I do not own Naruto…
She lay there, downtrodden. Defeated she uncharacteristically refused to get out of bed. Breakfast was brought to her by her dear maid. Along with her small meal, came a large bag full of boxes. She slowly sat up, the boxes piquing her interest. "Hime sama, these were delivered this morning for you." Her maid smiled sweetly as she set down her breakfast and then the boxes.
Opening them one by one she gasped when she realized what they were. These were the outfits she had tried on yesterday, each accompanied by a love note signed by different nin. Covering her overheating face with her hands she realized these were the nin sitting in that café across from the shop. Oh how embarrassing! She thought as she wallowed in the shame of yesterday's events. Leaving half unopened, she called back her maid and asked her to kindly take these things away. Her maid bowed in understanding before announcing that she had guests.
Two blond heads poked out from behind the motherly woman, each wearing large grins. "No! " The dark haired girl cried out. "I can't do this anymore. It's too embarrassing."
Without mercy, the blonds forced her out of bed and led her out of the house. Ino glared at her before continuing with "If you really want to give up on him, then fine…we'll leave you alone. But you look at me and tell me you don't love him enough to keep trying. Well, do you love him enough?"
Her thoughts strayed away from herself and her recent misadventures and flew to him. His warm smile, his kind eyes, his ever determination. Did she love him enough? OH H-E-double hockey sticks YES! Sighing she turned toward her mentors and stated "I'm ready for the next lesson."
Temari sidled up to the poor girl and threw her arm around her. "Hinata chan, we picked a lesson that we thought you'd be a natural at. I know you've been discouraged, but I think you'll do very well with this." Ino came up to her other side and smiled before expanding, "As you may have noticed most male nin are cocky and utterly chauvinistic." In answer to the confusion crossing the face of that purple eyed girl , the loud blond continued. "Think about it…Kakashi sensei, Jiraiya-sama, Shikamaru…Neji." A look of sudden understanding set into the eyes of the dark haired kunoichi.
" While I love taking Shikamaru down a couple of notches," Temari confidently explained "I have to admit, he has always been exceptionally passionate following the few situations where he's had to …assist me." The dark haired girl looked over to Ino who was nodding in reply. "Those boys love parading their manhood around. I've actually used the whole damsel in distress thing successfully quite a few times. After they've had a chance to flex their muscles, they view you in a more feminine light."
"Hinata chan, you're already so sweet and feminine that you probably won't need to work at this much, but lets give it a try anyway huh?" Temari complimented as she flashed the girl a large smile. The sweetheart answered with "I don't think this will work on Naruto. He's always cheering me on to become stronger…" She stated as her thoughts drifted to the first chunin exams and the memory of his loud encouragements rang through her mind.
Wagging a finger in front of her, Ino said. "Naruto is no exception…haven't you seen how he gets when he's protecting someone?" Her heart skipped a beat as she recalled her blond's determined face and spirit. She looked up at her mentors and said "Tell me what to do."
She walked with the blonds as they chatted and instructed her on the subtleties of this new technique. Temari spoke from personal experience and commented "You don't have to be blatantly helpless, even the smallest things like asking for help opening a jar, or having them move heavy furniture etc…" "Or letting them pay for a meal, or complimenting their skills." Ino interrupted. "Though if you want to change how they view you in an instant, the event it has to be fairly big." She slowly burst into a mischievous smile and waved goodbye ending with " Hinata chan … leave it to me okay?"
Temari and the girl watched Ino race off and glanced at each other in confusion. Opening her heart a bit Temari honestly confessed "It was really difficult to let Shika take care of me. I've always been very independent and have always taken care of everyone else. " Temari looked at her feet before continuing. "But it's nice being cared for and loved like that and I know Shika enjoys spoiling me too." The purpled eyed girl blushed as she experienced a rush of what it would feel like to have Naruto be so attentive to her needs as Shikamaru was for Temari. "At any rate, it's not really something that needs to be practiced…you just have to let them." They continued to walk together and the shy girl smiled as Temari continued to share. She silently prayed that she could someday have a love as deep as Temari and Shikamaru's.
Suddenly Temari stopped and the purple eyed girl looked up to see what was the matter. There in front of them stood Shikamaru. "Hey troublesome, where've you been? I had to get an earful from the Hokage this morning cause I didn't know where you where." He stated while wearing his usual careless expression (though Hinata glimpsed an air of concern and longing behind those eyes). "Ah, don't be such a cry baby. I'm here now, lets go get some work done." Temari answered before waving goodbye to Hinata. She watched them walk away his large hand protectively clasped around Temari's and his head cocked slightly towards hers as they communicated in that silent language of theirs.
That warm hearted girl walked into town and was met by the boy who had just been invading her thoughts. "H…hello!" She nervously stammered. He grasped her hand and smiled saying "Ah HInata chan I've been looking all over for you, come on we're late." Dragging her away she wondered what this was all about. They raced through town and she found herself at the perimeter of the forest of death. Standing there waiting for them were Ino, Shino, Lee, Sakura, Temari and Shikamaru. "Alright we're all here, are we ready to start our new game?" Ino asked as she winked at the purpled eyed girl. "Yeah!" Cheered on Naruto and Lee while Shikamaru inaudibly grumbled.
"So does everyone have their partner?" Ino asked and got nods in response. "The first group to find a four leaf clover is the winner. The prize is that the losers will buy a weeks worth of Ichiraku's ramen for the winners." Naruto and Lee both jumped for joy at this statement. Turning toward his partner Naruto grinned and stated "Hinata chan we'll win for sure!" He clasped her hand and together they hopped over the gated perimeter and entered the forest. The girl looked back to see they were followed by a sulking Shikamaru, an enthusiastic Lee, a silent Shino, a determined Sakura, and a pair of winking blonds.
They were quickly alone and it took every once of willpower for the poor girl not to faint on the spot. Thankfully he seemed preoccupied with looking for the clover and was no longer holding on to her hand. "Aw this is really hard." Her darling stated as he rifled through the bushes. "Hinata chan, can you see it anywhere with the byakugan?" She blushed at the direct question before "I..I'll try."
Activating her blood line limit, she began searching the area. She came across a familiar couple and was about to scan right past them but found herself uncontrollable drawn to them.
The couple sat together in the shade of a tree, his head in her lap. "I'm sorry I made you do this, but I'll make it up to you." Temari cooed as she ran her fingers through his freed hair. He smirked at her and muttered "Troublesome, just when I'm about to fall asleep you have to make a promise like that." Sitting up he turned toward her and drew her into his lap. Tilting her chin upwards he passionately kissed her as his hands skillfully slid underneath her kimono. She gasped as he began to kiss her neck and threw her arms around his. He began to undo her obi and
"Hinata chan!" Brought the now blushing purpled eyed girl swiftly back to her current situation. She looked up just in time to see a gigantic snake heading straight for her, she jumped out of the way and was surprised by a sudden pain in her right side. Turning she looked to find that she had jumped right into the sharp scales of a second snake. This close there was no way for her to dodge again. Raising her hands to guard her she readied for the impact. Suddenly she was in warm, strong arms. Opening her eyes she saw that several yards ahead of her stood Naruto, and in front of him lay the pair of snakes, writhing as they died with their innards spilling out of great gaping holes. Wait a minute, if that's Naruto then who's arms are these? She thought. "Ah I'm so glad we made it in time Hinata chan. That's the beauty of life!" Chimed a familiar voice. Sakura came rushing and glanced over her "Let me check your injuries Hinata chan."
Despite the fuss that was being made around her, her eyes remained locked on Naruto. He slowly turned, his head down. "Good thing you were here Lee, I couldn't have made it to her in time." Her blond quietly said still looking away. "Hinata chan, I'm sorry." He solemnly continued. "You were trying so hard to find the clover, the least I could have done was to protect you." Suddenly her vision was obscured by big fuzzy eyebrows. "Ah, Hinata chan. Looks like everything is okay." The saved girl freed herself from these pair of arms and stood when she realized that Naruto had left.
"W…where did Naruto kun go?" She asked. "Oh, he just left. He probably feels bad about you getting hurt. " Sakura commented as she stared off in the direction Naruto had escaped to. "He'll get over it, just give him time."
A sudden twinge of jealousy at the closeness between this pink haired tart and her sweet blond compelled her to run off in the direction he had gone. A firm grasp stopped her in her tracks. "Hinata hime," Lee started. "We should get back, it's getting late and the forest will get too dangerous to play around in. " "B…but." She replied back before being silenced by Lee. "Don't take away anymore of his pride as a man."
Her heart sank, she had failed again. Miserably this time.
As she walked with the other two she passed a familiar spot. Ah, she thought blushing as she remembered her rudeness at watching the intimacy between the couple that had just a bit ago occupied the space they were invading. Looking back towards the tree…
"Ahh!" Escaped her lips when she saw that there…at the bottom of the tree…was a four leaf clover. She gingerly walked over and plucked the prize. Shaking her head she smiled as she wondered how could they have missed this? She was swiftly lifted into the air by Lee as he loudly congratulated her.
They found themselves reunited with all but one of their colleagues at the edge of the forest. Ino and Temari glanced at each other in confusion when the trio exited together. Ino opened her mouth ready to inquire when Lee interrupted her with "Everyone, Hinata is the perfect example of the springtime of youth. She found the clover." A look of genuine joviality traveled across the faces of her friends. "Good for you Hinata chan! Where did you find it?"
Lee answered for her, "It was at the base of that big old knotted tree in the middle of the forest." The purple eyed girl looked up to see a look of shock on Temari and Shikamaru's face. As the couple turned towards each other, they both immediately blushed before bursting into laughter. Her heavy heart was lifted by the playfulness of her friends as they walked together back into the village.
Intermittent pangs of sadness and regret peppered the otherwise joyful evening as she and her friends celebrated her win with BBQ and beer. Walking home alone gave her time to again think about Naruto. Did he despise her now? Would her presence forever remind him of that incidence. One small tear escaped. It was her fault. Had she been a better kunoichi, he wouldn't have been put in that position. She lifted her hand to clear the tear and heard. "Hey, why are you crying?" A soft and caring voice called out from the dark. Easily recognizing that voice, she looked up to see a familiar silhouette waiting for her.