Walking Into Love
Chouji x Hinata
Chapter 12
Sunrise It Begins
Slipping out before first light they avoided running into any of the suspected renegades. Slipping quietly up onto the inn's rooftop their chakras suppressed. While numerous trees helped to assist in blocking them from sight. They sat quietly as the sun rose over the horizon. The sun helping to chase some of the crisp autumn cold.
"It is actually quiet breathtaking." Chouji smiled over at her. He could see the anxiety behind those pale eyes.
"Yes." She whispered back. "If we weren't…" Her voice trailing off. Reaching over he gave her hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. His warm comforting hand engulfing her small cold one.
"Hinata I know we agreed to use your byakugan to follow but…" His voice pausing unsure how to phrase his next words. He knew she feared people thinking her weak, and he by no means had he let that thought cross his mind. Yet he was still worried about her over straining her chakra using her blood limit for too long.
"Chouji what is it?" Concern seeping into her voice.
"Well, I know you can only use your byakugan for so long. It will eventual drain your chakra."
He could see a frown cross her sweet face. Letting her hand go he turned his head away from her. His eyes focusing on the clouds above.
"Just promise me if that happens and we still haven't found their location. Hinata I want you to go on without me an alert the Raikage. I will continue on to find them."
"What?!" She gasped. "I am not weak…and like hell I am leaving you behind." Her voice coming out darkly incensed.
Chouji whipped his head quickly around to stare in shock . He had never heard Hinata ever use such a hard tone of voice. His ears also didn't miss the fact she had not uttered one stutter. In fact he started to realize the longer they had been traveling the less her stutter had become. Now if truth be told he was completely perplexed.
'Is this a good sign or a bad one? ' He contemplated this. He did take pleasure in seeing her so relaxed.
He began to consider this new confidence around him as a sign of having feelings for him. Then again didn't being around Naruto cause her to blush and stammer? Closing his eyes he dismissed his inner rambling.
'Oh hell… I am such a baka! As if a beautiful peach blossom like Hinata would ever consider falling in love with a big lug of a guy like me.'
Keeping his back turned to her he again pleaded his case for her safety.
"It will be even more dangerous for you if you're chakra is exhausted. Please Hinata I don't want anything to happen to you." His voice coming out soft but forceful. He again reached for her hand. Holding it tight in his.
" We either both go or no one goes. That is final!" She pursed her lips.
"Fine. "He sighed loudly throwing his arms in the air in defeat. "We both go for help if it comes down to it." He chuckled lightly. "Boy, you sure can be stubborn."
A small smirk appeared on the corner of her mouth. Chouji leaned closer but any thoughts or ideas quickly fled as they heard the sound of movement below. Activating her byakugan they waited till the large group of collaborators moved through the forest trees. Both suppressing as much of their chakra as they could while moving in pursuit.
It didn't take long to find the renegades meeting point. It seemed they were all converging into a large rock hillside.
"Possible a cave?" Chouji asked. Hinata gave him an affirmative nod.
"How many?"
"Over fifty," she replied biting her bottom lip nervously.
"Shit!" He cursed under his breath. Looking over at her he could see a slight wobble in her stance. As she crouched on the branch next to him.
"Alright let's get out of here. There is just too many and you're at your limit." He shot her a stern look before she could protest that she was fine.
"We learned all we needed. It would be suicide to go in just the two of us."
"Okay." She whispered quietly turning to leave.
"We move out quick and fast alright!"
She nodded falling right behind him. Her feet pushing as much chakra into them to gain speed.
Chouji motioned for them to climb higher. Hoping the movement through the high tree tops would aid in avoiding detection. With winter closing in most of the trees were bare or close to it.
They moved quickly along the path of the thicker coniferous pine trees. Remaining quiet became increasingly difficult as the fir trees thinned. The sparse Japanese maple trees the only way. The dry and brittle fall leaves rustling and dropping caused by the wind of their quick pace.
"Chouji!" Hinata called. Looking back he could see the five rogue nins moving in on them.
"Damn! I thought we would have luck on our side and avoid detection."
"They must be stragglers. Probably late to the meeting place, catching sight of us as we left."
"Hai! " Dropping down to motioned Hinata pass. "Hurry go! I'll hold them up."
"No! Chouji you promised me… both or none!" She screamed bitterly as a kunai flew past her head.
"Hinata just go dammit!" He shoved her forcefully forward. Nearly knocking her off the branch she stood on. Turning his back on her he grabbed his shurikens from his weapons pouch.
As a burning determination filled his senses. He was damned if he would let her be hurt. He would rather die then have anything happen to his little peach blossom. . He needed to buy some time for Hinata to escape.
Placed between his fingers he drew his hand to his chest before releasing the razor sharp weapons. His attack deadly accurate. He watched as the shurikens hit with deadly accuracy. All three hitting the dark haired rogue in the head. Sending the man to his death on the ground below. He quickly dodged behind a tree limb after a kunai bit into his arm. The blade just slicing across his left arm. His eyes followed as two more rogues moved closer planning their attack.
Quickly making hand signs Chouji released his Bubun Baika no Jutsu. Smashing two trees down with his enlarged arm and fist . Destroying the once large fir trees and the rogue ninjas who had been standing on them. All obliterated into a pile of bloody mangled wood shrapnel. Releasing his clan's jutsu his eyes fell upon a young blonde haired ninja his hitai-ate blank identifying him as free agent. Making him a dangerous ninja for hire. Luck was on Chouji's side as the rogue was extremely young. The young man seemed to be in a state of shock at the site of the mangled tree and the corpse's it bore now.
Chouji moved down to the lower branch's kunai in hand. Dropping behind the startled ninja. The man jerked quickly around. In the end his hands signs were not swift enough. Chouji's strong hand drove the kunai he held into the man's belly. His body dropping to the ground. A pool of blood seeping into the dead autumn leaves strewn on the forest floor.
Before he located the last rogue his heart froze for half a second. The wind of two kunai's soaring over his head from behind. Both hitting the dark haired nin in the chest. Blood oozed out of the man's mouth as he fell forward. His lifeless arms hanging limp over the edges of the tree limb .
Turning around in shock Chouji breath hitched to see Hinata standing there. Her long legs planted firmly in a battle stance. Two more kunai in her hands ready to be released. The wind blowing her long hair across her face. She looked like an Amazon warrior a true goddess of war.
"I…I thought I told you…" He began stammering as she placed her weapons in her side pouch. "You…you were suppose to…" Hinata quickly silenced him, pressing a finger against his lips. Her other hand grabbing his arm.
"You're bleeding." She noted calmly as she pushed up his maroon colored sleeve. Her fingers gentle applying cream to the wound. Stopping the bleeding.
"I told you it was both of us or none. We're a team remember?" She smiled at him warmly.
He couldn't help the grin tugging on his lip even though his heart was still running with adrenaline.
"Your stutter is gone." He nudged her lightly as she concentrated on wrapping gauze around his arm. Tying it in place before rolling his sleeve back down.
"Huh?" Her face moving closer as she leaned in. Applying cream to a small shuriken wound on his neck. Her soft hair brushing across his face. Again the lovely scent of berries filled his senses.
"You have not stuttered the whole time." Straitening up she looked into his eyes slightly confused before her small mouth made an understanding "O". Before dropping her head bashfully biting her bottom lip.
'Kawaii !' Filled his mind as he watch a blush move down the bridge of her nose and onto her cheeks. Dropping to the ground he bent over grabbing his discarded pack he hitched it up onto his shoulder.
"Hinata we better get moving. We need to get to the village quickly to warn the Raikage. Who knows when this little insurgence might take place?"
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Sorry I am not very good with fight scenes so please no flaming LOL
Hope you enjoyed!!!!!!