Fandom: Naruto
Pairing: Hinata/Konohamaru, NaruHina
Prompt: How Konohamaru and Hinata fell in love
For: Jaylee's contest.
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Doppelganger
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It is the day that Naruto is crowned Hokage that Hinata first meets Konohamaru. She can still remember it, the bright, blue sky like Naruto's eyes, the strong winds that threaten to blow her over.
The hand that steadies her. The oddly-soft, warm hand that helps her.
The hands lead to the body of a young man with brown eyes and hair, with a smile that reached his eyes and a loud, "You ok, ma'am?"
She gives him a soft nod before looking back up to see Naruto grinning and yelling at the crowd.
The boy, she notes when she glances from one to the other, is very much like Naruto. Like a doppelganger. They both have a similar look on their faces; both have a similar stance as they stand.
The now-Hokage waves especially down at her, yelling, "Hinata-chan! I'll treat you to ramen later!"
She blushes at his request, her heart fluttering lightly, and she then gives a happy smile back.
Strangely enough, later she doesn't remember this much. She doesn't remember their date or Naruto holding her hand. She doesn't remember the soft kiss on her forehead or the tender look in his eyes.
When she looks back at this day, the thing she remembers the most is that boy.
-x-
She meets him once again, a few months after the last time, and this is because Naruto introduces them to each other.
"Hinata-chan, I want you to meet Konohamaru! He's trying to surpass me!" the blond grins at his blue-haired date.
"Hey, I'll do more than surpass you! I'll beat you up and make everyone regret putting a weakling and not strong me as Hokage!" the boy, Konohamaru, yells back and the two boys start to toss insults at each other.
All the while they do this, they grin and smile.
Hinata watches them as they talk. Konohamaru is very much like Naruto, she thinks. He has the same spirit, the energy, the never-back-down belief.
They are so very alike and she feels a chill pass over her. There shouldn't ever be two people who are this similar in the world.
There always is only one.
Someone is going to get hurt.
-x-
"Hey lady," the boy—Konohamaru, Hinata corrects—yells to her from across the street. "You're the girl Naruto-nii-chan is dating, right?"
She nods back, balancing her groceries in one hand as she listens. He's a little taller than her so she looks up to listen.
"Well, you aren't the prettiest," he bluntly tells her, gazing at her unabashedly. "Sakura-nee-chan is prettier…well, at least she's prettier sometimes," he frowns and his body shakes lightly as he thinks of Sakura's anger.
"Ahh, I know," she smiles at him, "She is very beautiful."
"Beautiful? Sure she is, if you think demons are beautiful!"
"She isn't that bad. Sakura's a nice person…"
"She isn't. She's evil. Pure evil, like the devil except ten times worse. She's just pretty and—" he paused as Hinata giggled lightly.
"I'm sorry," she gasped and a few more delicate peals left her mouth, "but how you describe Sakura…" she trailed off and covered her mouth.
"…" he just stared at her. "You know, even though you aren't very pretty, you are cute. I can see why Naruto picked you." With a wave, he left and Hinata fought down the blush that threatened to cover her face.
No one called her cute before.
-x-
More months pass and Konohamaru is someone she sees nearly everyday. Hinata slowly learns about the boy, learns of his dreams and his nightmares, of his dislikes and likes.
She slowly learns everything about him and he does the same in return. The silver-eyed girl doesn't know why Konohamaru knows more about her than Naruto does, especially since Naruto was the one dating her.
She does know, however, that she and Konohamaru have a special bond. A bond that is built on chance meetings and stray conversations.
It is something she treasures because she thinks they might be friends.
Even though she is shy, she doesn't stutter any more and acts polite like a Hyuuga should. It is only around friends that she allows herself to act a little less polite, a little more open.
And Konohamaru lets her go even further than that.
-x-
"Hinata-nee-chan," Konohamaru says one day, "Will you make me a cake?"
"A cake?" she replies slowly, "One of those western-styled foods?"
"Yes! Naruto-nii-san went to a village recently and told me all about them. He said he's going to give you the recipe. When he does, please make me one!" he pleads to her.
"Are you sure you want me to make you one? I might not make it good."
He laughs, his voice rolling and deep, "You? Not cook good? That'd be impossible!"
"I'll…" she pauses, not sure if she should agree.
"Please, Hinata-nee-chan, please make me one. I'll do anything you say for a week. I just want to taste one of those heavenly pieces of food that had Naruto-nii-san talking about them all through lunch. And," he leans closer, whispering as though what he is about to say was a big secret, "we were eating ramen."
She blinks slowly at that and then nods. "If you're sure, I'll make you one—" She barely has time to speak before Konohamaru gives her a big hug, squishing her with his arms.
"Thank you," he grins to her, his warmth surrounding her body, and then he disappears.
-x-
Hinata stays up all night making the recipe Naruto gave her. The lack of sleep is all worth the smile Konohamaru gives her when he receives the cake.
-x-
"Here," Konohamaru shoves something into her hands. It's a box that is covered in wrapping and ribbons, but too much tape as though the wrapper didn't know what he was doing.
Hinata blinks owlishly at the gift in her hands and then looks back to the boy (no, the man) in front of her. "Yes?"
"It's for you," he says gruffly, looking away as though embarrassed and his cheeks are tinted red.
"For me?" she repeats slowly, staring back at the box. "What for?"
"Well, it's…" his voice trails off and he lets out a gasp. "Did you forget or something?"
"What?" she asks again.
"Well, it is your birthday tomorrow and I'm going to be off on a mission, so I thought I should give it to you early," he says in a rush and laughs nervously.
She stares at him and then lets out a warm smile, making him flush a deeper red. "Thank you!" she gives him a hug and then slowly opens the package.
Inside is a set of recipe books. Each volume has a different style of food and they looked brand new. Beside the books was a stuffed rabbit with a red ribbon.
"Thank you," she softly whispers, clutching the present to her chest.
She has a smile on her face all day.
-x-
Later, her friends throw her a party and shower her with presents. However, they don't need to do that as she already feels full and complete from Konohamaru's present. In fact, his present is the one she keeps the safest.
-x-
The next time they meet, things are not so pleasant and Hinata is looking at a black coffin with barely concealed tears.
The coffin is surrounded by bright yellow roses (because he was like the sun) and hundreds of black-clothed people are bowing their heads. Sakura is on one side, tears running down her cheeks as she stands with her back straight. Sasuke has a hand on her waist as though she'll disappear too; his eyes are blank and unreadable and his mouth in a firm line. Kakashi is behind the two, his face worn down from facing too many deaths. There is Ino being comforted by her two teammates and Kiba is sullenly staring at the coffin from a distance, Shino beside him. Lee is sobbing, Tenten is holding his hand, and Neji is behind the two, a lost look in his eyes.
They were all there to say goodbye to one man. A special man.
Uzamaki Naruto.
He had died, protecting the village and destroying the monster the Akatsuki became.
Hinata continues to stand alone, ignoring the world around her except for the small picture of Naruto.
"He left me," her hoarse worse whispers, "He's gone," and suddenly she feels hollow inside at that realization.
Naruto wouldn't be coming back. There wouldn't be surprise visits any more or bright smiles. Warm hugs were now turned cold and any hint of life was stolen away.
Arms hugging herself, she clutches her composure. She can't cry here, not now in front everyone. Not again. She has to be strong and brave for Naruto.
She couldn't—
"Hinata," a voice speaks, pulling her into his chest and bringing her back into the world. She gasps in surprise before realizing it is Konohamaru and he is giving her silent permission to cry.
Hinata breaks down into his chest. Sobs rack her body and she grasps his chest desperately.
It is time to let go and acknowledge that Naruto is forever gone.
-x-
After she's finished crying, he gives her a broken smile and she thinks, "He's still here. With me."
Maybe there's a chance that she can still find happiness after all.
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A/N: Hmm…was that rushed? I hope note as I tried to show that she was slowly falling for him instead of having her completely in love.
Anyways, hope you liked it!
Review!