"I saw your smile and now my feet won't touch the ground"
[Touch]
Five days ago Hinata had to muster all her strength just to stand up, while Hanabi tossed embarrassing little tidbits around, about her none existent love life. She remained there until Ko came out and made her realize what she was actually doing.
Five days passed without any event, she only left the house when it was really necessary, and even then she would hurry back to her hiding place. On the second day Toneri sent her a message apologizing and offering peace. To which Hinata replied positively after a whole day of leaving him in doubt.
On the fourth day, like a deer on shaky legs she tried her best to go all the way to the kindergarten. Without any success. When she get home with ducked head, Neji stopped her just by the gates. Hinata made excuses before disappearing behind the big wooden gate.
Hinata lowered her body into the hot water, letting it ease her nerves and muscles. The steam danced around in the big bath. This time of the day most of the Hyuga family were out, the ones still home wouldn't join her. She put her hair up into a messy bun and let her skin drench in the jasmine scented water. The warmth crawled up to her neck and for the first time in the last five days she felt in peace.
Through half lidded eyes, she watched the ripples her hands made on the steamy water's surface. With every movement the water licked her pale arms and it sent relaxing vibes through her body. She let go of her hand so it floated peacefully, she stare at the sole mark on her left arm, and the triangle was more visible thanks to the warmth around it. Transcend. Her head slipped down a bit, so now her shoulders got under water too.
Will the fourth really be the last? Will she fall in love with her soulmate? Will her soulmate love her?
These questions spun in her head until her nose hit the water totally enveloping her body. She exhaled with a low hum, today was Friday and her phone already noted her about that fact. So no matter what she intended to do with Naruto-kun, today she would meet with him regardless.
I
The weather changed so fast now that even though it was just end of March's first week a light jacket would do. So when Hinata stepped out the gate trusty tin can under her arm she already regretted her winter coat. She opened it up, before closing the gate behind her. With large steps – well as large as her short legs allowed her- she almost jogged towards her destination.
This time she was early, and she was thankful because in theory it was better waiting for Naruto-kun then meeting him in the doorstep because of her being late. The cookies in the jar made a happy noise with every step she took.
She couldn't help the smile that crept up to her face, the day was fantastic; the sun shined the birds chirped. The spring breeze softly brushed her long hair as she turned yet another corner.
Her extra effort to evade the nursery was remunerative, she didn't meet anyone from the neighbourhood. She knew she was a coward but she wanted to postpone the meeting as much as possible. She had a feeling today was going to be a truly great day.
"Hi, Hinata!"
The voice made her stop on her track, her lungs became smaller and smaller, and for a moment she was sure that she would just suffocate right there. The heat creeping up her neck and the goose bumps forming on her skin, everything was there. All the symptoms of Naruto-kun.
If Sakura was here, she would have surely made a remark about the change of her posture.
"N..Naruto-kun…" she turned and her assumptions were right. A few steps away the blonde smirked hands full with bags. "Good afternoon…" she pressed out.
Naruto closed the gap between them with three steps making the Hyuga flinch. She could smell the boys scent and it made her head lighter just a tad bit. Her grasp around the tin jar fastened. After a minute of blatantly staring she forced her eyes to examine the pylon right behind the guy.
"Are you on your way to Ino?" Naruto broke the silence first, that sweet smile still playing on his face.
Hinata nodded before she took a step forward signalling how in hurry she was. Her plan failed miserably.
"Great, I just finished with her shopping list…" he lifted the stuffed bags with the logo of the local supermarket. "…what does that girl think I am Konoha's soldier, not an errand boy."
They walked in comfortable silence, and whenever it got windier Naruto's smell would attack her senses making her knees go week, just by the thought of closeness between them.
"..se cookies?"
Hinata jolted back to the present, lifting her big eyes at the blonde who must have asked something related to the cookies. Her face burned up. "Sorry..wh…what?"
Naruto laughed a bit, repositioning the bags in his hands. "Did you make those cookies?"
Her eyes followed the line of Naruto's, the old jar clinked joyfully when she presented it to the blonde. "Yes," she said concentrating not to stutter "it's kind of a tradition." she explained shaking he jar.
"Can't wait to taste them." Naruto said with a timid smile.
This expression was new, well not the expression she reminded herself. What new was, was the fact that it was directed at her. Back in high school she have seen it numerous times, he looked at Sakura with this expression whenever she was near him.
Her heart fell in peace just in a second after this though. Yeah, Naruto used to have a crush on Sakura, well the past tense was Sakura's assumption. To Hinata's knowledge it was still there. She smiled back genuinely.
"Can't wait to give you some."
The rest of the road was peaceful, she was calm. Everything about today was great. Naruto told her many stories of his army service, only things he was allowed off course. He made her laugh and giggle, she felt like they were sent back in time and she was that silly high school girl who listened to her crush's crazy stories.
They arrived to the door way too early to her liking, if she could change it she would have made several detours just listen to Naruto-kun's stories all over again. Before she realized her hand already was on the doorbell.
The door swung opens as Ino took the jar from Hinata opening it while arguing with someone on the phone.
"I don't care!" she shouted just to take back on her volume a minute later "Listen punk, if you can't make it today don't ever come…" she gestured to her guest to come in while she opened the treasure box and chomped down on the first cookie. "I duvnt care…" she said tossing the device to the sofa.
Her face looked like a little pigs, her cheeks were puffed up and she had crumbs and chocolate smeared on her lips. She turned dramatically her long ponytail following her around.
"Hinata you are early…" she glanced at Naruto who after hearing that the blonde was on a rampage disappeared into the kitchen "…but I am thankful for the cookies!" she said while tossing another into her mouth.
"Shikamaru and Choji won't be able to come again?" Hinata asked while she swiped the crumbs from the curve of Ino's lips.
She shoke her head, then without asking she took the Hyuga's coat and tossed to the pile of clothes in her back room. The living room was a mess, just like always.
"You know how it goes with the Police department, and the private detective work is really 'serious' blegh…." after imitating heaving and vomiting, she gestured Hinata to follow her and started to push the little coffee table to the side wall.
It was a true challenge because it was packed with nail polish and make up. When Hinata started to put the thing away in a nice order Ino pulled out a colourful box and with ease and without any grace swiped all of her belongings to the box. Hinata watched horrified as the rainbow disappeared behind the curtain in the corner.
Just on cue Naruto emerged from the kitchen and pulled the sofa away from the way as Ino dictated. After half an hour the three of them finished and they fell into the sorry furniture together.
With Ino in the middle they watcher their work; the place was ready, console, volume, tv set. Beverages and snack out.
"Not bad!" Ino said swiping a misplaced lock out of her face. "Not bad at all…"
"So when are the others coming?" Hinata leaned forward looking to the direction of the door.
"They can be here any minute now," Ino checked her watch before her stare wandered to Naruto's open palm on his knees. Before any of them could protest she grabbed the guy's hand.
Hinata flinched her eyes boring holes to Ino's collarbone where her markings lay. Her heart however was way too calm. She was more afraid of her own calmness then the fact that Ino fully knowing her feelings, and that she was sitting right next to her just experimented. She experimented to see if she and Naruto were connected.
The guy stare at their clasped fingers for a second before he tried to shake the fox grinned girl's hand off. "Wha…Ino! I already told you in Middle school, this isn't funny!" his voice was filled with anger.
"Calm down dumbass!" Ino shriek while pressing their fingers even more. "Don't you know, that just because the soulmarks didn't show at the first contact it doesn't mean that we aren't soulmates?"
A heavy silence fell to the room while Hinata examined the two strained faces as they fought their instinct to rather strangle the other then hold hands. She couldn't describe it but it was funny, she felt light, and when Naruto's eyes found hers she didn't look away.
After a long ten minutes Ino let go of Naruto's hand and pulled her collar down, all her marks were still there no new one.
"Thank God!" they sighed in unison. "Hey!" both barked at the other for the insult and while Hinata received the guests they argued along.
I
"The girls can't be in the same team!" Kiba shouted over the loud music.
Ino swayed to the music sweetly while hugging her little boar plush. Sakura was immersed in a conversation with Neji who looked just like someone who was dragged here against his will. His girlfriend TenTen tried to flick a nut so it would hit Ino's forehead preferably.
Hinata was pressed between Shino and Kiba. Shino flipped through the list which Ino printed so they could choose song for the next round, while the later guy argued with Naruto.
"Why not?" he grinned tossing some chips into his mouth. "Girls vs. Boys, dude!"
"Nope!" Kiba almost pushed him from the arm of the sofa "I don't want to lose…" he said glancing at the innocently swaying Ino with the controller in her hand. "These chicks are way too good."
At this Hinata looked up, her cheeks dusted with pink, this time because she was proud. Even if it was a childish and useless thing she was good at it. They were good at it, their team beat all the boys numerous times.
Her lips curled into a mischievous little smile.
"Oh, look Hinata looks confident!" the blonde already stole the controller setting it up. "Let's battle then!"
"I pass!" Shino said right after the first button press.
"I don't want either…" Neji said but after he saw that little pout on his fiancé's lips he reconsidered.
"So someone from the other team has to go two times a round." Ino was back, her sweet girl act disappeared the moment Naruto stole the device. "Let's choose team captains!" she clapped her hands while Sakura leaned to her side hitting the floor.
Ino bit down her lower lip "Let's make Shino the judge then, he doesn't want to play after all."
"Okay, rules." the quiet guy finally spoke up.
Ino's face darkened "Rules?"
Shino nodded, his high collar hid most of his mouth "First, Hinata and Sakura can't be in the same team."
Ino's head fell forward resignedly.
"I'll choose the songs." Shino continued while Hinata couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips watching Ino drag Sakura up.
The pinkett was pretending to be dead, letting her body be dragged by the host.
"Naruto and Neji you'll be the team captains." while the blonde jump with joy the later sighed with defeat.
"Alright Neji you choose first you are going for TenTen anyway!" Naruto grinned stupidly.
"Hinata-sama." the Hyuga's voice was filled with annoyance as his cousin's hand flung to the air.
"How could you?!" the blonde guy voice shrill while he pointed at the left out fiancé.
"Calm down it's tactics!" the soon to be bride grinned, her head resting on her hands.
"Whatever," Naruto shrugged but he stared at the dark haired girl who now was already whispering into her cousin's ear. "I choose Sakura-chan then."
"Yayy!" the medic gestured like it was the most grandiose thing in history "I love to be the second choice!" she pouted and declared war on Neji and Hinata.
The teams formed under a five minutes, so Naruto's team consisted of Sakura, Ino, and Kiba. While Neji was the captain of Hinata and TenTen.
"Sorry to say this but you are destined to lose." Neji said while Shino started the game.
"Come on man it can't be so~ bad." Naruto spat putting his drink back to the table on the far end of the room.
"Really?" Shino's head nodded slightly to the side "Ino, Hinata, TenTen do you want to warm up?" the three head spun on the same minute.
"Put it on nerd!" Ino shouted while dragging TenTen to her right, while Hinata walked to her left.
Shino searched through the songs till he found the one. He knew this one was of the girl's favourites so he told Naruto to stand so he would be able to watch them from the front. He complied and watched as Hinata pushed another string of hair behind her little ear. Her smile made him smile and while he was occupied with the Hyuga the music started.
It was an upbeat song that he heard in the radio recently, on the screen a tradition Japanese house flickered to the view, and three silhouette started to move. And in the same exact moment three perfect word popped up. Naruto gulped and watched with horror as the three girl moved in the same rhythm as the people on the screen.
When they finished Shino with a slight smirk told him 'I told you so' he couldn't even open his mouth. Or if he wanted to be honest he could shout it. It wasn't just the dance of the three girls who must have already done this thousands of times. No this wasn't the only thing that made his mouth dry.
Even if he wanted to hide his eyes followed Hinata the most who concentrated on the screen disregarding him all along. Until now he didn't even realize that the girl only wore leggings with a long lumberjack shirtdress. As amazing as the fact that he knew what a shirtdress was, it was still nothing compared to the way how hungry his eyes must have looked.
So when he hid his face into his palms it was less for the foreshadowed defeat and more for the shame he felt for ogling Hinata.
His time was cut short when Shino decided the first pair, him and Neji as the captains should go first or something. As much fun this was, he just couldn't help to follow Hinata's form around, when she disappeared in the kitchen or when she lightly boxed into Kiba's shoulder when they danced against each other.
"I see what you are doing…" Sakura slurred hiding a smile when she fell next to him to the sofa.
Kiba just lifted Ino into the air as the figures on the screen.
"What…?" he felt his ears heat up, while he promptly hid his mouth behind a glass.
"You are watching someone very intently." Sakura leaned to his side putting her head on his shoulder.
"You are mistaken and tipsy…" he said grinning while patting his friends head affectionately.
Before the girl could answer Shino called him and he left the pinkett all alone on the furniture.
"The next pair is Hinata and Naruto." he said looking down to his list.
The Hyuga was already in position lightly huffing because of the earlier round was a really heavy song with many spins and jumps. She already put up her hair into a ponytail and it swayed after her.
"Aren't you tired… " he asked while the game master flipped through the songs.
"It's okay we used to do this…" she fell silent when the first accord played, her eyes snapped up to the screen then back to the ground.
Her ears and cheeks became red in an instant and after Naruto told himself how adorable that looked, he looked up to the screen himself. The song was familiar he remembered it, it wasn't from the radio for sure. No it was on one of the recordings Sakura got back in February. In this one the dancers played lovers, touching and hugging. He remembered watching Ino and Hinata play this.
The memory loaded and the redness of the shy girl hit it home. He turned to glare down a giggling Sakura and an overpowered Shino.
"We…we…we don't have to touch!" Hinata said slowing down her heart.
"Yeah right until the hand moves match it's alright right?" Naruto said scratching the back of his neck. He couldn't place it but right now that one sentence of Hinata felt like a knife. Oh and he already had stabbing wounds, but in comparison to that right now he felt colder.
"Here goes!" he shouted and watched Hinata become relaxed from the corner of his eyes.
The song started and the Hyuga imitated stealing his invisible hat which he tried to take back and here it came. They already should have touched, but just before their palms would meet both of them stopped. Hinata averted her eyes while sidestepping and following the choreography. And they resumed like this, playing it like they had a thick glass wall between them. Their improvised heart shape looked broken when their hands didn't touch but the game gave them points none the less.
Here came the part Naruto liked the most watching the girls dance. Ino would lean over Hinata's small frame and loom over while the other looks up and they make a circle like this locking eyes.
They made the circle, he loomed over her, but her eyes never met his. He could only watch red clouds form on her thin and pale neck, and before he could do anything the song went on. The song got faster and here came the rope pulling, Hinata looked up and snorted right away.
Naruto's face was turned into a funny grimace. When the girls started to giggle he grinned and they did the same again, this time he imitated a pig. Hinata was entertained and before any of them realized the swaying part came again and this time her eyes drilled into his.
For a second, because it couldn't last more, Naruto could swear that those doe eyes were filled with love and affection. But he couldn't tell for sure because he would swear that he saw a whole galaxy behind them too, with small shining stars and colourful moons.
They still were sure not to touch, both of them enjoyed the play. Faster than he liked the song came to an end he was envious of the figures on the screen, where the boy got to hug the girl. The counter was cruel, Hinata won with a mile, he didn't care, it was fun it was the most fun he had all night, heck all year. Dancing with the petite girl was mind blowing. His heart rate doubled, his palms got sweaty.
"You did it!" Sakura jumped between them, clinging to Naruto's neck.
Hinata watched them and laughed whole heartedly, thanks to Neji, they lost just by a bit, but she didn't care she had fun. She pulled the band from her hair and watched her friends celebrate.
There was no other prize then victory and pure joy.
I
They were already heading back, it became so dark and late she didn't even notice while playing. Sakura stayed with her bestie swearing that they would clean up. Kiba and Shino disappeared as soon as they left the apartment so now the four of them walked back together.
TenTen held Neji's hand and they fell into each other's pace. Hinata looked at them then she looked at Naruto-kun who was walking right beside her, his hands crossed behind his head. Whistling a song Hinata didn't know.
She smiled and calmness washed over her, before and after the dance her heart calmed down way too fast. It was never like that with Naruto-kun. She glanced up to the silent night sky, the stars were shining above them. She thought about for a moment before realizing it was the 'loser's confidence'. She was sure that Naruto-kun would turn her down. She remembered the glances he stole at Sakura back in school and tonight too.
She didn't even feel bad, her soul was relaxed and calm, and she stopped. Her hands were still in the big pockets of her coat, her fingers searched for something.
"Huh?" Naruto finally stopped realizing that the girl next to him disappeared. He turned and saw the pale girl stand under the pylon's light. Her figure looked kind of broken and Naruto could feel his heart act up again. "What? Do you not feel good?" he asked closing the gap between them.
"N..no" Hinata pulled something from her pocked and smiled up the blonde. "It's just the cookies." she said holding her palms out. Three little cookies lay there in a small see trough packaging.
Naruto's grin widened "You are the best Hinata!" he said grabbing the packet ripping it open right away. "Kiba wolfed them down right after it was officially opened!" he grumbled while the first cookie disappeared.
"Hm." she nodded. The air was clear, the streets were silent, everybody was asleep.
"These are really sweet, thank you!" his mouth was still full with the first one when he sent the second down.
"You are Welcome…" her voice trembled a bit, she gulped and the nervousness faded away again and she was ready. "Naruto-kun…"
"What is it?" he asked his voice almost waking everyone in the street.
For a long moment she didn't say anything, she breathed in then let it out, and he was waiting or her. A questioning look on his features, but he didn't hurry her. She smiled, she loved him. She loved his scent, his smile, his hair. She loved the way he loved others, the way he ran when they were kids, his loud voice.
She loved his soul.
"I love you."
Naruto froze and the light decided to flicker just to add to the dramatic/romantic atmosphere. He stared at Hinata who stood before him, hands behind her back an honest smile playing on her lips. Her eyes staring right back at him. Her voice never sounded this clear to him.
"Thank you…" he heard himself, than felt a knot form on his tongue.
Hinata bowed a bit, so he could see the redness of her ears as her hair fell forward. Then she was gone, the darkness swallowed her up.
He was sure that she said goodbye, he just knew that she must have also sent her greetings to Iruka-sensei. He knew for sure that he walked back to the nursery with the last cookie in his hand.
The only thing he wasn't sure of was, what exactly 'Thank you' meant.
AN.: Just Dance - Hey Mama! / Just Dance - One Thing
