Disclaimer: Naruto and it's characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. I make no profit of writing this.
Summary: Hinata's silent brooding and need is going unnoticed.
A/N: New project! \o/ This fic will be pure celebration for fluff. I guess I should stop trying to avoid it. For now, enjoy.
Shy
Hinata wasn't actually too fond of coffee. It tasted bitter and was always served too hot, forcing her to wait for the black liquid to cool down before she could even think about sipping the disgusting substance.
She didn't mind that too much, though. It served very well the reason she came into this very same café every morning; to see the person who served her that cup of deep, rich mocca. Uzumaki Naruto.
The young waiter's cheery attitude was one of the main reasons so many people from the campus preferred this particular café. He always greeted everyone by their first name, no matter was the person student or teacher, and asked what they had been up to lately. With his loud voice, bright blue eyes and outstanding orange wardrobe he practically spread sunshine no matter where he was.
He even knew Hinata's name. Even thinking about it made the girl's heart go double speed. She blushed furiously and lowered her gaze to the cup of coffee sitting so innocently on the table, reminding her of how much of a fool she actually was.
Hinata had known Naruto for years, even before neither of them had entered into Konoha college. They came from he same neighbourhood, shared same yards to play and knew the same kids. Neither had many friends. Their reasons for loneliness were very different, as different as their pasts. Hinata was the eldest daughter of a rich family and even though she had been a disappointment for her father she had a home. Naruto was an orphan. Only adult that cared about him was their grade school teacher, Iruka.
Hinata had been a very shy girl, she still was. She had always adored Naruto, the way he never gave up and always stood up for himself. He had big dreams, ones Hinata was sure he could fulfill. Unfortunately, not many shared these thoughts. Naruto had been constantly laughed at, people stumped on his future saying he was too stupid, too fucked up and too many other things to never become anything.
He had made it to te college, although barely. It was still more than many had assumed, and some of the mocking voices had quieted down. Naruto worked hard but sometimes failed to keep up with his rent and other necessary payments. He had now more friends than he used to have, and especially Sasuke helped him with both studying and money, even if the emoish youngster would fiercely decline everything if asked.
Hinata was the exact opposite of Naruto in any aspect one could come up with. Due to her high status family she wasn't short on money and didn't need to work at all to pay her studies. She had no ambitions, either. As long as she remembered it had been her father to tell her what after school activities she should participate in, which friends she should have and later on what to study. Hinata had just nodded and smiled, being the good girl she was. And even after doing all those things she wasn't good enough. She lacked the spirit and passion in all classy arts and sports her father had dragged her into. Her paintings were very correct in terms of shape and shading, her performance in ballet was at least mediocre. But still... something was missing. She was good, but never outstanding.
Her father had finally taken her as a lost case. In a way that was a relief for Hinata, even if it didn't always feel like it. When there were no more enormous pressure to succeed and always be the best she had found something she enjoyed. Volleyball. Her choice was not preferred by her family, but as long as she was successful in at least something they tolerated it.
Hinata knew she was talented. In this one thing, she was above average. She wanted to go to national level and participate in bigger events and competitions that those arranged between colleges.
But right now it seemed impossible. While being a regular girl in a regular college where all kinds of hopes existed and collided she couldn't help but think she was only one among all of those people. Just one girl. Why would she be the one of all people to reach something that so many wanted, something that many skilled individuals passionately aimed for?
It felt like she was engaging in an act of telepathy. Yes, she was very much sending a voiceless message towards her blond crush, trying desperately to manipulate some freaky brainwaves to carry a signal she didn't have words for. They were just too different. Sun and the moon. As cliché as the comparison was, it fit perfectly to their characters. Hinata was shy, silent and had a horrible self-esteem while Naruto was brash, overconfident and rudeness itself in flesh.
That was a common opinion. Hinata suspected there was more, but she couldn't prove it. Not from so far away, being merely a silent stalker in the other's life. She was sure that under the the rash shell was someone who wanted to be accepted by his loved ones as much or even more than Hinata.
That was the on thing they shared. It was hard to put on words, there probably was no word for that feeling. It was hope, uncertainty, defy and fear of rejection all at the same time. It left them confused about who they actually were, what they really wanted and, most importantly, could they ever rise above the net of expectations put on their shoulders from such a young age.
They wanted to be heard and understood, even if by just one person. Was that really too much?
Hinata's coffee had gotten cold ages ago. She drank it anyway, trying her best not to be too obvious with her disgust.