Title: Torch Song

Claimer/Author: This story is written by and belongs to Emmy Kay.

Pairing: Hinata/Naruto, Others

Summary: "You're my girl, Hinata. Promise you'll write." "I-I promise, Naruto." How could she say no to a man going off to war? AU. NaruHina. Other pairings possible. Potential for character death in later chapters.

Disclaimer: Naruto and all affiliated characters belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This story is written without permission and for personal/fan/nonprofit entertainment purposes only.

"So long as we love, we serve; so long as we are loved by others, we are indispensable." (Robert Louis Stevenson, from USO website)

Chapter 1. Intro.

Halloween, 1941.

It was the music, Hinata reflected, much later. After all the excitement had died down. It was almost definitely the music. Of course, the booze probably didn't help.

She had been dragged to this dance by Ino – who had claimed that since even Forehead Girl Sakura had taken a break from studying, everybody should. When Hinata had tried to protest – after all, this was her first year at Teachers College and she really needed to prove to everybody back home on the Big Island that she belonged here – besides she had nothing to wear, not a costume, no nothing – Ino had crushed all arguments with two simple sentences. "Naruto might be there. Besides, I'll get you back before curfew."

The questions that had popped up in her head – why would Naruto, who had barely graduated from the little schoolhouse at the edge of the sugar plantation, be at a college party on an entirely different island? How could Ino even know he would attend? Hinata decided that she couldn't be worried about that – she would just go, and see what happened.

When asked what her costume was, Ino replied, airily, "Veronica Lake," and then flipped her long blond hair with its new peek-a-boo bangs at Hinata. As Hinata worried about her costume, Ino merely handed Hinata a masquerade-type mask of black and navy feathers.

Before they left the house, Kurenai, the house mother, snapped a photo of the three of them; Hinata holding her mask, Sakura in a cute nurse costume, and Ino as the latest Hollywood heartbreaker.

Along with Ino, Sakura walked with Hinata to the house in which the party was being held. Music blared out of the open windows and doors of the large house. Hinata was glad Sakura was also there. While Sakura could sometimes be frustrating, she was ultimately fairly nice, and definitely better than no company at all.

Hinata hung back, timid, the mask only serving to make her more self-conscious. She looked around – there had been a token effort to make the large living space feel like Halloween – a couple of pumpkins scattered around, a some of drapes of black and orange crepe paper, and a handful of paper lanterns with crude cut-outs of cats and bats, but things were clearly on a college budget done by college boys. The largest features of the party were a big bowl of fruit-filled punch and a roasted pig sitting on a table. Half-hearted efforts were made towards small sides of poi, long rice, potato salad, and sweet bread.

There were a lot of boys at the party, but no Naruto. Hinata should have known Ino was just looking for some company to come to this party. Ino and Sakura and just about every other girl were at the center of the gathering, outnumbered by males, 2 to 1, laughing and chatting, some were even dancing to the music on the record player.

Someone had handed her a small cup of the punch when they had entered the house. Long used to the teasing of the plantation boys, Hinata took a test sniff. There was something vaguely suspicious about it – but she didn't know what else to do with her hands, so she kept holding it. She wasn't going to have a good time tonight. It wasn't anybody's fault. All the boys were nice seeming enough – but nice enough just wasn't good enough. The room was getting stuffy and crowded, not that anybody else seemed to notice.

Several songs had played, each one a little louder, a little more raucous, than the last, and still no Naruto. It was a fantasy to imagine that he'd show up here, of all places. Why would he? Plus, he had treated her the same way their whole lives – like a friend, like a girl you liked okay when you noticed her, but nothing special. One big reason to go to school on Oahu was to get away from everything that reminded her of Naruto and maybe be able to start fresh. And yet what was one of the first social things she did? Look for him at a party. And a not very good party, at that. She should have her head checked.

She shouldn't have come, Hinata knew it from the moment she stepped into the house. In a little bit, she thought, she'd tell Ino and Sakura that she was leaving. She would make it home in time for curfew, and dorm mother Kurenai would be satisfied in her last bed-check rounds. And that, as they say, would be that.

Hinata had already started slipping towards the door when a darkly tanned, ham-sized hand grabbed her wrist. "Hey, girly, where you going?" She didn't need to hear the silky tones to start feeling a peculiarly unpleasant sinking sensation inside her stomach. The large hand was attached to an equally large arm, which, in turn, was attached to a very large dark-haired man. Definitely not Naruto. Definitely not where she wanted to be. Instinctively, she tried to pull away, but he was not letting her go.

"I – uh – I'm just going – going –" Hinata bit her lip, and tried to look over his massive bulk. Damn Ino! Where was she?

"Why? We're all just – just having a good time, here, yeah?" A slight slur had worked its way up into his voice.

"Oh, oh – yeah," Hinata replied, weakly, still casting about for her supposed friends. "But um, I've g-g-got to get b-b-back." She tried to sound more confident. "For school curfew."

"Oh! A co-ed," a light dawned in his eyes. Hinata felt a flare of hope, and then he said, "I like co-eds. Hey, you're prob'ly pretty cute, under that mask and all."

Ugh. Damn Ino! Hinata pulled at her arm again. "Th-that's great. Maybe you sh-should try with those girls there," and she used her other arm – the one holding the punch cup – to airily point out a pile of people – in the center of which she hoped stood a co-ed. But at this rate, she'd take any person who would distract this guy long enough that she could get away.

Big-and-drunk tried to make a grab for her other hand. "Le's dance."

Damn! Hinata threw her drink at the guy, and when he loosened her arm in surprise, squeezed past. Her flight came to an abrupt end as he managed to grab a hold of her shoulder.

"Why did you have to do that?" he asked, twisting Hinata around, clearly upset. "I liked you, I really, really thought I did."

Hinata bit her lip and pulled at her arm, trying hard to thinking beyond her panic. "I - um - I - "

A golden-tan forearm in a short orange-and-black-clad sleeve filled Hinata's vision, pushing at Big-and-drunk. "Because she doesn't like you." She looked up and saw a pair of familiar blue eyes, one of which winked at her. "Hinata, I'm sorry for being late, but I got held up at work." Naruto returned to the task at hand, he was a little shorter and much slimmer than his opposite, but benefiting from a clearly fit physique and a little thing called sobriety.

Still able to size up an opponent, the guy backed down. "Sorry, brah, I didn't know she was your gal." He shook his head. "You got to keep them co-eds in line."

"Yeah, thanks," Naruto said shortly, turning away to Hinata.

Hinata shrieked. "Nar - !" A meaty fist came flying through the air towards the back of Naruto's head.

Naruto turned, just in time to have it glance off his cheek. "Why you – !" he snarled at the guy, hints of a red in his eyes. "Hinata – run! I'll catch up later!" With that, he fully faced Big-and-drunk, hurling himself towards the bulky youth.

Hinata took off, aware that while the altercation between herself and Big-and-drunk might have garnered a little attention, it was nothing compared to what would happen between Naruto and him. If there was anything she knew about Naruto, it was that he never backed down from a fight, especially if he felt the fight was being brought to him. She waited outside the house for a few, very tense moments, nervously twisting her own hands. The sound of broken glass, masculine yells, and a few feminine shrieks filled the air. Very shortly, she was joined by a handful of other people, Sakura among them.

"Where's Ino?" asked Hinata, pulling off her mask.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Ino likes watching fights – if she can see around that hair of hers. I'm sure she's safe. So, did you see Naruto?"

Hinata nodded, hesitantly. There had been a time when she had thought that Sakura and Naruto had maybe had something going on between them. Hinata was afraid of revealing too much. Maybe that thing was still going on.

The front door flew open, banged against the side of the house, and then slammed shut again – a thud against the glass showed the press of bodies for a moment. The second time the door was opened, it was wrenched off its hinges, and fell crookedly against the wall. Out bounced a blur of yellow and orange and black. Naruto turned to the house, his face streaked with blood, his mouth and nose in a feral grimace, accentuating the scars across his cheeks, remnants of an old accident. He wiped his face on his shoulder and spat something pinkish out in the yard. He tensed as if to start running back into the house.

"Naruto!" scolded Sakura in a loud voice, coming up to him, "Why do you have to be so reckless?"

The boy spun around in surprise, his stance relaxing when he realized who it was. He coughed and spat again.

Sakura opened her purse with some disgust, "Here – take this hanky." She pushed the small square of cloth at him. He took it automatically, mopping at a bloody gash on his forehead that was dripping into his eyes.

Hinata felt her heart sink. She too had a handkerchief – every good girl did in case of emergencies – which she supposed now would now remain hidden inside her handbag.

Naruto looked around, until his eyes fell on the silent brunette who was looking at him with enormous grey eyes. "Hinata!" He sounded relieved. "Are you all right?"

Hinata nodded. Naruto shoved the handkerchief back to Sakura. "Thanks," he said, almost as an afterthought.

"You've got no manners!" Sakura scolded, holding the handkerchief out with her fingertips to avoid soiling her dress.

Naruto raised one shoulder in a careless shrug. "Like I ever did. C'mon, Sistah Sakura. Let it go." He nodded towards Hinata – "I'll walk you home," he said, his voice slowing at the end as he realized it sounded more like a command. Quieter, his eyes meeting hers, "If you want, Hinata."

Surprised, Hinata could only nod as she stepped forward.

"What about me?" protested Sakura.

"Hey – thanks for bringing Hinata to the party. Sorry I was late," Naruto tossed at Sakura as he began walking away. "And tell Ino thanks too." A distant siren began wailing. "We'd better hurry up, Hinata. It looks like the cops have been invited to the party."

They walked briskly for a block, Hinata was focusing on keeping up, trying not to be aware of the silence between the two of them. Then he began to slow down, and Hinata matched his pace.

"So – how's – " Hinata began.

"What're – " Naruto queried. Their voices ran over each other. He began to laugh, but not in an amused way. "Man," he said, shaking his head. "This was not the way I thought seeing you again would be like."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, I just thought meeting you at a party – it would be like new, yeah? But good, because we already know each other, yeah? But," he rubbed the back of his neck under the collar of his brightly colored aloha shirt, "it didn't turn out that way." He turned away from her, as if embarrassed. His voice dropped. "First thing I do is get into a fight. Just like back home in Konoha."

Hinata tried to reassure him. "But Naruto – that's okay. Because I already know you."

He shrugged. "But here – on Oahu, I thought things would be different, you know? A chance to start over – maybe make some money, and become a big man. Not the little orphan Nisei raised by crazy gambling Granny Tsunade of the sugar plantation."

To her horror, Hinata felt dampness welling up in her eyes. The last thing she wanted Naruto to see was her pity. He had scorned it from others in the past, he would most definitely scorn it from her now.

As they passed a small playground, Hinata spied a water fountain. "Come and sit here," she urged. As Naruto sat on a swing, she went over to the water fountain, took out her handkerchief, and dampened it. Then, when she offered it to him, he shook his head. Silently, she gently reached forward to touch his forehead, but his hand came up swiftly, automatically, to block her.

"Let me just clean it," she requested, softly. Looking a little wary, Naruto dropped his hand. Hinata dabbed at the cut across his forehead, looking at the uneven bruise already darkening his cheek. He took the handkerchief from her, his fingers briefly touching hers as he did so, and stuffed it into his breast pocket.

"Thanks," he said, shortly, staring off into the space beyond her shoulder.

Hinata took a seat on the swing next to him, thinking about the next thing she wanted to say, trying to bridge whatever gap was between them. Taking a deep breath, she extended a hand towards him. "Hello, my name is Hinata Hyuuga – what's yours?"

Puzzled, he looked at her outstretched hand, and then her face. Hinata strove to keep her expression completely sincere. Inwardly, she was shaking in trepidation. He took it, and after a little shake, released it. He replied, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"I'm a student here at the Teachers College. What do you do?"

A corner of his mouth quirked up. "I'm working here, at the naval shipyard."

"That's really interesting," Hinata smiled, encouraging.

He coughed. "So, what, uh, classes are you taking?"

"Math, English, Home Ec."

He tilted his head up towards the sky, already dimming with the equatorial twilight. He stood. "Well, Hinata, maybe I should take you back to the dorms – it's getting late. Having just met you and all." An amused grin came to his lips.

Hinata nodded, also getting up. They strolled through the quickly darkening night the few blocks to the dorm. At the door, she turned to face him. "Good night, Naruto."

"Hinata," he said slowly, and his next words came out in a rush. "Iwanttoseeyouagain."

Hinata's eyebrows drew together as she tried to decipher what he had just said.

"I want to see you again," Naruto repeated, suddenly looking nervous.

She raised her hands to her chest in barely contained excitement, a little afraid she had not heard correctly. "Really?"

He nodded, the corners of his eyes starting to crinkle hopefully.

Hinata's smile grew slowly. "Yes."

"Next Saturday. That's my next day off."

"Yes."

"I'll be by around 11."

"Yes."

He nodded, satisfied, a full beam across his face. With a little funny little salute, as if he were tugging a non-existing forehead band in her direction, Naruto walked off, whistling.

Hinata closed the door behind her. It was only then that she gave into the urge to scream in joy. Kurenai walked by, looking concerned. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes!" Hinata exclaimed, her eyes shining. Then she floated off to bed.

The euphoric feeling lasted until the Thursday before the date. Unsuspecting, she ran to pick up the house phone. It was Naruto's somewhat raspy tones, asking for Hinata Hyuuga. Hinata smiled, and didn't care that her voice reflected the upward trend of her lips. "Hello, Naruto."

"Um, Hinata, look."

Her heart began to sink. Nothing good began with that phrase, in that strange tense voice. She listened with increasing numbness as his voice continued to explain that he was sorry, but he wouldn't be able to be there on Saturday, so sorry, good-bye, really, he was sorry. The call ended with a firm click.

Hinata looked at the phone in her hand in surprise. She couldn't believe it. A buzzing from the black receiver began. She hung up the heavy handset, slowly. She didn't know what to do. What does a girl do when her first date, her long-time dream, just canceled, so sorry? She sat down, hard. She didn't want to cry. How could she cry when nothing had really happened? Only some plans for a potential outing had been changed – nothing real had changed. Absolutely nothing. And yet, why did she feel as if the world had suddenly ended?

A/N

Torch song = sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, where one party is either oblivious to the existence of the other, or where one party has moved on (from Wikipedia)

It is unclear whether the University of Hawaii (now the University of Hawaii at Manoa) was co-ed at this time (I decided yes – early photos indicate women instructors as early as 1909, and many public institutions, especially teachers' colleges, did admit women, although women were in the clear minority).

Brah = common Hawaiian pidgin word meaning 'brother', also bruddah (am trying to keep usage of pidgin to a minimum, mostly because I am uncertain about usage, but also for the sake of clarity).

Sistah = similar to Brah in usage – indicates familiarity but not necessarily blood relation.

Nisei (Sansei) = second (or third) generation (based on Japanese for 2,3 – "ni", "san"). American-born Nisei of this era were usually first-generation citizens due to various laws that prevented their immigrant parents from attaining citizenship.

A more complete list of references (too long to be posted here) and caveats (also very long: have only visited Hawaii twice, have never written anything with real historic background, etc.) is available upon request.

So, if anybody knowledgeable about Hawaiian pidgin and/or Japanese language is willing to beta, please PM me. I'd really appreciate it.

My first multi-chapter fic – please let me know what you think. (Updates might be a little slow due to plotting and research issues, sorry.)

Inspired by a series of reviews/discussion between Shawny Wong, TENDERVanilla, and Wandering Wonderer about AU's. (Part of a very loose, otherwise unrelated group of stories/ideas I call "Men in Uniform", of which "Special Delivery" is a part).