Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Notes: It's been awhile since I've written anything but I asked CobaltHeart if she would like me to write any pairing for her and she chose Chouji/Hinata.
Butterfly Fields
That was his space, the tall green grass swaying silently in the calm gentle Spring wind, the warm sun shining down as he watched the multi-coloured butterflies flutter their beautiful wings.
His space where he would reach out and touch them gently or wait for them to fly to him so trusting, this was a space where he could close his eyes and picture him self with his own wings. He would see himself flying among the butterflies, flapping his bright blue and purple wings away from the troubles and fears of war and the deaths of his close friends.
But today his space had been discovered by another, a sweet and innocent person, a female whom he had met many times and had become friends with. Yet as he watched her with his dark brown eyes he couldn't help but feel mesmerized.
Her shoulder length dark indigo hair was swaying in the wind, following the land blades of grass; she would gently tuck her hair behind her ear whenever it would move into her eyes.
Her large pale purple eyes filler with awe as she watched the butterflies fly around her, almost in a welcoming way, Chouji noted, her hand slowly and gently moved out as to touch the butterflies. Many flew away from her invading hand but one pale purple butterfly landed on her pointer finger.
Chouji left after seeing that. It had occurred to him that she may have gone there to be alone and he didn't want to seem like he was intruding, even though she was in his space.
A week had passed and Chouji returned to the butterfly fields, it was located just a mile out of the forest past a waterfall, and upon returning he noticed that Hinata was not there. A mixed feeling swelled inside of him, a mix of gratefulness and sadness, he didn't mind watching her in the fields the last week but he also wanted to have it to himself.
He settled himself in the grass and laid down to watch the sky, much like his lazy friend, Shikamaru, the clouds pass by slowly and the butterflies flew past his vision. His keen hearing picked up on small footsteps, his body tensed as the steps grew closer.
His hand reached into his back weapon pocket grabbing the first thing he felt, but before he drew it out a soft voice stopped him.
"U-um, I-I I'm sorry, I-I didn't know a-anyone was here," he knew that voice, it was soft and gentle, "I-I'll leave."
Chouji stood up and looked at the retreating back of the Hyuga and before he knew what he was doing he shouted out to her, "HEY," he called, she turned around showing her doll like face and pale eyes, "You can stay."
Her face lit up in a gentle smile and the sadness Chouji had felt before had disappeared and replaced with a blush that had taken over his tattooed cheeks. He turned his back on her looked at the butterflies, not wanting her to see his reddened face.
"T-They're amazing," the whisper came from behind him. "Yeah, yeah they are." He whispered back.
For some reason that day seemed different Chouji had watched butterflies for hours before but with the indigo haired girl added something, something that made him want to have her there with him and watch the butterflies. The silence between them was not heavy or uncomfortable it was perfect and together they sat under a tree and watched the butterflies.
They met many more times after that in the butterfly fields, only speaking a few words to each other and then doing what it was that they wanted. Chouji would lay in the long grass and watch the clouds and butterflies and Hinata would hum a gentle song that almost sounded like a Fall afternoon while playing and weaving the grass blades.
It had been almost a year since the day Hinata had walked in the fields and today she walked up to him. Chouji had not expected her to hand him a bracelet woven from the grass blades.
Hinata's face burned brightly, "Almost like a candle," Chouji mused but stopped when he felt his own face turn red.
"I-I made this f-for you," she whispered while looking at the ground with her small hands holding out.
He took the bracelet from her and looked at it. "You didn't dye it?" he asked, it was odd to fine woven items in their natural state.
She looked up with a guilty face, "I-I sorry, I-I thought y-you'd l-like it better w-without…." She looked back down, "I-I thought i-it would m-mean more."
Chouji's was just as bright as Hinata as an awkward silence, the first one they've had since they have met, and then suddenly Hinata burst out with some surprising words.
She looked up and Chouji saw her eyes burning with courage, "I-I like y-you," the words flew out and both stood looking at each other, both with shocked faces.
Before Chouji could open his mouth it seemed his stunned silence had worried Hinata, "I-I'm sorry," she turned and fled as fast as she could leaving Chouji standing there with the afternoon sun and the butterflies.
He went to the fields everyday for three weeks hoping to catch her there and hear her humming as she happily wove the grass, or to see her playing with the butterflies but everyday he went there he was met with a sadness.
The songs she would hum had gotten stuck in his head and day after day he would hum it sadly. He had lost interest in his food and ate less than normal, worrying both his friends' and family.
It was one day in Winter, just two months after Hinata's sudden confession, that Shikamaru thought it was time for a talk with his best friend.
Chouji was sitting under a tree near the teams training area when Shikamaru lazily walked over and plopped himself down next to him.
He let out a troubled sigh, "So… it's a girl huh?" Chouji didn't look or feel surprised that his friend had gotten it right, he was after the smartest person he knew.
Chouji looked at the ground and watched as his hand sifted through the soft dirt, "Yeah," he sighed.
"Hyuga? Hinata?" Shikamaru picked a yellow weed that was next to him and played with it.
"Yeah," another sigh.
He twirled the weed around his finger, "She confessed to you?"
Sigh, "Yeah…what?" Chouji looked across to his friend who was wearing a bored expression as he threw the weed back on the ground.
"You knew?" Chouji asked.
He looked to his friend, "About Hinata, yeah, she spent all her free time with you and when we were alone and working with the brats she asked about you a lot."
Chouji's eyes widened, "But… but," he trailed off not knowing what to say.
'Hinata like him, no that's not possible, she was so beautiful and he was, he was… ugly.'
Shikamaru looked at his friend, he knew what he was thinking, "You're not worthy of her? Not good enough?"
It hurt to think about it but it hurt even worse to hear those words from his friend, "Yeah, that's right." Chouji felt defeated.
"You're more worthy than anyone of love," Shikamaru said, "You're kind and sweet and-" he was cut off.
"And fat and ugly and disgusting and fat, how could she like me?" Chouji said with anger.
"Man what a drag, Chouji, Hinata doesn't think any of those things about you and neither should you."
Still Chouji was unsure, "But what we hardly speak-"
"It's not like you're going to get married next week, just talk to her." Shikamaru rolled his eyes at his friends panic, "Besides it's troublesome having to answer her questions all the time."
Chouji nodded and Shikamaru patted him on the back.
Hinata, please meet me in the fields as soon as you get this message. Chouji.
Chouji looked at it, it was short and simple, perfect. He looked at the trash can beside the desk and noticed all the wasted paper.
There were notes like:
Hinata we need to talk, meet me at the butterfly fields. Chouji.
Meet me at the Butterfly Fields. Chouji.
I need to see you. Chouji.
And many more notes that he deemed worthless. Some sounded like they would filled her with dread of being rejected. Some sounded creepy and the ones that said 'I need to see you," sound desperate. And just because he was desperate didn't mean he wanted her to know it.
After sending the note he went to the fields and sat under the tree and waited. The sun had set and the butterflies had gone to bed as the stars had come out to shine, and rain started to splatter on the ground and still he waited.
Chouji did not know when Hinata would get the message but he was willing to wait for as long as possible.
He shivered and shook as rain turned to snow and he snuggled into his woolly, but wet, jumper.
He was tired and didn't notice a small young woman running towards him carrying a large umbrella.
"S-sorry," she whispered as soon as she reached him, "I only j-just got y-your note." He could hear her soft words but under them he could hear tears. She was crying. She was crying for him.
He woke in a warm bed but he wasn't too sure how he got there. He remembered Hinata and how she had been crying when she saw him and then the rest was a blur of walking through the cold long grass and towards a house.
The first thing he noticed was the bed smelled like watermelon bath-wash and medical soap. The second was the dark haired girl sleeping at the end of the bed.
He lifted himself up on his elbows and looked at Hinata. Her eyes closed and kept fluttering as though she was about to wake up, but he knew it was something most ninja did, they would keep themselves in a state similar to 'limbo' so that they would be ready in case of an attack.
But as she slept there, her knees under her keeping her up, and her head and arms resting on the bed Chouji wondered what God had given him such a blessing.
As not to wake her Chouji moved slowly and got out of the bed, he moved over to Hinata and picked her up, surprised to feel how light she was. He placed her in the bed and drew the covers up, thinking how tired she must have been as to not wake up.
He looked at the bracelet she had made for him on his right wrist and figured even if he couldn't weave he could at least cook so he made his way into the kitchen.
Hinata had walked into the kitchen at noon, Chouji was setting her table when she had walked in. They both stopped and stared.
"I-" They both started.
Chouji cleared his throat, "I'm sorry I was an idiot last night," he really was ashamed, "But I really wanted to say that I do like you." He mumbled the last part but Hinata had heard him clearly.
Her face went from pale to red in a shocking second, "I-I-I-I like y-you t-too." She muttered looking at the floor.
Chouji held out his hand to her, "So, uh, what about, uh, lunch? I've already cooked it, I hope you don't mind I went through your stuff."
Hinata smiled, "I-I don't m-mind. I-I'm not a-a very g-good cook, s-so it'll b-be nice t-to not eat burned f-food again."
Chouji laughed, "Well don't worry, I'm a great cook."
A butterfly flew past Hinata's kitchen window, Chouji pointed out, "You know if those amazing creatures didn't already exist, no human mind could ever make them up."
"Y-yeah," whispered Hinata as she watched the bright red butterfly go past.
"Er, so, um, shall we?" Chouji seated Hinata at the table it wasn't long before the two started going out. But as Shikamaru had said, it wasn't like they were going to get married next week, but who knows?
-
Ok I'm not too sure of how it ended but I didn't want to end it with 'And they lived happily ever after,' or anything like that.
I think I'll right another one when I have the time but for now here's this one : )
I hope you like it CobaltHeart : )
Jessica