heard about you and... Well, it became clear and I just had to come and see you and talk to you or else I'd regret it, ya know?"
He risked a glance at her face and found that she was still on her guard, especting him to say something hurtful or prideful, but she was a lot more sympathetic. He gripped the back of his hair between his fingers before dropping said hand, where it cured into a fist.
"And?" She prompted, blinking sadly. "What is it you want to say to me?"
He had to hold onto his nerve or else it would have abandoned him right then and there. Man this was going to be diffcult. He could barely breath.
"I... I don't love you." He admitted, and the way she looked at him made him quick to finish. "But I do like you! And I don't want you to leave me! So don't go to anybody else!"
The pain and shield dissappeared from her expression, but instead she looked... Torn. And as she folded her free hand over her heart, she shut her eyes tight.
"Are you trying to turn me into a replacement for Sakura-chan?" She asked.
Man that hurt. It hurt like having Kurama pulled out of him, hurt like not being able to introduce his parents to any of his freinds ever. Hurt like it would if he had to watch Konoha be burned to the ground and everyone in it slaughtered.
"No, of course not!" He said, positive of that.
But she wasn't done questioning him.
"Do you still love her?"
That didn't hurt at all. Instead, he drew a blank again and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Not wanting to screw up a second time, he said:
"I... I don't know."
His face fell and he slightly increased his grip on her hand. What would she do now? He wasn't sure he wanted to find out. For the first time in a long while, he wanted to stop time just so he could keep something terrible and imminent from slapping him into next week.
She clenched her fist over her heart and looked up at him, about to say something just when she flinched, whipping her head to the side. Her byakugan activated and she gasped.
"He's coming." She said, and looked out at the rain which seemed to have lightened a little before getting behind him and pushing him towards the window. "You have to go now!"
"Wait, what were you going to say? And who's coming?" He asked.
"Ko is!"
"Oh..." He replied. She wanted to be alone with him then?
"It's not like that!" She said, getting his hopeful-but-cautious attention.
He turned around, his back hitting the window as he held his arms out, asking for an answer before he even
spoke.
"Are you still going to...?" He asked, not sure how to finish the sentence.
Hinata raised her hands and wrung them under her chin. Her eyes were squinted and shifty, and she was blushing. Far too confused.
"Tommorow. Give me until tommorow." She half-asked, half ordered.
Just knowing all hope wasn't loss was enough to make him nod in agreement. There was a knock on her door and he glared at it before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her up into a tight hug. He heard her gasp and he flinched in response, not sure if what he was doing was allowed or not. But he didn't want to leave quietly.
"I'll wait at the usual spot, okay?" He whispered. "All day."
And with that, he disappeared out the window and into the rain.
Enjoy chapter 37! Please leave a comment.
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Naruto Fanfic A future without you
Chapter 37: two years ago, part 2
FLASHBACK CONTINUES HERE
NARUTO’S POV [HYUGA ESTATE, FRONT GATE; KONOHA, TWO YEARS AGO]
He rapped his knuckles against the thick wooden doors thrice and stepped back, flexing his fingers, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Exhaling, he clenched his fists and started pacing back and forth, casting wary, anxious glances at the gate every second. When it finally creaked open his heart dropped into his stomach and he flinched inwardly as the tremoring pain in his stomach grew worse.
Ko Hyuga stepped out, his eyes narrowing slightly as Naruto came into view. That made him ill, but Naruto rushed forward anyway feeling the knot of pain in his stomach swell.
“Is Hinata home? I need to talk to her right away.” He said in a panicked tone that didn’t suit him. But he didn’t care at the moment, even when Ko seemed to glare back.
“I’m afraid Lady Hinata is out.” Ko said flatly and attempted to step back inside. Naruto pushed through and put his foot out to block the gate.
“Wait! Where is she?” He asked with a look of desperation. “At the hospital? On a mission?”
Hinata had been a frequent visitor of the hospital as she learned about medicine and medical ninjutsu from Ino and Sakura-chan.
Ko blinked as if Naruto had stabbed him with a needle, his eyes filling with very skillfully suppressed rage.
“I am not at liberty to reveal her location. Excuse me.” He forcefully shoved Naruto out of the way and closed the gate in his face.
Naruto let out a long, shaky breath and clutched his stomach as he stepped back and walked sideways away from the door as he looked at the walls surrounding the Hyuga estate. What was this pain building up in his stomach? And why was there so much pressure in his chest and throat?
His mind raced back to earlier in the day, when he had chased Hinata away with the truth. He’d half expected that reaction, and had been tempted to lie to her: tell her he loved her, accepted her feelings. But he knew she would see through it and never forgive him for lying, and he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself if he tricked her like that.
But he hadn’t understood her question! Not entirely, anyway. It passed through him like a ghost and left him feeling cold and vulnerable. She stood apart from him, crying, preparing to take a road away from him. He was afraid of losing her forever, of never having anymore of their secret visits in his parents house, any time together at all. The gears had cranked up speed in his head, jutting out half answers, things that were true and devious at the same time. He’d pushed them all aside and smoke filled his skull, making him dizzy, and her tears made him anxious. He had to tell her something! Anything! And then that question had appeared.
Did he love Hinata?
Yes, his mind had screamed. As a comrade, as a friend. But that wasn’t what she meant when she’d confessed to him on the battlefield or now and he understood that now. So he thought of his parents, of ero-senin’s one-sided love for ba-chan, of Sakura and Sasuke, of his love for Sakura-chan.
And he knew the answer was no. And as soon as he thought of this, he felt his breath become trapped in his throat and his heart raced from fear. There was something missing, he knew it, but he had to be truthful. Maybe if he was honest she would stay with him.
That had been nothing but a false sense of security. Something he’d made up on the spot to make it easier for him to tell her. Otherwise he would have never been able to force the words from his mouth.
SORRY... NOT INTERESTED.
She DID run from him, and he was left alone in that ally to sit and think. Nothing came to mind, nothing at all. Not the weather, not his mood, not the past or the future. All he knew was the horrible knot of pain in his belly and the choking sensation. He couldn’t breath, couldn’t move. His heart had been punched out, carried away, and hidden somewhere or destroyed. He slowly recalled her question, and his answer, and his mind nearly collapsed from panic. There was something missing. He had said the truth, and yet it was a lie. That wasn’t the right answer, or maybe it was but he’d said it wrong? Anyway, she was gone.
What if she was gone for good?
He shot to his feet then and ran here, in the dark of the night with the pain in his stomach making every step unbearable.
And now, here he stood. Ko had been Hinata’s aid since she was a little girl. She was about eight years younger than him, and he was as close as she could get to a childhood friend. From the way he behaved, he knew what happened between them that afternoon and wasn’t going to let Naruto get anywhere close to her.
He dashed up the wall, jumping behind a bush without making a sound and peering through the leaves. It was a huge foundation with a bunch of traditional buildings and a fancy garden and fountain in the center.There were outdoor tile walkways lining the homes and structures, and sliding paper doors.
He checked for Ko, or anyone else. What if they all knew? Had she told them? He couldn’t picture her doing that, but somebody close to her might have noticed. He froze from fear. What if her dad knew?
He double checked and snuck into the courtyard, climbing onto the wooden walkways and looking about as he listened carefully. He heard snoring from within the walls and kept walking. Hinata didn’t snore. And he only knew that because she had passed out at his parents’ house once!
He turned a corner, keeping an eye out for a windowsill with a flower sitting on it. Hinata had said she kept a potted orchid on her window sill. It had been a gift from a secret admirer, one she still didn’t know the identity of.
His fists clenched tightly, turning his knucles white but he ignored them and focused as he turned another corner.
He practically jumped out of his skin when his vision became full of pupil-less Hyuga eyes and long dark hair. He struck a fighting pose, but relaxed when he noticed it was Neji and not Hinata’s father.
He sighed in relief and proceeded to make an angry yet comical face at Neji, who was expressionless.
“What are you doing in the middle of the night?!” He hissed, cupping one hand around his mouth.
“That's my line. Naruto…” Neji began, looking down in disappointment.
Naruto relaxed, still clutching his stomach. “Whatever. It’s okay I guess. You know where her room is right? You’ve got to take me there. I’ve got to talk to her right away, Neji—”
“Go home, Naruto.”
Naruto flinched. It took several moments for him to process and acknowledge it. And then he still questioned: had he heard him right?
Neji looked at him almost pleadingly, his calm exterior a mere façade. He repeated himself, this time more forcefully, and yet it still sounded almost like a request.
“Go home, Naruto.”
Naruto gaped at him. “What’s wrong with you?”
Neji shut his eyes. “Lady Hinata doesn’t want to see you. You’ve done nothing wrong. Just go home.”
Naruto knit his brow. “I can’t go home until I talk to her. I need to apologize, make her understand. Please Neji, I have to—”
“No.”
It came out strong, and firm. Like he had hit Naruto with a battering ram.
“Whose side are you on?!” Naruto demanded in a low voice.
“Naruto, you can’t help her.” He stated, still firm. “You only told her the truth, right?”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“And she accepted the truth.”
“But Neji—”
“Enough!”
They both flinched as the snoring momentarily stopped. They both held their breath, watching eerily until the cacophony resumed.
Neji sighed. “You can’t help her. You have nothing to apologize for. But this is still hard for her. She needs space, and time. Give her that, and maybe she will return to you as a friend one day.”
“Maybe?!” Naruto asked with a painful expression in the lowest shout possible.
Neji shook his head. “I’m… I’m sorry. This was an imminent possibility from the beginning. Friendships don’t always survive this kind of incident.”
Naruto stepped forward and shook him, keeping himself from shouting only by hissing angrily:
"What do you mean 'from the beginning?!' Why did it have to turn out like this anyway? We were so close and then she suddenly decides she loves me? And now she's cutting me out of her life just like that?"
Neji knit his brow. "She has always felt this way. Ever since early in the academy. Always. Didn't she tell you that?"
Naruto wavered. Did she? He couldn't remember. And if that was true...
He felt a cold fist close over his heart. That would explain so much. The shy, timid Hinata he remembered from the academy and the chunin exams and for a long time after that. The Hinata who couldn't meet his eyes, or blushed when he so much as looked at her. Who fainted at the slightest contact between them, but who would come to his aid in the worst of times.
His arms fell uselessly at his sides and he looked down, noticing a second pair of feet a short distance behind Neji. Gasping, he looked up, causing Neji to turn around.
"Lord Hiashi." Neji said, and Naruto could feel the atmosphere become a lot more awkward and suffocating as Hinata's father gave him a look of immense disapproval.
He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. It was in his eyes. His real thoughts...
"Neji, escort him out." He ordered, turning and leaving.
Neji nodded solemnly. "Yes sir."
NARUTO'S POV [FOUR DAYS LATER]
He didn't try to sneak in again after that. However he still looked for Hinata in the streets of Konoha constantly. The pain in his stomach had gotten worse, as did the pressure in his chest and throat.
It was evening now, and the only ones still in the streets were kids. Lots and lots of kids. They were playing various games and causing general havoc in some cases, which made him laugh. Many of them ran up to him all at once as he came to a stop in front of the tea shop. He felt them grab hold of him, taking his hands, gripping the knees of his pants. Other children who'd missed out on these decided to jump up and down around him while some of the younger kids hopped on his back, his head. He felt a few of them pull on his hair, or bury there faces in it as they muttered: "Spiky, spiky!"
"Ow!" He yelled, tilting his head back as one child pulled to hard. "Guys! I can't walk!"
"You're not walking! You're staring!" Corrected one of the boys around four years old, who was holding onto his back like a baby koala.
"Play with us, play with us!" A girl shrieked, beaming as she hopped up and down, her hair bouncing around her."You're free right, nii-san?"
His heart ached as he watched her hair move. Hinata's hair would do that.Whenever she walked down a flight of stairs,or slipped on something, her hair would fly upward and then settle as soon as she did.
He stared back at the tea shop. It was open, but no one was at the counter.
Hinata liked to come here. She liked their cinnamon rolls, and would sit quietly at one of their high tables reading a book with one hand while she gently picked apart pastries ino bite sized pieces and fed herself quietly. She'd caught him staring once, and had waved him over to tell him that her father had started asking questions about where it was she disappeared to during the day. He laughed at that.
"Nii-san, play with us!" Another child demanded.
Naruto snapped out of it and grinned at them, but with a look in his eye not unlike the one Jiraiya had given him when he had demanded something.
"We want to play ninja with you!" One of them, who might have been a cadet, stated.
He chuckled at this, and secretly hoped Sasuke wouldn't catch him.
"Sure why not?" He said, grinning.
HINATA'S POV [HYUGA ESTATE]
"Good morning, Lady Hinata." Said one of the maids,bowing politely to her.
"Good morning." Hinata smiled, returning the gesture with a bow of her own.
The maid continued past her and the smile faded away as she finished out the hall and turned onto the outdoor walkway. Lucky for her she did not run into anybody there as the gardens were deserted. She loathed pretending she was fine, but the idea of being pitied wasn't something she could stand.
She came to a temporary stop where she could see an opening in the surrounding trees, making the evening sky visible. She loved the way clouds could catch light.
Not something everybody could do.
She flinched as she started to remember it and shook her head, stalking past sliding doors to make a turn and ran into Ko.
He was too quick to bow, and caused her to jump--"eep!"--and slap her hands over her mouth. He immediately straightened up, keeping his head bowed.
"Forgive me, Lady Hinata. I did not mean to startle you." He apologized, looking up ever so carefully.
Slowly, she lowered her hands. "It's alright Ko... I... I'm just a little jumpy."
"Lady Hinata, are you leaving for a mission now?" He asked, leaning in.
"No, no. I was just going to take a walk." She said, smiling warmly.
Ko's face went bizarely red and he wrung his hands as he opened his mouth widely to speak, only to have no sound come out. Realizing it was useless, he shut his mouth and half bowed, holding one arm out in a polite gesture for her to walk ahead of him through the garden.
Hinata blinked at him, unsure of what he was doing.
"If you..." He choked out, clearing his throat and looking up at her pleadingly, "If it is alright, I would like to speak with you about something. Can we walk?"
Hinata hesitated, but nodded in the end as she gestured for Ko to sit up. They began walking between the flowers on the stone pathways. Ko dawdled, twiddling his thumbs, seeming too nervous. Hinata vaguely wondered what sort of thing he wanted to talk about, guessing it had to be something of great importance or embarrasment for him to be taking so long to bring it up. Meanwhile, the sky grew ever darker, and more and more of their clan turned their lights out. The garden lights came on, and the moon hung full and bright in the sky amongst the stars.
"Lady Hinata...!" He shouted, causing her to whirl. He then rubbed his neck nervously and cleared his throat once more. "Lady Hinata, I... believe in you. You are... without a doubt the most courageous, most worthy, most implicitly elegant and astounding woman in Konoha. I am very proud to call myself your aid... And I want you to know you do not need the approval of... Uzumaki Naruto to be a true shinobi."
Hinata felt a strange unease in the pit of her stomach, but nodded dully as Ko clenched his fists ever tighter.
"Thank you, Ko. But how did you know about--"
Before she could finish, he had removed an envelope from his pockets and held it out to her. She took it, gently grasping the short ends. It was blank, with neither her name or his were written on the back.
"What is this, Ko?" She asked politely.
Ko gulped. "It is... a letter. For you, Lady Hinata. From ME. And I... I would like it if you would please... If you would allow me to take you out for... tea. Or a meal..."
Her eyes shot wide open as she flinched back. This was evidently not the reaction he was hoping for as his mouth dropped open and he half reached out to her before pulling his arm back.
She rolled her lips back and held the letter close. Ironically, it seemed to shield her from the situation. Her eyes shook as her gaze switched from one flower to the next.
No. This was not what she wanted. Still... Ko? There was such an age difference betwen them, and she had often looked up to him as a child, and even now, as if he were her older brother. He had often comforted her when her father seemed to neglect her, and when she mourned her mother or was beaten by Hanabi. She was grateful to him.
But this was not how she wanted to repay him.
SORRY... NOT INTERESTED.
The words came back to her like an electric shock. She stared off, disappointed in herself. What was she thinking? Would she treat him the same way? How long had he harbored these feelings for her? Was it only recently or long term?
All he was really asking for was a date, which was a lot more reasonable than what she had been asking for. How could she deny him his request? She didn't have anyone. Nor did he. And perhaps this was her salvation. Finally, some reprieve for this broken heart.
She should move on. He wasn't going to change his mind. He would either win Sakura-chan, or watch over her forever. She was his only one.
Meanwhile, would she share his fate? Live without love? She had, since she was very little, dreamed of having children. Would she miss out on that?
She looked at the letter and slowly smiled. To continue as she was now would be pitiful and pointless. Tears won't heal her heart.
With a deep breath, she smiled at Ko, who stared back. There was cautious hope in his eyes which exploded into joy when she smiled and nodded.
Tucking the letter back in her pocket, she allowed him to hold her hand as he walked her back to her room.
NARUTO'S POV [THE FOLLOWING DAY, NOON]
The weather was terrible that day. Following the war there had been a long period of sunny days, with cool breezes and pure white, clear clouds. When Naruto visited Suna, it felt significantly less hot. Kirigakure, which had a reputation for endless humidity and fog, had started to seem more like the Konoha.
Thanks to this people had more time on their hands. Mothers and daughters hung up more laundry, had it dry by the following afternoon, and were able to spend the rest of the week meeting with freinds or reading. Boys were restless, switching from one game to the next or racing each other up the steepest hills. The streets were more busy than ever, as almost no one was at home, and if you weren't careful you'd end up trampled.
But not today. Today, there was a fierce thunderstorm outside. The clouds were dark gray and almost black in some sections of the sky. In the distance, some had curled down and gotten stuck in the shape of a giant midair cornucopia. The rain was so thick that if you happened to be standing in the hokage's office at the moment, looking out the window you wouldn't be able to see much more than the silhouettes of some of the closest buildings and beyond that, nothing but the shifty combination of thousands of rain drops.The wind screeched and made the rain fall sideways, shaking the windows so much that you would seriously believe they were on the verge of shattering.
Naruto looked out Granny Tsunade's window while sitting on its windowsill, with one leg propped up and bent while the other hung over the side. He leaned against the wall, his fists pressed against the sill for balance. Tsunade sat at her desk filling out papers, casting glances at him over her shoulder whenever she felt like it. Meanwhile he was frowning, brow furrowed, feeling annoyed by the rain, anxious in spite of his lack of energy, and stressed from the sound of Kurama snoring away in his psyche.
Stupid bipolar weather, he mentally cursed, you were just fine yesterday!
"Okay, that's enough." Tsunade said, pushing her chair back and standing up. "I can sense you're bad mood and it's not going to make the rain lighten up or you. Want to tell me what's wrong?"
Naruto sighed through his nose and looked away from the window, at his fists.
"Nah... Not really." He admitted. He really couldn't think of anyone he'd be willing to talk to this about. Not Sasuke, not Iruka-sensei. Regrettably, he had a feeling that the one person who would be capable of helping him was the yondaime. But talking to him was impossible.
Tsunade sighed and leaned against her desk while facing him.
"Well, listen then." She ordered calmly and managed to capture his attention. "Not a soul in this village isnt aware of the mood you've had these past few days. You know how everyone watches you, don't you? The villagers, the shinobi. They're all hoping you'll take over soon. You've been doing good to live up to everyone's expectations and I'm close to getting the consent of THOSE TWO. But this mood you've been in... Its making things diffixult. This is too important a time for you not to be yourself. Whatever's happened... You can still fix it."
He stirred, his face falling a little.
"How?"
Granny's eyes were clear. "Decide what you want to do. Sitting around like this doesn't suit you."
She turned away, walking back to her desk but did not yet sit down. She instead dug through her drawers and pulled something out before returning and handing it to him.
It shocked him out of his gloom, and managed to bring a surprised smile to his face.
It was a photo. A very old one, of his father, ero-senin, mom, and a dark haired boy that looked a little like Sasuke. Dad, mom, and the boy were still children, gennin. Ero-senin was leaning over, grinning like an idiot with his hand in Dad's hair, who had been in midlaughter when the picture was taken. To his right was mom, who was grinning, leaning forward so as to stand out more than others as she made victory signs with both hands. On Dad's left was the unnamed boy. Yeah he looked like Sasuke. Dark hair, dark eyes, high-and-mighty expression. He looked at Dad the same way Sasuke looked at idiots or showoffs or Naruto. Raised brows, squinted eyes, pursed lips, chin up, folded arms. Yep, exactly the same annoying expression.Naruto hmmed, annoyed at him before looking back at the other three and smiling again.
Tsunade smiled at him and tood close, admiring the photo herself.
"You know, this reminds me of when Minato was upset during his time in office." She said, earning a shocked expression from Naruto. "I'd already left by then, but I got messages from Jiraiya frequently. There was this one letter from him that said that Minato had been 'uneasy the past couple of days, and wouldn't tell anyone why.'"
"Why? What was wrong?" Naruto asked.
Tsunade shook her head. "I don't know, I never got the chance to ask him. But it was just a few months before you were born. Maybe it had something to do with you. Minato could be..." She paused to laugh lightly. "Hillarious when it came to babies. He outright ran when offered the chance to hold Sasuke.He was afraid he would drop him."
Naruto's eyebrows shot up. "Sasuke? He knew Sasuke?"
"He knew his parents. His entire clan, actually." Tsunade recalled. "Minato was one of the few outsiders the Uchiha clan trusted. He had a sort of charm, after all. Even his enemies liked him."
"But why'd they trust Dad?"
"Uchiha Fugaku." Tsunade answered, pointing at the previously unnamed boy in the photo. "Sasuke's father. They were close."
Naruto's eyes drifted slowly back to the dark haired boy, followed by the turning of his head.
That didn't make sense.
Certain memories came back to him and Naruto frowned. It wasn't that surprising, if he thought about it, given what Sasuke used to be like. This guy was probably the same.
"Lady Tsunade!"
They both looked up, seeing Shizune standing in the door way with another tower of papers. She stepped in, closing the door behind her with her foot, and placed the papers on the floor beside the desk as it had no free space left.
"Ugh." Tsunade half sighed, half groaned. "HOW did you get them in this rain?"
Shizune smiled, picking up Tonton who'd trotted in behind her.
"Izumo's water suspensery justu. Very useful for heavy storms, don't you think?"
Tsunade didn't seem to agree as she glared at the newest stack of papers. She'd begun at the crack of dawn, and wasn't even halfway done. That was probably the one thing that Naruto didn't look forward to: the paperwork.
"Did you hear the latest news?" Shizune asked eagerly as Tsunade sat back down to continue her work.
"Again with the gossip? I'm really not interested, Shizune." Tsunade replied.
"But this is really shocking! Especially considering all the offers she's rejected over the years!" Shizune continued.
Tsunade showed only miniscule interest. "Who?"
"Hinata Hyuga, milady. People say she's accepted a date Ko Hyuga!"
Tsunade froze, ping her knuckles slightly under her chin.
"Really? But she's always turned down everyone who--"
"WHAT?!"
They both stiffened, turning to look at him wide-eyed and shocked. Naruto had gotten to his feet, picture still in hand but forgotten. His feet stood apart with his arms hanging on either side of him as he looked them in the eye, hoping Shizune would say "kidding."
But she didn't.
He raced over and grabbed her shoulders.
"That's not true! Its got to be a lie! It is, right?"He asked, shaking her.
Shizune laughed nervously. "It's true! I got the news from a reliable source."
"What's wrong?" Tsunade asked.
He grit his teeth and let go of her, placing the picture on Granny's desk before dashing around to the door.
"Where are you going?!" Tsunade asked.
"To the Hyuga place!" Naruto answered.
"In this rain? You must be joking! You're water style hasn't been perfected yet! Naruto--"
He slammed the door shut behind him and raced off, down the hall and the stairs, turning and pushing through the front doors.
He was blinded instantly by the rain, and soaked to the bone in less than a minute. His ears were filled with the combined sound of screeching winds and vicious rain. Lightning crackled overhead, lighting his way enough so that he knew which road to start with and from there he simply navigated by memory. The streets were flooded in some parts, soit was like his feet had gone for a swim.
His clothes were glued to his skin, and his hair was so wet it hung like a curtain around his face in some parts. He pushed through, and it felt exactly like he was drowning as he could hardly breath and his nose and mouth were full of water.
An eternity seemed to pass before he collapsed against the great wooden gates of the Hyuga estate. The short patio roof overhead was useless to shield him from the rain as the wind now blew it in various directions. Knowing no one would answer if he knocked, he pushed the gate open and stumbled through. From there he really was blind, as he had really only been inside this place once. He vaguely noticed when his feet sank through the mud and flinched when something sharp and plentiful in numbers wrapped itself around his legs and stabed into his skin. But this was nothing compared to the injuries he'd sustained on the battlefield so he simply stomped free of the quagmire, creating knew holes in his pants. He waved his arms about but completely missed the wooden pillars and tripped over onto the outdoor walkways.
Still exposed to the rain, he decided he didn't care if he got caught anymore. He was going to get to a dry place. And then he was going to find Hinata.
Sliding the door open, he entered one of the Hyuga buildings and collapsed against a solid, wooden wall, panting and blinking the water from his eyes. With his head leaning back against the wood, and his arms and legs feeling like overcooked noodles, he noticed just how dark it was. There was a brief moment of panic when he thought he might be blind. But he could see, even though it was a little like looking through smudged, wet eyeglasses. He could see the roof, and lights, which were out.
He let out a shaky breath and felt a towel drop over his head. Then there were small, childrens hands on him from behind the towel, drying his hair, his face. He took over and patted the rest of him dry, or as dry as he could get. When he was finished, he was no longer dripping wet and the floor was saved.
"Nee-chan's room is at the end of the hall." Said a little girl, probably the one who had brought him the towel.
He nodded, groaning as he got to his feet and stared ahead. Hinata's room...
"Thanks." He said, looking around for the girl only to find himself alone.
Shrugging, he wrapped the towel around himself and trudged down the hall, taking care to keep as quiet as possible. There were other doors, not paper ones but ones with locks, lining the hall. He could only imagine who lay beyond each, and thanks to that he kept picturing her father jumping out at him every time he got close to one.
When he reached the door, he was conflicted. Should he knock or just walk on in? It was a girls room. Then again, it was noon. She might not even be in, not that he could imagine why she would be out.
Turning the knob, he walked on in and shut the door behind him. No sooner than he did did he find himself pinned againt the wall with a kunai to his throat.
"Stop! Stop!" He whispered, dropping the towel to wave his hands in truce. "It's me! It's me!"
He heard a gasp, and the knife dropped as she flicked the lights on. He saw she was wearing plain black clothes, the ones donned by ninja when they were off mission and relaxing in the village. Her hair was down as usual, and messy as if she had been taking a nap. This made him remember how she had complained to him once, in a joking manner, how sleepy she got during heavy rainfall. It made concentrating difficult, she had said.
"Naruto-kun!" She gasped, picking the towel back up and throwing it back around his shoulders. "You're freezing! Don't tell me you ran here! Oh! You're shaking!"
Was he? Oh yeah, he was. He hadn't noticed. Though now that he did, it felt like his bones were rattling beneath his skin. Instead of feeling like a melting icycle, he felt like an egg that had been fried on sidewalk.
She grabbed his arms and gently steered him to the center of the room before going over to the window and picking up the extra blanket, which she threw around him over his towel.
She smiled at him with concern. "They say that fools can't catch colds. But you should be more careful."
He panted, feeling relieved as his head bowed. He felt his forehead hit her collar bone and her arms flinch as she tried to warm him up by rubbing her hands up and down his arms through the blanket.
He found her. Finally. He'd finally reached her. He could finally speak to her. And yet he was so exhausted, talking felt as laborous as one of Guy-sensei's and bushy brow's penalty training exercises.
But he had to tell her.
"Hinata, don't go to him." He said from between heavy, laboured breaths.
This froze her. He didn't raise his head yet, but if she had looked him in the eye then she would have seen crystal clear resolve. It was different from before, when he didn't know what to think or say to make her stay. He knew how to really answer her now, and with the real truth.
"What... What are you saying?" She asked, and it was clear from her tone just how disappointed, betrayed, and hurt she felt. But he sat up, already feeling better and took her hands.
"Don't go to him." He said again, and he could've sworn there was enough resentment in her eyes that if he weren't holding her dominant hand she would've slapped him.
"Who... Who do you think you are?" She asked. When he didn't answer her, she narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly and stood, wrenching her hand free. "Leave."
He hopped to his feet as she made to leave and went to stand between her and the door.
"Don't go to him!" He said, almost begging for her to listen to him.
"Stop!" She ordered, jutting her chin out at him as she was significantly shorter than him. "You're the last one I want to hear that from! Did you expect me to simply heed your every request because I love you?"
His mouth formed a tight line. Yes, he had expected that.
"Running through the rain, showing up in my room out of nowhere, and telling me not to go to him." She shook her head. "That's despicable, Naruto-kun! Telling me not to leave you after you've already expressed to me how YOU feel about me... That's selfish! Do you have any idea how much it hurt to hear you say that? But I accepted it anyway! Because, like you said, to make somebody love you is impossible. The fact that you would show up here and tell me not to go... Just what are you after? You want me to keep you as my number one, the way you have with Sakura-chan? To follow your example? With any other situation, maybe I would do as you do. But not now! Not with this situation!"
Naruto knit his brow, feeling a little angry himself.
"But you don't even like him!" He argued. "Don't say you love me then go to somebody else!"
"Don't reject me and then come calling after I've accepted your rejection!" She countered. "It's like you've come back out of pity, and it's insulting! Now leave!"
She reached around him but he lashed out and grabbed her wrist. She opened her mouth, probably to yell at him some more, but instead they both flinched when they heard footsteps coming from down the hall. Dropping her wrist, Naruto ran and hid (hoping for all he was worth that whoever it was didn''t have their byakugan activated; there was no hiding from those eyes) in the open closet.
"Lady Hinata?"
"Come in, Neji." She replied in her usual kind, charming tone.
He opened the door, remaining in the doorway much to Naruto's relief. He didn't have to see him (which he couldn't) to know he was looking around the room expecting to see an unwelcome visitor or intruder.
"Is everything alright? I heard voices." He asked her.
"I'm fine. I was just thinking aloud." She lied, not convicning in the least. Behind Neji, another voice asked:
"Should I send Ko to keep you company?"
It was her father. The question itself made Naruto's blood boil, but he buried the rage so as not to blow his cover.
"I'm fine." She insisted, which made him feel better in spite of the situation.
Reluctantly, the pair exited, leaving Naruto and Hinata alone once more. He waited, not wanting to speak too soon and have them return. After a while Hinata said "They're gone."
He stepped out, sighing in relief at having avoided them. But she stared at him expectantly, either wanting him to finish what he had to say or leave.
He went with the former.
"Hinata, I..." He reached out to her, and to his surprise she actually let him take her hand. He grasped it lightly, reminiscent of how he'd held it before. Only now she was facing him, and she wasn't crying, and his mind was clear. "I'm sorry. About before, I really didn't know what to do so I just... I said what i thought I had to without really saying the truth. I mean..." He reached behind his head, burying his fingers in his hair anxiously. "I'm not really good with trying to come up with answers on the spot. I just wanted to say something to keep you from leaving so I said the first thing that I could come up with, and assumed it was the truth. But afterwards I felt really... Like I'd lied or something, to myself, and it felt wierd. It still does. But then when I heard about you and... Well, it became clear and I just had to come and see you and talk to you or else I'd regret it, ya know?"
He risked a glance at her face and found that she was still on her guard, especting him to say something hurtful or prideful, but she was a lot more sympathetic. He gripped the back of his hair between his fingers before dropping said hand, where it cured into a fist.
"And?" She prompted, blinking sadly. "What is it you want to say to me?"
He had to hold onto his nerve or else it would have abandoned him right then and there. Man this was going to be diffcult. He could barely breath.
"I... I don't love you." He admitted, and the way she looked at him made him quick to finish. "But I do like you! And I don't want you to leave me! So don't go to anybody else!"
The pain and shield dissappeared from her expression, but instead she looked... Torn. And as she folded her free hand over her heart, she shut her eyes tight.
"Are you trying to turn me into a replacement for Sakura-chan?" She asked.
Man that hurt. It hurt like having Kurama pulled out of him, hurt like not being able to introduce his parents to any of his freinds ever. Hurt like it would if he had to watch Konoha be burned to the ground and everyone in it slaughtered.
"No, of course not!" He said, positive of that.
But she wasn't done questioning him.
"Do you still love her?"
That didn't hurt at all. Instead, he drew a blank again and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Not wanting to screw up a second time, he said:
"I... I don't know."
His face fell and he slightly increased his grip on her hand. What would she do now? He wasn't sure he wanted to find out. For the first time in a long while, he wanted to stop time just so he could keep something terrible and imminent from slapping him into next week.
She clenched her fist over her heart and looked up at him, about to say something just when she flinched, whipping her head to the side. Her byakugan activated and she gasped.
"He's coming." She said, and looked out at the rain which seemed to have lightened a little before getting behind him and pushing him towards the window. "You have to go now!"
"Wait, what were you going to say? And who's coming?" He asked.
"Ko is!"
"Oh..." He replied. She wanted to be alone with him then?
"It's not like that!" She said, getting his hopeful-but-cautious attention.
He turned around, his back hitting the window as he held his arms out, asking for an answer before he even
spoke.
"Are you still going to...?" He asked, not sure how to finish the sentence.
Hinata raised her hands and wrung them under her chin. Her eyes were squinted and shifty, and she was blushing. Far too confused.
"Tommorow. Give me until tommorow." She half-asked, half ordered.
Just knowing all hope wasn't loss was enough to make him nod in agreement. There was a knock on her door and he glared at it before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her up into a tight hug. He heard her gasp and he flinched in response, not sure if what he was doing was allowed or not. But he didn't want to leave quietly.
"I'll wait at the usual spot, okay?" He whispered. "All day."
And with that, he disappeared out the window and into the rain.
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great chapter keep it up
The Naruto and Neji interaction, as well as Naruto's visit to Hinata's at the end were both really well written. I can't wait for the next chapter! =D
flowers
