A/N- I've had time to reflect on some of my writing and would like to post this one-shot. Originally it was an entire story(I never finished it. SURPRISE, SURPRISE). I always enjoyed the first chapter so, I'll leave it here. I may post a few more chapters after looking over them, it depends I suppose. Enjoy.
"We didn't sleep with each other, we-uh, slept together."
Hinata clarified once again, though her comrade's faces hadn't altered from their initial shock as quickly as she would have hoped. She continues to stroke at the hair over her shoulder.
Shoot. Perhaps I should have worded it differently.
"It's really no big deal, you guys. I hardly even noticed him, we were both equally exhausted."
A chorus of gasps rang from the table.
Oh no. I'm saying all the wrong things! Shoot!
"No-no we weren't exhausted from…sexual stuff but-but-oh my god..forget it."
She shrunk in the booth, unable to trust her abilities to make the explanation right again. The truth seemed so convoluted, it didn't feel like an explanation would be enough to sever the corruption. She simply sighed, hoping the situation would just evaporate from everyone's mind.
Though it would never leave her mind. There was no way she couldn't have been aware of her childhood crush sprawled out in the bed beside her. He was within arm's reach. Her bed! Just lying there casually mucking up her pillows with a scarce amount of drool and fitfully murmuring nonsense about someone stealing his tonjiru and how he promised they wouldn't get away with it.
She had barely gotten any sleep, his drabbles kept her up in the middle of the night wondering if he'd recover the tonjiru before his nemesis had the honor of devouring it first.
I really am pathetic…
"We get it." Ino Yamanaka replied with a slight laugh of amusement, blowing yieldingly on a garnished spoon full of spicy curry, strips of ghostly smoke emanated.
A rich smell of zest and spices pervaded the crisp air.
"It's believable, that you guys would be so worn-out that you wouldn't have noticed him. I hear the last mission was a real nightmare, genjutsu galore. Ugh. Such a glorious pain and an irritating mind fuck. Suffice it to say I wish that type of torment, not even on my worst enemy."
Tenten replied, rubbing her temple stressfully. The ornaments that adorned her buns chimed softly with her every motion. It was apparent that she was speaking from experience.
"Tell me about it. That realm had plenty enough illusions to last me for a lifetime. I'm just glad we're finally getting some comp time." Sakura assented getting a hold of her glass. "To girl time, Shannaro!"
She shouts fiercely with a raised fist and a sizzling glass of the restaurants most toxic sake-remix dubbed 'Snake tonic'. She jovially offered her cup to the bemused women, their eyes dazzling with mirth and intoxication.
"Here here!" Ino and Tenten shouted melodiously tapping their glasses against hers.
'Clink'
Hinata joined the fray of toasts with a small shot glass that just so happened to be positioned in front of her suggestively. She couldn't recall requesting liquor, she probably hadn't but she did notice it there on her way back from the restroom. She assumed that one of the girls would claim it sooner or later but no one even acknowledged that it was there. The girls had often tried to convince her to indulge in the pleasantries of drinking but she couldn't stomach the god awful bitter taste or the inner turmoil she experienced under the influence.
There isn't much she could dredge up from her memory of the first time she had ever taken their advice and gotten drunk but she knew enough to know she would never want to visit that level of inebriation ever again.
For the sake of those around her of course.
The three women knocked back their drinks expertly, Sakura being the first to finish. She slammed down her glass, her cheeks and nose took on a slight crimson flush. She thumbed down a spill that had manage to crawl down her chin and sucked on her thumb contently.
"Instant fav, oh ya!" Sakura concluded spritely with a torso throbbing belch, she fanned it modestly.
Ino was the second to finish, placing her cup down she released a ragged breath and wiggled her tongue.
"Hot, hot, hot."
Tenten slumped against the table groggily, her eyes looked too heavy to stay open. Her hair ornaments chiming wildly.
"Maybe we should retire for the night, bill please..." she said drowsily.
"Ya think?" Ino droned sardonically, strumming through her coin purse languidly, her teal eyes sunken with exhaustion.
Hinata stared at her shot. She didn't see much use in drinking but she assumed the women explored it for the simple ecstasy and euphoric sense of freedom. She flicked her wrist and the liquid swirled around in the mini glass, flecks of acidic bubbles emerged.
Alcohol didn't have acid.
She brought the cold shot to her nose and could smell something deliciously citrus.
"It's called Pop." Sakura announced, watching Hinata's careful scrutiny of the liquid. "Alcohol free, I swear."
She was a bit parched and the humid temperature of the restaurant paired with the unusually hot summer night only made her thirstier by the second.
Without another word she brought the small cup to her hot curry lathered lips and guzzled it down. A pinch of sourness unnerved her but a fruitiness exhausted it a moment later.
Pop was amazing! I'll have to suggest some to Naruto-kun sometime.
She placed the cup down and a hollow burp slithered from her lips. She covered her sizzling lips and felt her stomach stirring from the new foreign taste.
It's really strong.
"C'use me."
The girls burst out laughing and Ino stood from the table.
"I'll be taking my leave ladies."
"Mata ne!"
"Bai-bai!"
"Do ya mind if I tag-ah-ah-long?" Tenten asked Ino, wobbling to an unsteady stand. She fished out a few crumbled ryo from the thin pockets of her poncho and tossed it on the table.
Ino simply slipped an arm around hers and began to tote her off towards the door.
"It's ridiculous how much of a lightweight you are ya know. I always pegged you for someone who could hold their own." Ino said curtly, though there was an undertone of mock behind her accusation. "Don't puke on me or anything." She grumbled.
"AY! am not that bad!" Tenten interjected surly.
"How can you say that, you can barely manage under your own weight!?"
"Well-"
Sakura and Hinata chuckled fondly watching their friends hobble nosily towards the exit which had simply been an opening with draping crystals. Once the girls vanished Sakura turned her eyes on the girl in front of her.
"Did you like the pop?"
Hinata nodded. "Very much. Thanks Sakura-chan."
"No problem. My treat, us gals have to stick together."
A few moths were drawn to the dim lantern light in the center of the table, wings flickering, they swarmed the table. Sakura swung at them distractedly for a moment, her face was as blithe as a child's in that moment and Hinata couldn't stifle the grin that perked up her lips.
"Shall we walk home now?" Hinata asked.
She took a look around the restaurant and notices they are the last two occupants. The waitress was swabbing and another busting the tables. Festive music still flourished lightly and the chef remained bustling behind the grill as though unaware of the time.
"Are you lying to me?" Sakura asked suddenly, leering earnestly at her.
Hinata froze, gulping simultaneously.
Huh. Lying.
She stares at Sakura in cosmic confusion.
Sakura stares at her pointedly, the redness that tainted her skin seemed to harden deeply. Hinata stared back trying to match her scrutiny but the emerald eyed kunoichi easily outmatched her, leaning into the table, she beckoned Hinata forward with an urgent sweep of her index finger.
Hinata, a ruffle of nervousness and wonder simply leaned forward.
"What is-it!?"
Sakura pinched her cheek. It wasn't hard enough to alarm her, it was just tight enough-warm even.
A lighthearted gesture amongst friends.
She shook it a bit.
"Did he try any inappropriate things?" She whispered to Hinata with a type of fierce devotion to her. "Did he touch you...in no-no territory?"
Um no-no territory...?
Hinata trembled at the very idea of what inappropriate things, would entail. The idea that Sakura thought Naruto capable of those actions didn't surprised her. If anyone knew Naruto, it would be his teammate. She wondered how he behaved around Sakura that would make her conclude that he would be anything less than a gentlemen and then she realized herself that, most men acted differently given the female.
Had he ever approached Sakura flirtatiously, forward, in a way that she deemed inappropriate?
It was entirely feasible, with them dealing in such close quarters. Being teammates as long as they had.
"You could tell me." Sakura urged. "I'll give him a good slapping around. You won't even recognize him when I'm through with em'."
Hinata waved off her drunken threats, honored that she cared so much to defend her.
"No-no he was the perfect house guest, well, until-er he smelled breakfast. Dad saw him and w-w-well…I bet you can guess the rest."
Sakura howled with laughter, slamming a fist down on the table.
"That numbskull! Geeze, he really doesn't know how to read a room."
"Naruto-kun….is entertaining."
Hinata smirked, remembering her father's features evolving into instant austerity. The pigment in his face had gone ghost white and Naruto remained completely unaware or heedless, too preoccupied scooping up a helping for himself. He even greeted Hanabi and conversed with her about the coming chunin exams.
Her father gradually awoke from his conscious stupor, long enough to leave the chabudai that had been cramped with the new house guests presence and appalling appetite.
Sakura yawned.
"I'm so incredibly pooped, walk me home?"
Hinata simply nodded.
"Sure thing."
Nights in Konoha begun to get really muggy during this time of the year. Though the moon looms over the village and the air offered a gentle breath, her skin felt pasty and sweaty. The walk home had her clothes damp.
She didn't bother to announce herself knowing that her father and Hanabi had prompt bedtimes, she snuck into her bedroom trying not to disarm the creaking floorboards. Once in her room, she lightly closed the door behind her with a sigh of ease.
Crickets whispered a song of goodnight and she rushes over to close her bedroom window, fighting with the draped curtains for a few seconds until she noticed the moonlight glinting off a piece of metal.
Mm?
What is that…
She reaches out to uncover a key with the most adorable tiny scroll beside it. She picked up both and began to unroll the bit of parchment with a gnawing sense of curiosity and excitement.
Her heart thrashing heavily in her chest, growing louder and louder with every second she thought pensively on what it could lead to.
Maybe her father, though reluctantly, has decided to help her invest in an apartment of her own. She recalled bringing up the subject to him several times. He didn't seem necessarily happy about the prospect of her growth but he'd have to accept it soon.
Immediately, from the sloppy scrawl, she realized it hadn't been her father at all.
She began to read warily.
I don't really know how to do stuff like this.
Yanno, date someone, a girl...
It's all new but I want to keep trying like I said, no matter what.
I really meant what I said back there.
I love you, Hinata.
Maybe next time, you can crash at my place?
Uh it's a bit of a fixer upper...so you'll have to give me some time
before you use the key.
After that, anytime you want.
I got the key made just for you so...
I just want you to know how serious I am.
Dattebayo
~U. Naruto
She could feel her lips pull into an involuntary smile.
It was the single most thoughtful gesture anyone had ever extended to her this formally and though most women would see this as something insignificant in courtship, she saw this as the highest gesture of flattery.
He skipped several steps, some would see this as the absolute last step but it was as he said.
They were new to this.
Hinata had never had a boyfriend, though she'd be lying if she said Naruto hadn't been the first name that came to mind when she thought of having one.
She was slightly pessimistic about everything that had occurred on the moon, after Toneri. She wasn't sure if Naruto would continue to feel that attraction after they returned home, embedded in their daily tasks as jounin. All the chaos of missions and training, she wasn't sure when they'd have time to discuss a thing.
Although he had confessed to her his feeling she wondered if it weighed on him as heavily as it had on her. If the longing had ever just occupied his mind for various hours throughout the day and made him hungry to approach her, maybe even touch her.
She couldn't measure the strength of his love within the few days he announced it. She couldn't expect him to have the unflinching faith in her that she had in him.
It just…doesn't work that way.
As far as confessions went, she had poured her heart out to him on several occasions, most of them risking her life and it seemed that Naruto had easily forgotten or maybe he couldn't come to terms with the feelings at the time.
She knew she had the tendency to come on strong and maybe she shouldn't get ahead of herself because this could prove to be a similar situation.
She looked down at the key, weighed it in her palm. The moonlight shone pale against it, hot wind wafted her hair and she sighed.
Perhaps I'm thinking too much.
Maybe she should sleep on it.
It really hurts, crashing down from the beautiful dream of what they could be but the severest pain was if she allowed herself to be let down again.
She couldn't let that happen again.
No getting ahead of yourself, not this time.
Decidedly, she stalked over towards her dresser in the corner of her spacy room and opened a drawer. She placed the scroll and key inside and closed it wistfully.
She tremored, heart throbbing paralyzingly. Every beat deafening.
A simple precaution to ensure that this wasn't a transient gesture.
She needed to know more about him, maybe even more than Sakura, she needed to know that he wouldn't change his mind.