Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Disclaimer 2: "The Love Letter" is a song by Blaqk Audio. Listen to it or look up the lyrics before you read. Or not.

Okay, so this fic is... darker, than some of the ones I've written. Maybe most of them have some semblance of darkness though... But this one is just soo angst ridden. It is all written out in my notebook, like the entire thing I mean (which isn't too much, I don't think) so I just have to type up and edit the chapters. Keep in mind though that this is a side project and not my priority. Also, I'm trying out another writing style here, so go easy with the reviews, ne?

Warning: substance abuse and sex (not lemon)

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THIS IS NOT A LESBIAN FIC. AS I SAID IN THE SUMMARY, THERE ARE NO PAIRINGS IN THIS FIC. THE FILTER SYSTEM IS NOT TO BE USED TO FILTER WHAT PAIRING YOU WANT, BUT WHAT CHARACTERS YOU WISH TO READ ABOUT. SO ENOUGH WITH THE "YOU'RE TROLLING" OR "THIS SHAMES THE SAKUHINA FANDOM!" SHIT. YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN LEAVE NOW. THERE ARE PLENTY OF FICS OUT THERE LIKE THIS WITH NO PAIRINGS. SO DON'T COMPLAIN TO ABOUT MY FIC.

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SPOILERALERTSPOILERALERTSPOILERALERTSPOILERALERT

Look, this is AU. I'm the author, and just because Neji died in the manga doesn't mean I can't make a fic where he's alive - especially if it's AU. So enough of the rude comments already. If you don't like any of this, then LEAVE NOW instead of posting a rude comment!

OKAY YOU CAN KEEP READING! :D

POV and tense switches in later chapters.

Enjoy!~

I set the shot glass down on the table. It burns in my throat and sets heavily in my stomach. I should've eaten something before I came here.

The man of the hour is already long gone—in my mind, at least—and he is being carried on his back across rows of writhing people. There is no telling where one person starts and another ends.

A clinking noise causes me to jump slightly. My shot glass has been refilled. I down it, cringing. But somehow, it has less bite than before.

"Hinata! What are you doing moping over here?"

I glance over at the lanky woman yelling into my ear. When exactly had Tenten gotten over here?

Shrugging, I yell back, "Nothing… Just…"

"Drinking?"

Ugh. Another one. Sakura is here now, too. I put on a smile for them because it's what they expect.

"I guess." I laugh, even though they can't hear it over the din of the music. The visible action is enough.

I am still looking out over the dance floor when Ino finally joins us. The girls are ordering drinks. I throw back another shot of vodka. I can barely feel it anymore.

Then I see him.

Naruto.

Those bright, laughing blue eyes, that tanned skin, that shaggy blonde hair that seems to go every direction but down. I would be happy just observing him here. Observing him among the throbbing shadows of the dance floor; such a bright light, like the sun. He is blinding. He is everything I wish I could be. Those traits are numberless. And there is no way I would ever be good enough.

Nonetheless… I… love him.

"Kiba sure knows how to throw a party!" Ino exclaims.

I refrain from rolling my eyes. That blonde certainly doesn't have to struggle to be heard.

"Hey, Hinata, are you that drunk or are you just out of it?" Sakura pokes my cheek gently.

I stick my tongue out at her in a playful gesture. "I'm fine!"

Lies.

"Well, come on, then!" she says, tugging my arm a bit to get me up. "Let's get out there!"

I don't even realize, but soon I am swaying and convulsing and grinding with the rest of them. I feel different partners come and go, but I do not look at any of them. I don't care, really. I feel the beat throbbing in my blood, shaking up my bones. I close my eyes and it is the music that matters. Moving to the music.

I feel hands on my shoulders, stilling me. Slightly irritated, I open my eyes to stare into gentle, friendly blue. I gasp.

"Hinata." He says my name gently, almost carefully.

I looks away, unable to hold his strong gaze.

"N-Naruto…?"

"Dance with me?" he asks, and I hear the smile in his voice.

So I dance. I can't help myself. I want to stop. I want to run away. But it must be the drinks. It's got to be the alcohol.

Yes. That's it, it's the alcohol—for the both of us.

"Hinata." He whispers in my ear. I shudder at the sensation of it. "I never noticed before… I never noticed before…"

"What is it?" he has been drinking, too. I smell it on his breath.

He runs a hesitant hand down my long, black hair. I know that it is soft and shiny. I really hope that he thinks it's pretty. Suddenly, I'm nervous.

"You're so beautiful." He says, with amazed eyes. I can barely hear him over the dance floor.

I feel the heat creep up my neck and into my cheeks. I know I am blushing, and this only makes my face warmer.

Naruto's tan, calloused hand brushes over my cheek as we dance. I don't know what to do. My heart—my heart is throbbing so hard and loud I am sure he can hear it, even over all of this noise. I don't know what to do. He takes my hands in his. It's so sudden. I can't believe it. His lips are on my own, and I don't know—I cannot resist him. I haven't the will now the power. I'm still not sure if I'm kissing him back or not. I don't know what I am doing at all. I feel… cloudy. Everything but this is vague and far off. I am here, but that is all that I am sure if anymore. Perhaps this is a dream.

It hurts. My stomach hurts, and I clutch the fabric of Naruto's (that is still Naruto, right?) shirt tightly. Desperately. It's hot. Too hot. The friction I'm feeling all around me doesn't help. I'm squeezing through tight places, between moving bodies, and a hand tightly grasps mine.

For a moment, I meet wild dark eyes and I know he—Kiba—is angry. I shiver and turn away. Something is nagging at the back of my mind, but I can't place it, now do I want to.

Suddenly there is nothing to restrict movement around me but that one hand holding mine. I stumble, feeling lighter than air, freer than wind. A soft, warm chuckle ghosts past my ear, and I smile.

"Let's go." He says eagerly.

The loud sound of tramping up hollow stairs. Up, up, and I'm dizzy. It's so warm, and my stomach hurts. My body melts desperately into his, but still I am pulled forward, forward. It is hot. Now it is dark, and there is a soft –bang– and when I jump, Naruto laughs.

Everything blurs. The soft cool sheets feel so good and I just want to sleep. I sink into the soft nothingness. It is swallowing me up.

But I am hot. I am in too much pain. Everything blurs. A soft woosh of cool air envelopes my body, and I feel a hand slowly, slowly dragging me up and out of the nothingness. I shiver, but now I am warm again. I shiver, but now I do not know why. I think I am crying. It hurts—I think. But I don't know anymore. No. I am not in pain. I could never have been in pain. I must be dead, I must be! This feeling could only come from heaven. It cannot end. I won't let it. I won't let it end. Blue eyes. Tanned skin. Blonde hair.

"… Love you…"

I am falling.

I welcome reviews and constructive criticism, but mostly what I've been getting for the past 3 days could pass as harassment. If you don't like what you see, all you have to do is leave. No need for any rude comments. Just leave.

I reply to each (deserving) comment with each new chapter, and I delete trolling anonymous comments. I report comments that aren't anonymous. When this fic is complete I will respond to your review by PM, just as a courtesy to thank you for reviewing.

Be polite okay?