This one-shot is dedicated to The Unknown Twinkie, reviewer #101 of my story Sometimes You Can't Run Away. I hope you like it!

Hopefully it doesn't suck. That would be great.

Disclaimer: Seriously, I don't own anything… except my ideas, those are mine.

Fate is a Funny Thing

…

I was taking a walk around the village after training, something I did sometimes when I wanted to think.

The chunin exams were coming up, but I wasn't nervous. I knew Team Seven could get through them, we just had to work really hard and we had to work together… which is easier said than done.

I was not paying attention to where I was going and after a while I found myself in the park. It was twilight by then, and getting darker by the minute, not that I cared, I could stay out as late as I pleased. It's not like anyone was waiting for me.

Suddenly, to my confusion, I heard something that sounded like a girl crying coming from the trees. I knew there was a clearing nearby, so I decided to check it out, concerned.

What I found made a pang go through my chest, though I didn't know why at the time. In the clearing, was Hinata Hyuuga, leaning against a tree with her knees pulled to her chest and crying. She was staring at her knees and seemed to be in her own world, so she did not notice me. She shivered, and I realized that she was not wearing her sweater. Something must have been terribly wrong if she had forgotten that.

"Hinata? Are you okay?" I asked slowly. It was kind of a stupid question, but I asked anyway.

It's strange that the one night I walk through the park, she is here. Especially because I never planned to come here. The thought rang at the back of my head, but I ignored it, I had bigger concerns at that time.

"N-Naruto?" She looked up at me, her beautiful white eyes rimmed in red. I also noticed a large purple-black bruise on her pale cheek. "I-I… I-I'm f-fine." She would not look me in the eye as she said that.

"You're obviously not fine. What happened?" I asked as I knelt beside her, pointing to the bruise. She bit her lip.

"O-Oh… u-um… I-I… M-My s-sister… u-um… s-she… h-hit m-me." Hinata tripped over her words as more tears fell from her eyes.

"Why would your sister hit you?" I thought that was your dad and Neji's jobs… I added silently.

"I-It's m-my f-fault, F-Father w-wanted u-us to s-spar, b-but I-I c-couldn't f-fight H-Hanabi… s-so s-she h-hit m-me." Hinata explained, looking down at her knees again.

"Your family is really messed up." I muttered darkly, pushing my sudden and unexplained anger into the back of my mind.

"Y-Yeah…" She whispered, shivering at the harsh wind that cut through the trees. I took off my orange jacket and put it around her shoulders, not feeling the cold myself. Hinata's eyes widened considerably and she looked from me to the jacket and back again, as if the orange fabric would explode at any moment.

"So how did you get here?" I asked, my hand on her shoulder. She looked guilty.

"I-I s-snuck o-out… I-I n-needed s-some t-time a-alone." Hinata sighed. I nodded, understanding. We sat in silence for a while, listening to the wind whip through the leaves as it grew dark, the full moon the only source of light in the sky. The moonlight gave Hinata a mystical glow, turning her skin silvery white and her hair an inky black.

"W-Why a-are y-you h-here?" Hinata asked, glancing at me.

"I walk through here all the t—" I began, extremely surprised when she cut me off.

"N-No, w-why a-are y-you h-here… w-with m-me?" She whispered her head down, tensing as if she expected me to hit her for interrupting. My eyebrows furrowed and I frowned at her, for more than one reason.

"Hinata…" My frown deepened when she didn't look up. I, very gently, tilted her head up so she was looking at me. "I'm here because I care about you and I can't stand it when my friends are hurt." She blushed lightly and looked into my eyes, searching them it seemed.

"I-I c-care a-about y-you t-too…" Her voice was so soft I almost didn't hear it. I smiled slightly as her face turned cherry red. Then, before I knew what I was doing… we were kissing. I quickly pulled away, mentally slapping myself. Who would like a demon? Hinata's eyes were wide with shock and… longing? I was confused by this and then it was my turn to be surprised, because Hinata's hand slipped into mine and then she kissed me.

"… Do you want to go to Ichiraku's for lunch with me tomorrow?" I asked. Hinata nodded, smiling slightly.

"I-I'd l-love t-to."

Thanks for reading! :D

Please review! You don't have to, but I'll love you for it! 3