For the next few days she thought for sure he had gone M.I.A.
Naruto ran away every time she saw him. During training, he never stayed long enough in hopes that he'd miss her. Hana thought it was her imagination until she asked him about it when she got to training an hour early and he ran away mid-sentence. She ran after him, asking why he was avoiding her. He called out over his shoulder how he wasn't.
Actions speak louder than words, she yelled before stopping.
Today, she was going to get him to talk. Whether he liked it or not. Hana banged on the door before a groggy Naruto answered. A full four seconds passed until the door shut in her face, he hyperventilating on the other side. He squeezed his eyes shut when she started banging on his door again. He just knew she was, though unintentional, calling attention on herself.
"Naruto, open this door!" she yelled from the other side.
Oh man, straight to his name today. Not even getting called Dobe. Hana-chan's definitely mad now, he told himself. He called back, "No! Go away, Hana-chan!"
The flower took a step back in surprise. There were a few onlookers who became interested in the scene. "I'm going to beat the hell out of you! Uzumaki Naruto, you open this damn door right now or I'll bust it down! I said, OPEN UP!"
For sure, I'm going to die, he panicked. Closing the door in her face was so stupid! Now all of Konoha would hear them if she got any louder. He unlocked the door slowly before bolting up the wall and onto the ceiling. "It's open Hana-chan ~"
Hana kicked the door open fuming. "What's your problem?! Do you not know it's impolite to shut a door in a girl's face?! And avoid her!"
"Would you quit yelling?! The whole village has probably heard you! Are you trying for the country too?!"
Door kicked closed, he slowly descended from the ceiling. Calm as could be she waited for his feet to hit the ground then slammed him against the wall. Neither had noticed he was shirtless and neither pointed it out once they had. Hana looked like a small, feeble girl, but she easily pinned him with just one arm.
She smiled sweetly. "Now are you gonna tell me why you're avoiding me then lying about it?"
"I-I'm not…I've just been busy, honest," he began sweating profusely.
Her smile disappeared and her brow quirked. "You know, you suck at lying. You've been avoiding me ever since training. You could at least be a man and own up to hiding from me because I shamed you during training by kicking your ass so much."
"That's not it!" He realized what he did and mentally smacked himself. On the outside he gave a groan. She hadn't really thought that. She just wanted to catch him in a lie. Rotten woman.
That evil smirk he couldn't stand yet loved at the same time appeared. "So you are avoiding me? Because I have Sharingan?" His face said it all. "I knew it. You're just like Them.
Suddenly he was free, but wished he wasn't. Hana was just as mad before. There's no telling what she'd do to him now. Naruto desperately wished he could explain except he didn't know how. Every stomp heading towards the door said he wouldn't have to worry about seeing her or Sharingan for a while. It felt like he was watching Sasuke leave all over again. The anxiety swarming over him.
She already looked like him, did she really have to have Sharingan like too?
Before he could stop himself, Naruto ran to the door and flung an arm around her waist, his other arm around her neck. He stood hugging her from behind while her heart hammered in her chest.
Is this what a heart attack feels like, she wondered.
Knowing it couldn't erase what he'd done, he didn't let her go. He hadn't meant to grab her. It was like his body moved to its own accord. Both faces were pink as she asked what he was doing. "Stopping you?" Hana froze when his breath heated her neck. This was completely inappropriate. Neither moved to regain composure though.
"Really, you're an odd guy. Avoiding me then you're hugging me? Pervert."
Against her shoulder he pressed his bare forehead. "Yeah, I've been avoiding you, but not because you have Sharingan. Okay, it's a part of the reason." She tried to shrug him off, but his hold on her tightened. "I'll tell you why, but you'll hit me. Because it's stupid."
After she promised she wouldn't laugh or hurt him, he began explaining while still holding onto her, scared she would disappear once he let go.
"Sasuke was my best friend and even said I was his closest friend. But Orochimaru got him and I couldn't bring him back. He just up and left one night without saying goodbye to anyone. Hana, you look so much like him. It's...weird. When we were little and I met you for the first time, you hair was short so I actually mistook you for him. Sometimes you even act like him. Or Itachi, and that's just even weirder for me."
Should she comfort him? It didn't necessarily sound like he needed comforting, but it felt like the thing to do. Unfortunately she couldn't move. When he continued, he was still speaking in whispers. Almost as if he hoped only she heard. Not even the wind coming through a window was allowed to hear. She sat a hand on his wrist in a comforting manner. Then she leaned against him.
"Just because I resemble someone doesn't mean that I'm going to be a substitute for them. I'm my own person. Though I may be a rotten bitch at times, I like to believe I'm likable. Though I could care less if people dislike me. Sasuke abandoned his team, his village. I left Kusa, yes. But that wasn't my village. That was only somewhere I stayed; it wasn't home. Not to me. Sometimes, I don't necessarily feel like I ever have a home anymore. But I do believe this is my village. I love it here. I won't walk out like Sasuke did. And I sure won't kill Jiraiya, like Itachi killed his family. We're three different people."
"When I think about losing you like I did Sasuke, it's painful. I don't know why…I can't stand thinking you'll walk away and that you'll leave me too. It hurts."
Dammit. Vulnerable Naruto made tears blur her vision. She took a moment to let her eyes dry up. Before she could say anything in response, she spoke again. "You know…" she closed her eyes. "It seems like there's so much about you that I know, but whether you want to believe it or not, you barely know anything about me."
He didn't say anything. Not at first. "I know that you like wagashi, mainly strawberry. You hate being told you're attractive, even though you really are. You're only pretending to be cold-hearted. You're a great ninja, but when it comes down to it, you can't use weapon. I mean, sure you're good with senbon, but not so much with kunai or shuriken." He put his chin down on top of her head and closed his eyes. "You can sleep the day away, if Kakashi-sensei would let you. So I may not know too much, but I know a little. I know you have secrets. I want to know them and more about you. But that's okay. Just as long as I know one day, it doesn't have to be any time soon."
Hana could swallow her pride long enough for this moment. For this one person, she could do anything in the world. "I won't leave unless you want me to," she said quietly.
Cold found its way back as he lifted his head. "So you're ready to stay forever?"
Her breathing hitched. "Only if you promise never to hate me," she could at least ask that much in return. "No matter what you may find out about me later, down the road. Because even if you did, I would understand. But can you promise that you'll try not to?"
Naruto wondered how he could ever hate this woman. She saved his life constantly, never let anyone talk about him behind his back, and was always there for him whether it was to scorn him or just sit with him. Her presence was enough to calm him, somehow. "I can never hate you."
He was a bit shocked when she turned in his hold to wrap her arms around him. Instead of pushing anything else forth, he smiled into her hair. Obviously something was bothering her, but he knew she would talk when she was ready.
"I promise too," she spoke.
Their moment didn't last too long. Suddenly, the door flew open revealing an excited Rock Lee and dragged down TenTen. The two jumped away from each other. Naruto fell over the back of the couch while Hana fell in a heap of laundry. TenTen had seen the whole thing, even if their speed was quite fast.
The weapon expert hesitated. "A-Are we interrupting something?"
"W-What w-would you be i-interrupting?" Naruto called from over the couch.
Lee began rambling, "Well, you're shirtless, Naruto. Tani-san is a female you were just -"
"Shut up," Hana threw a pair of pants at the green clad boy. "And quit calling me that! No one in the village does, but you."
His eyes became big with hopeful tears. "Tani-chan?"
Her expression gave a deadly warning.
"Okay, Hana-san it is!"
That's good enough, she thought.
Naruto sat up on the back of the sofa asking why they were even in his home. Apparently, they were summoned for a mission by Tsunade to escort a woman to Tori no Kuni. She was a friend of Toki, the current leader of the bird country. Said, Ten-Ten demanded Naruto get dressed so they could finally leave.
Hana tossed him a shirt before standing up. "God, you live in a pigsty."
"I don't have a maid like Kakashi-sensei," he teased. He ran out while putting on his jacket, Hana running after him.
At Tsunade's office, they four met Miu, who immediately was disliked by Hana. The woman glomped onto Naruto before he was fully in the room. She cried that she hadn't seen him in so long. Hana's eyes widened while a brow twitched in anger. The flower relaxed her tight fist into a limp hand, her eyes receded to their normal size, but her eyebrow remained twitching. She wouldn't let anyone see that this bothered her. She couldn't. She's not allowed to care.
The Hokage tried not to give away anything while Naruto attempted to peel Miu off. Tsuande said aloud, "This is Miu-san. She's the woman you'll be escorting back to Tori no Kuni. Miu-san is a personal friend of the country's dono, Toki-sama, meaning you'll protect her."
"Miu-san, please…Let go," Naruto's face full of annoyance.
Lee and Ten-Ten stood arm to arm, aware of the tension filling the air. Lee politely asked for her dismissal. "As soon as Guy -" Tsunade was cut off by a man with a bold haircut wearing a bold green bodysuit stepping into the office. "Now you may leave. Guy is your team leader, Tenten is in second."
Guy introduced himself to an irate Hana, who stomped out the office behind Ten-Ten. Miu clung onto Naruto's arm as Lee was about to follow them. Shizune called him over in a whisper.
Lee was given the undercover assignment of dragging Hana away whenever she was about to go ballistic during their mission. He didn't fully understand the point of this mission, but would definitely follow through with devotion!
Entirely too quiet amongst themselves, the rest of the assigned team was forced to listen to Guy's singing. At last, TenTen poked him roughly with a kunai and he shrieked in pain. Hana laughed as Guy tried to compose himself. Lee began singing obnoxiously loud with Guy, who resumed his awful cracking.
"Ugh, if you don't stop, I'll impale every weapon I own into you!" Ten-Ten couldn't take it anymore; she ran after him with every blunt weapon she owned.
Lee quit as did Guy when she inflicted more than the necessary pain. The team leader, Guy-sensei, asked Hana about herself since he barely knew anything about her. He learned she was a highly ranked Chuunin from Kakashi the other day, he mentioned.
Miu took the opportunity to speak to Hana for the first time. "You're a Chuunin?"
"Aa." She kept her eyes straight ahead. The others glanced at them while Lee hauled her away with speed after another one of Miu's questions.
"I only meant that she's so little," Miu showed little space between her thumb and index finger.
Apart form the group, Lee told Hana she should watch what she says or does. Tsunade told him to watch over her and calm her down if she began anything with Miu or Naruto. At that she only became angrier. But only because it wasn't right for Tsunade to expect that, Hana should be more mature. Once they were together again, they took a small break from walking for Miu's sake. It was getting rather chilly and Lee was given the task of looking for firewood. After he found plenty, Guy realized he hadn't brought any matches. From Miu's side, Hana quickly blew a small flame from her mouth, startling her neighbor.
"Ah! I thought something was coming for me."
Ten-Ten smiled politely, "Don't worry, Hana only started our fire."
"Miu-san, can I ask how do you know Toki-sama," Guy asked enthusiastically.
Miu became excited and bolted to his side. "We're childhood friends! Toki-chan has always been with me! She usually comes with me during trips, but since she became leader, she isn't able to as much anymore…She always has guards with her too. It's a bit annoying in a way!"
"Would you rather her be attacked," Hana asked from her place she had taken earlier on the grass. She crossed a leg over the other and looked at her nails. Really need trimming.
Lee grabbed her for company while gathering more firewood, nervous she was going to explode.
"Dammit, Lee!"
Guy asked if she was always like that, followed by Miu opinionating that Hana didn't like her very much. TenTen lied by saying she was just under a lot of stress lately. But Hana was usually like that - reserved and a bit blunt. Unfortunately, Miu was the only one who caught onto Hana's jealous streak. When Lee and Hana returned, Ten-Ten made room for both Hana and Lee. However, Hana took her own spot by a bush. She had her back to them, she glaring at the dark green leaves.
The red-haired Miu asked Hana where she was from. Lee answered, "Hana-san lives in Konoha with us. She's been there almost a full year now ~"
Her forehead protector clearly read Konoha's symbol. Miu asked if she'd ever lived anywhere else before, Hana looked awfully familiar somehow.
"Aa," Hana poked the fire with a thin stick.
She was then asked where from. "Kusa! Toki-chan and I visited Kusa for a month when we were little! I saw you at a shop ran by someone named Tani-sama everyday. You were always with a boy. I thought he was so cute! Oh, what was his name?! I know it…I know I do! He was so cute." She blushed like a schoolgirl and sighed blissfully. "We would have made beautiful redhead babies, little gingerbread people!"
Guy laughed nervously in an attempt to lighten the mood. He began asking Hana more polite questions and with a lot more caution than Miu.
Every question seemed normal enough for answering. She informed him she was seventeen, lilac was her favorite color, and that she especially liked wagashi. Naruto joked Hana was almost like Choji when it came to wagashi. Then later came Guy's story about Lee's medicine being switched with sake. Supposedly he goes into a state where his strength is higher, but he sometimes fell asleep in the middle, and attacks anyone - friend or foe.
"Hmm, too bad. Means you can't drink." Hana gave Lee a sad look. Tenten asked what she meant and Hana said that when Kakashi gave her sake, she couldn't get enough of it. "He kept saying I'd gain a liver problem. SO now he hides it. I know it's somewhere in his room; I hear him every night rummaging through bottles. And I even found one under his bed." She grinned proudly.
Miu cocked her head. "You live with Kakashi-kun?"
Hana looked disgusted. "You add '-kun' for that hentai?"
"Should I not? He was nice when I met him and Naruto-kun. Sasuke-kun was a little rude, but Sakura-san was nice!"
She snorted. Sasuke didn't like me either, she wanted to say.
Guy remained engrossed in the thumb wrestle with Lee. Whilst he was his opponent, Guy cheered his pupil on. He even gave him tips and Lee pushed the sensei's thumb down too hard. The man struggled to free his thumb, applying too much pressure thus his thumb being broken. Hana rolled her eyes as the grown man cried.
She grabbed Guy's hand and began healing his thumb. "Big baby." Guy looked touched while he dove for a hug. Hana stopped him by pressing her hand in his face. "I don't do hugs."
"Weren't you huggin -" Hana shoved a few marshmallows into Lee's mouth as if it was nothing, a vein bulging in her temple.
"Hana-san, your necklace is so beautiful!" Miu smiled at her after seeing the jewel dangle for her attention.
The flower stuffed the item back into her shirt. Guy asked while still rubbing his reddened nose, "How can a cute girl be so cruel?"
"A man who falls for a pretty face is stupid," Hana stated.
Miu cocked her head at the crystal gem hanging from Hana's neck again. "May I please, please, puh-lease see it?! Hana-san, I'll be really careful!"
"No," Hana answered without a second thought.
"Pretty please with wagashi on the side?!"
Hana quirked a raven brow, wagashi? "What kind?"
"Chocolate!"
Yuck, she hates chocolate. "Wrong-o, so no-oh."
Hana was growing impatient with the redhead. Hers weren't the only patience running short. Naruto was annoyed that he couldn't sit by Hana because of the monkey hanging on his arm. He had his head bitten off twice already by the flower in addition. Then Lee kept hauling her away every time she was going to say something mean to Miu, who only asked simple questions. Though he only like seeing his necklace on Hana, he wanted Miu to shut up.
"You know, it might not hurt, uh, to let her see it. She would quit annoying you…."
Hana raised a brow at Naruto's suggestion. How could he tell her to give up a gift so easily? Granted he didn't know this was the actual first treasure anyone gave her after her family was killed. Just because she was given other presents on her birthday didn't mean they were as valuable as the one he gave her. It wasn't the fact that it was the First Hokage's necklace. Naruto gave a lot of thought to the gift and even asked for permission, meaning he wanted her to truly have it. He didn't just give her a box of wagashi and say "have at it."
It's why she didn't want to ever lose it - it meant a lot more to her than anything else in her belongings.
He swallowed. Maybe it would've been better to keep his mouth shut?
"You're annoying me," Hana glared.
An hour later, Miu pouted then asked to peek at her necklace. A violet glare ceased the girl from asking again. It must be special for a person to refuse my puppy eyes, the domo's long-time friend thought. Hana wouldn't let up and it seemed that Naruto made her angrier with his suggestion.
Later, Miu whispered, "Naruto-kun, could you get it? She might let you. I'll give you a year's supply ramen ~"
He perked, "Ramen?"
Tenten asked Hana for a bottle of water before they began walking to a clearing for camp that night. They started walking and along the way things intensified inside the love triangle. Miu constantly bugged Hana about the necklace until Lee asked Miu about Toki. He linked arms with the redhead and they trotted up to Guy. Naruto took his chance of freedom and walked in step with Hana. He obviously made her mad earlier with his simple suggestion. Nonetheless, he still wanted to apologize for upsetting her. He tried but Hana ignored him.
"I just don't see why you won't let her hold it," he said. "She's driving me nuts!" Still he went ignored.
Out the corner of her eye, Tenten watched Hana slip the necklace off and shoved it in Naruto's hand. "She can have it," she stalked up by Guy, earning a happy smile.
Naruto blinked at her stalking back. It didn't occur to him yet, the disappointment. If she didn't want the necklace anymore, she could have just said so sooner. Her brunette friend smacked Naruto one good time in the head with her mega scroll. "She didn't want to let Miu-san see it because you gave it to her! It's precious to her, Naruto. You should have thought about why she didn't want her to look at it. She didn't want anything to happen to it."
After Hana's birthday party, she hung out with Tenten a lot. They became fast friends and shared the same personality. She often got irritated with Lee quickly as Hana did with Naruto. Neji was easy to get along with like Sakura was. Both girls liked most of the same things and talked about many things. It was only natural that she explained Naruto gave her the First's necklace as a gift.
At her side, Miu looked towards Hana. She furrowed her brow while poking out her lip. Maybe if she told Hana she didn't like her anymore, Hana would become upset and allow her to see the necklace.
"I've decided I don't like you, Hana-san!" Miu pouted.
Hana ignored her.
Once camp was set up, the blond tiptoed past Miu in hopes of talking with Hana. Unfortunate as his luck was, Miu saw him just in time. Hana came out of her tent she would be sharing with Ten-Ten, and walked past them. He called out to her, and she stopped. Much to his confusion, it wasn't because he called her name.
Guy covered Miu as kunai came from every direction. TenTen whipped out a scroll of weapons while Hana danced out of harm's way. Naruto bent backwards matrix style in way of dodging several kunai. Lee, however, caught each weapon thrown his way.
"Peachy," Hana growled.
A muscled man came from a bush while six others came from trees. He claimed to have overheard them talking about a Hokage necklace. Hana's hand flew to protect the crystal then remembered she gave it back. She seriously wondered if they knew that as well though.
Her heart sank more as the man pointed at her. "You have it."
"Are you gonna stand there like a statue or finally come at me? Either way, I won't hold back." He stared at her heavily. "I've been watching you for a while now during your journey and I know that you have it. Hand it over and you might get mercy!"
The man smirked, signaling his man to all attack at once when she didn't give in to his demands. Guy shoved Miu into a tent before joining his team. Tenten earned a scratch from the attacker she fought as did Lee from his. Lee sent a bone crushing kick into another's spine, crippling him. He yelled an apology as he ran at a man striking for Guy as a surprise. He punched the attacker's jaw.
Naruto stood back to back with Hana as four men surrounded them. "What now?"
"Shut up. I'm not talking to you, even now."
He sweat dropped at her childishness. Two more enemies swung from the trees in addition to the first seven already there. Naruto created three clones, knowing Hana could take on her own three by herself.
Guy fought with one stout enemy that seemed smarter than the rest. Tenten and Lee double teamed another when Hana was tossed into a tree.
"Shit, that hurt," Hana stood. "This is taking too long!"
Her blond comrade knew what she was planning to use. Lightning surged from Hana's hand forming a whip, she snapped it forward and paralyzed an enemy coming from her left. A wind jutsu caught her off guard and cut her forearm. She winced while she kept hold of her arm.
Tenten punched a guy headed for her, leaving all but one man standing. The mastermind behind everything stood before Hana as the others grouped together, covering the front of Miu's tent.
"You go through such great lengths to protect a necklace. It must be worth more than I thought."
Hana straightened with ease, and wiped the blood from her lip.
The necklace cut Naruto's hand as he grasped tightly it inside his pocket. Hana saw her opponent glance at the others. Behind Naruto, she saw one more enemy they missed heading straight for him. Naruto furrowed his brows before turning to see what caught Hana's eye. Just as he did so, he felt the kunai stick him in the bicep, another in the opposite thigh. He gasped in pain. Tenten hurried over to him to help him pull them out. Lee fought the attacker until Hana yelled for him to get out of the way.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
She blew hard through her fingers and a large fireball burned his way. He rejected it though and she knew there was one way to hurry and get him out of the way.
Three tomoe revealed their selves and danced until they settled where need be. Naruto gasped before yelling her name, but the man was already screaming in agonizing pain. The thief fell to his knees, vomiting from his nerves. When she walked over to him, she didn't bother to let them recede. She ignored the calls to her, her mind bent on really teaching this guy a lesson or two about stealing from a shinobi, especially her.
"Hana-chan, stop," Naruto tried once more.
Still, nothing happened.
Lee took matters into his own hands. He grabbed Hana up from behind, her arms pinned back. She squirmed in hopes of getting out of his grasp but failed. He tried reasoning with her, but she didn't "feel like it." Finally, Tenten drew her hand across her face. Naruto sat back in shock as Hana just stared at the ground, flabbergasted. She slowly looked up at Tenten and realized her eyes were tightly shut. Hana closed her eyes and tried to recede her Sharingan, but it wouldn't work.
"Shut your eyes," she told everyone.
"Ha -" Naruto began.
"Shut your eyes!"
They all did so.
Hana calmly requested that Lee at least let go of one of her arms, and found that he let go of her completely. She held her palms up over her eyes and began to heal them. Her blue chakra emitted, surrounding them and flowing through to her sockets. She opened her eyes again and her vision changed; her violet orbs had returned. She made her way to the thief, who sat there shaking. She reached out for him before snapping her hand back. It would only scare him more. She jumped back several paces before telling them to get him up.
Miu asked whether it was safe to come out and Guy unzipped her tent.
Blue eyes searched for Hana. He wanted to reach out to her when he saw her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. All he could think about was the dark look on her face, the slight pinch of evil in her eyes. That wasn't the Hana-chan that he had grown to know. However, it was the Sasuke that he had grown to fight harder for. It was too similar to the evil expression he wore as he tried to rip off a Sound Village shinobi's arms. Like she wanted to cause the thief pain.
"He was just a thief, Hana," Guy put his fists on his hips. "He used no jutsu. Just what in the hell were you thinking?"
Hana turned to look at him. She was visibly pale - very pale, actually. He demanded an answer. She made to step towards him, but her body refused to function much more. Thankfully, Lee caught her. He gently shook her, but she didn't respond. She was just too exhausted.
Guy said it was best to change camp sites so they headed a few miles before finding a, hopefully, safer place for the night. The next morning Hana awoke not in her sleeping bag but on someone's back. Blond hair told her it was Naruto and she tightened her arms around his neck affectionately. He craned his neck to see she was awake.
Something hard pressed against her chest and she found it was the First Hokage's necklace.
"I get it now," Naruto was quiet incase she was already asleep again. "I'm sorry." She just looked at his cheek. "Oi, Hana-chan…What was that all about yesterday? Why did you -"
"I don't know." She looked away shamefully. "Can I just sleep some more?"
He nodded. She dug her face into the crook of his neck.
He smiled to himself while walking quickly to catch up with the rest of the team. Miu stood at the edge of a cliff telling him to hurry so he and Hana wouldn't miss the view. Amber eyes lit up as she looked over the village. Hana peeked over Naruto's shoulder. Honestly, Hana had never seen such a breath taking view. Every building stuck out on its own while trees were covered in birds of all different colors. The sun glared down, casting rays of light over the village.
Sitting on the cliff's edge with Lee, Hana kept a hand on her thigh, healing the wound. By the time she had the scene embedded in her mind, her thigh was healed but sore. Guy began chirping along with the bird, Lee providing back up chirps. Ten-Ten allowed a vein to bulge in her forehead while Hana laughed with Miu, really laughed.