"Easy does it…Easy… That's it."
The sleepy chunin gave her cousin a sidelong glance. Amused at his words of encouragement per every step they were taking, she was far too tired to express the emotion. Her body like her head throbbed with an intensity she'd yet to know as chunin. Truthfully, the last time she experienced pain to this degree, it came from the very man who now supported her weight through the dusty streets of what remained of Konoha.
"Hinata-sama."
His voice broke her from her daze. The pain, Pain, and sheer exhaustion left the girl less than fully present.
"Hai?" little more than sigh escaped her lips.
"If you'd let me carry you, you could rest."
It was the third time he had offered in the five minutes, and third time she shook her head no as they headed away from the current celebration for Konoha's hero, Uzumaki Naruto.
"Hinata-sama?"
The thought of Naruto, flying mid air, the sick crack of her bones against the ground, the sharp rod piercing her flesh, the Kyubi before her,
"Hinata-sama?!"
was enough to make her swoon.
'…Because I love you…' was enough to make the girl pass out in her cousin's embrace. Before her body could smack the ground once more she was floating in his warm embrace.
Bridal seemed liked the wrong term, but Neji couldn't help but squint his eyes in annoyance as he hoisted her into his arms. It wasn't her mere 100 pounds that was bothering him. Sadness, frustration, anger, and something he dared not acknowledge forced him to clench his teeth as he carried Hinata towards the damaged, but shockingly still standing Hyuuga Compound.
Tears nearly broke free as he examined the bruising that was starting to color her pale skin sallow shades of yellows, blues, and purples. Her eyes were rimmed with an intense red that would undoubtedly be purple tomorrow. He had a good idea as to what had drove her to dance with a devil ten times her strength, but the very thought of the events made his stomach churn, and his arms grip her tiny frame a little tighter.
"Ugn". A choked sigh escaped his lips.
This crush… this obsession, with Naruto... he really thought this was something she'd grow out of. But 3 years of absence and a near death experience later, nothing had changed. If anything, things had intensified. For all her silliness, he really thought Hinata was smarter than this.
"Ah! Neji?! Hinata? Hinata?! Wait!"
A huffing, raspy, gruff voice caused the Hyuuga to brace himself. If it weren't for the girl in his arms he would have turned around, 64 palms a blaze, and smacked Konoha's hero straight to the ground. Instead his body went stiff as he increased his pace.
"Neji!" Neji quickly shook the boys hand from his shoulder turning sharply to face him.
Taken aback by the rage in his eyes, especially after the sea of hugs, kisses, ass pats, and high fives he escaped to catch up to the duo, Naruto took a step back.
"Shouldn't you be celebrating?!" Neji's rage and annoyance fell on deaf ears as the blonde's eyes drifted down to the bruised and crumpled girl in his arms. Following Naruto's gaze, Neji's rage seemed to flare up all over again. Opening his mouth to let out a torrent of swears even Sai wouldn't chuckle at, a slight sob jostled his emotions.
"You're…crying?" Neji's comment didn't even register.
"She's really okay? Right?" Naruto made no attempt to hide the emotion in his voice as he choked his words out.
The elder boy narrowed his eyes to a softer expression before answering with a firm nod. "Thanks to Sakura… yes."
Neji observed Naruto for a reaction to that certain name but found none. Just wet blue eyes, wide and focused on the girl in his arms. It just annoyed him more. He found himself wanting to hold Hinata closer, as if to some how shield her from Naruto's gaze. As if reading his mind, Naruto leaned in a closer. The sunset bleached his hand red as he reached to lift her bangs from her face, but Neji quickly resumed walking to block the contact.
"There are many worse off." 'What's gotten into me…?'
He didn't turn back to observe the boy which is why his anger peaked when he felt Naruto's chakra in pace with his own.
He knew he was out of line. He knew he should be on his hands and knees thanking the man who had once upon a time saved him from darkness, and now truly moved heaven and earth to protect the village, himself, and Hinata… but all he felt was rage.
Neji knew Naruto. He knew him quite well. Hell, he respected him more than most other nin in the village, so of course, he was more than aware Naruto would never do anything to hurt Hinata, much less put her in danger… but with every glance down his anger grew a little more.
"Naruto?" Smooth and even, his voice cracked the silence between them. "Exactly what happened out there today?"
For the second time since he approached, Naruto's eyes went wide as they met Neji's. His mouth drifted opened as if to say something, then promptly closed.
Neji wasn't sure if it was blood red sunset or the day's fatigue but the blonde's face turned an unflattering color beneath his gaze. Perhaps it was exhaustion.
"Hinata said…Well… She just jumped in, and then Pain, he," Naruto's arm motions and gestures told a story Neji could not piece together. "I told her, 'leave'… and she…. Neji?"
Blue eyes met white again.
Neji squinted trying to follow the story Naruto was stuttering through,
"has Hinata ever… Well, she said she…" Naruto let out a frustrated sigh rubbing his hair. "It's all froggy in my head!"
"Froggy?"
"tsk! Ahh! Foggy!"
Neji watched him silently as the three figures moved through the eerie damaged and darkening streets.
"I need Hinata to maybe…fill in… some of the blanks… for me"
Neji blinked glancing down at Hinata fast asleep in arms. Despite Sakura's expert medical hand, he suspected she would be sleeping for quite some time and speaking of needing rest, 'froggy in his head?'
"Perhaps you should head home and rest." Neji suggested hoping Naruto would agree.
The blonde shook his head.
Neji peered from the corner of eye watching as Naruto peered at the sleeping Hinata from the corner of his own.
"Then what about the celebration? Everyone must be looking for you…"
"Bunshin" he deadpanned his eyes never moving from the sleeping heiress.
Neji huffed his gaze shifting forward.
The red of the sun had shifted to twilight. As the moonlit up, it cast eerie shadows across the damaged and cluttered landscape. The two carried on in silence until they reached the large broken doors of the compound.
Remembering himself, Neji softened his tone and gaze and turned to stand before Naruto, face to face. The younger male stood like he was being scolded during his academy days, with his hands firmly shoved in his pockets, head lowered, and yet his gaze never left the limp Hyuga resting in Neji's arms.
"Naruto. Thank you, for everything you did today... saving the village and all…"
The blonde only shook his head.
"Everyone keeps saying that, but I was reckless and honestly if-"
Ack! Ack!, The sleeping Hyuga sputtered a strange mix of liquids onto the white of Neji's shirt.
"Hinata-Sama?!""Hinata?!" The boys chimed in unison.
Hinata only curled tighter into Neji's abdomen, lost in exhaustion.
"Naruto. Head home. Rest"
For the third time, Naruto's eyes met Neji's. It didn't take a sensory type to detect something strange was brewing in the air. Bowing once more. Neji headed toward the house eager to place his cousin in bed.
"Neji…"
The Hyuga stopped in his tracks, glancing back over his shoulder.
"Could you… When Hinata wakes up… can you tell her, I need to talk to her…"
The crickets chirped an awkward reply.
" A lot of weird things happened out there...""with the Kyuubi! And all." he quickly added. "I think she'll remember… better than I can." Naruto's eyes found the ground, as his hand found the back of head.
White-eyes narrowed a bit. Neji knew a thing or two about body language. Hand on the head? Eyes to the ground? Naruto knew more than he was letting on, and was certainly sitting on some secrets. Neji was a genius, but it didn't take one to piece this puzzle together.
"I will…relay this message…."
Naruto shook his head affirmatively, and turned to head back towards his own apart- well, what was maybe left of his own apartment.
"Naruto."
Now it was the fox nin's turn to stop in his tracks. Naruto turned to glance back at Neji, his pale skin a glow in the moonlight, and the crumpled girl in his arms. There was something sharp in Neji's voice, something even more serious than the always-serious nin was.
Neji had finally realized what had been bothering him.
"I'm not one to pry, but I must say this," Neji moved back down the path leading into the compound, closing the space between them "Since it's gone this far, don't play with Hinata-sama."
"Huh?" Naruto's mind began to race as his eyebrows furrowed. "Play with? I know she's pretty banged up. I don't wanna train or anything like that. I just want to-"
"You know what I'm talking about."
Questioning blue eyes met clear white orbs.
"My respect and admiration for you has kept me quiet til this point, but since it's come to this…I can't- No. I won't stand quiet anymore."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, honestly, unsure of what was going on here. His hand found the back of his head . This day. This day had been something else. As if feeding off the confusion in his head, the crickets seemed to intensify their melody.
"I will relay your message, and send for you the moment Hinata-sama is conscious, and of sound mind."
"Thank you-" Why couldn't he just say that in the first place? Naruto gazed once more at Hinata, limp and seemingly lifeless.
"AND, at that time, you will set the record straight."
"Record straight?" His eyes found Neji's once more. "I don't-"
"You understand. "
'Because, I love you' Like an quiet evening's wind chime, her words danced in his head. Neji really did have sight beyond sight. Naruto's gaze found the bruised and bandaged Hyuuga once more as his stomach and mind began dancing in confusing.
"Neji, I really don't …"
"You do."
Naruto quickly shifted his eyes upward to Neji's. They're nightshine, like his tone, brandished a threatening edge. Many would have backed down from his chakra charged glare, but brimming with the frustrations of a series emotionally devastating revelations, and now coming across another, the genin's tone took on an edge of its own,
" I had no idea! Hinata was, Hinata is my friend so of course we all…Do you know what that meant to me? Until today, nobody ever… NOBODY... And why didn't she ever say anything?"
Unable to cross his arms, Neji lowered his head menacingly.
"And you!? If you know, knew, why as my friend, AND Hinata's cousin, why didn't you ever-"
"YOU DIDN'T WANT, to know." The crickets' concerto ended as an awkward blanket of silence enveloped the two.
Naruto's neck coiled backward with in an insulted gesture. Neji stepped closer. Still carrying the sleeping Hinata in his arms, he bounced her upwards to redistribute her weight.
"You knew. You always knew. It was just easier for you not to know. "
"Neji-"
"Neji?"
A foreign voice caught the elder boys attention. Ko limped forward from the shadows of the street behind Naruto, catching Neji's eyes. Naruto's didn't falter as they bore with anger into Neji.
"Naruto? Naruto-sama?!" Ko quickly limped against his make shift walking stick to Naruto's side offering the boy several bows and a smile.
"Everyone was wondering where you disappeared to!" He lowered his head trying to catch Naruto's gaze. " We all thought you escaped back home to sleep! A bunch of villagers were headed to your place to drag you…"
Ko's eyes followed Naruto's gaze back to Neji's and, "Hinata Sama!"
At once Ko was beside Neji, his walking stick fall to the ground. "I'll get her inside."
Neji's eyes moved back to Naruto's as he shifted Hinata's weight gently into the arms of the already injured Ko, who quickly disappeared inside.
Meeting Naruto gaze. a flinch of something sparked in Neji causing his face to soften. Naruto shook his head in disbelief and turned sharply to leave.
"Naruto!"
Head lowered in confusion and feet still on the move, he didn't have the heart or patience to deal with Neji anymore. Not today. No more today.
"If the villagers are waiting at your apartment, where will you sleep? "
Damn it … he didn't think of that one. The crickets resumed their melody in the night air. Today was not Naruto's day.
"Come inside. You can rest here. You and Hinata-sama can sort this all out in the-"
"I… Sakura's apartment is still standing. I'll crash on her floor, til tomorrow."
'Sakura, huh'. Neji narrowed his eye for the umpteenth time as Naruto made his way down the path.
"Naruto!"
"What!" His voice clearly annoyed, confused, and angry cut through the orchestra of crickets, silencing them once more.
Neji moved further down the path, closer to the retreating nin.
"Hinata-sama, isn't glass. If you are honest with her, she will not break."
A curt glance over the shoulder. "I know that. " Naruto resumed his steps quickening his pace from the compound.
"Naruto." The elder jogged down the path to stand before him.
Before Naruto could object anymore he was met with a deep bow. "You truly are Konoha's hero. Thank you."
No thanks, or acknowledgement was left in the Jinchuuriki. He only brushed past Neji in annoyance, and with a toss of brown hair and a saunter of arrogance, Neji too disappeared through the broken gate of the Hyuuga compound, into the darkness.
How could one person have his dreams realized, acknowledged by the village, his friends and family? safe, the love of a father, and yet feel this miserable. This whole day had really left him pissed and confused.
Wandering through the cluttered debris, the mess around him matched his inner turmoil.
With the village in shambles and most residence either staying with family on the outskirts or staying in the camps at the center of the village crater, the night seemed even darker and more lonely than usual.
Stumbling upon an empty park bench half wretched from the ground, and circled by debris, Naruto sat burrowing his head in his hands. Hinata's confession had smacked him like a runway Choji at an all you can eat buffet.
He knew?
He always knew?
What? How? 'Because I love you. '
Un welcomed voices danced in his head.
"She's always watching you" Sakura's smiling face at the Chunin Exam.
"You like to grow flowers…and Hinata, likes to press them…Go... figure..." Ino, with one hand beneath her chin at the flower shop.
"Leave Sakura-San to me! You have another whose hot blooded spring is boiling for you!" Lee, during Valentine's Day training.
"Ah but you're one of the lucky ones. Hinata's much too quiet to be troublesome."
"Mm hmm! If she can flambé, she can stay!" boy talk in the bathhouse.
"She always faints when you're around!" You too, Kiba?
"Funny! With perfect vision you're the one target she always can't hit" even Tenten?
"The Love Bug doesn't just chase one particular blossom. It respects the flower that opens before it." Shino, you bastard.
"Hinata? That's a pretty name. If you don't mind, I'll call you Vienna. Hmm? Well, you seem to like mini sausages is all!
"SAAAIII!" Whatever birds had returned to the area scattered into the night. What the hell was going on! Did everyone know about this "love" except for him?
You knew…
"In my eyes…You're a proud failure!"
You always knew..
"Let's do our best…"
"It was just easier"
"I wanted to walk beside you"
"For you"
"You can look at my test"
"Not to know"
Staring up at the stars, his gaze glided to his constant source of comfort. Untouched by Pain's hands, Nagato's wrath, the five Hokages stared back down at him... and then there was dad.
Perhaps it was emotional stress, sheer exhaustion, or a healthy combination of both but the hero of Konoha found himself unconscious on a broken park bench below the stars.
An unfitting bed for Konoha's Hero.
Just A quick note! This story is short, and it's more than half way written already! I just thought now was a good time to post the first chapter. I have a nasty track record of starting things and not finishing them, so I wanted to give my useless guarantee that this will be finished! It takes place between the confession and the Naruto leaving to the island turtle, so that leaves very little to be covered!
As proof! I give you the chapter rundown, although maybe it spoils some things… maybe? Maybe not. ^_~
1) Sleeping Bruisey
2) Heart to Heart! Face to Sheet! Face the facts.
3) Trial, Judge, and Jinchuriki
4) Confessing is the easy part
5) Wait for me?
Fin.
Happy Reviewing. Next Chapter is written! I'll post it soon!
