Okay, first of all, this one-shot is a request from one of my close friends in RL. I don't really know how to characterize Hinata, so I extend my deepest apologies if I fail horribly in doing so. xD
Anyway, AJ, I hope you like this failed attempt at a NaruHina fic. :D
BACK & FORTH, they sway.
NaruHina one-shot by Angel-Akylle.dedicated to: :)
Back and forth, they sway.
Towards each other, then so far away.
A snort, a giggle. A funny comment, a shy boy trips, the other one falls.
Kami inwardly groans in frustration.
When will they ever learn? These two lovebirds, they never seem to figure things out. One is already horrifyingly obvious, while the other is utterly oblivious.
When the boy approaches, the girl shies away. When the girl comes forward, he goes astray.
Naruto Uzumaki, the boy who loves ramen. He's in love with the girl he thinks he can never have. He sits and stares, and everytime their eyes meet, he looks away. The blushes, the innocent stutters, the painfully obvious signs... he doesn't see any of them.
Hinata Hyuuga, the girl hiding behind Her cousin's shadow. She's in love with the boy she thinks she will never have. She wants nothing more than to be closer with him, but when he's there, she runs away. The loving gazes, the unnecesarry touches, the obvious concern... she doesn't see any of them.
It takes all of Konoha's willpower not to slap their heads in frustration. When will they ever learn?
Back and forth, they sway.
Towards each other, then so far away.
"Sakura-chan, sakura-chan, sakura-chyaaaaan!" screeches the annoying blonde right into the pink-haired girl's ear. She twitches her eyes in annoyance and proceeds to bonk him on the head.
"Ow! Itaaaaai! What was that for, Sakura-chan?" he pouts, nursing the part where Sakura hit him. "Don't use your monster strength on me!"
"Idiot. It's monstrous, for your information, and that's for annoying the hell out of me! You know I don't like people screaming in my ear. Yet you still repeat it every single time."
"Aww, but I just missed you, Sakura-chan! Didn't you miss me too?"
For a second, Sakura just blinks but quickly recovers, "You miss me, eh? Oh but my dear Naruto, I miss you too!" she coos. "Where have you been all this time? I've been so lonely these past few days, why, I even miss the smell of your ridiculously flavored ramen!"
Sakura looks up at him, batting her eyelashes and hands put together at the side of her head. "Do you really miss me?" she adds.
"Eeeeeh? Sakura-chan, what's wrong with you? Did you catch a fever or something? Why are you being so awfully sweet?" Naruto blinks in confusion, utterly oblivious to her acting. "Or maybe, you're starting to fall in love with me too?"
His grin spreads from ear to ear. The lack of response from the medic just widens it even further.
"You ARE falling in love with me! Oh, Sakura-chan, how I've waited for this day to come! My dream has finally come true!" Naruto says with tears of joy in his eyes, he wipes them away comically.
The medic quickly recovers and bonks him on the head again, effectively bruising the blonde. Her grin of amusement fades to a thin line of annoyance as she answers, "Baka, of course not! Why would I even fall in love with someone like you? I wouldn't choose you even if you were the last man on earth!"
Before Naruto could retort, a soft giggle could be heard on the sidelines. Both turned their heads in the direction of the sound, and their eyes brighten up at the sight.
"Still haven't changed, I see." the girl says softly, her lavender eyes sparkling with mirth. "You two still bicker like a couple."
The pair laughs, and it's Naruto who answers. "Aww, come on Hinata-chan! You know it's just harmless bi-bicker- err what was that word again?" he scratches his head and pouts.
Hinata laughs at this, and Sakura rolls her eyes but the amusement is clearly shown.
"It's bickering, Naruto-kun. And yes, of course I do. Well, I've learned my lesson." she smiles wryly. "We've been through so much, neh?"
"Yeah! You better know that you're the only one I love, Hinata-chan! Always and forever, dattebayo!" he grins, pulling the purple-haired girl close to him, his arms wrapping around her shoulders. "But do you still remember? What we went through to get here?"
Sakura snorts. "Of course she does, idiot. Who could ever forget?"
Hinata smiles. Just like old times, she says to herself... just like old times.
-H E R- side of their beautiful, beautiful story.
"I love him, more than he'll ever know. It pains me to know that it will never show.
I love him, he loves her. We're the wrong pieces of the puzzle put together.
Our love, it's crazy.. I fall for him, he falls for another."
She solemnly walks down the street, her head bowed and her eyes not leaving the ground. Lavender eyes start to water as the memory of what happened only minutes ago flashes back into her mind. She can still feel her heart, beating faster like it's never been before. Her hand clutches it tightly as she draws her feet to a complete stop.
What a coincidence, her feet dragged her to Ichiraku's.
Scents of the different flavors of ramen invade her nostrils, making her nostalgic. Memories of when she was there with him, with the one she loves oh so dearly only add to the stabbing pain she feels in her chest. She draws in a shaky breath, and glances at the ramen store on her left.
Empty.
He's not there, of course he's not there. Because he's with her, with the love of his life. It's crazy, the one she loves, is out there somewhere, with the one he loves. It's heartbreakingly painful, and utterly overwhelming to think about him, her, them.
Together. Happy. Him, smiling. But not for her. Not for Hinata.
But for a certain pink-haired medic named Haruno Sakura.
And it hurt. It just... hurt.
She takes her eyes away from the store and walks away, her steps getting shakier by the second. "Why, Naruto?" She thinks to herself. "I thought we had something.. something special. Was I wrong? Was I just assuming things? But no. You told me yourself, you had feelings for me. I thought it was enough. I thought I was enough."
A pained sigh can be heard. "Guess I was wrong, then. Because your heart belongs to her, and only her."
Her knees give way as her whole body collapses to the ground, her shoulders shaking as she sobs. She cries, fresh tears falling to her face as she reminisces the past, and imagines the future.
A future without him.
She wishes, she prays, she hopes. Hoping that it wasn't true, that what she saw was just a lie, a misunderstanding. She could accept it, neh? If it was just a rumor, if it were only a harmless action, a wrong miscalculation. But sadly, it wasn't.
Because she saw it with her very own eyes, and heard it with her very own ears.
The pink-haired girl had her back turned from her, but she can see Naruto so clearly. He was crying, and Sakura was the one he ran to. Sakura, and not... her. He confessed to Sakura, not... her. He told Sakura he loved her, and not... her.
He said she was the love of his life, the one who will complete him. And it hurt, it just... hurt.
Back and forth, they sway.
Towards each other, then so far away.
-H I S- side of their beautiful, beautiful story.
"I love her, more than I'll ever show.
Her face, her hair.. everything that makes me want to know.
I want her to be happy, I want her by my side.
But sadly, I can't have her. Because I know, with my feelings, she'll be forever blind."
He sees her there, with Kiba, laughing so heartily it makes him want to puke. Everyday, it's the same. He thought he had it covered, but he's the only one to blame.
Why couldn't he just muster up the courage to confess? Because, he thinks, it will make her like him less.
He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, but he can't just waltz up and confess his feelings either. He needs to take the time, he needs to make it special. For her, because it's her, because it's only for her.
He doesn't want to mess up, he doesn't want to screw it all up. Their friendship is special, their bond is like no other. With Sakura, he's like a brother. But with Hinata, he's happy. He's free, he feels like he's floating with glee.
Hinata.. the love of his life. Some people ask him, are him and Sakura together? He could only laugh, so hard, because it's impossible. It's completely, and utterly, impossible. He liked her, he admits, hell, he even loved her at some point. But he and Sakura agreed that friendship would work out better for them, because she has Sasuke, and he has Hinata.
They were meant to be with someone else, not for each other.
And later on, he realizes, he loved Sakura as a friend. As a sister, but not as a lover. He mistook it for love, the love he feels for Hinata now, because of the depths of his feelings for the pinkette. He cares for her, so deeply, and when needed, he'd die for her safety. She's like the sibling, the mother figure he failed to have. She's this big part of his life he can't live without.
And he admits it, he really does. He's been made aware of this years ago. And the feeling is mutual, because Sakura feels the same about him.
A brother, a family member, but never, oh never, as a lover.
But with Hinata? He loves her, he's utterly, irrevocably and completely head over heels in love with her. From the moment he first saw her at the academy, up to the moment he last saw her, he knows his feelings for her haven't changed. She's the missing piece in his life, she is his life. She's the air that he breathes, the world he revolves around. Everything is about her.
Everything important is related to her.
But, sadly.. she doesn't seem to feel the same way. Granted, he hasn't had the courage to confess yet, but he knows.. He can feel it. The lavender-eyed Hyuuga doesn't love him back. He can feel it.
Tears start to well up in his eyes, and it takes all his willpower to close his eyes and let them fall freely. He clenches his fists at his side, and then, like a ray of light it suddenly burst through to him.
He needed to confess, even though he's unsure of what will happen next. Take a risk, Sakura once said, and take a risk he will.
So he runs, runs as fast as he can to Sakura. And he finds her there, on the vast Konoha fields training her medical jutsu. And although he's had specific instructions not to disturb her when she's on her peaceful mode, he runs to her screaming "Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan!"
He explains, and explains, the whole story to Sakura. The way he feels, the things he thinks about.. He pours her heart out to her. Confession, he says, he needs to make a confession to Hinata. But he's at a loss, because he doesn't know how.
And that's how it happened. They rehearsed. They rehearsed what he would say, what he should say, and most importantly, how he would say it. "It needs to be perfect," he says. "because even if she does reject my feelings, at least I'll have no regrets."
Little do they know, a lone figure stood hidden amongst the shadows of the trees behind them, hanging on to their every word. She heard the confession, all right, but what she didn't know was that it was meant for her. With that thought, she ran... away, far away from the two and didn't look back.
The blonde and the pinkette didn't notice at all.
Back and forth, they sway.
Towards each other, then so far away.
It was at a celebration for the newly selected jounins, when their eyes met. Coral blue clashed with lavender, their emotions clearly showing. Naruto slowly walks up to the purple-haired girl, but stands frozen in surprise and confusion when she shies and turns away.
Not one to be deterred, he follows her out into the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, and grins to himself at the realization that they were all alone. He took this opportunity to talk to her, to confess, but before he could even speak, the girl in front of him spoke.
"What are you doing here, Naruto? Sakura's waiting for you downstairs, I wouldn't want to ruin your relationship with her." the words were said grimly, but the pain laced within them were unmistakable.
"What are you talking about, Hinata? I came up here to tell you something, something I've been wanting to tell you for so long now-"
He was cut off by Hinata angrily turning to face him and blurting out, "To tell me what, Naruto? That you're with Sakura now? That she's the love of your life? That she's the one you love, and not me? It already pains me to know that I will never have the chance to be with you!" her tone gradually softens, until it dies down to an almost quiet whisper. "I thought we had something special, Naruto-kun. I thought that I... had a chance. Against her, against Sakura. But no, I guess I was wrong. Because I heard it with my very own ears that you loved her, her, and not me."
Her voice almost, almost breaks as she mutters the next words, "Oh, Naruto. I thought you loved me too."
With that, she starts to walk away from him.
He stands there, mouth hung open, rendered speechless. The words she said replayed in his mind over and over again until it sunk in, and when it did, he rushes forward to reach for her. He grasps her wrist and turns her around to face him.
It was Hinata's turn to be surprised as Naruto wraps his arms around her waist.
"What are you saying, Hinata? It's you, it's always been you. It was never Sakura, or anyone else, you." He places his hands on her shoulders and pulls her away from him for a bit, locking her eyes with his. "What you said you heard was me rehearsing with her, because I wanted it all to be perfect. I wanted you to feel the intensity of my love for you through the words I said, because I thought to myself that even if you would reject me, I wouldn't have any regrets because at the very least, I came clean about what I really felt about you."
Tears started to flow freely from her face as her eyes widen in realization. But Naruto was not finished.
"I love you, Hinata. I am utterly, irrevocably and completely head over heels in love with you." Hinata laughs at this because it was obvious that Sakura taught the words to him. But she doesn't care, because the way he said it proved that he meant every word of it.
"I will say it again, and again every day until the day I die. I love you, Hinata. Will you please be mine?" the pleading look in his coral blue orbs shone brightly, and Hinata found that she couldn't refuse even if she wanted to.
She drowned herself in his eyes before responding, "Yes, Naruto. I'm yours and yours alone."
And she reaches up to softly press her lips to his cheek.
Back and forth, they sway.
Towards each other, but never far away.
A/N: Err, yeah. :D I hope you got the story. Basically, at first it showed the PRESENT NaruHina featuring Sakura. Lol. And the following were what happened in the past. I didn't incorporate the present into the ending because it didn't seem to fit.
For those who didn't get it, this one-shot ended with Hinata accepting Naruto's offer to be his.
I hope I didn't disappoint the NaruHina fans out there. _ eek! I have NO IDEA how to characterize Hinata, and their relationship for that matter. Please read and review, any comments are welcome so I would know where to improve.
Ciao! :D
~Angel 3