A/N: This is an A/U fic starring none other than our favorite Kyuubi container, Naruto and the woman who's crushed on him forever, Hinata. This isn't manga based and to my knowledge won't really be anime based, except to name a few events that have transpired. For instance, Sasuke has returned from his stent with Orochimaru and have a kind of uneasy friendship with Naruto again. So I guess you could say it'll be loosely, very loosely based with plenty of artistic license. This is my first fic written exclusively for this couple...so try to take it easy on me. And if I commit any errors with anything please let me know so I may correct them. I hope you guys enjoy!
This is dedicated to my friends Aphy and Amory-chan.
Disclaimer: Naruto and friends aren't mine. I'm just like everyone else wishing I'd have been creative and brilliant enough to create them first. Standard warning for language and adult situations apply. This is rated T, for now.
Moments Like This
By: nlightnd
Hinata Hyuuga sat at her vanity brushing through her black hair with it's varying lengths. Humming softly to herself, a knock at the door startled her slightly. Her bedroom door opened revealing one of the many house maids, a tentative expression on her face. Petite and slender, the brunette maid looked as if Hinata would be angry at her intrusion. "What is it Mika?"
"Miss, your father wishes to speak with you right away and he sent me to fetch you." Hands behind her back, she waited for her mistress to rise and follow her to the Hyuuga family's meeting room.
"Mika, do you have any idea what this is about?"
"No, miss. My orders were to bring you to your father, Hiashi-sama, and that was all."
Biting gently on her lower lip, the maid's nervousness seemed to be transferring to herself. Her father usually didn't request her presence unless it was something important. Upon reaching the huge double doors, the eldest daughter of Hiashi Hyuuga inhaled deeply willing her apprehension to depart. Pushing one of the doors aside, she entered. Her father, sitting at the head of the table, rose to greet her, a solemn expression across his face. The situation, she deemed, was already not looking good.
"Good morning, Hinata", Hiashi said as he gestured for her to sit.
"Morning, father", she returned. Kneeling beside him she waited with bated breath for the reason for his summons. Maybe it wouldn't be terrible as she originally thought, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it would be worse than she believed.
Her eyes turned back to the entrance to see Mika sliding the door shut. The wooden sound echoed loudly in the room. Already she wished for her cousin, Neji, or one of her close friends to be present, someone to ease the violent trepidation she felt. Her heart pounding, rushing palpitations, loudly beating in her head, making her stomach queasy and her mouth dry.
Her father spoke. "Hinata the reason I've called you is that in three months time you will be married. The groom has requested that I not make his name known to you as yet. He wanted the priviledge himself and so I've agreed. I believe this will be a great match for you. Your suitor has proved himself worthy in mine and Neji's eyes., which is nothing shy of a miracle. And I'm certain that once you meet him there'll be no objections. He will not bring disgrace to the Hyuuga name, nor is he considered weak by any means. Your suitor will take excellent care of you."
Hiashi continued tell her of the formalized plans. The head of the clan only wished that the young man had been present to help him present everything to her, but he'd put forth a special request which Hiashi could'n't deny because of his love for his eldest daughter.
Shocked beyond reason, Hinata listened as her father relayed all the necessary arrangements. She felt everything moving in slow motion. She could see his lips moving, but no words were heard. Dizziness washed over her. Feeling the heat rush to her face, she stood slowly to avoid fainting. Tears welled as she felt the sting of betrayal. How could he do this to me?
Swiftly turning on her heel, Hinata rushed from the room, tears streaming; leaving behind her father, astonishment on his face and shock in his eyes. He called out to her, called her name and ordered her to return, but she ignored his command, fleeing her home in search of a place to calm down and find a semblance of peace that her father destroyed.
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Naruto, after several bowls of his favorite ramen, strolled lazily past his favorite garden area in the village. Located near his team's former training grounds, the flowers and trees, beautiful enough to rival Yamanka's Floral Shop. Keeping his slow pace, he halted as he heard the sound of someone crying. Silently entering the garden, he searched until he came upon a fountain where Hinata Hyuuga sat, tears streaming, her face distraught.
Concerned, he approached her. "Hinata, are you alright?" Taking the spot beside her, Naruto, known for his impatience, for once waited patiently to see if she'd divulge the reason for her unhappiness.
Speaking softly through her tears Hinata bowed her head. "The most awful thing has happened, Naruto!" She clapsed her hands in her lap so tightly her knuckles began to turn white. Here he was...standing before her, blue eyes focused solely on her. Did she have the courage to tell him? Could today finally be the day?
Blue eyes stared back at her questioningly. "What is it, Hinata? Is it your father?" The slight shake of her head indicated no. "Hinabi?" No again. "Then what?" He was confused and wanted to help her, if only she would let him. Naruto could'nt bear to see her this way. The Hyuuga heiress was usually a quiet, happy and shy young woman and the thought of someone hurting her gave rise to his protective side. Whoever had made her cry would deal with him!
Placing an arm casually, loosely around her small shoulders he urged her to tell him. "Come on, Hinata, you can tell me. You can tell me anything." His voice, deepened by age, softly induced her to talk; letting her know he would stay there as long she needed.
Laying her head down on his broad shoulder, she leaned into his chest. Taken by surprise Naruto knew something had to be seriously wrong for her to act this way. Normally, she was so embarrassed by intimacy with him, meaning that if he whispered something to her she'd stare at him silently unsure of how to react, or whenever she was in the same room as him, she turned red, stuttering every other word. Personally speaking, Naruto thought it was cute. That and the way she pressed her two index fingers together, slightly flexing them, when presented with something or someone who made her nervous.
"Naruto, I'm so confused", she cried. "How could he do this to me? He's supposed to love me, take care of me, not betray me!"
His heart sinking, Naruto felt a sting in his heart. So she had been seeing someone and he'd hurt her. Stupid bastard, he thought, to hurt a beautiful, young woman such as Hinata. Someone who possessed a gentle, loving soul, but when needed the female Byakugan user could tap into a fiery spirit and an iron will.
"Who, Hinata? And what did he do?" Bringing her closer in his one-armed embrace, Naruto stated in a low tone, "Whoever he is, Hinata, he's stupid! A real idiot for hurting you. And he doesn't deserve you."
His stout words halted her tears long enough for a small, brief smile to flash across her face, then disappearing again as he tightened his hold. "Don't worry, Hinata. I'll protect you. Just tell me..." His words died off sensing she was prepared to tell him, he abruptly quietened, waiting for the words to break free.
Lifting her pearly-white eyes to sadly gaze into his soul-searching blue orbs, she sighed heavily. "My father, Naruto. He informed me tonight that I'm to be married in three months time." Salty tears flowed again, her explanation continued under halting sentences. She told him the whole of it expecting him to be infuriated, only she saw a calm, understanding Naruto. Completely different than what she was expecting! Shouldn't he be shouting, saying it'd be a cold day in hell before he allowed it to happen? Or maybe he didn't care about her as she originally surmised.
Defeated, Hinata withdrew from Naruto's touch; petite, pale hands immediately covered her face in shame. Torn apart, she whispered brokenly, "What will I do, Naruto? I can't bear the thought of marrying someone I've never met. I don't even know his name!" Trembling hands uncovered her face and dropping to her sides they moved to rub her upper arms fiercely. "The thought of marrying someone I don't love...Kami, Naruto, why is this so hard?"
The fountain gurgling in the background accompanied with the gentle blowing breeze rustling through the leaves seemed to feel their pain. Hinata standing there, silhouetted in the moon's soft glow, wetness adorning her cheeks, he never found her more striking than tonight. The turbulent force of her emotions and statements made him want to hold her, soothe her and smooth away her pain.
Attempting to be positive for her sake, he spoke soothingly, "Hey, Hinata, maybe things won't be as bad as you think. I'm sure whatever plans and reasons your father has for doing this...there must be a good explanation. And things will work out for the best." He rose from his seat by the fountain, quickly crossing to her; enveloping her in a tight embrace. "Hinata, you're a strong woman, and a formidable kunoichi. You'll be okay, I know. You'll find the strength to endure", he assured her.
"I don't have the same confidence as you. It's not fair!" Her eyes stared into his as she declared the sentiments she'd been longing to express for years. "I don't want to marry if I can't have the one I love. To do that would be a betrayal to my heart, Naruto, and I'm uncertain if I could live with myself should I choose the path my father's laid before me."
"And who do you love, Hinata? Who is it that means so much to you that'd you risk defying your father?" Naruto had never heard her speak this way before and her words; her tones intrigued him. He wanted to hear more, needed to hear more. Feeling quite masochistic tonight, curiosity egged him on to discover the name of the man who'd earned and carried Hinata's love.
Smiling brightly, for the first time since he'd found her, she said, "He's a great man. Confident, powerful, handsome, albeit cocky a lot of times, not that he hasn't the strength to back them up, but he's also sweet when he wants, he has a very wide, protective streak, and he's a shinobi I consider myself blessed and lucky enough to know."
Aggravated by the list of attibutes of the mysterious man, he sarcastically replied, "We should all be so lucky."
Suddenly she was laughing! Now he was truly confused and he thought she'd lost her mind, from the sounds of her hysterical laughter. Calming down she shook her head and placed her palm gently on his handsome face.
"You really don't know, do you?"
"Know what?"
"You can be really dense sometimes you know that?"
He opened his mouth for a retort, but she shushed him by placing her fingertips over his perfectly formed lips. Surprised, he stayed silent allowing her to explain her meaning. What she did next surprised the hell out of him. She kissed him! Hinata. Kissed. Him. He never believed she had it in her due to her introverted mannerisms.
She moaned into his lips enjoying the contact as much as he. A slow, shy yet sweet kiss that was just like Hinata, herself. The gesture was perfection. It was a tremendous relief and release of pressure from her chest. A heaviness that had lain there so long she'd believed it was immovable, forever cursed, a haunting to remain with her throughout her life. And now, just like that, it was gone! Amazing thing, the power of love.
Hesitantly ending the pleasurable moment, her voice huskily whispering in his ear, "It's you, Naruto. You're the one I love. And you're the one I never want to be parted from." Her eyes adopted the same, saddened, far away look as when he first found her. "Unfortunately, we'll never have the chance to experience what might've been, thanks to my father. But at least I can say for one night I held a glimpse of it. And it was a beautiful thing." Her lips wavered and regret washed over her. Afraid of losing what she'd just found, Hinata hugged Naruto tightly, her body pressed closely to his. "It's all worthwhile."
Perplexed, he asked, "What is?"
Gesturing between them, she replied, "Me. You. Us. The moments like this make everything worthwhile. And so I'll never let them go." She fell back into silence, enjoying the feel of his powerful arms wrapped around her slender frame.
Afraid of breaking the tender moment, Naruto said nothing. The wind teased his blond, spiky locks moving them back and forth in gentle, swaying motions. The distraught woman in his arms had calmed finally, her despair still a palpable emotion; at least her tears had ceased.
Placing his fingers under her chin he tilted her face towards his. "It's getting late, Hinata. Let me walk you home."
Panic filled her eyes. "I can't, Naruto. What if my father sees you? His temper would flare out of control! And he'd be extremely displeased if you're around me since I'm to be married soon. I won't risk him taking his anger out on you." Giving him a light kiss she continued, "Besides, you have to help me plan my escape."
Naruto nearly choked hearing her last statement. "Me? Help plan your escape?" He had to squelch her idea before it took root and it became more than a consideration. "But, Hinata, where would you go? What would you do? You haven't had time to think this through properly. My advice is to forget you ever thought of such a notion."
Crestfallen, she shook her head back and forth rapidly. "I can't, Naruto. This may mean my only chance, my only time, I'll have with you."
"Hinata, promise me something?" He resolved to keep her from running. He'd fight to keep her with him; by his side. When they were younger, because she'd watched him so long, his determination kept her from running from that fight with Neji during the Chuunin exams. She'd been the picture of determination, her actions causing Neji to doubt his beliefs. She'd planted the seed of doubt which Naruto finished off. Now, he had to keep her from foolish actions that could end up with her banished from her father's house, and from Konoha. He repeated, "Hinata, promise me something?"
"Anything."
"Promise me that until you meet your groom-to-be you won't do anything rash. If you need to escape for a little while then come to me. Talk to me whenever it bothers you, or if you just want to hang out we can do that too. I swear I'll be here for you, Hinata, whenever you need me." He vowed to take whatever action, outside of escaping, required to ease her pain, her tears.
Releasing him, Hinata stepped backwards; admiration in her eyes. "I must go back now. I'm sure they'll be worried and I've been selfish enough for tonight." Planting her lips to his one last time, stealing one more kiss, she broke contact first whispering, "I love you, Naruto. I always have and I always will. Goodnight."
With a wink and a wave she was gone in a flash. Her actions tonight stumped the normally loud ninja into stupified silence. What the hell just happened here, he wondered. Rubbing the back of his head his mind abound in confusion he thought aloud, "Boy are women confusing sometimes."
"You have no idea, dobe."
The voice came from the shadows. Once frigid in nature it had now warned to a slight coolness as when they were Genin, before he left searching for power to fill the emptiness growing in his soul. Slowly revealing himself, the dark haired Sharingan user's lips turned up at the corner. "Sakura's just as bad."
Knitting his eyebrow together he asked, "What a minute-I thought you two weren't together! Not anymore anyway."
"She's not. I mean we're not." Shoving his hands in his pants pocket he said simply, "She's with Kakashi. I'm just a friend she talks to when you're not around to listen to her problems." Tilting his head upwards to look at the moon gave a little sigh, "We discovered shortly after my return that we weren't meant to be, so I encouraged her to look elsewhere. Although, I told her that if she needed a listening ear I'd be here. So that's where we stand."
Naruto watched his friend, stunned by his words. "A listening ear, huh? You really have changed since your return! Haven't you?"
A dark eyebrow lifted in response, arms crossed over his green Jounin vest, Sasuke replied, "You could say that."
"Well it just seems you're not the cold asshole that you were prior to leaving the village and when we first found you after all that time..."
"You're such a dobe."
And you're a freaking idiot, Sasuke!"
Smiling at their comraderie, he offered, "Want to go get some ramen? My treat." Sasuke dangled a culinary carrot in front of the blond's eyes. One he knew his friend couldn't resist. The day he did would be the day he died.
Loudly, Naruto yelled, "Ramen? Your treat? Hell yeah! Let's go!"
Taking hold of the other man's arm, the two men left hastily for Ichiraku's and for all the ramen they could eat.
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Padding quietly up the street leading to her home, Hinata was surprised to see Neji leaning casually against the front entrance to the mansion. His posture, casual as it may be, deceptive. Something obviously occupied her male cousin's mind. But what?
"You're out late tonight, Hinata", he drawled. "Where'd you go?"
Taken aback she replied, "What does it matter? Why is it your concern?" His attitude was baffling. Why did he care? Neji never cared where she went. It was almost as if he was pissy about something. Smirking, she laughingly hinted, "Trouble in paradise, Neji?"
Standing straight, ridding him self from his formerly slouching posture, tension streamed through his limbs. "Why would you say that, Hinata?" Stepping forward, he backed her against the gate. "What were you doing, tonight, Hinata? Where'd you go?"
His manner insistent, the young woman pondered on his perplexing statements and behavior. This wasn't like Neji. This wasn't like him at all! Had her father induced him to question her?
Using her arm and trying to brush him aside, she said firmly, "It's none of your concern, Neji. Where I go , what I do, who I'm with...is none of your business."
"Oh, but it is", he replied mysteriously.
"Why?" she countered. "Why do you consider me and everything I do your business?" Large, white eyes cautiously watched his own for signs. Signs that would clue her in to his thoughts and the reasoning behind him.
Reaching out to lightly touch her shoulder he said softly, "In time you'll see. Everything will be revealed." Dropping his hand, he turned, heading back into the massive house. He paused only to inform her, "By the way, your father wished to see you the moment you returned." Then he continued on his way disappearing through the front door; allowing it to close with a thud behind his intimidating figure.
Oh great! She thought now was a perfect time to disappear. Her father would be furious to say the least. The way she'd stormed from the room, childish and innapropriate behavior for her station, but under the circumstances shock had replaced common sense. "No use putting it off any longer. I'll have to face him sometime!"
Shoulders back, head high, the young Hyuuga heiress walked through the gate, up the steps pushing aside the large, wooden door; entering her family home she immediately spotted her father. Consternation in his eyes, he gestured for her to reenter the room they'd occupied earlier this evening. Sighing with dread she walked into the room and watched her father do the same. Still facing the door, Hiashi, long, black hair swaying gently with his movements closed the door firmly, resolutely behind him. And he turned to Hinata, mouth twisted in disapproval.
"We have much to discuss daughter. Sit down and make yourself comfortable."
Her father began the conversation first bringing back the horrible memory previously inflicted on her tonight. Yet all she could think of was Naruto. I'll find a way, she swore. Pretending to listen intently as her father talked, Hinata contrived a plan to escape and live the life she wanted. Away from her cage and with Naruto. If only she could convince Naruto it was better this way! She'd have to speak to him tomorrow. He'd see her way...he'd have to. They'd be together and this mysterious suitor would be nothing but a horribly distant, terrible memory.
Some time later, her father had finished speaking; excused her from his presence. Straightaway she went to bed exhausted from her staggering emotions. Her head dropped to her pillow, her eyes slowly slid into sleep. And all she could dream was of her newly-found hope, and her love, Naruto.
Back in the meeting room:
"She has no clue does she, uncle?"
Hiashi gazed at Neji, a younger mirror image of his deceased twin. "No, Neji. She's confused amongst other things. I thought she would've been happy." Folding his hands together he couldn't help but wonder what had possessed his daughter to act irationally tonight. Tonight, he'd been looking and speaking to a much different Hinata. One that he wasn't sure how she'd react to the rest of the news. He'd have to tell her and soon.
"She'll abide by your will. Hinata's personality is too meek to allow her to be disobedient for long." Neji sounded completely sure of himself. She'd come back to her senses. It was just matter of time.
Rising from his seat, his uncle stated, "We'll work things out, Neji, but for now I'm going to bed. It's been a rather long evening."
His uncle left the room leaving him to his thoughts and Neji recalled his statement on the long evening. Speaking to no one he softly said, "That it has." Neji followed his uncle and treaded the familiar path to his own bedroom. Slipping inside, he lay down quickly falling into a deep slumber.
A/N: That's all for now folks...hope you enjoyed reading... :)