Edit: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed this and I've simply made some corrections and added more to the story. I tried writing this in a modern day fairytale sort of format, so the ambiguity and lack of details is intentional. That being said, thank you Guest for the suggestions and I have taken them into consideration.
a/n: this is just an AU oneshot inspired by a vocaloid song called "The Love Struck Kitty Won't be Discouraged". I will update reluctant in the coming week, I just need to finish some things for school.
Enjoy.
The Love-Struck Cat and the Kind Human Boy
"Shoo! Shoo! Go away, you're bad luck!" The woman shouted, brown eyes flashing and frown lines deepening as she brushed away the protesting cat from her doorstop. The tight bun in her grey hair only served to increase her severe look.
The poor little dark furred kitty was reluctant to leave. The water was uncomfortable and her precious coat would be ruined. (Cats could not waterproof their fur after all.) The little creature meowed pitifully, hoping to appeal to the screaming lady's sense of empathy. No such luck.
The cat stopped mewling as the bristly broom made contact with a tiny paw. With a short yowl, she shot away into the rain, the stinging pain of her hurt leg only slowing her down.
Eventually, she settled down near a strange building with loud sounds and the smell of younger humans pervading it. The little alcove was hardly any shelter from the torrential downpour, and the droplets would jump off the pavement and hit the poor cat all over. But it was the nearest option at the moment. Besides her paw was still stinging and she could not prance straight.
She bristled. May that heartless woman have a shortage of mice, and then maybe she would feel the pangs of hunger echoing through the small feline's frame. Then she chastised herself. That was too cruel to wish upon someone else. (For you see, the cat was actually a very kind person, err, feline.)
Hours passed and gray eyes looked out at the equally gray world, wishing for the sun. The pain in her leg eventually faded to a dull throb, so long as she kept it still, it would be fine.
She drifted off to a fitful sleep, ears twitching occasionally and midnight fur glistening.
She dreamt she tried to catch a fish. It was flashing silver as it danced from her purrfect claws, evading death. She was an expert hunter; she would catch it for pride's sake. After all, she could not disgrace her precious lineage. (She came from a long line of proud fisher cats.)
But then her other paw slipped and she dreamt she had fallen in. She could feel the water filling her lungs, her legs waved frantically. She could not swim.
And she woke to find her alcove nearly filled to the brim with rain water. Was this what other cats had meant by drainage systems? She wouldn't know, she was new to the city. It looked like it would be the death of her, and she mewed pitifully; she was very cold, tired and wet. And she mewed, knowing she would not be heard. (She always had a delicate voice, soft and gentle.)
Naruto Uzumaki had simply happened to be on his way home. Classes had let out ten minutes ago and he had stayed behind for cleanup duty. Blue eyes surveyed the thunderous clouds distastefully. Sasuke (that jerk of a best friend) had been picked up early today, and so he had no ride home. He hated the rain. He hated Valentine's Day.
He hated the rattle of ungiven chocolates in his bag and he hated the color pink. Pink like the hair of the girl he really liked and who had soundly rejected him today of all days; pink like the ribbon on the stupid, expensive box of chocolates.
'I'm sorry, Naruto. You're a really good friend, but I just don't see you that way. You understand right?'
He had nodded like an idiot and had agreed that they should just stay friends. Did he mention that he hated Valentine's?
He shook his head, blonde strands flying to and fro, like the sun's rays fighting through the mass of gray.
He propped open his bright orange umbrella, knowing his mother would most likely chew him out if he got any wetter. His white collared shirt was already sticking to his chest.
His ears caught a lilting sound. And because Uzumaki Naruto had very good hearing, that was how he found the pretty, pitiful, and drenched cat hidden in a drainage pipe. She looked like she was having a worse day than he was.
He bent down to look closer, still holding the bright umbrella, and whispering to beckon the frightened creature towards him. He frowned as she shrank back, her luminescent silvery eyes narrowing in fear. He saw her dark tail twitch, the blue hues of her coat shining. She was keeping all weight off of her front right paw, holding it up gingerly at an awkward angle.
She was hurt. (Like his heart…gaah…what a sappy thought.)
He grew determined and used his quick reflexes to gently grasp her with one strong arm around her middle. (He could feel her ribs.) She struggled against him, yowling softly. It seemed she was incapable of anything louder. She was almost mousy. (Oh, the irony.)
Her velvety paws batted against his exposed arm, her claws oddly retracted. It seemed as if she was reluctant to hurt him, which was strange for any cat who was scared. But she was strong, and even though she was tiny, she put up quite a fight. He almost lost his grip, and promptly let go off his umbrella to better grasp her.
"Calm down, Cat!" He hoarsely chided.
He pulled out the athletic tape from his pocket. (Thank god for having indoor soccer practice today.) He maneuvered himself so her injured paw was exposed, and then he carefully wrapped it. The sixteen year old patiently rewound the bandages when her erratic movements undid his hard work. After several minutes, her injury was dealt with and he was drenched. His blonde hair was matted, sticking to his forehead. (Mom was going to kill him.)
Cat had finally calmed down enough, realizing that he meant no harm. (What an odd human. He had whiskers too she mused.) She meowed; it almost sounded like she was asking a question.
He chuckled, picking up his umbrella and putting it over the both of them. He grinned.
"You must be hungry Cat. Let's go get some food."
And he was amazed when she mewled in seeming agreement and followed him without reservations. "You sure you're not some cursed human, are ya Cat?"
She stayed silent, easily keeping pace with his energetic strides. The unorthodox pair made their way through the rain, taking pleasure in the newfound company.
The two stared up at the lightening sky, both sharing in the joy of the returning sun. Naruto's face brightened. "I can't keep calling you Cat. It feels rude somehow."
He glanced down at the curious kitty, laughing at the almost confused expression crossing her muzzle. "Do you even have a name?"
He was again astounded when she answered with a complex series of soft mewls and meows.
He stopped, mouth agape. He looked down at the waiting feline, the droplets hitting the umbrella more softly now. "You're amazing you know? But I don't think I can understand that."
Then the first rays of the sun broke through, illuminating the pair and the umbrella created a bright, orange glow. He brightened and smiled brilliantly. "It looks like were in a sunny place now, huh?"
She meowed happily.
And then he decided. "You're name. I think I'll call you Hinata!"
Her silvery eyes shown with an almost recognition, but that was absurd. A cat couldn't really understand. Still, he felt appreciated when she circled his legs, almost shyly making contact in a sign of affection. And he laughed full-on for the first time on that rainy day.
Notice me and fur-get about everything else for just a moment…please?
She waited. The day was overcast and the clouds looked ready to drop rain, but still she stayed. Just like every other day, she would wait by the school's gate for her him. And her ears would twitch in anticipation, swiveling wildly to catch even the slightest hint of his voice, the energy of his step, anything to tell her that he would come back for her.
A loud, boisterous laugh and the scent of sunshine on grass…
She turned her neck, finally, he was here and she meowed her soft tones, hoping to catch his attention. It had been a year and a half since the rainy day. In that time, she would wait and afterschool he would feed her snatches of his sandwich for that day.
"Shh, don't tell my mom." He would whisper confidentially, then he would grin that Cheshire cat grin and she would think how beautiful a cat he would make.
At least, that's what he would have done if he still visited her.
"Sorry! I've got college apps to turn in!" He gave her a bright smile, and patted her head gently. Then he was gone, sprinting away to leave a very confused cat wondering what it was all about.
It continued for several months, a litany of human activities dominating every waking hour. There was soccer, and clubs, and homework, and….something called a girlfriend.
"Something awesome happened! Sakura said yes!" He smiled, and looked at his 'celly-fone' thing. "Gaah! I'm late!"
And with that he ran off again, forgetting to pat her head altogether.
After a while, he had stopped coming at all. And she understood, he had his own life apart from her. But if only just once, she could show him how grateful she was. Oh curse these kitty ears and paws, because they did no good. Curse her tiny voice, because no matter how loud she meowed, he did not hear.
Here he came and like the sun, he shone, smiling wider than she had seen him a year and a half ago.
So she meowed, hoping to get his attention. Unfortunately, Uzumaki Naruto was so loudly chatting with the human dark, bird shaped hair next to him, that he did not hear the little cat's tiny cries.
I meowst convey my feelings towards you.
He was leaving. Finally, after almost a year of sporadic visits, he had remembered to look for her. And there she was, on the same step of the school's entrance, next to the drainage pipe he had found her in. (She loved only this particular one.) And she would lick her precious, dark coat clean, all in the hopes of impressing him.
Finally he had come back; only to tell her that he was going to something called college. He had wistfully patted her head and rewrapped the bandages around her paw. (Ever since that day, it had been susceptible to sprains, so he made sure to secure it.)
"Take care of yourself Hina…" He smiled a bit sadly towards the cat with silver eyes and left, unaware of the repercussions of his actions.
Please, anyone, just give me little magic to make a fairy-tail.
Tiny paws padded softly up the worn stone steps, carved right into the hillside. The fairy lights surrounding the red-hued pillars of the temple illuminated the nearly indistinguishable midnight form of a small cat, her ears pinned back determinedly as she laboriously made the journey up.
Finally at the top…her tail twitched in anticipation as she smelled the offerings and heard the empty, whisperings of the wind through the bells. She saw the intricately drawn good luck charms placed near the largest bell and the large statue of an elegant female, lovingly cupping what seemed like a tiny sun in her hands. (The cat heard this was a shrine to the weather goddess or something.) But it was the only place she knew that was like this, and the spark of something indefinable made her fur stand on end and her eyes bright as stars.
She looked at the statue and placed her paw at the foot of the statue, wishing she could ring the wishing bell like a human could. She wished she could thank the boy with blond hair like a human could. She wished she could be close to him, the way a human would.
She wished most of all, that she could meet him again and tell him 'Hello' with a smile.
At this thought, a humming filled her ears and the tiny sun-like thing in the woman's arms seemed to glow with an overwhelming brightness.
"To you, who are pure and love the sun, I grant your wish. But beware, for all will go amiss with a simple kiss."
And the cat knew no more.
But that day you rescued me as the rain poured down, I won't ever forget it.
It was raining again. The drops beat against the glass, creating slanted criss crosses on the window pane. Naruto sat at a round coffee table, occasionally sipping his bitter Americano. The piquant aroma served as some sort of comfort for the miserable day.
'It's not as bitter as Sakura.' He cringed at the thought. The mere mention of his ex-girlfriend was enough to send a pang of depression running down his back. They had just ended things officially a month ago, and he was still banged up about it. Sure, Sasuke would say he was sulking, but the jerk wasn't here. He was off in another college, out of the country. Just had to study abroad didn't he.
And Sakura just had to follow him…four months of going out and she just dropped everything when she heard his best friend was leaving. So it seemed she had lied when she said she was over Sasuke (his girlfriend had left him for his best friend). She booked the first plane out using her college savings.
She left her parents a note and left Naruto nothing but a cheesy mug and a worthless apology.
Maybe in a few more months he could forgive her, just right now he really wanted to wallow in his misery.
He downed his lukewarm coffee and paid the bill, nodding thanks to the server. He had no umbrella this time, and he could care less. He was in university now, and he lived in a city three hours away from his home town. His mother wouldn't know if he wore a jacket or not. (Or maybe she would, she had the uncanny ability to sense when things were wrong.)
He shoved his hands into his jean pockets, his black long sleeve slowly absorbing the lightly falling drops.
He had not worn orange for a week; which was a sign that something was really wrong. (Shikamaru had kept asking if he was fine, and he would grin and give an exuberant thumbs up.) He was tired of the sympathetic looks and the pitying glances.
He kept his gaze up, staring ruefully at the gray sky, not finding a single silver lining.
He was so absorbed in his misery, that he did not notice the person walking in front of him. She too was marveling at the sky, gray eyes watching an equally gray sky from under the rim of a blue umbrella.
The collision was inevitable.
"OUCH!" He rubbed his arm where the spokes of her umbrella had dug into his flesh. He hissed, fully prepared to chew out the person who had bumped into him. This day sucked.
The girl was worse for the wear, rubbing her bandaged wrist and struggling not to cry in pain. "I-I'm so sorry!"
He turned from his sore arm to look down fully at his tiny assailant. She barely even reached his collar bone, and she was dressed all in varying shades of gray. How dull…she wasn't very flamboyant or decorative like Ino or Sa-he stopped himself.
That was not fair to the poor girl. And it seemed as if she was having an even worse day than him. Her umbrella was bent into an indistinguishable shape, lopsided and unusable. She looked as if she would burst into tears at any moment. She was gazing down now, ashamed and tugging at her wool skirt.
Naruto rubbed the back of his head, truly embarrassed and ashamed of his mean thoughts. He was usually a very nice guy. "Nah! It was my fault. I wasn't looking!"
It seemed as if his voice triggered something in her, because as soon as he spoke, her back straightened and her silver eyes widened exponentially and a pink blush graced her face. She mouthed something he couldn't quite catch, but it almost sounded liked 'Found you.' He brushed it off because that would just be weird. He had never seen this girl in his life, so there was no way he would know her.
He extended out a large hand, hoping to show he was friendly. He grinned. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki by the way. Nice to meet you-?
He trailed off waiting for her response.
She shifted uncomfortably, her long dark hair cascading down to her waist. She ducked her head, her heavy blunt bangs obscuring her gorgeous eyes. He kind of wished she would keep looking up at him with them. She muttered something incoherent. His hearing had gotten worse indeed. (Or maybe she was just really quiet.)
"Sorry, couldn't quite catch that." He chuckled, holding a hand to his ear.
"My name is Hi-hi-nya-"She brought up small hands to cover her mouth in shock. She almost looked as if she was scared.
"Hinya? Nice to meet you Hinya." He laughed cheekily, hoping to lighten the mood. His was definitely brighter, and it was all because of this weird, shy girl. But he kind of liked people like her, so he hoped they could be friends.
She shook her head. "My name is Hinata Hyuuga."
For some reason, the name niggled at the back of his mind, very familiar. He smiled at her full name. "What a sunny name you've got. That's awesome!"
She smiled for the first time, pleased. "Thank you. It's very dear to me. And you have a very swirly name."
This had him laughing harder than he had in weeks. "I guess so."
His chuckles faded and he extended his hand once more, this time to be met with a hesitant and soft grip. He noted that the she was using her left hand, the one not wrapped in bandages.
"It's a pleasure, Miss Hyuuga."
She smiled even more widely, happier than she had ever been. "Likewise, ."
And even though the rain kept falling, Naruto had found his silver lining.
Onwards, onwards, I am an alley cat no longer. I'll meet you and say hello with a smile.
Hinata was indescribably and unexpectedly…adventurous. If there was something she had not tried, she would drag him off to the most hole in the wall restaurants and make friends with the oddest people. This was a girl who scared pigeons for fun and loved anything silver. She was also surprisingly good at barehanded fishing. (That outing had somehow ended up with a live trout in his pants and a very happy Hinata.)
And in between keeping up with her adventures and studying for his classes and work, Naruto had quickly forgotten all about Sakura Haruno. He had not even realized it had been a month and a half since he had met Hyuuga Hinata. And his world was all the brighter for it.
Today she had decided to volunteer at the homeless shelter, and had dragged him along for the ride.
It was still winter and it was nearing the holidays, so he took it in stride and attempted to be of good cheer. He grinned at her perfectly, cheery mood. Because who cared if it was 7 am on a Saturday morning after finals when you were helping out.
"Here you go Mister! Please have a purry Christmas!" She smiled warmly at the bearded man, wrapped in one of the many scarves she had knitted for the visitors. She handed him a tray, filled to the brim with eggs and warm bacon.
He smiled; a toothless grin that was beautiful to her in its sincerity.
Naruto cringed. Again with the cat puns…she seemed to be inordinately fond of them and good at pulling them from out of nowhere. He tightened the knot on his spotless (orange) apron and turned back to scrambling the eggs in an oversized pan. The morning was just starting and already there was a long line, waiting for breakfast. The whole thing was bittersweet, yet there was an undeniable charm and cheer hanging in the air. Maybe it was the season, or simply the brightly smiling girl happily doling out meals, as if each calorie given away was a wonderful blessing.
She looked like Santa Paws had come early. He panicked internally. It was happening. He was going to start making terrible cat puns too. His groan had the girl turn her silvery gaze towards him, curiously amused.
"I just made a bad cat pun…" He complained to her.
She laughed, a pealing of bells and playfully shoved him. "That's purrfect!"
He laughed heartily. He couldn't help it. Hinata was just so much fun. And later that day, he would ask her why she was so eager to help out here, here where people had no home and sadness pervaded the air.
She would gaze at the cardboard boxes lying haphazardly near the recycling bin and cryptically say.
"Because once upon a time, I was an ally cat."
And Naruto had no idea what she meant. Come to think of it, he didn't even know where she lived. He knew she worked in a grocery store as a cashier, and that she hadn't really had the best schooling. He was pulled from his thoughts when a gentle tug had him nearly tripping over his feet, the small girl taking him along to who knows where.
But she was using her left hand because her right hand was still bandaged.
It's alright to forget for a little right? To be a little spoiled…
It had been a surprisingly sunny day, with a chilly breeze blowing through the city. And for Naruto, that was perfect.
"Alright kids! We're playing…Soccer!" He said dramatically, putting his hands on his hips, legs wide apart in a would-be heroic stance. His orange t-shirt and black sweatpants did not aid at all to promote this image.
But even so, to the kids from the local Big Brothers and Sisters Association he was one.
Hinata had come along too; and she was absolutely adored. She was energetic and fun, with oddly quick reflexes. She and Naruto had decided to be on opposing sides, making the game fairer. Needless to say, when her team had explicitly told her to make the winning goal, she took the chance with all the gusto of one who truly enjoyed the sport.
"GOOOOAL!" shouted a little boy with brown hair and a blue sweater. And his teammates chorused the word, Hinata's team reaching to give her high fives and the girls wanting to hug her.
Naruto turned towards his team, grinning. "You guys-"
A little girl huffed, putting her hands on her hips and brown eyes glaring.
"Err, sorry, you kids did awesome! And even if we didn't win, we still tried our best!"
He grinned, genuinely proud of his kids and glad that he volunteered at Hinata's behest. What he was completely unprepared for was the loud roars and shouts coming from behind him. He turned in time, just to see all the kids running towards him shouting "DOOOG PILEEE!"
He could just barely make out grinning Hinata in the back, her silver eyes flashing with mischief and something else. Then he was lost in a sea of arms and legs. He only saw daylight again when a slim pale hand reached for his, and pulled him up from the writhing mass of children. And she was laughing.
"You think it's funny?" He pouted. The kids followed her laughter, apparently thinking so.
"Y-yes." She reddened, still giggling and bringing up her bandaged hand to her cute little mouth.
He smiled slyly, just like a Cheshire cat and his eyes lit up. Before she could prepare, he pounced, pinning her in a one man dog pile (never cats, they were far too dignified). She squeaked and looked up, both completely forgetting that there were impressionable children around them. The rare winter sun illuminated his golden strands in a halo of light, and she could not help but stop breathing.
Naruto's eyes turned cobalt in their intensity, and he leaned forward, ignoring the catcalls of his kids. He closed his eyes, only for his lips to be met by the earthy taste of dirt and grass. He shot up, sputtering, only then realizing that Hinata had turned her head at the last second. He ended up kissing the ground where her head had been.
She rose to a sitting position, blushing intensely. The children were silent, wondering what had happened. Was she rejecting him?
Teary, silver eyes looked up at a confused Naruto and he could not help but sigh. He had been too forward. He muttered, so only she could hear.
"I'm sorry, Hinata."
Her eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously, but before she could say anything, he had already turned back to the buzzing group of youngsters, ready for another game of soccer. His bright grin hid his hurt and Hinata lightly touched her lips, wishing for the warmth of a kiss.
I want to curl up ever closer to you.
"What is that? It's paw-sitively odd." Hinata exclaimed, her hand on his shoulder and her hair swaying as she tilted her head curiously, her large eyes a glow.
Naruto stiffened, still unused to her quiet and sudden approaches and her casual touch. She was, it seemed, a very physical person. She relished in her senses and touch to express and explore her world. It was something Naruto admired greatly, because to her, every little thing was a marvel and he could not understand how she had been so sheltered.
"It's a social media web site." He smiled, explaining the intricacies of the whole thing.
But as he was scrolling down the pages of pictures and texts, snapshots of others' lives, he stopped and stared. Hinata saw the incredulity of in his gaze, and he had completely forgotten she was here.
She looked at the screen, and perused the image. There was a pretty girl with pink hair and green eyes and she was laying her head on a dark haired young man, expressionless except a tiny twinkle in his eye. He had a hairstyle reminiscent of a duck's behind. She had the sudden urge to swipe at his head, she pushed it down. That was not a bird and she was not a …anyway, they seemed happy.
"Are they in love?" She asked curiously. Naruto wondered at her wording; so odd.
"Yeah, I guess so." He said quietly, uncharacteristically melancholy.
Hinata frowned. This was not her Naruto and she saw the way his blue eyes lingered on the slight form of the girl. She could almost hear the regrets in his mind and though she may not know what was going on, she would make sure he was happy.
She set her mouth in a determined line and gathered her courage. Then she slammed the laptop closed, startling Naruto. She offered her left hand to him, and when he did nothing, she reached for his own hand, and pulled him up.
"Hinata, what are you doing?"
Then she pointed both her index fingers, extending them up and up until they reached his face. She placed them at the corners of his gaping mouth and stretched the skin, contorting his face into the mimicry of a smile.
"There. Whatever happened is hiss-tory. So smile."
And he grinned, pulling the unsuspecting girl into a hug. The setting sun drifted in through the apartment's small window, coloring everything in hues of orange. And once upon a time, Naruto would have said that was his favorite color, but right now, it was the silvery-gray of the sun behind clouds, the silvery-gray of Hinata's eyes.
If you ignore me, it will be a total cat-tastrophe!
The tension was suffocating. It was winter break and the whole gang had decided to gather in his apartment for old time's sake. Unfortunately, that included Sasuke and Sakura, both back from abroad for the holidays. Thankfully, Hinata was here with him. He crossed his fingers, hoping that everyone would like her. He sighed. Who wouldn't like her? She was pretty, and cheery and happy and kind. (She was a bad cook, as evidenced by the fact that she burned water, but still…)
And he had not been the only guy to notice. Every time they went out, he could feel them, see them looking at her. She had even been approached several times, and he always felt the need to protect her, because she was so innocent.
He remembered once, a guy asked her if he flipped a coin, what were the chances he would get head?
Hinata cheerily answered 50%.
Needless to say, the guy never even looked at her again after Naruto had pulled him outside of the store for a "talk".
Thankfully, today, everything had gone well.
Ino, a bubbly blonde wearing a purple cardigan, was currently braiding Hinata's indigo hair. Sakura was happily chatting with Tenten (a girl with chestnut in two odd buns) about medical school applications abroad. Occasionally, he would catch Sakura glancing at the new girl curiously, as if sizing her up.
Sakura brushed back a strand of her cotton candy hair, and turned her green eyes towards the friendly, shy newcomer. "So, Hinata, what school do you go to?"
Here Hinata blushed, and fidgeted slightly with her striped sweater, feeling ashamed. "I-I don't go to school. I work."
"Oh. I'm sorry, I just assumed…" Sakura trailed off embarrassed, she straightened her red blouse nervously. She hadn't meant to make the girl uncomfortable. Everyone had different lives and no one should be judged because of that. She tried to salvage the situation. "Umm, where do you work?"
Hinata brightened. "At a local grocery store."
"That sounds nice Hinata." Tenten smiled, genuinely at ease with the girl. She was such a sweet and earnest thing, it was hard to be uncomfortable around her.
"Do you have a boyfriend Hinata?" Ino piped up slyly, tying off the fishtail braid woven into indigo strands. She glanced at Uzumaki, wanting to see his reaction.
Here Naruto and Hinata blushed extraordinarily red and both shook their heads, answering at the same time.
"I don't."
"SHE DOESN'T!"
They said it together and looked at one another, surprised.
"Hn. Idiot, looks like you're her boyfriend." Sasuke teased, slouching on Naruto's worn, blue couch.
Shikamaru grinned lazily, threading a hand through his brown hair. The rest of the friends laughed as well. Naruto was left to sputter incoherently and Hinata looked faint.
"It's nya-" She covered her mouth frantically, eyes wide. "I-it's not like that."
"It's okay Hinata, we're just teasing." Kiba Inuzuka laughed, patting her shoulder across Ino. And for some reason, Hinata tensed slightly at the contact. Her whole body froze and her tiny nose wrinkled as if she could smell something.
"Dog."
Kiba stopped short. "What?"
"Ah no! I just meant, do you have a dog Kiba?" She saved herself, still instinctually tense at the scent of canine.
"Yeah! Akamaru…Wanna see a picture?" He answered excitedly. He pulled out a worn wallet and opened it to a portfolio of photos. Every single one was of a large, white dog with a happy expression on his face.
"H-He seems friendly." Hinata complimented, tensing at the sight of the large canines in the dog's mouth.
"Personally, I like cats better." Tenten chimed in.
Hinata smiled brightly. "Really?"
"Yep, all she can talk about is how cool and awesome her cat Neji is." Ino teased, flipping her long hair over her shoulder.
"Hey now, he's pretty cool. It's almost like he can understand me." Tenten defended vehemently
"Ino wouldn't understand. She likes pigs more." Sakura retorted, grinning at her frenemy's face.
Hinata quirked her head, for the first time feeling as if she truly belonged. She caught Naruto staring at her and sent him a brilliant smile from across the coffee table. And for some reason, his heart raced and he forgot all about the fact that his ex-girlfriend was in the room or that he had work the next day.
He only had eyes for his silver lining.
The conversation eventually died down, and the coffee table was littered with empty mugs, coffee stains decorating the interiors. One by one, the guests left, all expressing a wish to meet up again and teasing Naruto and Hinata as they left. (They were glad she had come into his life; he was so much happier now.)
Sakura and Hinata were the last to leave, and the pink-haired girl lingered in his doorway, looking at the ground and tugging at her red blouse uncomfortably. Hinata was still in the kitchen, washing the dishes. (She knew Naruto was horrible at chores and always took the chance to help him.)
"Naruto, I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" Sakura started.
Naruto lifted up a hand to stop her. He smiled genuinely. "It's okay. I mean, it wasn't the best way to end it but…I'm happy now, and I'm guessing you're happy too?"
"Yeah. I love him." She smiled softly, thinking of her dark haired beau. He had left the gathering earlier than she as he had to go to his internship in the morning. (His older brother was prepping him for taking over the family business.) "And what about you and Hinata?"
"Uhh…it's not like that." He rubbed the back of his neck, blushing.
Sakura smiled teasingly. "You should go for it. I mean, you obviously really like her, and she's very sweet."
"Hinata doesn't see me that way." He argued weakly. This was getting too uncomfortable and he was still weak when it concerned his feelings for the odd girl.
"You'd be surprised." She said insightfully. "You're a great guy. She'd be crazy not to fall for you."
He chuckled, glad that they were still friends. Sakura pulled him in for a hug. She had missed having him as a friend.
"Naruto-" Hinata rounded the corner cheerfully. She saw the two embracing and brought her bandaged hand up to her chest. "Oh, I'm sorry! I interrupted!"
Sakura pulled away quickly, hoping the girl would not get the wrong idea. Too late. She saw the dawning expression of disappointment and hurt on the girl's delicate features. She tried to explain. "Hinata-"
Hinata vigorously shook her head waving her hands and head. "Ah ny- No! It was my fault."
Naruto was dumbstruck, wondering why his friend had become so flustered all of a sudden. "Are you okay Hinata?"
She gave a bright smile, straining to hold back the hurt overwhelming her. "Y-yes! I'm just purrfect!"
She then bid a quick goodbye to the two and grabbed her coat, almost sprinting down the hall and out the building, her hair trailing behind her. She was gone before the two could stop her.
Sakura turned towards the blond, worried. "What are you still doing here?! Go after her."
She all but shoved him out the door, making sure to lock it on her way out. She wished him luck and headed towards her own apartment, hoping that the idiot would make it in time to fix things.
If we kiss, the magic will be gone…the wish I made will be done
Naruto tore down the street, uncaring that his trainers were becoming wetter and heavier with each step, the falling snow dampening his hair and chilling him to the bone. (He had completely forgotten to bring a jacket. )It was night and the street lamps hardly illuminated anything at all. But he had to find her, to tell her what he felt.
"HINATA!"
He had to find her because she was strange and lovable and kind Hinata. (Hinata who's name meant a sunny place, somewhere he felt warm and welcomed.) He had to find her because she was his friend and hopefully, he prayed she could be more.
"Please.." came a quiet whisper, and because Naruto had really good hearing, he was able to catch Hinata's lilting voice across the cold air.
He followed the sound, finding her on the corner of a small shrine, carefully perusing the festive displays of lanterns and charms. Her hands were clasped in prayer and her head was bent. The glow of the illumination created halos of light across her hair and her silver eyes shown with tears. The snow fell softly, white flakes bright against her navy coat.
"Hinata?" He called again, almost whispering her name. He was being extremely gentle and cautious, as if she was a frightened animal.
She turned, silver eyes narrowing in fear. She seemed to draw away from him, holding her bandaged wrist at an odd angle. (She had said it had always been that way, predisposed to sprains.)
He could see the tension coiled in her slight form. She was ready to bolt at any moment. And using his quick reflexes he crossed the short distance between them and caught her in a tight embrace. She struggled against him, and almost succeeded. He held her shoulders steady and she beat against his chest, gently as if not wanting to hurt him in the least.
Which wasn't weird at all because this was Hinata.
He maneuvered them so that she was now looking up at him. His eyes softened at the tears in her gaze. "Hinata…"
"Stop saying my name like you know me." She said quietly.
He tilted his head. "I do know you. You're Hinata Hyuuga. My friend and fellow adventurer who likes to make weird cat puns and hates the rain. The girl who can't cook at all and who volunteers to help others always. A sweet and kind girl who makes my day brighter and makes me feel like a better person. You are Hinata Hyuuga."
She smiled wistfully, the tears finally falling. "I am Hinata, an alley cat turned human by what I can't even begin to explain. I am a cat saved by a kind boy."
Naruto's eyes widened, remembering that rainy day so many years ago when he had saved a small, dark cat and had given her that same name. His voice came out slightly hysterical. "H-How do you know about that?"
His embrace had loosened slightly, and she stepped out of it lightly, lifting up her bandaged hand. She smiled, trying to get him to believe her. "It's the same hand that you helped fix, remember? My paw?"
"W-what?"
"That day when you rescued me, I never scratched you, because I knew you were a kind person. You gave me a bandage and took me in under your beautiful orange umbrella and you were wearing a white collared shirt and you had chocolates in your backpack. I could smell them. And you called me Cat until the sun broke through the clouds and you gave me my most precious thing. You gave me my name, Naruto."
Naruto nearly fell to his knees at the absurdity of it all. His friend Hinata, the girl he liked was the cat he had helped all those years ago. "H-How?"
She stopped thoughtfully. "I-I don't really know. All I know was that after that day, I watched you, wanting to catch your attention. But as you grew, you became more involved with other things. And you forgot."
She gave him an adoring look. "But I went to the shrine one day, praying that I could one day thank you for what you did. And the next thing I knew, here I was."
He stared shocked and touched and weirded out all at the same time, unsure of what to think. But it was still Hinata in front of him, crying and thanking him. It was still Hinata who had remembered him all those years ago and something shifted into the right place.
"You're the Hinata that I like."
Her eyes widened and she surprised him by tiptoeing and pressing her lips lightly against his. It tasted sweet and spicy, like cinnamon rolls. Before he could respond, she pulled away smiling brightly up at the human she loved.
"I love you. I really do Naruto Uzumaki!" She said loudly, and Naruto could hear her clearly for the first time. And to Naruto's ever present surprise, as she spoke, soft black cat ears appeared and a long tail followed.
"W-What do you mean?" He asked franticly, reaching for the girl.
"I have to go back to who I am, I suppose. My wish was granted and I'm out of time." She said through tears, her face red and the feline ears twitching adorably atop her head. And she seemed to glow, glow with a light so intense it was almost unbearable. She was literally fading before his eyes. She smiled brightly, this time truly happy.
"This little stray is glad she was found by you!"
"Hinata?! Don't go. PLEASE!" He begged, reaching for her transparent shoulders and hands phasing through them. He stared wide eyed as she tiptoed once more. He felt the touch of her kiss again, a faint fluttering sensation and a warm light.
And then she was gone, the only thing left in his hands were the bandages from her wrist. But before he could break down completely, her voice rang through the air, a final parting sentence.
"I'll meet you again in a sunny place and say "Hello" with a great, big smile."
A 'paws', and a smile crossed his face because Hinata was Hinata and he knew that this wasn't goodbye. Not a permanent one anyway. And the next time he saw her, he would make sure everything was purrfect for their first date, whenever that was.
He carefully laid the bandages on the mini shrine, near the offerings and good luck charms and trudged back through the falling snow. All the while, he was wistfully watched by a tiny cat with midnight fur and silver eyes.
The promise of the future hung in the air between them, mingling with the drifting snow. There always was a silver lining, after all.
;(