Silent Tears

Chapter 3

Okay okay, I said Saturday so here it is... I won't have chapter 4 for at least another week... sooo yeah... Thanks to anyone who read/reviewed (reviews make me happy XP)

Ah, another reminder, there is no real pairing in the fanfic.

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"Hinata..." Naruto stared at the young teens arm, he didn't know what his feelings were towards it. Rain fell still, seemingly harder now.

Hinata didn't look up, feeling more ashamed then ever, "P-please, don't tell a-anyone..." She repeated the words she begged to Neji. Her hair was matted and the jacket Naruto lent her was soaked threw.

"Come on Hinata..." he pulled her arm gently, "You'll get sick if you stay wet for much longer."

Hinata looked up fast, surprised by his calm response, "N-Naruto?" She felt her small body pulled up. "I-"

"You don't have to explain to me Hinata..." Naruto said simple looking into her confused eyes. "I guess in a way I understand why you would do that..." he let it go, for now. "Come on, now." He said holding the umbrella over her, already noticing her shivering, not sure it it was from the cold or from his discovery.

"I-I couldn't impose..." Hinata said to quickly, her skin flushed but she already felt the blond grab her arm and drag her behind him. She was filled with anger not at him, but at herself. For many reasons. For being found out two times in one day. For seeming so pathetic in front of a person, but mostly for ever starting the 'habit'.

"Okay, well then... at least let me walk you home." He said simply. A sudden shiver raked his body. The damp air had finally chilled his coat-less body. Hinata finally noticed that he had her soaked jacket in his arms.

"L-let me give you y-your jacket back." She said fast already sliding it off her arms. The young Hyuuga teen would feel worse if he got sick because of her.

"No, I'll be fine." He nodded, "I can't believe it's still raining." He sighed, "Hinata, is something wrong at home?" he let her hand go slowly.

Hinata opened her mouth to reply, but the words didn't come. She made a soft undecided gasp. She looked away again ashamed of herself.

Naruto looked back and blinked, "Y-you don't have to answer. I was.. just wondering." He sighed continuing to walk, being sure to keep the umbrella over her.

"N-Naruto?" Hinata gulped, "Can... c-can you p-please not tell anyone Naruto? P-please," she tried to sound strong but her voice cracked and came out more pleading then she expected. She rubbed her eyes pathetically clean of remaining tears.

"Uh... yeah of course," The blond spoke fast. He looked at the sky, wishing the moon was visible, but all he could see was think clouds, hiding what was a normal view.

"N-Naruto..." She stared again, her hands grasped the hem of the bright orange jacket now, "c-can... I-I tell you something?" She asked hopefully. Her normal fears of being around him were gone away, if it was only temporary, she felt he really did understand when she was feeling.

"Yeah?" was all he replied. He noticed the rain was suddenly calming, it's kind of ironic?

Hinata gulp, "Y-you know... a-about my f-family." Her voice came out in a soft whisper, that Naruto had to strain to hear her, "Never mind. It's not important." Naruto nodded, not bothering to press her for me for fear of causing her to cry again.

Time passed slowly, the rain slowly stopped also. It completely stopped when the twosome made it to the Hyuuga's main house. "T-thank you f-for helping me." She pulled off Naruto's bright jacket holding it out for him, keeping her wrists down and hidden.

"It is no problem." He took the wet jacket from her, replacing it with her went tan jacket, "take care okay?" He smiled closing his umbrella. Hinata nodded and hurried in, not looking back.

"Where did you go?" Hanabi was fast to intercept her. "Father is angry about your disappearance. Luckily Neji was able to calm him down!" The young heiress had her fists on her hips.

"Neji... did?" Hinata whispered, being sure to keep her arms buried in the wet coat.

Hanabi nodded, "I'll tell father that you are home now." She looked at her and shook her head leaving. Hinata stood still, in slight disbelief that Neji had, not only kept her secret, spoken in her defense. She shivered again from her wet clothing and hurried to her room to bathe and change into warm clothing.

In her room she was fast to shed her wet clothing. Silently entering her small bathroom and turned on the water. She seemed to work on auto pilot. Stepping into the hot water she went threw the actions of showering without thinking. When she got out she towel dried her hair, wrapping the towel around her once her hair was mostly dry. She looked into the steamy mirror, barely able to see herself, and brusher her hair out silently.

She left her bathroom only to be spooked by a surprise visit of Neji, "Neji!" She felt her face flush with embarrassment and hid behind the half open bathroom door, "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't hear you come in-"

Neji cleared his throat, silencing her. He too had blushed a soft tint of red, but only out of being in the presence of his naked cousin. "Hinata, I'm sorry if I spooked you at all. I just needed to ask you something." He looked away from her, taking a deep breath, "Tomorrow, I want to spare with you again, is that okay?" He was unable to get the real question out.

Hinata nodded slowly, "Yes, um... thank you." She said softly looking away. Her face was slowly returning to its pale color. Neji nodded in response and was out of her room fast. She walked from her hiding place. "Neji..." She whispered softly confused by his actions. "A while ago..." She continued to whisper, "he wouldn't have hesitated to kill me..."

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Okay Suckish chapter I know... but I wanted to keep writing. Now I wont have the 4th chapter for a week, as said above, only because I have less time on the computer on weekdays. ALSO! Comments make me happy! Even a tiny little "good work" or "can't wait for more" make me giddy XP.

Thats it...