Breaking Limits
It's been a while. For this note, let me just comment that I actually kicked myself for the sudden flashback in and out I did last chapter. Apparently, it didn't go down that well but to remain optimistic, I'll learn from my mistakes and be the better for it. Read and enjoy, everyone. Oh, and happy (one year) anniversary to this fic. It's been great. Slow, I admit, but great.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
To all readers who've been with the fic since it's very debut such as:
Ryuujin96
Maail99
Cuddly Cat
TheRazgrizDragon
Draconicmyth
mavb50
BlackFang413
Peter6517
Kmon13
Thanks a lot!
"Being an idealist is not being a simpleton; without idealists there would be no optimism and without optimism there would be no courage to achieve advances that so-called realists would have you believe could never come to fruition." – Alisa Steinberg.
35.
Hafū took a deep drink on his saucer of high-quality saki. "Of course I knew you would find nothing at all, except for the usual. From the very start, I told him that 'we shouldn't even be out at night'." The factory owner laughed out loud at this. "Ha! Look at him now! He calls me a 'yellow bastard'. Now, he's a dead one."
All of the ninjas together had collectively found nothing in the warehouse save for blood, much to Shōmō's chagrin. This particular official was against the presence of the ninjas from the start, and unwittingly placed himself on Naruto's watch-list for suspicious reasoning. Besides that, all of the genin had re-emerged from the now dank warehouse and assembled under a large tent, close by to the sole survivor of the scrum the night before. Besides the usual people who wore scowls more often than not, even the jounins expected 'better' since tracker genins like Aburame, Inuzuka and Hyuugas were present. If not those, then who?
"He deserved it," Hafū continued between drinks. The officials kept the alcohol flowing; it made the man's tongue loose to speak and relaxed him enough to tell his tale. But there was a need for moderation, or the story would blur into insanity. "He said that when he would soon be mayor-"
"Mayor?" Risaikuru asked dumbfounded, raising a white eyebrow. "He wanted to be mayor? He wanted my position?"
"Damn me if he knew how to get into the position, or why'd he want it to be honest," Hafū spat. "And then he says that my Warui, bless her soul if the man was lying, that she was going to sell out to him so he could own my factory. A doll factory? Why'd a drug dealer want my dolls, hmm?"
"Obviously a guise to hide contraband in," Naruto piped up. Most others from the other teams tried to shush him to quiet, but the half-drunk man leapt up and cried:
"Ding ding ding! Correct! The asshole wanted my dolls to smuggle his shit in!"
The other genins stared at Naruto, taken aback that he actually said something relevant and sensible. It was a long time in coming, but they still hadn't gotten used to it. "What?"
"I says to him…a big fat NO!" Hafū yelled the last. "Then he gets stubborn, then I insulted him."
"What did you say to him?" Kiba asked with a curious look, looking for insult material.
"Hmm…how old are you?" The man asked him. To which, Kiba answered 'fourteen'. The man told the disappointed boy that 'his ears were too young.' After that, the half-drunk man got metaphorical pats on the back for telling that to a dangerous man.
"Then what happened?" One of the lawmen asked. At this point, the drinking man froze up as he stared off at the trashed building where the smell of blood was king. "Hafū?"
All watched the silent man before Naruto spoke up. "I can see it in your face. They were like despicable beasts who knew no mercy. No one did this. It was a what. Maybe even plural."
"What?!" Sakura shouted. "This was done by animals?"
"The boy's right," the story-telling man mumbled. "But they weren't no regular animals. They were of all kinds of sizes, some different shades of brown, blacks, striped, spotted…but it didn't matter. There was no real difference to any of them. There was this evil sounding cackling, and then they just barged in, and attacked all of them…slaughtered them. Ate some pieces on the spot, dragged off the rest…"
It was easy to imagine the sight of some of the people there going pale with fright, most horrified at the image that their imagination were providing them, a few others getting sick to their stomachs, but all were stone-faced.
"So these ARE creatures," Shikamaru asked. "How come they attacked the others, but not you? Did you do anything special, non-aggressive to them, hide from them…"
"I didn't do any of those things. I scorned the beasts, yelled at them to go back to wherever the hell they came from, but they took their time doing their business and ignored me, as if I didn't exist to 'em."
If they weren't surprised before, everyone was now thrown for a loop. "They just ignored you?" Shōmō cried. "We must find out how you invoked such a phenomenon! You may be the answer to all of our problems! If we could recreate that ignorance of you, it could save the village!"
"Or we could still kill the beasts," Asuma reminded. To which, the important man just scoffed in a pompous manner.
"You may attempt to do so," the man said snidely, reminding the man of his previous failure. "And Hafū's description of them depicts them as possibly demons, if nothing else. What else could inflict such destruction and death in our town?"
'This town's associations with greed, lust, murder and the like invoking demons in the first place. I wonder…why would they leave Hafū alone?'
In the meantime, Hinata mustered the confidence to plant herself beside Naruto, but actually between him and Tenten in the process. The Higurashi became annoyed almost at once with the Hyuuga heiress, but she was ignored as Hinata tried to strike up conversation with Naruto.
"So what do you think, Naruto-kun? About what kinds of creatures they could be?" Hinata asked in a modest tone. "The descriptions are vague."
"Um…" The Uzumaki was well aware of the fact that Tenten looked pissed. In fact, by his 'acquired info through certain sources', he had Tenten figured to have a short fuse. A ten second one, at times. It was best to avoid trouble as soon as possible, and what better way than an introduction?
"Um, Tenten-chan, I nearly forgot." In his mind, Kurama laughed at his host for even saying the phrase, coining the fact that hinted even to the idea of forgetfulness. "I'd like you to meet my teammate, Hinata-chan." This was the first time he was calling the weapon's mistress 'chan' but it was mostly done to appease her. He could keep using it. He was sure that'd make both girls feel equal, to some extent. He then gestured to both at the same time. "And Hinata-chan, meet Tenten-chan."
"Nice to meet you, Hinata," Tenten gritted out through clenched teeth.
"A pleasure," Hinata muttered. "As I was saying-"
"Um, Hinata? I'm sure that you're a really nice person and all, so…if you would ever so kindly make some way for Naruto and I to speak freely to one another."
"Is that a polite way of telling me to get lost?" The Hyuuga bit back.
'Oh boy,' Naruto thought.
"Oh yes!" Kurama hailed. "Vixen fight!"
'Vixens? Why?' Naruto thought to the beast. 'Why're they acting like this?'
Kurama nearly blew up at Naruto for still being dense, but decided to just nudge the situation a bit. "Tell you what, why don't you just get up and scooch over and sit between the two of them." 'And so I'll get to see what happens next.'
"…" With a sigh, Naruto heaved himself up, half ignoring the stares both girls gave him and budged both aside before plopping himself between them. Still following instructions of his tailed beast, he put his arms on and around both of their shoulders. As were the Kyuubi's intentions, both girls were taken by (pleasant) surprise but Kurama didn't expect Tenten to blush quite so much. In fact…
'Holy shit. Well, I suppose I should have seen this coming, after all, she used a 'kun' suffix not too long ago for the first time, not to mention it was right after her moment of reckoning so long ago. On that day…everything went to hell…' The monstrous Kitsune sighed deeply.
Naruto could somehow sense the foreboding mood of his inner tailed beast, but didn't question it. Rather, he focused on the two girls he was half-hugging at the same time and smiled cheerfully, although he did notice that both girls were blushing quite a bit. 'Oh great, whatever bug that Hinata had spread to Haku at home, as well as Tenten.' "Enough gripe! Let's all just-"
"Tenten? Hinata-sama?" Neji butted in from nowhere. "What are the two of you doing?"
Both kunoichi's in the making nearly leapt out of their skins at the voice that both knew so well. "N-Nothing, Neji." Tenten stammered a bit nervously. Hinata mumbled something along the lines of 'mind your own business' to him, but if he heard, the stoic Hyuuga didn't pay it any mind.
"Naruto? What's the meaning of this?" Neji asked the Uzumaki now. The bond hadn't retracted his arms yet, but he didn't flush at the 'predicament' he was in.
"Meaning of what? Am I doing something illegal?" He asked sarcastically. "Something wrong with hugging? Two pretty girls at that?"
And…cue full blown blushes and a Hyuuga who was taken aback. "No. Nothing's wrong. But I'll have you know that Hinata has no prerogative to be associating with you in any fashion than a purely platonic fashion necessary for teamwork."
"And I'll have you know that my parents have given me the right to associate in any manner I please with anyone I choose, nii-san." Hinata replied in turn with a half-frown, half-smirk. "And that includes intimate relationships."
"I see. With the likes of him?" Neji spat. "This failure of a ninja I've heard so many ridiculous claims about, from his teammates making much out of nothing?"
"Whoa, whoa, I'm taking offense to this," Naruto bit out, getting hot under the collar. "Besides, I, and neither do you have any business concerning who she wants to date. If she wanted to date anyone she wanted to, no one else, not you or me, should have any problems with it."
They were certainly grabbing everyone's attention now, and it came as a half-surprise when Hinata took hold of Naruto's hand by the palm and held it fast. "Absolutely no problem?" She asked, and Naruto could tell that she said with undertones of eagerness slipping through.
"None." He reassured.
Before that continued on that course, Neji stepped forward. "That's fine, Hinata-sama," he drawled out. "As they say, birds of a feather flock together. You two are good for each other."
"Hmm?" For once since his development of all his cognition abilities, Naruto was well and truly confused and taken aback, as ridiculous and dunce it may seem to anyone who may have been viewing his life as a spectator of sorts. "I don't think I heard you properly. Could you repeat that in my good ear?" And as he said that, he cocked one head towards the cadet Hyuuga.
This only served to piss the cursed Hyuuga off, and apparently Tenten who was used to his tendencies for a long time running, had to step between him and her first (and only) friend.
"That's enough Neji," Higurashi chastised.
On the inside, Gai was mentally cheering, believing that the kunoichi of his squad was making significant progress. On the outside though, he was struggling to keep up an apathetic appearance and wandered off, but determined to stay within earshot. Asuma though, as ashamed as he was to admit it, actually wanted to see a fight develop between Neji and Naruto, just to see who would win. Not to the death, obviously, but a bit of a warm-up or something or other to see who was stronger. The 'Genius of the Hyuuga Clan', or the boy responsible for the success of two A ranked missions, and kill confirmations of several jounins (and chunin) to boot. So help him, he wanted just to see what their mettle was of…in case his own team met them in the exams coming soon.
What? He had his pitfalls like anyone else.
"Are you trying to save him face? Dignity? Or are you defending him?" Neji asked with a raised eyebrow.
Naruto eased himself around the two girls and stood before them, getting in flak's way. "You don't have to answer that, Tenten-chan. Geez, and here I thought I found someone I could talk to. Start fresh with someone who hadn't met me before," he told the Hyuuga. "Not like the people who've been my classmates for years and have me pegged for a guy who shouldn't even be playing with cardboard shuriken, much less be a ninja. But here you are, believing rumors and gossips that I am…"
"If your well-educated classmates have you off as such, I see no reason not to believe them," Neji condescended with a smirk.
"Is that the so called 'Genius of the Hyuuga' has to come up with? And here I thought that he would be smart enough to have an advanced intellect. Instead, he's nothing but a platitudinous individual."
Neji did something he had never done before. He blinked…in confusion. "Hmm?"
Naruto smiled in self-accomplishment. "Exactly. Let me dumb it down for you. You're just another stock person to me, like so many others in the village. Nothing special. And to be frank…" Naruto stopped smiling and frowned deeply. "I look down on people like you."
The air grew cold as killing intent petered out from both individuals against each other. In fact, it got so bad that Chouji tried to clear the air, getting nervous. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I didn't get any breakfast…let's all head back, huh?"
"And we'll have it…afterwards," Shōmō said quietly. "I want to see what happens."
"Is it such a good idea to have a situation like this?" Risaikuru asked Asuma not-too-discretely. "Isn't it bad for inter-team relations?"
"It might make things fester if we try to stop it," Asuma 'decided', as if he hadn't known what he had wanted already. "Let them sort it out." He now whistled shrilly to all to hear. "All right everyone! We know what we're after! We're here to kill whatever's committing the murders! I want all trackers and such to start looking for clues to try and tail wherever they went! Hustle!" He walked purposefully, keeping in mind that all were following him, save for the conflicting four. He let it go…Gai was watching them too. If needs be, Gai could step in and stop it before anything happened. Although he hoped that-
"Now then, Neji," Naruto nearly spat the name. "Please…get the hell out of my way."
Neji had no answer except to glare at the blond.
"I'm a peace loving guy," Naruto said tensely. "But don't make me have to walk over you."
Neji coughed once throatily…and spat.
…
…
Right on Naruto's shirt.
Naruto continued to look straight at him in a sort of apathy, but to his right and left, Tenten and Hinata were horrified. As they could see a smirk coming into existence on the pale boy's face, a clone poofed into existence behind him. Sensing danger, side-branch member turned sideways-turned to face whatever had caused the sound, only for two fists from either side cracked into the boy's jaw at the same time, creating a standstill effect as Neji's jaw was nearly compressed together.
As he was stunned, Naruto grabbed the boy's collar and ripped a piece of the boy's shirt and wiped off the phlegm and saliva mixture on his shirt and threw it in the Hyuuga's face. As soon as Naruto was about to walk past him, the clone was dispelled a blurringly quick jyuuken and another sent right at him at the neck. Naruto hurriedly dressed back to dodge it, but the Hyuuga would have none of it as he pushed off an angled leg to push forward to minimize distance to land his hit.
In fact, Naruto could have bitten it right there had not it been for Tenten grabbing Neji's shoulder and upper arm to stop him. It stopped Neji's fingers just an inch or two from his target, buying Naruto the opportunity to finish backing up out of the way.
"Unhand me!" Neji bit out aberrantly, before shrugging her off by flaring chakra from the tenketsu in his upper arm and pressing the offensive once more.
He hadn't realized it at the time, but what he did inflicted chakra burns on the palms, quite badly so that one might easily notice. To her credit though, she hardly made a sound and kept the pain locked up inside clenched teeth. She bore it, and could only watch as her teammate and sole friend duked it out between each other that was all hit and dodge…one trying to do all the hitting, and one doing nothing but dodging.
Naruto could feel the strain of trying to dodge the agile and infuriated Hyuuga. 'Oh boy, I'd better not piss off Hinata-chan if she can move like this. Not that I'd ever want to hit her or anything. But what did she mean?'
Focus had taken over and he remained active in battle while his thoughts had gone elsewhere. 'That conversation between them. Me? I'm nothing special. What did she mean by-' "Whoa!" Reflex took over and made him duck a palm that would have taken him in the face. "Are there even tenketsus in my face, Neji? Getting angry, are we?"
"I'll put down trash where it belongs! An orphan, a nobody at best being valued more than the cadet branch of the same clan is more than one can stand!" Neji growled out in frustration. "Hakke: Rokujuuyon shou!" (Eight Trigrams: sixty-four palms)
"No!" Gai yelled. He was about to intercept the attack when Asuma put his arm out in front of the Taijutsu specialist. "What?!"
"Let them settle this, Gai. We'll only intervene when it's absolutely necessary." Asuma watched along with everyone else as Neji began his damaging offense and after he nicked Naruto several times (those did look like lucky hits, after all,) around sixteen, Naruto became numb and unable to dodge the rest that pummeled their way into his tenketsu, soon blowing him away from the force of the final impact unto his back several feet away, his chakra sealed.
"Naruto-kun!" (x2) Hinata and Tenten-yelled at the same time in worry.
"Hmph!" Neji gloated with a half-smirk/half-scowl. "Once trash, always trash!" The moment was short-lived, however, as Naruto hauled himself back unto his feet, determined that he was just going to rough up his adversary just enough to make him learn that he had erred in his judgement of him. But as he was getting up, he couldn't help but notice Tenten cradling her hands as if she had injured them somewhat, somehow.
"Somehow," he muttered. He recalled everything to mind and remembered seeing her flinch when Neji had flared chakra from his tenketsu. But she didn't yelp or anything of the sort in pain, so…
He activated his 'Insight' ability and instantly, everything of interest stood out in highlighted silver. Immediately, he noticed that all of the rest of the rookie nine (except for Shino and Sasuke) back with the jounin-senseis were actually cheering for Neji. It's not as if they were biased against him (some probably were); they were merely cheering for the side that they believed would win.
Sasuke was uncaring either way, but why was he watching the fight with his sharingan on? Shino was just being…Shino, he supposed. But when he arrived back to his first issue of Tenten's hands, he could plainly see that they were highlighted as well. In fact, they were badly burned. Naruto didn't feel primal at that point, or angry enough to the point of inducing the effects of Kurama's chakra. Hell, even the beast's presence was silent, as if not wanting to influence his decision either way. But he was pissed. He was not afraid to admit that he had always felt an obligation to keep the Higurashi safe and free from harm; hence why so many things were done. It was all because of Tenten, and FOR Tenten. And to see her hurt just because she wanted to stop her teammate from doing something to injure him, (Naruto) when he could've done something to end the fight before it even began…
Naruto (temporarily) lost his desire to make peace. He lost his pacifism and in return, gained an uncontrollable urge to show the Hyuuga where HE belonged.
He ignored the gawking from the jounins and Hinata and Tenten and stared fully at the Hyuuga who was glaring at him. He could tell that everyone was staring at his eyes in particular, their strange and hitherto to be seen design, but he didn't care. He reached behind him and into his weapon's pouch and pulled on his resilience gloves tightly, before clenching them into fists. He hadn't had them on since the mission to Wave, but they'd serve their purpose.
"How are you still standing?" Neji bit out. "And what abominations do you have settled in your skull?"
Naruto wouldn't answer him though. His gravity seal was on 4, but he discretely lowered it to 3. When he was done here, he was going to teach Neji a thing or two about manners.
A dramatic pause swept through the area as everyone; ninjas, lawmen and important town officials watched the two genins duked it out. In fact, they would have remained like that hadn't Tenten winced in pain and Naruto grew upset, even more than he was before.
The distance between the two fighters were lessened quickly and the conflict resumed as Neji smirked at the 'stupidity' of a person taking on a Hyuuga with just taijutsu. The cadet Hyuuga thrusted a right jyuuken palm forward at Naruto but the blond half turned sideways and grabbed it at the wrist with his own right. Not wasting a single move, he finished the turn to slam his left wrist on Neji's jaw or neck, but the Hyuuga wisely lifted his left arm to block it.
In a blur of movement, Neji had his blocking hand gripping Naruto's own to trap him. Before he could capitalize on it, Naruto entrapped the back of his left leg behind both of Neji's and savagely swept it closer to him to trip the boy from behind.
It didn't work, but it bought Naruto the distraction he needed to use might to wrench his arm back from the Hyuuga and leap away from him.
"Whoa, is Naruto actually taking on a Hyuuga with just Taijutsu?" Ino amazed. "He's still standing!"
Shikamaru inched over to his sensei. "Sensei, shouldn't you stop this? This isn't just a spar; they're actually fighting."
"I know."
"Naruto is fighting a Hyuuga, sensei…using Taijutsu."
Even now, Asuma had yet to take off his eyes from Naruto, or more specifically, his face. 'What's up with those eyes? That's just…weird. I've never seen eyes like that before…'
While murmurings and the usual occurred with the bystanders and spectators looking on at the boys actually fighting, for once, Naruto didn't mind. 'People just being people.' "Neji, you pompous bastard! You burnt your own teammate! To what?! Just to try to kill me?!"
"Hmph. She should not have interfered," the Hyuuga said, secure in himself, despite the glare he was getting from his own sensei.
"Who gave you the right to judge me? To judge her? To judge anyone?" Naruto rushed him again, tightening his fists as he approached. In preparation, Neji readied himself again, although he was wondering how Naruto was actually still standing from the earlier sealing of his tenketsu.
Neji replied, not even realizing that he was making an antagonist of himself. "I'm entitled to my opinion, and my opinions of you, Hinata-sama and even Tenten are quite low-"
"Keep your damn opinions to yourself!" Naruto was at him now, and threw a feint at the boy's gut with his left, before throwing the right one at the Hyuuga's neck. To his credit, it would have worked, but Neji hadn't been called a genius for nothing; he saw through the feint easily. Deflecting the right hand, he was about to just palm the insolent Uzumaki and be done with it, but Naruto resumed the left feint by five-finger jabbing Neji in the gut, and grabbing hold, clothes and flesh in grip as well. As he pulled the Hyuuga towards him, Naruto stomped on Neji's feet and leapt upwards with a right shoulder into the pale-complexioned lad from under the chin.
It wasn't much compromise at such close quarters, but at the very least it had delayed the gentle-fist user from doing what he exceled at…besides being a person who looked down on people because of their ideals, backgrounds and other such histories.
He pissed Naruto off. He really did.
All listened as Neji continued to speak, determined to undermine the boy he was fighting to throw him off. "You've always failed. Hinata has always failed. Even Tenten, although she has tried to better herself over time. Born failures, live as failures, die failures. You can't escape it."
"I take it you were born a winner?" 'Alright, Insight keeps giving me ideas on how to beat him, but I want to beat him within an inch of his life. I suppose the tactics is about keeping him from attacking me with his jyuuken.' Re-assuming a running stance, Naruto dashed with a low center of gravity at the Hyuuga and about a meter away, leaned and fell into a slide to Neji's right that took him off guard and off his feet.
Literally.
As Naruto slid past him in the dust that rose up like a conceal, he grabbed Neji's ankle and pulled on it, using his sliding momentum as a buffer for strength. With Neji tripped up, Naruto leapt back unto his feet as Neji was just getting back up at the same time. It seemed like an effort wasted.
Neji actually chuckled grimly to himself. "Is there a reason why you chose to wallow in the dirt like a disgusting creature?"
Naruto said nothing. Instead, he slow-ran at Neji purposefully, intent on finishing this fiasco. As he closed those final meters, he glanced at all those around him and saw Tenten staring at him in particular and he nodded to her; he was sure that she noticed. Next to her, Hinata was cheering him on, and he couldn't help but think that she had come a long way from being a shy girl who kept blushing around him and…
He glanced to the other side and noticed that everyone else was still watching, but Sasuke was seemingly glaring at him with his sharingan ablaze, a frown marring his features. Deciding to file that away for later, he refocused on his fight. Within a ten-second bout, he had both of Neji's wrists gripped in his hands.
Before Neji could possibly counterattack, Naruto spewed dirt from his mouth that he had inconspicuously 'taken in his mouth' during his slide with his free hand. Alas, it was sweet revenge when he spat a half-mouthful of dirt all at once into Neji's precious eyes. Wonder how he never saw that coming? When a particular thing as an x-ray vision goes too far in depth.
"Agh! My eyes!" Neji bawled. Not missing a beat, Naruto released the grip of his right hand to curl a punch into his stomach. As he doubled over, Naruto grabbed the Hyuuga's head with both hands and slammed it down unto an uprising knee; (un)fortunately, depending on who you asked, the attack smashed Neji's nose in, stifling his cries to a squealing grunt as it started to bleed heavily.
Before he could recover, Naruto lifted the Neji up by his shoulders to make him stand up. This only lasted for a full second, before Naruto happened. Naruto happened with four punches in four places almost all at once in Neji's stomach, liver, and twice in his chest.
"Are you going to stop this, Gai?" Asuma whispered discretely to the taijutsu master.
"No," the jounin answered uncharacteristically with a shake of the head. "I'm sure Naruto knows when to stop. Besides, to be frank, Neji's had this coming."
Back to the fight, Naruto thrust-kicked Neji in his already badly hurt gut. Doubling over for the last time, Naruto readied himself for the last. With a throaty yell of utmost exertion, Naruto doubled both of his fists together in a double axe handle and recreating what he did in Wave, using nothing but pure effort, lifted his arms over his head before yelling in a rage.
"Am I a failure, Neji?! Watch me fail this!"
He brought his hands in a double-axe handle down unto the back of the Hyuuga's head, smashing him onto the ground as hard as he could in a 45' degree angle, actually sending the genius into a scorpion-slide wipeout backwards for all of three meters, raising dust and a cry that was cut short.
When the dust cleared, it was revealed that Neji was lying face down in a mound of dirt he had gouged out with his face, unconscious.
The clearing was now silent, but as Naruto glared around at everyone as if to dare them to say something, his eyes softened when they settled on the two girls who were off to the side. With a humble sort of saunter, he approached them. "Are you two alright?"
"I'm…fine," Hinata admitted.
"Errm," Tenten winced a bit as she tried to hide her burnt hands behind her. "Me too."
"No you're not," Naruto chided gently. He turned back to Hinata and queried, "did you try to heal her hands?"
"How did-" Tenten began.
"I'm unable," Hinata muttered, glancing back at her unconscious cousin.
"What do you mean, unable to? I've seen you heal burns, Hinata-chan."
"Naruto-kun, it's fine." Tenten looked at Hinata funnily before beckoning to her. "I need to-" For the first time, she took notice of his eyes and their black & white cartwheel design. "What's up with your eyes?"
Naruto didn't even get a chance to respond before all the rest of the others caught up to him, mobbing him in from all sides, as if they were penning him in.. Or…most of them, anyway.
"Naruto won!"
"I can't believe it!"
"Whoa!"
"Naruto, what's up with the funny contact lenses?"
"*Munch.* Is that a dojutsu? *Munch*"
Asuma and Gai had that reasoned to be the truth when they saw the lad's eyes, but no one had approached Neji to see if he was alright.
"C'mon guys, I need some space-" Naruto spoke up, but was interrupted.
"You fought a Hyuuga with just taijutsu and a cheap shot and won? Damn!"
"Please, excuse me-" He tried again but failed.
"Dirty cheap shot! Ha! Get it?!"
"Get out of my way!" Naruto roared. Without even waiting for his demand to be granted, he barged through and past everyone in his way with a sudden ferocity and strength. In his current nature, he stomped away in a fit, before he dashed away in a huff. As soon as that chapter came to a close, Shikamaru made an observation, in the form of a question.
"Um…where's Neji?"
The cadet branch Hyuuga was gone as well. No one had even seen when he was going, but as certain as certain could be, he was gone.
=X=X=
Haku's day was developing normally. After a morning of ensuring that the house was spotless, then some breakfast, she finished it off with a cup of black tea. As she sat there in the kitchen, she couldn't help but wish for some company.
"It wouldn't hurt not to be specific," she mumbled to herself. "I miss Master, even though it's been such a short period of time. I wonder how he's been keeping up?"
She felt a bit disquieted as she asked herself this, almost as if she got a spell of a premonition. She shook it off after a brief bout and started washing dishes, although few they may be since it was just her. 'But despite all of this, do I feel any sort of romanticism with him? I'm sure that the 'kiss on the cheek' thing was just a joke, I'm sure, I'm sure, I'm sure.'
Haku knew that at that point when he asked, she felt exceptionally daring, although she was afraid to. How could she not, especially after what kind of life she'd led? She wasn't a normal, teenage girl; she was a kunoichi, a damn good one at that too, if her history with Zabuza had any say in any of it.
"And then Naruto came along…"
Ah yes. Normal teenage girls lived like normal teenage girls. Teenage kunoichis lived like teenage kunoichis. Normal teenage girls had hormones. Haku? Well…
"Damn hormones," Haku muttered almost angrily to herself as she finished up the dishes and withdrew to her room to put on proper clothing to go out in. "They did say that absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Shortly at the halfway point; that is, unclothed and ready to put on the next set, her eyes returned to the bed and a thought came to her. A naughty one, by her standards.
She had never done it before she came of age at her parents house, but she would unwillingly admit that she had done the deed while under Zabuza's tutelage. Certainly not while he was around, but he wasn't always breathing down her neck. But certainly not on a bed as comfortable as the one she was currently eyeing.
She actually deliberated with herself for a full two minutes before deciding not to.
"I dare not to defile the bed…"
The bed seemingly called out to her, and she so badly wanted to. It was a perfect opportunity; her master was out for a week or more, all alone in a big house and that bed. That now thrice damned but oh-so-comfortable bed was practically yelling-
"You know you want to!"
"No I don't!" Haku hissed to the bed, almost as if she were crazy. Absentmindedly, she could feel her heart-rate quickening in tandem.
"Well, you're only in your panties; I can see that your nipples are hardening! What do you have to say about that, huh?"
She looked down tentatively. In her frenzied mind, she didn't stop to think that she was going mental, arguing with a bed, for Kami's sakes. Well, she instead yelled at the bed that it was a perve while blushing heavily.
"Is that so? Fine. Who am I thinking about this time?"
The bed actually stammered in speech. "Um…well…just fuckin' do it already!" And then the bed, Haku would swear later, the bed jiggled a bit.
With nary a second thought, Haku went streaking out of the room to get to the shower, actually going to the point of using her powers to nearly freeze herself to death.
…
Anko peeped over the windowsill to Haku's bedroom. 'This 'servant' girl's got some quirks. Was she actually arguing with her bed whether or not she wanted to masturbate? She might as well have done it and get it done with. Or actually doing the guy she wants, she's got the looks for it.'
She let herself fall down silently and ambled off into the town. 'I wonder who though?' She thought a bit and snickered to herself.
"Heh heh. Probably the so-called 'transformed' gaki. Life in Konoha certainly got more interesting for the village pariah...besides me of course."
=X=X=
Naruto was far away from anyone he knew, back in the commercial part of the town. 'What a day.'
He was seated on the sidewalk in front of a building he knew nothing about. It was just him (Kurama was meditating in the seal, his presence and consciousness was elsewhere) the bustle of people passing him by in and out of the establishment, he didn't know what to do first.
He wanted to continue fuming about Neji's prerogatives, he wanted to head back to where he had left him and thrash him some more, if he wanted to just be there for the girls like a comfort medium, like an emotional tower of support, wonder how he felt about the two of them, try to figure out why Hinata was 'unable' to heal Tenten, why-
"Hey kid, you're in the way of honest folk!" A gruff voice exclaimed angrily. "Ge' away from 'ere!"
"Hmm?" Naruto turned to the speaker. Said speaker looked like a stereotypical bouncer-like person in front of the doorway, while Naruto sat on the edge of the verandah designed entry way. Apparently, his presence was inconveniencing people who wanted to pass by him. "Oh, sorry."
"Yeah, yeah. Go loiter somewhere else!"
The man's tone carried massive hints to him of how he used to be and was still treated back in Konoha. He couldn't help but feel like he was pumping a lot of energy, time and resources into a village that neither appreciated it or him for it. Then again, if they knew what he had done, would they have thanked him? More than likely, it would have been repaid by several arsons, and what had actually been helping the village to get back unto its feet as a crutch would have been destroyed, leaving the village in shambles again.
"You still here, brat?"
With a sigh, Naruto heaved himself up and ambled off, deciding to avoid trouble. But he had no real destination in mind. 'What the hell is up with Hinata-chan? It's almost as if she resents Tenten. I wonder why? Hmm…and what was she saying? What was Neji saying?
"No. Nothing's wrong. But I'll have you know that Hinata has no prerogative to be associating with you in any fashion than a purely platonic fashion necessary for teamwork."
"I can understand that, Neji-teme," Naruto relented to himself with a mumble under his breath. "That would be more professional, but why would he say it like that? Think. What did Hinata answer?"
"And I'll have you know that my parents have given me the right to associate in any manner I please with anyone I choose, nii-san. And that includes intimate relationships."
'Hmm…nothing concrete there, but…' Naruto felt something like a shovel clout him on the top of his head, almost like a Godsend way of knocking sense into him. He decided to bear through it an continue to recall.
"I see. With the likes of him?" Neji practically spat the words at him. "This failure of a ninja I've heard so many ridiculous claims about, from his teammates making much out of nothing?"
"Whoa, whoa, I'm taking offense to this," he had answered heatedly. "Besides, I've no business concerning who she wants to date. If she wanted to date anyone she wanted to…"
He had had a bit of a surprise when Hinata took a hold of Naruto's hand by the palm and held it fast. "Absolutely no problem?" She asked eagerly.
"None." He had answered.
"That's fine, Hinata-sama," Neji said nastily. "As they say, birds of a feather flock together. You two are good for each other."
Then Naruto felt that sensation of a Godsend shovel smacking him in the head again. "Ah! Damn it! How dense could I have been?! All of that just went clear over my head and I was just standing there?! How long has this been going on for?"
He got no answer, and he had no idea if he should be relieved, so that he couldn't be shamed, or angry (at himself) for not seeing this sooner. 'Kami. This has got to be the biggest thing to happen to me since manifesting these abilities… No. To be able to say I took it upon myself to ensure the village is taken care of?... No. Meeting…Tenten-chan?' A light blush crept into his face, recalling how he used to have to care for her…particularly in the ways of hygiene (cough-bathing-cough).
It was probably for the best that he hadn't gone through puberty yet at the time, but now he was post that stage and he was 'blessed with memory-recall'. It was easy to remember her then, and piece together how she looked like now.
Not that he was trying to. He just couldn't help it. Absentmindedly, he felt a heat spread through his loins and since he was in public, he did what he usually had to whenever times like this came about.
He sat in the nearest bench…with one leg angled over the other. Needless to say, it was painful, but necessary in order to hide his growing erection.
'Maybe meeting…Hinata-chan? The botched defense of her and those bullies. I-…my memories keep bringing her up and…huh. She was cute back then too, huh?'
Unbeknownst to him, Kurama's presence had returned, eager to share news of Nariwa's latest achievement but was interrupted by the boy's thoughts. He was about to speak up but as he listened, he realized that Naruto had finally realized the Hyuuga heiress's feelings for him. 'Goddamn, my container finally grew a brain, despite boasting of having one the size of Iron Country. Heh. I knew he would finally realize…' The beast chanced a look to the tree of the mindscape where he had etched the date when he first decided to let Naruto figure it out. Staring at the date for a while, he decided to speak up.
"Oi, gaki!"
Caught flat-footed, the Uzumaki fumbled with his thinking for a bit, trying to think of anything else but the Hyuuga kunoichi. In his blunder, he started thinking about Fu and Haku in the kinds of memories that a boy would think of, trying to figure out if a girl like him in 'that sorta way' or not. Needless to say, Kurama was relieved. It'd been too long. Far too long.
"Egh hem. Yessss, Kurama?" Naruto asked aloud, trying to sound as innocent as possible.
"Goddamn it, brat! Don't act like you weren't thinking about the girls! YEEESSS!" The Beast howled. (1) "It's been a whole damn year! And here I was, wondering what the hell was Kami thinking, making a guy as smart like you but had the emotions and common sense of a lifeless rock! YEAAAHHH!"
"Huh?" Was Naruto's most intelligent answer. "What're you talking about?"
Kurama quickly brought Naruto up to speed about he had keeping track of Naruto's cluelessness. Hell, even the other members had known about it through gossip, and yet still the main was oblivious. It was even present from the very day he helped the girl (Hinata) in the first place.
Naruto blinked in confusion. "Then why the hell didn't you tell me!" He roared out loud. Passersby regarded the thirteen year old boy sitting on the bench in confusion, worry, interest and skepticism and Naruto had the decency to feel a bit embarrassed for acting up. He soon turned this into rage as they were staring incessantly and he let them know that he was aware.
"What the fuck are y'all looking at?!"
They quickly averted their gazes and their steps quickened away from him and he turned back to his beast. 'I've been going through this kind of crap all this time, wondering if anyone cared about me, and you kept it from me as a joke? You had to let me find out for myself?!'
"Yes," the Kitsune deadpanned. "Don't blame me, blame whoever decided to focus more on drama and action in your life than romance." (2)
'You're blaming this on Kami?'
Kurama shrugged again in his cage. 'It was funny. Besides, you and I both know you're trying to vent anger on me instead of on yourself for not realizing it sooner.'
…
=X=X=
He walked confidently to the same building he was practically chased from. The bouncer-like man was there, and frowned when he saw him. "Oi, young blood! Didn't I tell you to clear outta here?"
Naruto purposefully approached the entrance. "Step aside, please. I'm here on business. I've been looking for a bank since yesterday."
The man raised a questioning eyebrow. "It's always been here. You're not from around 'ere, are you?"
"No. Now lemme through."
"No." The man said immediately. Naruto shook his head and proffered his hand to gesture that he wanted to shake hands.
"That's fine." Both of them shook hands, and the guard was pleasantly surprised when he pulled his hand away to reveal a yellow coin there.
"Is this…gold?" He looked it over carefully. "Hot-damn. Hold on, is this a bribe?"
"No." Naruto shook his head quickly. "It's to show that I too, have the means to do my business here. Now hand it back. If you take it, then it'll either be a bribe, or stealing."
The boy had a point there, and the man told him so. "That's true. Go on in. And make sure you get your right pricing, 'cause to be frank…" he leaned over to Naruto and gestured for him to come closer so he could whisper to him clearly. "Some of 'em bankers are just crooks." He then handed the coin back to the Uzumaki.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Whistling, and with a spring in his step, Naruto marched in, intent on getting his money's worth of gold.
=X=X=
"They were stubborn, but thanks for telling me. I didn't get a bad price, but it's slightly lesser than I've gotten before."
"You do this often?" The bouncer asked, baffled.
"The source is dry," Naruto said carefully. "So no more prospecting for me. That chapter of my life is over and done with. This area is…I'm going to be frank…your economy sucks."
"Aye, it does." The man agreed. "The town's gone to shit. Druggies, whores, corruption, backstabbin' betrayers, now these murders have started up again. I dunno why I ever came to this place."
Naruto was tempted to say that it was more than likely a supernatural creature killing the people, but what good would that have done? Not much. "I'm sorry to hear. You should get a weapon, y'know, so you can defend yourself if anything should happen." This was his way of instilling a sense of security.
"I can barely make ends meet, how'd I get a wep?"
Naruto reached into his pocket and handed the man some money. "Get yourself a cutlass or something."
The man stared at the money. "I…I can't take this and sleep well tonight." He tried handing the money back to Naruto, but the adolescent refused.
"Nah, it's cool. I can afford to give you that."
"I haven't earned it. Besides, that's three times the cost of a cutlass."
"Tell you what," Naruto decided at last. "You can earn it by pointing me out to the nearest-"
=X=X=
It was now nightfall, and everyone was in their rooms. Awake? Of course they all were. From the jounin who looked expectant, as if waiting for Naruto to try something (charitable) and catch him in the act, to the genin who were up discussing the fight between Neji and Naruto, to a pair of kunoichi who sat next to each other by the window for privacy, quietly conversing.
"He said you could heal burns," Tenten muttered. "So why couldn't you help me with mine?" She held up her hands and gazed upon her inflamed hands. "I can't believe Neji did this, but I just don't understand why you can't heal my hands. You haven't even tried."
Hinata didn't say anything, afraid that her voice would betray her. A sideways glance from the weapons mistress told her that the girl looked thoughtful, and this raised concerns. "It's not that you can't, is it? It's because you don't want to."
Hinata remained silent.
"I can get that you don't want to, even though I don't understand why. It's like ever since that you met me, you've had it in for me, but I haven't done anything wrong by you."
Hinata was tempted to tell her to go and kill herself, anything to stay out of the way of a relationship with 'her Naruto-kun' but the reality of which that Tenten received the chakra burns trying to help Naruto. After this epiphany, she could merely sigh in relent.
"Gomenasai, Tenten. You're right. It is that I didn't want to. Please give me your hands." She motioned to the bun-haired girl to lay her hands across so that she could heal them. Higurashi did so very hesitantly, fearing that she was going to do something adverse but persisted anyhow.
Going through the handseals for the Shosen, Hinata then began the process and as soon as she did, Tenten felt a pleasant cooling sensation. In the meanwhile, the two girls continued their conversation.
"I was…being jealous of the closeness the two of you shared. I wanted something like that between Naruto-kun and I for so long and you just came one day and the two of you were like old friends, even more than that to me, even."
"We do go back a long way," Tenten confessed. "He used to take care of me. It's-…complicated. Ow!" Tenten felt a pain sear through her burnt hands and eyed Hinata carefully. "Did you do that on purpose?"
"To be honest, I did do that more forceful than necessary."
"You know, before my dad died, he used to tell me that men don't go to barbers who don't like them. I think something like that applies to here, don't you think?" (2)
"Gomen."
"Anyway, we were just catching up. Besides, if you like the guy so much, why don't you just tell him?"
"I came so close to telling him so many times and I unintentionally dropped hints about this, but a certain…fox," Hinata said carefully, looking for adverse reactions, "told me that he was dense about things like this."
"I know what you mean," Tenten consoled. "I know about that fox, too."
"…" Hinata nodded. "But every time I wanted to just yell it to him, I got cold feet."
"I'm sure he'll finally figure it out after today. What with the way you and Neji were carrying on."
The Hyuuga heiress looked away. "I dunno. He still mightn't get it. But if he does, I don't think I would have wanted it that way though. I wanted to be able to tell him to his face."
After a few minutes of silent healing, Tenten got a 'brilliant' idea. "Tell you what," she grinned; a naughty looking one at that. "Why don't you get some practice?"
=X=X=
Naruto finished his penning and folded the card and carefully tied with string as an accompanier. He was hoping that he could gift her tomorrow. The selections he made took a lot of time, but he hoped it'd be worth it.
"Naruto, what're you doing? Where've you been since you left this morning?"
The Uzumaki turned carefully to address the voice. "Oh, hey Shika. I'm just…getting along fine."
"Who's that that bou-"
"It's not your business to know!" Naruto insisted, trying to keep everything hush-hush. "Why don't you just go back to sleep!"
"Naruto…it's one in the morning. Shouldn't you be asleep too? I mean, damn, you just tip-toed in a half-hour ago, for Kami's sakes."
"That woke you?" Naruto asked, perplexed.
"No. The smell of that laven-"
"Shhh! Fine, I'm going to bed!" Naruto fumed silently at being caught in the act of doing whatever the hell he was doing. After placing it carefully in a seal, he dropped the seal on the dresser and hurriedly changed into his sleeping garb and took to the last futon on the floor. "Why'd you be concerned over me, anyway? Last I checked, sleeping was high on your list of priorities, whichever, whatever and whenever."
"So I take it you are doing something you're not proud of?"
"I'm doing something I don't want you all to be aware of."
Shikamaru sighed long and deep, resolute not to fall asleep just yet. "The difference between the two is about as big as the width of a strand of hair."
"Why do you have to know what I'm doing?" Naruto queried, getting impatient. "Is it more important than sleeping to you?"
"Naruto…I know that you wouldn't consider me a friend. Think of me as an associate who's concerned for your well-being… that and the fact that you made an enemy of Hyuuga who can kill you with just a touch while you sleep. Don't you want someone to watch your back?"
"I can watch my own." 'I've even got a nine tailed biju named Kurama watching my back. Do you think you can match that?'
"You tell him, gaki!" Kurama shouted before butting out again.
"Fine. But uh, have you seen Neji before you came back. The guy came back at dinner time with a broken nose and more than just a few cracks in his head. He's laid up."
"He's had it coming. Hinata-chan used to tell me about him and needless to say, she was not exaggerating. She still has hopes that he can change his snobbish ways but I wouldn't look too much into that."
"Naruto…" Shikamaru said with a yawn.
"Yeah?"
"Goddamn, you're strange."
And with that, Shikamaru turned to face the wall away from a sweat-dropping Naruto, and went to sleep. Naruto, seeing no reason not to do the same, did as well, lying on his back.
=X=X=
"C'mon, Hinata!" One girl hissed to another in a scream-whisper. "Don't you chicken out on me!"
"Ano, I think I'm going to…pass out…"
The first girl rolled her eyes. "Damn, what a drama queen. Just get your ass inside before I kick it inside for you."
The second girl hesitated, making the first one fume. "Alright, I'll go in first so that you'll know it's safe." Tenten climbed up to the window by walking up with the aid of chakra and eased the lattice windows apart. The second it did, there was the sound of a creak and a twitch before Tenten let herself inside.
"Hmm…They're all sleeping." She murmured. She quickly reached her hand outside and helped Hinata inside. "See? It's safe."
How safe were two girls who just broke into the room of four guys? Not very, and Hinata told her so. "Let's just do this and leave."
They crept around the futons to Naruto's at knelt at his either sides at the chest level. "Aw look at him," the Higurashi noted. "I never really got to appreciate looking at him asleep like this."
"You used to see him while he slept?"
"Long story. It's…well," the bun-haired girl looked thoughtful. "On a level of just looks, yeah, he's a handsome guy by any sensible girl's standards. Just look at him; his jaw's almost completely squared now, I'm not even seeing any baby fat on his face and the whiskers…" Tenten's eyes widened as Hinata's own glazed over as she reached out a hand and started stroking Naruto's whisker marks back and forth tenderly.
"Mmm…" Naruto moaned a little as he seemed to lean in towards her soothing hand like how an animal would press more into a person's hand that was giving them 'sugar'. To Tenten's astonishment, Hinata started using her other hand to start doing the other side and before she knew it, it was like she had Naruto leashed to her gentle hands.
"I can't tell who's enjoying it more, you or him," Tenten whispered worriedly. "You gonna quit that before he wakes up and just talk to him instead."
Hinata who had apparently retreated to her own little world came to, and blushed fiercely. "I…I've always wanted to do that, gomen." 'Talk about role reversal.' The act must've have given her a new kick in the pants as she no longer felt worried. "Are you finished?"
The Higurashi shook her head as she turned to the sleeping blond. "No. But anyway, I don't know how I have you off as, Naruto-kun. I don't know if I love you like how you like a boyfriend like Hinata, or even like a brother, or hell, even like a father. Weird huh?"
Naruto, of course, said nothing.
"And now when I think about it, I feel like you've still been taking care of me over the years. How, why, when and where, I don't know. While I might object to it because it might be excessive, I want to say thanks. Thanks, Naruto-kun…a whole lot. I love you a whole lot."
Hinata didn't know how to react to that, but she remained silent as Tenten continued. "I don't know why or how, I just know that I do. Okay, Hinata. Your turn."
Hinata hesitated only once before she started. "I've known you a long time, Naruto-kun, but even I still can't figure you out completely. In time, I hope to do so. I admit to…stalking you," she glanced to Tenten who nodded to her to 'don't stop'. "And it's how I've gotten to learn so much about you. You're always helping people, saving people, feeding them, always on these goodwill missions to them. Even on your missions, you were always doing this…In Kimyō Town, Nami no Kuni or even in your own home village. I used to see you as your alter-ego with the mask and hood on, helping people when the Leaf was in hard times."
"You knew about that?" Tenten asked, baffled.
"I was following him, and I have the byakugan," Hinata whispered back as if it was obvious. She then looked back down again at the sleeping blond. "You've even helped me back then, and sometimes when I sleep, I feel like I remember you helping me even before that, back when I got kidnapped. My parents described the stranger who saved me, and when I look at you and remember your alter-ego, I keep thinking that it's you. In mind's eye, the two of you look so much alike. But you would be around six years old then, so I guess that doesn't make any sense." She laughed embarrassedly at this. "Ever since you stood up for me and even willing to take punishment for it against my wishes, you…" She inhaled and exhaled purposefully. "You've always had me in your consideration, when arguably, I didn't deserve it. I was somewhat better off than most people, but that was in a materialistic way. You've held my heart for so long and have done nothing but win my admiration, adoration and love for you. Your qualities, even in your self-claimed faults, caring, kind, considerate and passionate about doing the right thing…it might seem foolish to just entertain love on just seeing these qualities of you at our 'tender-ages', but if not now, when? If not you, who? If not here, where? If not like this, how? If not for reasons like this, why?"
Naruto said nothing as he was sound asleep, but Tenten noticed that he was smiling. Perhaps what was being done was passing into his dreams, if he was having one. But she positively, did not expect Hinata to fully lean over and kiss him fully on the lips. It was only a peck, but it was just as well. He was asleep, after all; no need to wake him up.
The two girls heard the sound of someone clearing their throats very audibly and it rattled them badly as they turned to face the instigator. It was Shikamaru, and he regarded them with interest. "Mornin' you two."
"Shikamaru?" Hinata felt a blush creep from the top of her head right down to her very toes. "How long have you been awake?"
"Ever since Tenten came in and brushed across my ninja-wire tied to my hand and yanked it, waking me up," Shikamaru said in all seriousness, making Tenten face-palm herself, recalling the sound of movement. "I saw and heard everything."
"Aw geez." Tenten cursed under her breath. "Well?"
"Calm down, you lovebirds. Damn, love is so troublesome, I don't care if I die a hermit if it's going to be so damn complicated. I just wanted you to know that Naruto has something that's probably for Hinata in a seal in the dresser. Don't forget to lock the window when you leave; you're letting in a cold draft." With that, the pineapple-headed youth just went back to sleep, muttering 'mendōkusei' as he did.
"What just happened?" Tenten puzzled as she turned to face the Hyuuga. "Anyway, Hinata, are you going to check out-" She sweat-dropped as she realized that she was already at the dresser and was already removing the seal. "Um…Hinata? Don't you think you should wait to see if he gives it to you or not?"
The blunette looked like she very badly wanted to see what was inside. "But even if I don't, I'll just stress about what it could be?"
Tenten shook her head as she got up and wrested it from her. "No. It'll be way more special if he gives it to you. Let's just go back to our room before we get caught."
Hinata stood there for a long while before finally relenting. "Alright. Let's go." Hinata put the seal back and was first to exit back through the window. "Are you coming?" She whispered.
"Coming." Tenten waited until she was sure Hinata was out of sight before taking out the seal again and unsealed it's contents. In a puff of smoke, the items were relinquished in her palm and Tenten felt mixed emotions about what it was.
It was a gift; a marvelous bouquet of purple and white lilies with lavender gracing all around the edges. In the very center, a single red rose was set for all to see. The plastic that had wrapped everything together was nothing to sneeze at either, as it appeared to be of the best degree and patterned with the words 'ALL FOR HER'. Attached to it was a card and Tenten needed no encouragement to open it. It was simple, it was profound, it was…a haiku.
Thanks, Hinata-hime,
I feel very much honored.
Hope to love you too.
Tenten let a single tear fall as she sealed everything back and placed it all where she found it. Without a word, she crept back to the window and was about to leave when she turned to gaze at Naruto's sleeping form.
'It feels like I just gave away the best thing in my life.'
And that was all as the window was closed and all was normal again in the night, save for a distant scream that if anyone heard, tried to ignore…
And that's it. After a whole year, we finally have a beginning for to start some fluff for Naru-Hina. Yeah yeah, you can try to lynch me and all that. Just tell me what you thought!
1- Obviously a fourth-wall breaking example of the story being a year old, and as such, how long Naruto has been oblivious of Hinata's feelings.
2- Obviously a fourth-wall break that hints to the fact that a (writer) is controlling Naruto's life.
3- Hey, it's a rule of mine. If you don't like the barber and he doesn't like you, don't sit in his chair and the guy has a razor. Best case scenario, you get a buzz haircut that gets you heaps of socially crass insults or worst case scenario, you get your throat slit.
[Also, as a side note, I don't know how many of you know or care, the Kickass Torrents website owner got arrested. If you use the site, then you know that kat . cr isn't working. A new mirror website is up (they're trying) and it's kat . am. (Just remove the spaces between the dot and the words.) Once there, could you just sign the petition? I'm just doing my part of advertising the petition. I mean come on, doesn't the governments of the world have better things to do than trying to shut down torrent websites? Feeding people, ending bias on social classes, education, healthcare and what not? Come on.]
Anyway, that's it. Sorry for the late chappie and all. It was just sitting at 5k for the longest while, and in the meantime I kept going back to updating other fics. It wasn't writer's block, it's more like Living Twice held a wee bit more interest with the phenomenons I had going on over there.
Valete omnes,
The Epc Wn, MRAY 4 THE WIN, MRAY 4TW, whichever and whatever.