A/N: 2016 update: I'm debating about a name for this because I feel as if Blossoming Feelings isn't portraying the story. I was thinking of changing it to The Past and the Present, but I dunno. Hinata has to find out what happened in the past between the guys, but she also is dealing with problems in the present so...Let me know what you guys think!
I have a lot planned for this fanfic, so just bear with the beginning with my awkwardness from 2011.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto/Naruto Shippuuden. If I did, Gaara would be the main character and Deidara wouldn't have died.
(10:00 a.m.)
"Hinata-chan!" I flinch, feeling my blood rush to my head. I know that voice…The most handsome blond pokes his head out from behind my open locker door. He smiles at me, his pearly white teeth showing. "Hey Hinata-chan! I was wondering if you figured out the answer for question number five on our math homework…" He put his hand behind his head sheepishly. "Ahahaha...I think I'm going to need a tutor to pass." He chuckles.
"Uh-uhmm…Y-yes I did, Naruto-kun." I stammer out, subconsciously playing with the ends of my sweater. He looks at me as if I were an angel, causing me to blush even more. "Awesome what was the answer?"
I pull my notebook out of my locker and quickly find the page with my answer. "T-there it is, Naruto-kun." I point to it as he squints at my writing. "Oh!" He utters in understanding. Then he plops down onto the floor and starts digging through his backpack. "Ahaa~! Found it!" He exclaims while holding his notebook up in the air dramatically. As he flips through the pages, I sit down next to him and watch his vibrant blue eyes. Oh Naruto-kun. If only you knew how I feel about you.
He starts to scribble in the answer. After he finishes, he looks at me with his big blue eyes shining. "Thanks Hinata-chan! You're the best! Maybe you could tutor me?" He grins his foxy grin. My heartbeat rapidly accelerates. "Uh-uhmmm…I'd be glad t-to, Naruto-kun." I finally squeak out.
He places his things back in his bag and then stands up. "Ok! Great! When do you wanna start?" He asks while reaching his hand out to help me. My heart thumps louder than it had, and I silently question if anyone else can hear it. I reach out to him and feel his large, rough hand hold firmly to my own. I can't help but think about his warmth that I have so dearly missed. "Uhmm…whenever you want to, Naruto-kun." I answer after he asks a second time.
Once he lets go of my hand, his strong arms wrap around my waist in a hug. "Thanks Hinata-chan! Do you think tomorrow around 3:00 p.m., under the cherry blossom tree would work?" I hear his question, but can't think past what just happened between us. Dazed, I just stare at him in awe.
"Hinata-chan?" He tilts his head slightly and gives me a confused look. I blink and force myself out of my trance. "Uh-uhmm yes that would work, Naruto-kun." He grins at me again, and I feel my own lips form a smile in return. "Great! Can't wait 'till tomorrow then!" He turns around and walks away.
Naruto-kun…I watch him walk away, then hurry out of the building to get ready for work.
(6:00 p.m.)
Once I exit the restaurant, I make my way to the bicycle parking on the side of the building. I feel a rumbling in the earth and turn to see none other than my best friend Kiba and his gigantic dog Akamaru. I take a few steps in their direction as they jog to my side. "Hey, Hinata!" I give my friend a smile and greet him back. His eyes are dancing with excitement, but for what reason I am not sure.
"Do you wanna go on a walk with me and Akamaru?" I take a second to think about what homework I have to do, and decide I am free tonight. I nod and reply with,"All right." He gives me a toothy grin and waves his fluffy white dog to his side. "Great! Come on Akamaru!" Akamaru barks loudly, as if replying.
As Kiba is about to help me onto the large dog, I remember my other means of transportation. I gesture towards the bicycle rack. "Uhm, Kiba? Can we stop by my apartment room first? I need to drop this off and let Tenten know what I'm doing."
"I'm sure Tenten would be fine without you tonight, Hinata. But okay—here you ride on Akamaru. I'll hold onto your bike." He lifts me up onto the dog, then walks the few paces to my bicycle. "Are you sure? I could hold onto—"
"No, I'll do it. It's not like I'm gonna break it or anything!" I sigh in response. "That's what you said about my last one, Kiba." He gives me a wink and a goofy grin.
"Last one there is a stinkin' cat!" He roars while jumping onto the bicycle. Akamaru growls in response and starts to speed down the road. I grab tightly onto his soft fur and pray that I don't fall off like I did last week during another one of their "races." Thinking about this makes me remember the dull ache that has been on my rear the past few days. I force my eyes to shut while the cool wind whips through my hair and and light sweater.
"YAHOO!" I hear Kiba exclaim from somewhere behind us. As we run through the twists and turns to my university issued apartment complex, I feel myself start to get queasy. Thankfully we are not too far, so I tell myself to hold it in. "Come on, Hinata! Live a little!" Kiba yells, now right next to us.
A few more moments pass, then I feel us come to an abrupt stop. Akamaru barks to me, and i take this as a sign to open my eyes. I sigh in relief as I look at apartment number 310 in front of me. "Good boy, Akamaru." I say as I run my fingers through his windblown fur. Kiba skids to a stop beside us and pouts in defeat.
"Darn it! Well, I guess I'm buying dinner, too!" I give him a shocked look.
"What? No you don't—"
"Hinata, I want to." He gives me a pleading look as he offers his hand to me. I take it and slide off of the fluffy dog to the asphalt. I reach into my bag for my key as I try to compromise with Kiba. "Okay, but we aren't going anywhere expensive, all right?"
He crosses his arms in mock disappointment, but then nods his head in agreement. "Tsk..Okay, fine. Deal." Once I unlock the door, he holds it open and lets me walk in first. "You spend so much money already on me, Kiba." He follows in behind me and plops down in a seat at the small table. "But I want to."
I frown slightly. "I'd like to pay you back sometime, Kiba." He gives me a confused look, but doesn't comment. I walk through the small living room to my roommate's bedroom, then give it a light knock. After no reply for a few seconds, I decide she must not be home.
"She must be working late tonight." I mutter to myself as I quickly drop my bags off in my bedroom. I decide to change quickly into something warmer, so I shut the door and undress. Once I am finished, I walk out and join Kiba at the table. He looks up at me from his smart phone, then gives me a grin. "Well you look cozy." I give him a smile and look at the wall clock.
"Are you really wanting to go out tonight for dinner? I can make us something quick instead." His brown eyes flicker to the darkening sky out the window.
"Hmmm…well, you are the greatest cook I know. But, tomorrow night we'll go out, okay?" I nod my head and stand up to grab my apron. Once I tie it on, I pull my hair up into a high ponytail and get to work on dinner. Kiba moves from the small table to the kitchen and stands there with his hand on his hip.
"You okay, Hinata? You seem a little uptight tonight." My mind replays the events of the day. The only thing that could have affected me was...Naruto-kun. I look away from his face and focus on the meal I am making—ramen. Naruto-kun's favorite, and also the fastest thing I can cook. I try to think of an excuse, but nothing comes to my mind.
"Well, uhm..I..I uh..I talked to..Naruto-kun today." Out of my peripheral I see him tense up. "Which reminds me..I can't go out tomorrow be-because I'll be..tutoring him tomorrow." My stammering makes this even harder to stand up to Kiba. It reminds me too much of when their friendship originally ended, and I was stuttering for answers. I turn around to face him, determined not to be the weak high schooler.
His face doesn't show any emotion whatsoever, which scares me. I know Kiba, and this is when it is hardest to argue with him. He scowls for a second at the floor, then looks up and gives me a raised eyebrow. "So you're a tutor now?"
"W-well, he needed help with our math homework, a-and then…well, now I'm his tutor." I dumbly reply, placing my hand behind me on the stove. The searing pain makes me yelp in response, and I immediately pull my hand back. Kiba rushes to me and stares at my now throbbing hand. "Are you okay? Do you need something to put on it?" He asks frantically.
"Uhmm, yes please." He nods and sprints for the emergency kit underneath the bathroom sink. Meanwhile, I turn to the kitchen sink and run my hand under ice cold water. I hear his steps behind me and he reaches around me to turn the sink off. "Here, let me see it."
I open the palm of my hand to see a few red spots. He twists open some burn medicine, then gingerly rubs it into my skin. He unravels an ace bandage and then wraps my hand within it. I look up into his wild eyes. "Thanks, Kiba." I give him a weak smile.
"No problem. I'd do anything for you, Hinata. Just remember that." A pain hits my chest, and I look back down at the injury. Not everything.
He clears his throat and looks at the unprepared food. "Guess I'll help you make dinner." He chuckles. "Sadly I think you're still better with one hand than I am with both." I smile faintly. "We'll see."
Hope you enjoyed it! :) Please review and let me know what you guys think! I always appreciate people's feedback—both good and bad.
(2016 update: Those of you who are NaruHina just sit tight and see it unfold. Sorry for KibaHina fans. I have rewritten and added some things to this chapter, so enjoy the extra 700 words. ;) )