Foolish Chapter Two - Shocking
Tenten and Naruto shook out her large, red sheets and tucked them into their respective sides. "How much stuff did you bring?" Naruto asked, frowning. He grabbed a panda plush toy from her bed and shook it around, staring into its plastic brown eyes.
"Everything, almost." She shrugged and readjusted her pillows, fluffing one. "I didn't have a lot."
Naruto felt bad for her, because he knew exactly how she felt. He was alone most of his life and the few things he got were ragged and worn, each item looking well used. "Hey," he said, gently punching her arm, "do you want to get some new clothes or grocery shopping or something?"
Tenten smiled and laughed softly, shaking her head. "Don't worry, Naruto. I'm not really like Sakura or Ino. I have five or six outfits and that's more than enough. But, I am starving. Did you wanna get some ramen?"
Naruto grinned suddenly. "Sure, let me get my wallet."
He turned and Tenten grabbed his elbow. "My treat!"
His eyes lit up and he nodded, moving his arm to grip her wrist and pull her along excitedly.
When they arrived, Naruto plopped down in the seat and waved. "Old man!"
Tenten came in behind him, smiling gently. He was nearly twenty-years-old, but had the heart of a child. She gently sat next to him and watched him order happily, noticing the slight way his blue eyes changed into a bright cerulean as he described the consistency of broth he prefered.
She got lost in her thoughts and nearly jumped when Naruto nudged her shoulder. "Huh?"
"What do you want?"
Tenten stared at the older man with a puzzled expression for a few moments before blushing and quickly saying, "Uh, surprise me, please."
The man nodded and went to the back, leaving Tenten and Naruto alone.
"So," Naruto began, scratching his whiskered cheek, "when do you think missions'll pick back up?"
"Maybe after some of the older ninja retire. But I'm pretty grateful that crimes been so low and all the nations are getting along for now."
Naruto wondered what the look was in her eyes but didn't ask. "Yeah, so am I."
"How's the team, by the way?"
He smiled. "Sakura is doing really well- she's probably the best medic there's ever been. Kakashi and I are really pretty proud of her. We're gonna throw a party for her."
Tenten smiled. "Isn't it really cool?"
"What?"
"Well," she moved in her seat so she was facing him. "You and Sasuke were born with great families and important lineage. You have extraordinary chakra and you had to be a great ninja. Sakura, she was ignored by you guys growing up. I mean, she told me about your crush on her, but Kakashi-sensei and you, and especially Sasuke, you all kind of pushed her onto the back burner."
Naruto glanced down. "It was never meant to be like that."
Tenten nodded. "I know. You guys are different- you needed the special training. Luckily, Sakura started working with Tsunade."
Two bowls were pushed before Naruto and Tenten and they began eating. Naruto seemed thoughtful, not saying much for the duration of their meal. Tenten wasn't sure if she struck a nerve- surely he wasn't so sensitive about her?
She wouldn't blame him if he was. She would die for her own team mates.
"So, Tenten," Naruto said, as if the previous conversation had never happened. "How come you never asked Neji about moving into the Hyuuga Compound for a while? Not like you're a burden, or anything, I just realize you and I aren't the best of friends."
"Yeah," Tenten laughed. "I didn't ask because I know his family is so strict and it would look bad if he moved in a nameless shinobi like me. You're the friendliest ninja I know, so I'm really glad you let me."
Naruto nodded. He wasn't sure what else they had to talk about. They lived together now, and they're both shinobi. What else did they have in common?
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Hinata moved down to her knees, smiling politely at her father.
"Hinata, Neji has informed me that you've excelled in your training."
She nodded.
Hiashi Hyuuga nodded slowly, looking at her. "Good. Soon you might be a worthy opponent for your sister. What brought on this change?"
Hinata wasn't about to say Sasuke Uchiha was the one who made her spar every time they met, or talk without her stutter. "Ino, Father. She is strict about my stutter."
"Hn, she always seemed…"
"Feisty?"
He nearly smiled at his daughter's word choice. "You're maturing so quickly- I can't believe you're only nineteen sometimes."
Hinata smiled, wishing he wouldn't act so kind to her after how she'd treated her family name. Her lilac eyes turned down in embarrassment but she thanked him.
"Your eyes are looking wiser, and your face is slimming down from the childish way it looked a year ago. I think you're ready for marriage."
Her eyes shot up and she instantly felt her blood drain from her face. "I'm sorry?"
Hiashi looked uncomfortable. Unbeknownst to Hinata, he was uncomfortable giving his daughter away- to him, she was still a child, with too many opportunities. "There are a few bachelors asking about you. By the time you're twenty, the council wants you to be engaged, or at least steadily courting someone."
Instantly her hands clenched around her kimono and she licked her lips. "But, Father, I'm going to be twenty in five months."
"I know." His voice was loud, confident, the epitome of manly, but he was sure Hinata could hear the faltering between his words. "I was wondering if you had anyone in mind. Perhaps the Nara- he is incredibly smart."
"He's engaged," she whispered. She studied the floor between them and wondered how soon she could tell Sasuke. He wasn't a proper fiance, was he?
"I realize you don't want this, but I think Neji would make a fine husb-"
"Father, I will find someone. I promise."
Hiashi nodded. "I believe in you."
Hinata smiled gently, bowing her head. "Am I dismissed then?"
"Yes."
Hinata scrambled to her feet, gathering the long kimono in her hands. "I will see you for dinner."
She left in a hurry, her stomach aching. How was she going to marry someone? She was practically tainted. Any man that her father approves of will not want her and Sasuke's child.
How soon could she get to the Uchiha?
Hinata side-stepped Neji on her way out, wishing they hadn't made eye-contact. She couldn't marry him. She could never love him as more than a cousin, and he felt the same away.
The night air kissed the exposed skin on her neck and Hinata thought of Sasuke, feeling in love and ashamed. Ino's home wasn't close enough.
She knocked on the front door, hoping her eyes were tearing up already. One wipe with her finger proved her wrong, and Hinata shook her head.
"Hina, are you okay?"
Hinata shook her head. "Could I come in?"
Ino nodded, worry written all over her face. "Yeah, sure. Sakura and I were about to-"
Hinata gave Ino a disparaging look, whispering, "Ino, we need to talk about tomatoes."
Ino gasped and nodded. "Come inside, Sakura has to leave early for a mission anyway."
Hinata bunched up her lilac kimono again and stepped inside. The living room was small, and rather lavish, with two sofas and a marble coffee table in between the two. Sakura was reading a book with a frown, sitting casually in the corner of one sofa. "Hello, Sakura."
Sakura sneered at her book and tossed it down. "Hinata, hey!" Her face instantly pulled into a smile, her jade eyes brightening. "What's up?"
Hinata settled into the cushion beside the pink haired female, shrugging. "I told Ino I'd sleep over. The clouds look stormy and you know how much Ino hates it."
Ino, sitting on the other sofa, rolled her eyes. "You're thinking of Tenten."
Sakura laughed softly and stood, stretching her back. "Wish I could stay for this little slumber party, but I've got a mission early in the morning. I still have to pack and shower and sleep…" She sighed. "I'll see you guys later. Bye."
They waved to Sakura and as soon as the door was shut, Ino flew over to sit beside Hinata. "What's going on?"
Hinata frowned. Her stomach still ached, and her hands felt clammy and sweaty. "The elders in my family want me to get married."
"What?" Ino snapped.
"By the time I'm twenty, I have to be at least dating someone."
Ino was ready to explode when she saw the fear in her friend's eyes. "Hinata...what are you going to do?"
Hinata shrugged, running her hands through her bangs. Although she didn't know it, it was a trait she picked up from Sasuke. "Tomorrow I'm going to the cabin Sasuke and I stay in."
"Will he be there?"
"I hope so."
The blonde moved Sakura's forgotten book onto the coffee table and leaned closer, listening intently. "What are you going to say?"
"I wanted to wait to tell him about the baby, until I was absolutely positive, but I won't feel happy hiding it from him."
Ino suddenly gasped. "This is great!"
Hinata frowned. "What is?"
"If you can convince the Uchiha to come back, you two can get engaged and then your dad won't be so upset about you being pregnant!"
"I don't think Sasuke'll sacrifice his freedom, his goal, for me."
Ino grabbed Hinata's wrist, getting her attention. Their eyes met and Ino whispered, "If he cares about you like I think he does, he'll come back to the village."
Hinata blushed and looked away. "It sounds ideal…" A small smile forming on her pink lips as she thought. "A small home, with two rooms and a nice little family area. I'll have a garden, of daisies and roses and tomatoes," she giggled softly. "We'll have a strong Uchiha son with red eyes that swirled into Byakugan, who will have the same," she touched her chin, "the same cleft in his chin that Sasuke does."
Ino watched in wonder, her blue eyes widening.
"He's rough on the outside, but when we're alone he'll hold me close and…" Hinata clenched her eyes shut and cried.
Ino was broken from her revery as she moved closer to hold her best friend. "Nah, you're fine. Don't cry."
Hinata stopped whimpering but stayed against Ino's shoulder, wondering how she could find such strength in the petite blonde. "Ino?"
"Yeah?"
"Come with me tomorrow. When I try to get Sasuke."
"Okay," she whispered.
The rain was loud on Ino's home and thunder boomed.
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Tenten gripped the pillow to her ears and stared out of her window. She could see the rain coating the glass and she began shaking. Naruto was asleep in his bed already, oblivious to the storm. The brunette watched as a lightning bolt struck the ground and she cranked her eyes shut, waiting for the thunder.
The boom shook the windows and Tenten screamed at the top of her lungs.
Blue eyes shot open and Naruto ran into Tenten's room, staring at the girl wrapped in blankets and pillows. "Tenten…?"
She rocked back and forth. Her fingers were pale around the pillow she clutched. "N-Naruto?"
Naruto frowned. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I-I'm okay."
He couldn't ignore the chattering of her teeth. He stepped closer and scratched his defined stomach, feeling awkward. Slowly, Naruto reached out and touched her rib. "Tenten, are you afraid of the rain?"
"No, that's silly. I'm afraid of the thunder. It's so loud."
Naruto frowned. "It can't hurt you."
"Thunderstorms cause hundreds of house fires."
"You're being ridiculous," he sighed. Naruto sat down beside her stomach and put his hand on hand on hers.
There was a second flash of lightning, followed by an earth shaking boom.
In the light of the flash, Naruto saw Tenten jump. In the dark that followed, he could feel her wrap herself around his body.
His face would normally feel like it was burning, but he couldn't help but pity the strong and otherwise brave ninja. She whimpered and buried her face in his shoulder and he sighed, wrapping his arms around her. His eyes closed and he wondered how long it would take for the storm to pass.
Her long hair fell down his naked chest and she shivered, but no longer from the storm. The heat of his skin was intense, and her hands were shaking against his lower back. If someone were to walk into the room, they might have thought the two were sharing a loving hug.
"I'm s-sorry," she murmured against his skin.
"Don't be; I'm not going anywhere." His lips were somehow pressed to her ear and he whispered, "believe it."
It was meant to make her laugh, but Naruto felt uncomfortable and embarrassed, wondering if she thought their position was as intimate as he did.
Sometime after he smoothed her hair against her back, the two fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
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Author's Note-
Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites. I know a NaruTen and SasuHina story sounds a little crazy, but the fact that you gave it a chance makes me feel better.
I got a review saying Hinata was OOC and I couldn't agree more. I think she seems a little wimpy so far, but she's facing so much. As the plot develops, I will fix her character and I hope this is a really nice fic for you all to read.
Thanks again!
