The Wrong One
By Komorebi-chan
Disclaimer (woo, I remembered!): Um, yeah, I wouldn't have the willpower to draw something-hundred-chapters for Naruto, so no, I don't own it.
Summary: People say Hinata is kind, innocent and pretty. Those 'qualities' did her no good. She loved him with all her heart. But even when he was gazing down at her, he was truly looking at another.
Hinata was six when she fell in love with the little blonde loner. Her eyes had sensed that his chakra was strange, almost monstrous, and as she grew older, she learned that inside him was the Kyuubi. Her feelings never wavered once, and perhaps they only grew more powerful. When he had protected her from the bullies and was beat up in turn, he knew they would, she knew that her heart was no longer hers. Naruto was what kept her alive. He was the key to try to become stronger. He was everything to one unlikely heiress. Her father banned contact with the boy and so she watched, always angry at herself for never being able to protect him.
He never knew that the chocolate bar lying outside the Academy grounds was not pure luck.
He never knew that the day her feet were bruised and grimy was because she had taken his busted up shoes and swapped them with hers, just so he wouldn't realise the one who wanted to humiliate him was the one he was 'in love' with.
He never knew that she had stood up to the Elders and thrown a tantrum, telling them not to insult Naruto, and thus given extra 'training' from her father.
He never knew that she was constantly on the sidelines rooting for him, even when he himself had lost all hope.
He never knew that the long picture book given to him by Iruka was not Iruka's, and that the owner had done it so that by the time he had finished immersing himself in it, Parent's Day was over.
He never knew, and she didn't mind.
She liked it that way.
Hinata never stopped watching. When she graduated to being an official kunoichi, even when her team did not include him, Hinata's eyes never left his. She saw him grow into a ninja to be proud of. Her fighting was mediocre at best, she wanted to give up, but each time, she saw him. The little boy on the swing, who couldn't even beat a civilian, now able to Rasengan any civilian, ninja too, into the hospital. People told Hinata was pretty, but she never once thought that was a charm. Naruto never paid any heed and Hinata wished it was all that simple. For a man to love you for your looks. People told Hinata she was kind. This kindness only helped Naruto a little, but it never helped her. People told Hinata she was innocent. And so she watched Sakura with her sexy smirk and seducing green eyes or Ino with her gorgeous, tight outfits and her shiny long blonde hair.
And Hinata wished she wasn't so innocent, because the ones that aren't are the ones to envy.
Hinata watched as the man she loved came back from training at 15. She had grown now. Her hair now reached her butt in straight, silky raven locks. She had curves in all the right places. Her face had become that of a woman. When he walked past her, she felt the heat rise, her back pressed to the fence as her chest heaved.
He had grown too.
His blonde locks now twinkled in the sun. His tanned face had become even more handsome. He was taller, that was a given, and toner.
When he had seen her, he had doubled back. Something predatory had glinted in his eyes. Hinata had seen it on many missions, she had been trained to notice it, and the thought made her blink. People told Hinata was pretty, and at 15, her body was finally a gift she liked.
For once, something in her kind soul twisted, I can finally get him.
She was 16 when she got the nerve to ask him on a date. She knew, she knew all he felt for her was lust, but she hoped it would become something more, and so she begged him to say yes, and so his male hormones took control for that split second to nod.
It was not much of a date.
They had coffee, talked a little, and that was it. He had her pinned to his bed.
She was no virgin, a mission had taken that away. He was not one either.
And the sex was good, but the aftermath wasn't.
Hinata woke to Naruto standing, fully clothed, and staring at a picture. Trained in stealth, she sneaked a peek. It was a picture of Sakura, but she wasn't surprised. He had loved her all this time, and she was only here to control his needs.
People said Hinata was innocent. She never wanted that title, but when she lost it, she was left feeling completely dirty.
The next day, she learned from Ino that Naruto had been rejected by Sakura the day before. The thought that he was only using her pained her, but in a way, she convinced herself that he still gave a part of her. That very day, she called to ask for 'coffee' and he had come with that guilty smile reserved for her. For three years, he had continued to do so.
Hinata knew that she had lost to Sakura without her even trying.
She had planned the wedding within a month. She already knew what she wanted, how she wanted it to be and she had planned for years. The props were there, but it was different. On the wedding day, Naruto didn't look at her with awe and love just like the movies. He had seen her, nodded appreciatively, and then turned to stare at Sakura, beautiful Sakura, in her pretty red dress. It was subtle, but Hinata knew. She had watched for too many years to not notice. And she had loved for too many years to turn back, and so she had grit her teeth and pretended not to notice the quick glance towards the green-eyed beauty when he said the vows.
And so she made herself forget when the said girl had finally looked at him with that new light.
And so she paid no heed when the back of her mind said, this isn't good.
When he thought she had left with a couple bridesmaids, she listened to his conversation with Sakura.
Sakura's voice cracked before she spoke, "I never realised how precious you were to me until now. I always felt this weirdness in my chest when I saw you with her, but I always passed it off. Sasuke was an infatuation, but Naruto… you… you're someone I love. Really love. I hate how I did this on your wedding day, but Naruto, give me a chance again, please?"
Hinata's chest heaved, she had watched and knew it would be a matter of time, but today, now? She tried to convince herself, Naruto wouldn't…
"We need to keep this a secret, but I love you too Sakura." Her heart constricted and she nearly fainted as she saw one figure launch themselves on the other.
When he came home, wearing that happy-go-lucky smile he never used on her, she never confronted him. He was happy like this, and to be with Naruto… she should be happy.
When he came home, all she asked was, "Do you want me to do your washing?"
She should be happy.
But then again, people had said she was kind, and this time she was right when she said it never benefited her.
Their first child wasn't hers.
He had brought her home, saying he had adopted her and that he had named her Shion, a flower with the symbol of remembrance, and all she had thought was how ironic that was. Sakura was named after a flower and even if Naruto got Alzheimer's and forgot Hinata, he would never forget her.
He insisted he was just a kind person. She wondered why he thought she was such an idiot.
The baby had pink hair and there was only one girl in the whole of Konoha to have pink hair.
That one girl began to visit every Friday night and Hinata had never hated a person more (she had never thought she knew how to hate) than Sakura Haruno.
She continued to raise the child. She continued to raise her, even when her hair became cut the same way as her real mother, even when her eyes were the same cobalt blue as the father, and even when the four-year-old had yelled at her one day, wondering why she couldn't be raised by cool 'Aunty Sakura'. Yesterday, Naruto had told her off for being so selfish, telling her they couldn't conceive if they were already having trouble raising Shion. She was only 26, but Hinata thought she was already 50. And she knew she couldn't live like that anymore.
A week later, she told Shion. She had half expected Shion to come to her, saying how she loved her like a mother, even if she wasn't the true mother. However, 'Aunty Sakura' was the one to give her lollies, let her stay after bedtime, and allowed her to play video games as long as she liked. And in the four-year-old's mind, she was already sold.
And Hinata lost once more.
"I want a divorce."
Hinata's pale lavender eyes looked down, but she held steady. Naruto glanced up from the newspaper.
"Why?" he asked, but he knew straight away and his cobalt eyes dimmed.
"I'll sign the papers tonight," he whispered. Hinata nodded and moved to go pack.
"Hinata?" Naruto asked meekly, "I'm sorry."
People say Hinata is kind.
And so she laughed softly and forgave him as she said, "It's alright. I let you use me." Naruto kept the guilty look, but his shoulders relaxed. He will most likely use that excuse for the rest of his life.
People say Hinata is kind. However, it never benefits her.
She ran across Kiba right after she had handed in the divorce papers to the Hokage. He had looked at her with the same look as if he understood everything and held out his arms.
She ran. To her comrade. To her confidante. To her best friend.
He asked her what happened and when she explained, he just hugged her tighter.
"You can use me if you want," he whispered, his lips hovered over hers. She crashed her lips on him straight away, but before they could go further, she stopped.
She wasn't Naruto.
She will never be Naruto.
"I can't use you even if I wanted to Kiba," she murmured back.
He smiled softly, "Come on, let's go get coffee." This time, I trusted Kiba when he meant coffee. Kiba was pure, coffee was only coffee.
And that was okay.
It was a long time before she fell out of love with the wrong man.
But only a short time to fall in love with the right one.
Well... this was a little more angsty than the usual rom-com stories I write. Hell, even my last CANCER STORY was lighter than this. Anyway, I typed this up quickly as a break after I had no idea how to start the fics I actually really wanted to start. Still, I would love it if you could review... please? Also, I'm sorry about how I portrayed Naruto/Sakura. It's just Naruto kind of has a one-track mind, and if I did put Hinata with him, I always thought he would still continue to love Sakura. And Sakura is a feelings first kind of person. This is a cliche of all cliches, but I love them, and I hope you do too!
Alright, thanks for reading and (hopefully) reviewing/favouriting!
Komorebi-chan