Chapt. 2 – How to Hide a Criminal (A Prince's guide)
***NOTES***
Thanks so much for the reviews and complements! I don't feel like I deserve such praises, but I am over the moon that you like my story so far. Hopefully, I can keep the ball rolling and not disappoint. Please let me know of any critiques you would like to make, or tips you would like to give!
Continued:
Hunched in the closet, she was still staring at the man leaning against the door frame.
He cracked a smile, releasing a whole new wave of sunshine that washed over Hinata leaving nothing but warmth in its wake.
His smile. Oh, his smile was penetrating. When his lips curled over his canine-like teeth, his eyes would squint looking almost sinister. It was so sincere. She had never seen a man smile with his whole self. It was like a blade right through her heart. Instead of stopping it on its last beat, it pumped blood so quickly to her face that…. That…
Black.
He watched her face gradient into fear, then it changed color, and finally slumped towards her lap.
"Hahaha!" he couldn't stop himself from letting a boisterous laugh.
"Who the heck is this girl?" He said to no one in particular.
There was a slight sense that she might've killed him. Which reflected in her hand still resting on the hilt of her dagger. But her hesitation showed that she didn't want to. And that was enough for Naruto. He prided himself on being a pretty good judge of character. And this girl was good, he could tell.
Now, however, there was an unconscious girl in his closet. Name, unknown. Origin, a mystery. He didn't even know how she got here. Probably had something to do with the group that raided the front gate earlier, he deducted. But they had long since left, leaving him with quite the predicament. Luckily, hardly anyone came up here.
He scooped her up and started across the floor to place her on his bed.
There was a small squeak from the direction of his door which stopped him mid-step.
"Uh…. What're you doing?" said the stoic voice.
Naruto let out a nervous laugh placing his hand to rub behind his neck, almost dropping the girl in the process.
"I would try to explain, "He paused thinking of the past few events, "but I don't think it'll make the situation any better. I'm not even sure what situation this is."
The man with dark hair looked from Naruto's face, to the unconscious girl in his arms, to his disaster of a bedroom.
"So…. Your bedroom's a mess." He pointed out, as Naruto nodded in confirmation. Ready for his best friend to deduce a solution.
"And you have a passed-out girl in your arms…" confirmed with another nod from the blonde.
"And…. You're walking over to your bed?" Naruto looked over towards his red sheets where he was going to place the girl.
"So…. You're a rapist." He said in a monotone voice, but Naruto could hear the mocking tone.
"Is this even a time to joke right now?! Help me out, Sasuke!"
Sasuke let out a snort, "What do you want me to do? I'm not even sure what I walked in on."
Naruto sighed. Placing the girl gently across his bed.
"Do you want me to call the guards? It looks like you have the situation all under control to me." Sasuke commented with a smirk across his face.
Naruto flashed him a glare.
"Alright," Sasuke put his hands up in defense, "But seriously, do you want me to call anyone up? It all depends on what you want to happen to her."
Naruto paused, looking at the girl in front of him. Even sleep didn't bring her peace. He could see her mouth twisted in a slight frown and her hands were clenched at her sides. Whatever circumstances brought her here he would make sure they couldn't reach her past the castle walls.
"No. Don't call them." He looked up at Sasuke.
"I don't want anyone knowing she was here."
Sasuke nodded, "You know I'll trust whatever judgment you make."
And Sasuke meant it with every fiber of his being.
Sasuke was from a noble family. He had known Naruto all his life, though they hadn't always gotten along. But when his family had died in a tragedy, Naruto helped build his house up again from nothing. Making sure that his families legacy never died. And when all your riches, power, and influence disappear. People's loyalties die with it. Naruto was the one who helped him have trust in his people once more. The one who made sure Sasuke would be the ruler he was always destined to be. And thus, his lord-ship was built from the ground up. No entitlements, everything he had, him and Naruto had built together. And that's a bond for the ages. It could never be taken away.
Naruto was his most loyal friend. Sure, they fought once and a while. But they did it because sometimes the other needed to hear the truth.
Then it hit him.
"Naruto, Sakura is looking for a new handmaiden." He looked towards the blonde's direction.
Naruto turned away from the girl and looked at Sasuke a little confused.
Sasuke looked at his friend, waiting for it to click. And when his expression didn't change Sasuke sighed.
"She" he said gesturing towards the girl, "could pose as Sakura's handmaiden."
A lightbulb went off in Naruto's head, but Sasuke cut him off before he could speak.
"Naruto, I need to know. Do you trust this girl to be alone with our friend?" Sasuke delivered each word with conviction.
Naruto paused, glancing again at Hinata.
"I do. She won't do anything to her. I know it." Looking Sasuke square in the eyes as his statement flowed between his lips.
That's all he needed to hear. And Naruto knew it.
Sasuke then glanced at the girl on the bed, "Well I guess all there is to do now is wait for her to wake up. I'm going to go try and explain this to Sakura," He stated as he made his way towards the door.
"Try not to get caught doing naughty things again." He waved his hand back, bidding Naruto farewell.
Naruto hucked one of his pillows towards the door as Sasuke closed it shut.
At first, Naruto sat in a chair he had set up by her bed side waiting for her to wake up.
Then he remembered the dagger placed at the base of her hip. He loosened her blade hilt from her side and placed it on the nightstand from arms reach. He didn't think she would hurt him. But waking up in a strange location next to a stranger could trigger something she didn't have control over. And her instinct looked like it could be killer.
Then he started to walk around his room picking up the objects she had flung around. Something to distract him a bit. He was still a guy after all. And there was a girl laying in his bed.
As he picked up books and clothes he wondered what it was she had been looking for. He couldn't think of anything so important to risk your life for to find.
His thought was cut short by a small stir coming from the bed. He rushed over waiting for her to wake up. He had so many questions for her.
"Ugh…," she whispered as her hand moved to her head. As her violet eyes, fluttered open.
"Hi, my name's Naruto. What's yours?" He said with excitement. Ready to meet the mysterious girl who broke into his room.
She was trying to get her grounding, as her blurry vision started to become clearer. A face surrounded by yellow locks hovered above her. He was like the sun, too bright to look at.
There was some kind of muffled sound trying to enter her ear and be comprehendible.
"-ell…" she concentrated a little hard shaking her head to hopefully reset her senses.
"….ello?" Somebody was trying to ask her something.
"Helloooooooooo?" Finally, she heard it.
Looking up she made eye contact with the hovering figure.
Then her memories came rushing back, hitting her like a ton of bricks. Running through the halls, hiding in the closet, and gazing up at a stranger. This stranger. She reached for her weapon grasping nothing but air. She placed her hand where her blade always rested against her side. Where was her dagger?
Looking around, she swiftly jumped onto her feet, standing on the bed. And rushed over to the other side of the room away from the man who could kill her. She had to find something to protect herself with. A book? Useless. Ah! A comb. Not exactly a weapon, but sharp. Sharp works.
She held the comb up in front of her waiting for the attack.
"Whoa, hey now," the man said raising his arms facing his palms towards her, trying to gesture her to calm down.
"I'm not going to hurt you, so could you please put down the comb." He said on belated breath.
She hesitated, not exactly sure what the situation dictated her to do.
She tensed as he started slowly walking towards her, "Listen, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it while you were sleeping on my bed. If you'll just hear me out, we can try to figure out this situation together."
She had to figure out a way to escape. She looked towards the window, then the door. He had now made his way around the bed standing a few yards away between her and the only exit in the room.
"My name is Naruto. You don't have to be afraid, we're here to help you." He almost whispered, so as to not startle her.
Her breathing started to slow down. They weren't going to kill her? But she was a thief. She broke into their house, right? She began questioning her memories wondering if the series of past events had actually happened.
While thinking, she hadn't noticed the blonde still creeping towards her until his hand was on the comb and he grabbed it and threw it across the room.
They both froze and looked at each other startled, waiting to see how the other would react.
He was the first to break the silence with an awkward chuckle, "Uh, sorry about that," he apologized rubbing the back of his neck, "I just thought we could talk better without you stabbing me with a comb."
Again, awkward silence.
"Um so I already introduced myself. My name is Naruto. So, I guess for starters, what's your name?"
"Hinata." She squeaked barely audible. The words just slipped right out of her mouth.
She slapped both hands across her lips.
"So you do talk!" He exclaimed with his squinty eyed smile, causing her head to spin a bit.
Why would she tell him her name?! It was like he was hypnotizing her or something.
He continued, "Well Hinata, I don't know why you're here, or how you got here. But you're my guest now. And as my guest I'll protect you."
Naruto squared his shoulders standing tall, then pointing to his chest referring to himself he said, "And I always keep my word, 'ttebayo!" he flashed his bright grin right at her.
And for some reason, she had all the confidence that he could.
The door opened behind Naruto. She quickly switched her gaze from the snug blonde to a dark-haired man stepping into the room.
"I see we've moved past introductions." He stated nonchalantly.
He looked from her, and then rotated towards Naruto, "I talked to Sakura, she said she'd want to meet her and to bring the girl to her room."
"That's great Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed wrapping his arms around her jumping up and down. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would explode. And just as quickly he let go to grab her hand, "you're gonna love meeting Sakura!"
He then took off at full speed out the door. As she was being dragged out of the room, she saw Sasuke place his hand on his forehead, shaking his head. Under the cover of his hand, she thought she saw a small crack of a smile.
He didn't slow his pace as he turned corners, practically whipping her around every curve. She almost didn't notice the heat lighting her hand on fire at his touch. It made her palm all clammy.
As they continued their frantic running, her hip grazed a wall almost knocking a tapestry to the floor. She realized that maybe Naruto's excitement was loosening his control on their speeded path.
And she was right. As they turned the next corner, she heard a crash.
Peering over the shoulder of the blonde rampager, she saw pieces of what she assumed had once been a beautiful vase.
Naruto crouched down hastily trying to pick up the pieces.
"Baa-chan is going to kill me." He mumbled to himself.
She tried to stifle a chuckle, amused by his carelessness.
"Ah-," she heard him suck through his teeth.
Looking down she could see him clutching his hand as a line of blood started oozing from his finger.
Leaning down, issuing a stare from her capture, she ripped a strip off the hem of her shirt.
He watched as she wrapped his finger in the small cloth. She didn't have any belongings to begin with, but readily gave up what she had to help others. She was a strange girl, he thought.
"You're really nice, Hinata." He commented as her concentration was diverted to the proximity of his face to hers.
He was so close. She tried to maintain her composure.
Then a voice from a figure behind her said, "Geez, that's why I always tell you to calm down."
She looked up to see the man from earlier sighing at Naruto.
"You just weren't fast enough to keep up Sasuke," Naruto sneered.
Sasuke just rolled his eyes, "Kakashi is looking for you."
Naruto glanced over towards Hinata.
"Don't worry dobe. You go, I'll take the girl to Sakura." he uttered.
And with a pouty face Naruto grumbled, "But I wanted to introduce her to Sakura."
"If you don't go, Kakashi's gonna come looking for you. And how are we going to explain this to him?"
The black-haired one did have a point.
Finally, convinced by his friend Naruto turned to hinata and said, "I have to go. Sasuke will introduce you to Sakura and I'll come back right after I'm done. She's really nice so don't worry."
She wasn't particularly worried. If she had lived this far, there probably wasn't any immediate danger ahead. Probably.
She watched his back as the energetic blonde ran down the hall and turned the corner out of site.
Unsure of what exactly was happening, she started to follow Naruto's friend down the hallway to meet this Sakura person.
Walking down the hallway in silence she trailed behind the man named Sasuke.
When they turned a corner, she felt strong hands push her against the wall.
Sasuke loomed closer until his lips almost touched her ear.
"Listen." His cold voice sending shiver down her spine, "Naruto trusts you, so I will too. But if you hurt her. I don't care where you run, or how far you seem out of reach. I will find you. And anyone you love, if they do exist. And I will kill them."
She didn't want to hurt anyone. And she couldn't stay here for long, anyways. For now, though, she would keep looking for what she came for under their protection. Then she would leave to go looking for Neji. And Sasuke's threat wasn't much of a threat if Neji was already dea-
She froze on that thought. She would never think that. As long as she lived, she knew Neji would be struggling on the other side doing whatever he could to find her.
Sasuke's piercing gaze brought her back, remembering that he wanted a response so she nodded slightly. Still staring at the floor.
Feeling as though they were at an agreement. Sasuke continued to lead the girl until they stopped in front of a door cracked open slightly. He pushed on the edge. As it swung open effortlessly Hinata's eyes widened in astonishment.
A girl with beautiful pink hair held a ginormous trunk from both sides and with a grunt lifted it up and moved it to the other side of the room; smacking her hands together as she set it down. Hinata could only gape from the side lines in bewilderment. If this was the girl Sasuke thought needed protecting, she wondered what he thought a strong girl looked like.
"Ah, you made it." The pinkette said turning towards them.
Maybe she wasn't perfectly safe yet.
***NOTES***
I got pretty lucky this weekend and ended up with time (by put off things I had to do) to write the second chapter. So, by luck I mean procrastination. Very lucky that I procrastinated, haha.
I also got to introduce Sasuke. Naruto and sasuke's little banters were my favorite part to write in this chapter. Something about their friendship just hits me right in the touchy feels!
I also mentioned Kakashi and Tsunade just a little bit and will be introducing many other characters in the future, including Sakura in the next one. If you have a particular favorite, please mention it and I'll see what I can do!
Thanks for reading :D
