Penultimate chapter.
All [except the plot] belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
He could tell that she wasn't listening when he got on to the subject of his new technique. Her pale eyes were fixed upon his lips rather hungrily, she didn't answer with the same enthusiasm as she normally would. The instinctual urge to raise his hand to the back of his head, an open sign of awkwardness, was over-riding.
Leaning towards him ever so slightly, pain suddenly flawed her face. She manoeuvred away so fast that Naruto only just prevented the bowl of rice from spilling owing to his reflexes for that. Gently, Naruto placed the bowl on the floor and followed her to view the magnificent gardens. He was standing so close that he could almost feel the heat emanating through her signature heavy coat without needing his enhanced senses. Never had he the chance to actually study the Hyuuga grounds with its ornate gardens that would put the best horticulturists to shame. He'd been there on village business of course, and occasionally to train with Neji or Hinata but never on a casual basis to simply admire the surroundings and enjoy his company.
Hinata turned around, seemingly only just aware that he was right behind her.
'I'm sorry, I needed some air.' she apologised sheepishly, eyes fixed over his shoulder.
'S'OK. It's beautiful out here.' He paused and a spontaneous brainwave made him say something he
would never have if there was a chance that she did not feel the same.
'Like you.' She had turned back to the gardens again so he didn't want to wrench her head around to
kiss her but, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and nuzzled in to her soft hair-covered neck.
She squeaked, froze and tried to speak, but stammered.
'Naruto what are you doing?' Protesting was no use. Once Naruto got it in his mind to do something, you may as well give up trying to convince him to stop.
With his superior strength, he turned her around and gazed in to her eyes with such a serious expression that Hinata truly looked afraid.
'You didn't tell me how you felt. I thought you were scared of me, even when we got to know each other. I've always admired your strength; you're pretty cute too. How much pain has my blindness caused you?' The speech he had planned in his head for the last months had just gone completely out of the window now that it was really happening. It was hard to hide the nervousness of confessing properly for the first time, he had to be careful not to make Hinata stressed.
'I. Thought you liked Sakura instead. I thought you would not be interested in me because I am weak. Every time I thought of telling you, confessing, I would get so nervous that I'd faint. Naruto, you are the only person I could ever love.' Head ducking, so that her face was not in view, she incited Naruto's heart to join hers in beating abnormally fast.
He lifted her head and plunged down to kiss her lips.
As soon as their lips parted, she promptly fell against his chest. At first, he thought she had fainted. But she started to shake and make sobbing noises. He held her close again and rubbed his hand comfortingly at the small of her back, silly smile lighting his face as he looked upon his first, and last, partner.
He had never been happier.
***
Hinata was running across tree branches in a dream world. Somehow Naruto knew her 'little secret' and now they were together. Even though she had just completed one of the most boring missions she had ever been on; not even one enemy stood in the path of her and the old man travelling with goods for trading for his village.
The impression of his grip around her and the touch of his lips on hers still played out in her memory ten hours later. It didn't happen exactly as she had imagined but, it was still so perfect it was hard for her not to smile in jubilation. For years, Hinata had thought that it was impossible that her love could take the blindfold from his eyes and figure out for himself what she was too afraid to tell him. All she had thought of all day was him. She wanted to talk properly with him, discuss things, perhaps share another kiss or four. Hinata was giddy as a four year old with a bag of lollipops when she discovered how firm but gentle he would be.
She was now approaching the gates to the village at a rapid pace, so she dropped from the trees and made her way on the main road. Never before had a report card been filled in and delivered so fast, she thought as she curtly nodded at the guards and climbed on the nearest roof so the dinner time rush of the villagers would be avoided.
Finally at the Hokage building, she didn't bother walking through the building but carried on over the rooftops to surprise him through the window, masking her Chakra signature so he could not detect her. Across the red rooftops there was a magnificent view of the surrounding wood land and the sun just about to set, casting a rich array of colours into the clouds. She was at the window with heart about to jump out her chest, staring at the hard working blonde male sat at the desk.
She moved her hand towards the window. Just as her hand touched the cool pane, Naruto turned around with his eyes narrowed. Realising instantly that it was Hinata, his face brightened and his chair was unceremoniously thrown to the side, the window was wrenched open and she found herself in his arms being smothered with kisses.
'I was worried about you all day.' He admitted, his speech muffled due to their intimate proximity. She could feel his lips curl to a smile just before their lips touched again.
A knock on the door made them jump apart, Hinata almost knocking two stacks of her paper in her hurry to get around the desk and comb her hair with her hands because Naruto had played with it. Unfortunately for them, the person burst in almost immediately after knocking and caught them anyway.
Said person screamed and ran through the door, crushing Hinata, who squeaked and fell back in to the table, knocking the paper over anyway. Naruto chuckled at his old friend's antics. Sasuke followed in a second later and proceeded to peel the overexcited Sakura from Hinata.
'Sakura, control yourself.' He ordered in her ear and gripped her around her middle.
Hinata looked back and shared a goofy smile with Naruto. Suddenly realising that she had knocked over all of that paper, Hinata bent to pick it all up but gave up after she realised there was no way she could order it all again. She turned back to the conversation.
'When did you two get together? We didn't see any signs.' Sakura began her interrogation …
Next chapter is the last chapter! XD (… I think)
