Can anyone give me any good DeiHina fic? Or NejIno? I want to read one... pretty please.
By the way, I don't know what is the matter with me but I deleted the first draft of this chapter. I am not satisfied with it because it seems unrealistic. That's why it took me long before posting this one. Hope that this one's a little better.
Oh… I wrote a DeiHina short story (Just three chaps actually…pretty short for I am planning a long story for SasuHina). But you might want to give it a try?
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
-o-o-o-
Chapter Thirty Six
Seven months later…
Hinata frowned as she looked down on Gaara's red hair. With her bulging stomach getting in the way of her vision, it was that all she could see of her husband who was at the moment, kneeling in front of her and tying the laces of her sandals. In her condition, she can no longer do trivial things to save her life, so Gaara has to do it for her.
He was very nice about it.
"How do they look? I mean my feet." She asked good-naturedly. Kankuro had teased her a few times that her toes looked like small beets. "Do they look like a pumpkin?"
Gaara stood up. "No."
Hinata's mood instantly lightened. She was getting pretty large and a small part of her mind tells her that Gaara might not like her anymore. So maybe, she doesn't really look too bad. When she voiced her worries out to Temari, the fan woman said that it was just the hormones kicking in. "Really?"
"Yes. They look more like little sand gourds."
Hinata's smile was erased from her lips and she pouted. Little sand gourds! She could just imagine how her plump feet looked. It was so frustrating… and to top that, none of her clothes could fit her right now. Some did, but she looked like a stuffed animal.
Gaara sat down beside her. "You don't look…pleased." He was wondering if he tied her laces too tight. "Or are you hungry again?" His wife was an enthusiastic eater these past months, and he sometimes worries for the baby's sake. What if she eats too much and drowns their child with food?
Hinata looked away. "W-why are you asking me if I'm hungry? I… I did not say anything about food." She doesn't know why she was offended about such a trivial matter but it just happened. She was like a container of mixed emotions and she can't control them. "I… I did not say I'm hungry."
Gaara nodded knowingly. He had seen this happened before, or to be exact, six weeks ago. They were ready for bed that time and he hugged her, murmuring sweet nothings. She had been happy then, giggling and giving him playful kisses in return. But when he said something about her being very beautiful, she suddenly cried.
She cried, muttering about being ugly and overweight and that he was just saying those things because of pity.
He felt bewildered then, and for a brief moment of confusion, he wondered if she lost her memories again.
(f) He looked at her incredulously. "I mean what I said."
"But why did you say that I'm beautiful?" Hinata wailed.
"Because you are." He replied honestly. Hinata was clutching their bed covers to her chin now, covering her body in a panicky sort of way. Her tears were streaming in large drops and he looked at her, puzzled. "That is the truth."
"But I'm so big!"
"Yes you are."
Hinata wailed even louder.
"Is that the reason why you're crying?" He asked, crawling nearer to her. When he did, he noticed that she edged farther from him like he was actually the bad guy. Her gesture made him frown. He doesn't want her to cry like this. He has to make her stop."Because of your weight?"
"You are going to attend a summit t-tomorrow…and….and you're wife is so big w-while the kunoichi who are going with you are so thin!"
Gaara blinked. Never in his life have he heard Hinata mutter such nonsense. It was amusing but also very alarming. Temari once explained to him the mood swings pregnant women tend to have… so maybe this outburst has something to do with it. Unfortunately, he never thought that it was going to be so…so confusing.
"Are you…jealous?" He asked, noting that it was the first time that he was able to actually use that word. Weirdly, he felt good. Hinata just vocally declared that she doesn't like him going with thin kunoichi. To him, it was some sort of expressing her feelings. "I can't let you come with me in your state. You know that."
Hinata sniffed.
"Stop crying Hinata." He reached out and wiped her wet face with the back of his hand.
"I'm so fat." She continued to sob, pulling away from him.
"Yes you are." He told her honestly.
To Gaara's surprise, Hinata gave him a look. It was the first time that she glared at him and he did nothing but stared back, impassive but very, very puzzled. She then pulled the covers away from her and tried to stand up from bed with her chubby legs. It was a feat and he helped her instinctively.
She pushed his hands back, gave him another look, and padded out of the room in all of her pregnant glory.
A few minutes later, he found her inside the kitchen with a plate of cookies on her lap. She was sitting crossed-legged on the sofa, looking exhausted and depressed. It was already late and he really wanted for her to go to bed and sleep.
He marched towards her.
She looked up with teary eyes.
"Are you still angry with me?" He asked.
"I'm sorry." She suddenly wailed. "I don't know what's gotten into me. I… I d-don't mean to be like that Gaara. I'm so-sorry. I'm just… I'm just so tired and m-my back hurts and… and I've gotten so large…" She hiccupped and he sat beside her. Took the plate from her lap—in truth, he just wanted to divert her attention from it—and placed a hand on her forehead.
He gave it a playful push. "Stop crying."
Hinata wiped her face like a little girl. Her nose was very red and her white eyes swollen. "I think I have pregnancy issues."
"Temari said its hormones."
"T-the medics said that too…" Hinata managed. "Are you angry with me?"
Gaara looked thoughtful. "No. But this counts as a quarrel and we need to make up."
Hinata giggled and Gaara leaned to claim her lips. Her tears made it salty, but he doesn't care so continued to kiss her the way he always does. Firm and gentle. When he pulled back, not only her nose and eyes were red but now also her cheeks. "Tomato." He told her, her face reminding her of the scarlet fruit.
"The mother of your child is a tomato." Hinata said with a smile. Her mood was back to normal and she felt very silly with what she did.
"I like tomatoes." (f)
"I just thought that you might be hungry." Gaara said and touched her belly. "Or our baby might." After months of keeping with his wife's mood swings, he now can say that he was quite the expert on how to deal with it. Each of her emotions has different solutions and he had mastered it all.
Hinata's face softened and he knew that he got her then.
"I am… a little." She admitted.
"But no sweets."
Hinata sighed but nodded her head. She had promised not to eat any kind of sweet food in order to insure safety labor. If she ate too much, the baby might get too big. If that happens, a lot of dangerous possibilities might happen during childbirth.
Though she still ate more than usual…it was more in the healthy side.
Gaara was about to stood up but she held on to his right arm, pulling him back to her side. "Thank you… " She knew that she was sometimes hard on him—really, she was a woman possessed sometimes—but never did once she saw him get mad. He was always so understanding and caring.
It makes her fall for him more.
"What for?" Gaara asked.
Hinata entwined her hand with his. "This."
Gaara stood up and pulled her gently with him. She groaned a little when her spine took all the weight of her midsection when she stood. Mentally, she laughed at her state. In the past, she always dreamed of being pregnant with a good husband beside her. She got that now, sure… actually more that what she was hoping for. But she never thought, not even once, that pregnancy was going to be hard.
"I can smell… something." She said absentmindedly, sniffing the air as they neared the kitchen. "Smells good."
"Do not rely on smell alone." Gaara reminded her as sand flew out of the gourd attached behind him. He had carried his gourd with him when they walked out of the room. The sand was just a handful, but it hovered on the kitchen door, pushing it open. "It is Temari after all. The taste might be different."
"She might succeed on making this one. Really… it smells so good."
Both of them stepped inside the kitchen just in time to see Kankuro glaring at the plate Temari set in front of him on the table. He sniffed at it suspiciously before poking one chuck of what looked like beef curry with a chopstick.
"Actually smells good so… might as well give it a try." Kankuro gave his sister a look who was now smiling wide at him. With a deep breath, he threw the chunk inside his mouth.
Hinata watched in amusement as Kankuro chewed… closed his eyes… and turned red.
"Holy shit!" Kankuro rose from his chair with a jerk, slammed his hand on his mouth and ran to the sink. He spat the food out and turned the faucet on, rinsing his tongue and lips. The food actually tastes good, but a second after he chewed, it was so spicy it was a surprise his teeth were still intact. "Temari!" He managed to say with his tongue out. "What in the world… even you can't eat food that spicy!"
Temari's smile turned into a frown. "What do you mean even I can't eat my food?"
"Shit… my lips are burning."
Temari threw her apron on his brother's face and scowled. "I followed the cookbook perfectly!"
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!"
Gaara looked at his wife. "I told you."
-o-o-o-
Kiba scratched Akamaru's chin as they sat under the clear sky. It was not too hot and not too windy—a perfect time for taking a break from all the Shinobi work for even just a few minutes. Beside him, Shino was sticking his forefinger up. A lady bug was perched on it.
Next to Shino were the three members of team Asuma, also taking a break from their training to catch their breaths and chat. Choji was eating something from a large foil pack he was holding. Occasionally, a few hands poked inside the pack to pull out a few chips. Ino was twirling her long hair with a finger, looking at nothing as she silently much on Choji's food while Shikamaru was lying on his back with his arms behind his neck, facing the sky with a cigarette stick on his lips. His eyes were closed.
Kiba stop scratching Akamaru's chin. The dog gave him a disappointed look before standing up and marching straight to Ino. Without a word, Ino began petting the dog's head as it settled beside her.
"My next mission is located near Suna guys." Ino said. "Want to pass any message for Hinata?"
Shino let the dotted insect flew away as he focused his attention on the only female with them at the moment. He remembered buying a few baby gifts for his teammate and it was going to save him a lot of effort and money if he could let Ino bring it with her. "I have a few gifts for Hina."
Ino shrugged. "Sure. I'll be off next week. Be sure to give it to me before I go."
Shikamaru grunted lazily on his spot. "You did not tell me you have a coming mission."
"Yeah." Choji chimed in.
"It's not that important so you two don't have to worry. Just a few treaty scrolls and deliveries on the way." She replied with a wave of her hand. Her boys always wanted to know where she goes and what she was about to do. They feel kind of left out if she failed to tell them.
They were protective of her that way.
Shino rose to his feet. "I'll get those things now." He said mysteriously and everyone looked at him with a curious stare. Even Shikamaru opened an eye and looked at the bug user lazilly.
Kiba was the first to ask. "What things?"
"For Hinata's baby. Little gifts."
"Please don't send bug larvae as a gift." Kiba said, scared for Hinata's sake if that happens. Shino was a good guy with good intentions but he yet has to understand that not all likes creepy bugs. Kiba remembered that one time when Shino gave him beetle larvae for his birthday.
It was not a very nice experience, especially when he was a little tipsy after celebrating with his friends. If Hinata and Tenten weren't there, he could have eaten those squishy worm-like things for he thought they were sugar treats.
It was dark that time, he couldn't see clearly.
Shino's expression behind his long collar and black glasses was unreadable. "I bought baby toys Kiba."
"Oh…" Kiba nodded, trying to hide his relief. "Good…good."
Ino remembered as few things she ought to do. She stopped scratching the giant dog's chin and stood up. "Ah… I better go with you Shino. I have to go back to the house and see those new flowers that came from Kiri. They should've arrived by now."
Shikamaru raised one lazy eyebrow. "Don't tell my mom."
"That you're smoking?" Ino smirked. "You wish Shika. I am not covering for you when I told you many times that smoking is bad for your health. You'll get wrinkles."
"I do it moderately." The Nara defended himself.
"Tell that to your mother…before she busts your lips."
Shikamaru scowled. "Come on Ino."
Ino laughed and followed Shino who was already walking away. She jogged a bit in order to catch up to the silent bug user and walked next to him. It was then that Ino realized that this was the first time that she was walking alone side by side with the Aburame heir.
Shino rarely socializes. He always comes to the Rookie Nine's group gatherings and dinner dates but he was too silent and too reserve his presence was rarely noticed. Maybe that was the reason why sometimes, people tend to forget him.
"Ah… so what did you buy?" Ino asked, trying to strike a conversation. They talked a few times of course, but it was always with friends around them. Ino decided to observe how Shino communicates when he was talking one on one. "The baby gifts…"
Shino tilted his head ever so slightly, his dark glasses glinting. "Stuffed toys."
Ino lightened up. She loves stuffed toys! She has a lot inside her room. "Good pick! What are they?"
"What do you mean?"
"The stuff toys… do they look like cute pandas? Or monkeys…?"
"Bugs."
"Oh… I see." Ino blinked. Actually, what Shino said didn't surprise her. It makes him more… Shino. "That's nice. I'm sure it will always remind Hinata of you." Shino said nothing in response so Ino focused her attention on the dirt path again. They were passing by the training grounds and she wondered if she knew anyone who was training.
Sure enough, she spotted two.
It was Naruto and Sasuke.
To be exact, a hundred Narutos and one Uchiha Sasuke. The training ground twelve was filled with the Uzumaki's shadow clones while Sasuke was brandishing his katana coolly—the only black in a field filled with orange and yellow.
Ino could hear Naruto's taunts from where she was. She smiled when Naruto said something about bossy Uchihas and handsome Uzumakis. Are they fighting again? She wondered, amused. How those two could be best friends when they always fight just escapes her.
Ino smiled again and returned her gaze on the path. Whatever the reason might be behind Naruto and Sasuke's friendship, it was enough to break all the odds and defy all expectations. The Shinobi world had witnessed that.
"You know…" She started. "The flowers in our shop are being eaten by a kind of beetle-like bugs. I really don't know what to do with them. I can use pesticide but…"
Shino stiffened at the word 'pesticide'. In their clan, it was considered a taboo.
"Yeah." Ino shrugged. "That's exactly what me and my mom are afraid of. We don't want the Aburame clan to…you know, hate us."
Shino looked at her behind the glasses. He had known Ino for so long but it was the first time he realized that she changed a lot. It was poor of him to notice it just now… but then again, they were never close.
This was not the loudmouthed and spoiled girl he used to know.
"So…ah….mind helping me? A future clan head to another?" Ino smiled.
"Sure."
::
Naruto managed to land a punch on Sasuke's cheek. The Uchiha stumbled back but still held his ground. "Come on Sasuke! You can do better than that!" The Uzumaki grinned. "Why are you suddenly distracted?"
Sasuke scowled. His defense had been perfect a few minutes ago and he actually thought that he was going to win this sparring session without taking a single hit.
But that familiar chakra signature…
Naruto flexed his neck as he crouched, orange chakra illuminating from his body. "Teme… don't take me too lightly."
Sasuke shifted his katana from one hand to another. "Stop babbling. Just give me what you've got."
Naruto's grin grew wider.
-o-o-o-
Hinata excitedly poke Gaara's rib.
"What is it Hinata?" Gaara asked. He was already pulling the blanket on both of them when his wife suddenly stabbed his side with a finger. Her eyes were wide and her lips perfectly formed into an O. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.
"Can you feel it?" She asked.
"Yes." Gaara's lips tilted at the sides. "Such a strong kick."
"Yeah." Hinata giggled. "What are we going to name the baby?"
It never occurred to Gaara to pick a name for their future child. All that entered his mind was keeping the baby and the mother safe. "I don't know." He answered, thoughtful. "How about you?"
Hinata bit the inside of her cheek. "I have a lot of names inside my head but I want you to be the one to name our baby… or at least, let's talk about it first."
"We don't know if it's a boy or girl."
"Or twins." Hinata's face lightened up. The medics would know of course, but they chose not to be informed about their baby's gender until the day of labor. It was exciting that way. "But really… I want you to be the one to pick the name."
"I don't think I'm good with it."
"Give it a try." She smiled at him. "Pick a name with real meaning for you… s-something that you know, something that will be in your mind and heart forever."
"Hinata."
Hinata laughed softly. "Another name… it's already mine. We can't have two Hinatas…"
"Hana—"
"Gaara! Are you awake?" Temari's voice rang outside the door, cutting their conversation. It was then followed by a series of frantic knocks that only implements one thing…
Something was wrong.
Gaara and Hinata exchange glances.
"What is wrong Temari?" Gaara asked when he let his sister in. Temari was sweating and her eyes wide with unease. "What happened on your sentry duty?"
"Gaara… "Temari wiped the sweat from her face. "Matsuri…escaped."
-o-o-o-
Here ends the chapter! Two more to go!
Thank you for the support dear readers. It means the world to me.
-crazychan