Good Things
After giving Hinata the scarf, Naruto couldn't sleep the whole night. Not because he had given her something very precious to her but because of what he almost did. He scared her and made her cry again.
No. Never again! This time I will apologize in the most graceful manner… he thought with a smirk and started thinking of a plan.
Oh, so you aren't completely dumb… who knew? Taunted Kurama, but Naruto didn't care this time, he was too busy trying to apologize or to be more accurate, impress Hinata.
Hinata on the other hand could not believe that he gave her something so precious to him. She was going through the knitting and it was very fine. Finer than anything Hinata has ever knitted, but she had to do it. She had to do her best.
Why do I even care? She thought as she kept the scarf besides her bedside table and went to sleep.
#
As the sun raised from the east, Hinata's whole room was lit with sunlight but she was still her bed not willing to get out of its warmth. The bed itself felt the most comfortable place in the world and she felt it would be a crime to leave it. But she had to leave it, had to go and do the chores as her punishment. So, she pulled her blanket off from her face and sat upright on her bed, yawning.
"AAHHHH" she screamed as she saw a manly figure standing in front of her door, "Who are you?!"
The man chuckled. "Even with such a good eyesight, you cannot see me Hinata" Naruto replied stepping into the light from the darkness.
"What are you… why are you here?" she said perplexed.
"Well it's my mansion I can freely roam anywhere now, can't I?" he replied in the most serious voice but instantly started laughing as he saw Hinata's face make a big "O".
"Hinata you are really cute in the morning" Naruto said and instantly turned red. He didn't realize he just complimented her, something he was not supposed to do till the afternoon. He had it all planned out but now he has to improvise on his plans.
"What I mean is that you are really easy in the mornings" he said and after looking at Hinata's extremely red face thought he just did more damage.
"Uh…" he was panicking but then remembered why he was there in the first time, "I made breakfast" he said looking down at the sliver tray he was holding which Hinata just noticed.
Am I dreaming? Hinata thought and gaped at the tray and then at Naruto.
"Don't look so surprised, I can also cook sometimes" he said setting down the tray on her lap. Hinata still couldn't believe what she was seeing. While she was still processing what was happening Naruto pulled up a chair and sat beside her. He saw her still trying to understand what was happening and without thinking he pinched her cheeks.
"OW!" Hinata looked scandalised, "why did you do that?" she finally managed to say something.
"Well do get you out of your dreamy state before the eggs get cold or before I eat the breakfast that I made for you" Naruto said looking directly in her eyes with a smile plastered on his face. But his intense gaze made her look away.
"You…you can cook?" she asked eyeing at him suspiciously. She was completely awake now and aware that Naruto was sitting very close to her and his smile was really intoxicating.
"Ha! Yes, as I said before I, Uzumaki Naruto, can cook" he said proudly, "and if you taste my food, you'll know I am not a complete failure."
"I never thought you were a failure" she replied with a soft smile and started examining the silver tray on her lap. Eggs with furikake, blackberries and strawberries on another plate with miso soup. Hinata was amazed as everything was beautifully displaced. She still couldn't believe that Naruto prepared everything. She was flabbergasted. She tried the eggs and miso soup; they were the tastiest food items she ever ate. It was just like how her mom used to make. Her eyes were watery as she remembered the days when her mother also used to come to her room with a breakfast tray. Her eyes were watery at this memory. Naruto noticed it and instantly feared the worst.
"Hey hey! Are you okay? It's okay if you don't like it! Don't force yourself to eat it! I can ask Tsunade or Yamato to make something else! Please Hinata you can say if you don't like it… I won't be mad…" he was going to say more but Hinata silenced him as she put her finger on his lips.
"No" her voice was a whisper, "no, the food is amazing… it just reminded me of my mom…" she controlled her tears. She wasn't sad, it was a happy memory she just couldn't believe she remembered it.
Naruto looked her somberly. He took her hand which was still on his lips and held it. Hinata looked at him, tears now in control.
"This was my mother's recipe and her favorite breakfast items" he said and gave her a small smile. The rest of the breakfast went by quickly as Hinata shared everything with Naruto who agreed on eating with her.
#
"ARE YOU ALL GOING TO IGNORE THAT HE MADE HER BREAKFAST?" Yamato shouted at everyone was lying around during noon when both Naruto and Hinata were in their rooms.
"Yamato stop shouting" Jiraiya said lazily form the couch, "she is a pretty girl, no wonder Naruto wants her to be impressed with him."
"Plus, I think he admires her courage. She did stood up against him like two times already. I think he really like it" Tsunade laughed.
"ARE YOU ALL FORGETTING THE THREAT MADARA LEFT US WITH?" Yamato looked around the room not able to comprehend why everyone was so relaxed.
"Yamato calm yourself, will you?" Kakashi finally looked up from his book, "we need him to control the Kyuubi-"
"For that he needs to TRAIN not HANG AROUND WITH PRETTY GIRLS! CERTIANLY NOT WHEN SHE IS HIS PRISONER!"
"Yamato! Don't you remember what to Master Jiraiya when we last tried to train him? That time even Sasuke couldn't stop Naruto!" Kakashi said, "and yesterday he stopped himself form being angry! Do you know how amazing it is for that little kid to stop himself form being angry and lashing out? He is understanding things, he is becoming considerate. He is not letting his anger take over him! That is the most important part in his training… something none of us could teach him because deep down he knows that even though we were powerful we couldn't stop Madara. We are responsible for his-for everything…" he finished and went back reading his book.
"Yamato, he needs this… we need him to understand that there is good in this world. Let's give him a few weeks more" Jiraiya said.
Yamato was quiet for a long time and didn't speak at all after.
I hope… for all of our sake you know what you all are doing He thought as he saw Naruto and Hinata outside walking side by side talking over the bridge on the river.
#
"What else do you like?" Hinata asked Naruto laughing.
"Well I can eat ramen for rest of my life" he replied and paused to look around. It has been a long time since he had come to this side of the mansion. He always stays facing his mom's garden but this side was far more pretty. It has snowed last light again, even though it was right in the middle of June, the land was covered in a blanket of snow and the trees were growing in a completely different form, from the front of the mansion. The lake long ago used to be filled with aquatic animals has been frozen for a while now, but now there was only a thin layer of ice on it. The back of the mansion reflected Naruto's heart. Shut off and ice-cold. But today there was sunshine on this land. Something has changed since the day Hinata entered the mansion. The snow was not melting but was getting softer. As she ran up to a seat and sat down with her books.
"Can I ask you something?" Naruto said sitting down beside her. Naruto feels like a giant around her sometimes, today was one of those days. It might be because Hinata was wearing a very light shade of purple which blended her small figure into the snow and her hair all tied up in a high pony. She looked as magnificent as the snow around them.
"Yes?" she replied without looked at him, searching for the book she wanted to read from her bundle.
"The recipe… today when were almost cried?" Naruto hesitated as he now had Hinata's full attention, her pale purple eyes fixed on him with confusion, "is your mom still alive?" As soon he asked, he regretted it. He saw the shift in Hinata's eyes from confusion to sadness and hurt. As if he had opened a long last wound, a wound that could never be healed. Both of them were silent for a long time, but in that solemn silence Naruto noticed her closely. He couldn't bear to take his eyes off her, it felt like a crime not to look at her. In that silence Naruto realize how kind Hinata is, how amazingly gentle and considerate she is. And he realized that she is the most beautiful women he has ever laid his eyes on. Everything from her big midnight blue hairs to her pale purple eyes to her soft and thin lips and her heavenly breasts, she was perfect; he regretted the way he treated her in the beginning. The screaming, locking her up and all of the other things were making him physically sick. He loathed himself for being a bully to her. Looking at her now he wanted to just hug her and never let go. To make all of her suffering his own and not let her feel any pain. But more than anything he wanted to make her free.
Shit.
He now understood that he was being selfish, keeping her here. Her imprisonment had nothing to do with her father stealing a rose, but it was her. There was just something about her that dawned him in. Her eyes gave him comfort, the way she teases him when he does something dumb makes his knees go weak and when she laughs out loud at something he had said, it drives him crazy. Her presence is all he needs to be happy.
Shit. Shit.
Now as he knew her lips were about to form words and she was about to break the silence; he didn't want her to. His heartbreak was increasing with every passing second, his brain broke even those seconds. This was such an intimate moment that he wanted to stay in it forever. He knew she would never return these feelings; he knew she would never forgive her. Most of all, the thing that hurts him most is that he knows he loved her the moment he saw her. But who would ever love a beast?
Shit. Shit. Shit.
"No, my mother died years ago" Hinata finally broke the silence and her words lying around heavily. Her voice was quiet and if Naruto hadn't been staring at her he would've missed it. Her words struck him like lighting, he could feel his heartbeat increasing ever more.
She had one parent! And I took him away!
His mind was screaming. He knew in his mind what he had to do but even the thought of it make his heart stop for bit and make him feel nauseous. He looked at her with sympathy, once again losing himself to her irresistible personality and gorgeous face.
"My father told me she died giving birth to my little sister but…" Hinata hesitated, "but someone murdered her."
Time seemed to have stopped after what she said. The weight of her words lying all around them. And there was silence again but this time it was unbreakable.
Naruto thought his world was shattering right in front of him. He first took away her father and then her freedom. He didn't even think to ask if she had someone other than that. A little sister. The guilt that was building up since last few weeks, came crushing down onto him. It took every ounce of energy he had not to cry. After more than a decade his life, he had the urge to cry. Hinata had failed to notice how distraught Naruto was right now, or that he was staring at her for the past few minutes. She was caught up in the strings of memories of her own, with her mother, her sister, her father and most of all her brother. She missed them all so much but she knew she cannot run away from this place now. She just has to make the most of the situation. She kept aside her sadness for not being able to meet her sister.
At least, Hanabi have father.
She drowned herself into a book while sat eerily quiet. She did not question him, she supposed it might be a lot to take in how their parents were taken away from them. She understands how hard it must have been for Naruto, as she only lost one parent but he lost both at such a young age. In the silence, both understood little bit of each other and shared a pain. The feeling of helplessness that will stay with them all their lives, the never-ending grief. Hinata noticed the silence and realized how quiet it was. It was very unlikely of Naruto not to say something so, Hinata looked at him to check if he was okay. The sympathy, the pain, the comfort he wanted to give her everything that he wanted to say but couldn't put into words but they were conveyed with a second's eye contact they had. But he still couldn't convey one feeling, something so strong that it scared even Naruto. Something that Naruto couldn't wrap this head around still the feeling he has never felt before, which melted his ice-cold heart and because of which there was sunshine in this side of the world.
For there was no questioning those feelings, he knew exactly what they are. He could not deny it anymore.
It was love.
#
Far away in a cave, an old man woke up. His eyes were purple and had rings in them, his hair was spiky and grey. He was sitting on a wooden throne behind him he was connected to something.
"What is it, Konan?" he said, his voice deep and raspy.
"My lord" Konan bowed, "the boy has found the girl… should we get ready for battle?"
At this the man laughed, his laughter filled the cave.
"There is no need" he said shifting on his throne, "he would never learn to control the beast. I still have few weeks. We shall attack at the set time, no need to worry. He is nothing." Konan bowed again.
"Also, don't wake up the for something as petty as this or else you know the consequences" he added and pointed towards a black-haired boy kept in glass like container. He was barely alive, with one of his eyes were missing. Konan remembered how he resisted her master. She remembers the day she turned against her master and set out in search for a solution.
Just hang on, Obito… she said as she neared the glass container, soon. He is learning.
She then looked at her master, who was already in deep sleep.
The boy, he is more than what you give him credit to. Your reign will end, Madara, she thought as she got out of the cave and made her way back to Kohana.
xx
Hello my readers! Hope you are all doing well. I just want to add a few things. As we all know the terrible things that's happening in the world, I hope you all are safe and healthy where ever you all are. I know the situation sucks and it is terrifying but it is in these times of need that we all should help one another. I live in India and we are in lockdown for 21 days. I have already been in self-quarantine for past two weeks because I flew back from USA as my university went remote. For all of you whose classes are now remote, know this no one is alone. Please this is something very important, you all need to be healthy both physically and mentally. I know I cannot help anyone with physical fitness but mentally I would like if anyone around you or if you yourself feel even a bit alone feel free to reach out. I know how hard it be for some of you to stay in home.
It hasn't been easy on me to stay home for so long, I won't be out for like a month which really scares me. But know this – I am here if anyone wants to talk and they feel like they don't want to talk to someone they know. Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger than a someone close. Of course, I urge you all to talk to anyone you are comfortable with. Just stay safe and healthy!
We are all in this together and we will overcome this.
Until next time!
Love, P.
