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Chapter 4 – Pain and Pleasure
We're here.
They were on the balcony; they thought that it was faster that way instead of going through the front door. Naruto didn't want any annoying neighbors screaming at him for walking in and making a mess in the hall.
"Come on, you'll catch a cold." Naruto smiled. "I'll make some hot chocolate and I'll find you some clothes you can borrow."
"Oh okay." Hinata returned the smile and sat on his bed, waiting as Naruto handed her a clean towel to wrap herself into.
"They're a bit big, but they'll suit you just fine." Naruto handed her the clothes as she sneezed. "Bless you, so there's a bathroom right there while I make hot chocolate."
"Thank you."
Hinata went inside to change. He gave her a black shirt and some matching pants that were small on him. He was glad that he kept it, so it fits her just fine. Naruto changed his clothes to a red Shirt and some black pants, it wasn't so much the style that he was bragging about but it didn't matter anymore.
He made some hot chocolate and left it on the table in the middle of his room.
"That smells wonderful." Hinata came out, looking pretty as ever as she had dried off.
"I have a really small laundry room, so we can dry your clothes there." Naruto took Hinata's clothes and dried it off along with hers and came back to see her sitting on the floor drinking hot chocolate.
"Like it?"
"I love it." She smiled, finding it nice to be talking to him again.
"So you ready?" Naruto teased.
"Eh!?" Hinata blushed.
"I'm kidding." Naruto lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling. "This is surprisingly nice. What would it be like to live normally under the same roof?"
"I knew you were crazy Kit, but not this crazy."
"Knock it off." Naruto closed his eyes, mumbling. "Leave me alone."
Hinata sipped silently, as she heard Naruto speaking. He must be tired or the cold was getting to him.
"When are you going to make her your mate?"
"What the freaking hell!?" Naruto bit back. "I'm not in the mood to talk about this again!"
"Bratty as ever."
"What do you want? A biscuit? I'll give you one that's large enough."
"You know you're digging a big hole for yourself?"
"I know what I'm doing. Leave it be. What do you want me to do anyways?
"You can leave her, or you can take her with you."
"You're a really annoying advisor, do you know that? I know it's boring to be in this cage but we'll figure our something to make our predicament work."
"You're a good kid." Kurama laughed. "You can mark her yours so no one else could take her from you. Don't let that Haruno girl hope that she has a chance on you, it's irritating to watch her force herself to like you."
"She loves Sasuke, there's nothing that could take her from that. And I love Hinata, not Sakura."
"And you believe that?"
"You annoying, Fox!" Naruto suddenly woke up with a jolt and realized that he had accidentally pounced at Hinata.
"N-naruto-kun!" She whined, freaking out in embarrassment.
"AAHH!" Naruto pulled away. "I'm sorry, Hinata! I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, I—I was just shocked." Hinata giggled.
"You unconsciously blocked me from your thoughts."
"You damn fox." Naruto cursed inside, pulling Hinata up. "Sorry."
"You don't have to say sorry, It's okay." Hinata sat beside him and Naruto noticed she was done with the hot chocolate.
"Promise me you'll always remember me, Hinata." Naruto smiled, leaning on his arm. "I'm going to leave tomorrow to go to Mt. Myoboku to train to be a Sage just like Jiraiya-sensei. It's the reason why Sakura wanted to say goodbye, and I couldn't say no."
Hinata flushed. "So that's the reason."
"The only people who know about this are Tsunade, Shizune-ne-chan, Kakashi-sensei, Sakura and you. Baa-chan will tell the others soon, but by then, I'll be long gone."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you deserve to know the truth, and I just can't leave again. I told you before, and now, I want you to promise to think of me."
She nodded.
"I always wanted to tell you that you're pretty." Naruto said suddenly. "Kiba's so lucky to have you on the team. And you're far gentler than Sakura is."
"Oh, I'm—really?"
"Yeah, too bad I can't say it out openly." Naruto frowned.
"What are you so afraid of?" Hinata leaned forward. "I mean, people will still like you even if you're like this. You may not be the goofy kid that everyone knows, but you're not so bad like this."
"Thanks, but something tells me it'll just get stranger if I do."
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Naruto looked towards the door and turned to Hinata. "Wait here." He said, as he walked to the hall and opened the door to reveal Neji, standing there and waiting.
"What is it Neji?" He asked, trying to look innocent.
"Have you seen Hinata-sama?" He codly spoke. "I heard from Kiba about the events earlier and I assume you dealt with it."
"Why don't you use your eye to find out?" Naruto huffed.
"It would be easier this way, and I can trust you." He replied.
"Or the other way around, eavesdropper." Naruto teased. "You saw us didn't you!"
"I—" Neji flushed. "It's not my business. Now do you know where she is?"
"She's inside." Naruto opened the door wide enough for her to enter.
Naruto grinned from behind Neji as Neji turned white when he saw Hinata sitting on the bed with Naruto's clothes on. Naruto couldn't help but snicker and Hinata blushed furiously as she half glared at Naruto, who was still silently snickering in the back.
"WHAT DID YOU DO UZUMAKI!?" Neji shouted, turning to him.
"What?" Naruto casually replied. "I didn't do anything."
"WHY HINATA-SAMA!? WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHY IS SHE WEARING YOUR CLOTHES!?"
"NEJI-NII-SAN!" Hinata whined in embarrassment. "Nothing happened! I got wet!"
Naruto doubled in laughter until Hinata realized what he meant.
Hinata took Naruto's pillow and threw it at him with precision and power, knocking Naruto off his feet.
"Ow!" Naruto whined, rubbing his face. "Listen, she fell in the lake and I wasn't about to let her get sick, you retarded Hyuuga!"
"You could have saved the trouble of this if you told me first hand."
"It's too funny to pass of just like that." Naruto pointed. "I think her clothes are dried by now, you can get it and leave."
Hinata stood up just as Naruto got to his feet. Neji took the liberty of getting Hinata's clothes and gave it to her, walking out the door, waiting.
"I'll talk to you soon." Naruto grinned.
"I like it when you smile for real." Hinata blushed and clamped her mouth shut.
"And I like it when you're bolder with your words." Naruto shrugged. "I'll be back soon. See you."
"Goodbye, Naruto-kun." Hinata kissed him on the cheek quickly, hiding from Neji. "I'm sorry that I threw the pillow."
"It's fine, I think I've been healed." He joked.
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He trained for 3 months in Mt. Myoboku until he heard the terrible news. He went to the battle field, prepared and ready to fight.
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TBC.
