Hinata has always found beauty in fragile things.
It's one of the reasons she likes flowers.
It has never occurred to her that those fragile things were much stronger than they appeared.
After all, they were still beautiful, even when pressed.
Hinata has no interest in staying for the rest of the fights. She had only gone to support Naruto. The crowd was wild when they arrived, and after Naruto's stunning upset, they're even more so. Ino ushers her through a throng of people towards a back exit.
When they push through she's pleasantly surprised to find Naruto out there. She didn't know what the protocol was for fighters, so she hadn't actually expected to see him.
He's showered, but his face still looks swollen and and he's holding himself oddly.
"Naruto?" She approaches him, not wanting to crowd him. He was with a bunch of other people, so she feels a little awkward about intruding, but she wants to congratulate him at least.
His head snaps towards her in a way that had to be painful, considering."Hina!" He smiles at her despite his split lip.
"Who's the blonde?" The grey haired man leers.
Naruto gives Ino a quick glance. "You can have her," he says.
Ino glares, but it lacks any real heat. There's no real animosity between them, but he did get the "you hurt her I will make a eunuch out of you" speech from Ino when he and Hinata started dating, so she's not exactly super thrilled with him. Plus he was Sasuke's roommate during that short (short) relationship.
"Hi, Ino." Naruto smirks, waving.
"Naruto," Ino tosses her long hair over her shoulder. It's as dismissive a gesture as they come. "I'll see you later, Hinata." She pulls Hinata in for a hug. "I"m expecting a phone call when you get home," she says with a quick cheek kiss.
Jiraiya shoves a phone into Naruto's hand before following the path Ino took. Hinata watches after them and frowns, wondering if she should follow. "Is she going to be okay?" Jiraiya is a fight coach, sure, but Hinata has hip thrown much larger self-defense instructors.
"He's harmless." Naruto promises.
Hinata turns her gaze to him, then flicks it to the side, where there are several teenagers lingering. They seem to know Naruto, but she doesn't want to assume.
Naruto gives a slight eye roll. "Hina, this is my canvassing partner-"
"Konohamaru Sarutobi." The young brunette sticks out his hand.
"Yeah." Naruto sighs.
"Naruto's basically our boss." Konohamaru continues as Hinata shakes his surprisingly soft hand.
"Yeah Naruto's the best." Another one adds.
Hinata flicks him a look. She has no doubt that he is, but it's clear he's irritated with their comments. He shoves the kid, Konohamaru, in the back. "You. Go now."
Konohamaru frowns at him. "Fine. We're gonna go watch the rest of the fights anyways."
After they're left alone, Hinata gives him a once over. He looks exhausted. "Not to ask a silly question-"
"You're questions aren't silly." Naruto shakes his head even as he holds himself up against the wall.
"Um, are you, okay?" Yeah, he won, but he took a beating.
"Psht. Me? I'm great." He smiles, but it looks funny. Twisted, like a grimace.
Hinata raises an eyebrow at him. Clearly.
"Never felt better. Maybe a little hungry." He adds, one hand on his stomach. Probably over a bruise.
She tilts her head, speculative. He always could eat more than anyone she knew...but still..."Hungry?"
He nods, and makes another face. He's so bad at faking his way through this. It's kind of endearing, actually.
"Starving," he confirms. "You hungry?"
She could eat.
"Come on, lets go get some food." he pushes away from the wall with a grunt. "I don't know any good places over here though."
The lobby is crowded, people milling about to buy snacks or place bets and he's staggering a bit. Hinata loops her arm through his to steady him as they try and wade through the crowd. Some people recognize Naruto and start snapping pictures. It's so surreal.
"Are they… taking pictures of you?" She asks, shaking her head.
Naruto,shrugs his shoulders. "I am pretty cute."
Hinata wrinkles her nose, but she thinks about Ino's slip-n-slide comment and her cheeks pinken. She can feel Naruto's curious stare, but she ignores it in favor of pushing them towards the exit.
The moment the cold air hits them she hears someone shouting. For Naruto.
"Hey! Uzumaki!"
There's a tall, long limbed, red-head shouting in their general direction. Hinata has no idea who he is. She glances up at Naruto and tightens her grip. "Do you know him?"
"No," he shakes his head. "Does he… kinda look like Karin though?"
Hinata gives him a second look, and yeah, she supposes a little. But she's less concerned with the resemblance and more with the fact that the guy is still yelling.
"I bet you think you're hot shit, knocking Yahiko out."
Behind the yelling man, a dark haired woman is trying to tug his arm, much like Hinata is holding Naruto. "Come on, Nagato…"
Both men ignore them.
Naruto shrugs. "I mean like - yeah kinda."
Hinata digs in harder. Naruto is in no condition to get into another fight. Even one with a man that looks like a strong wind could kick his ass.
This Nagato fellow keeps going, though. "He won't underestimate you again. Next time he's going to sweep you. Wholesale."
"Let go." Hinata urges, trying to steer Naruto her way.
He goes, but not before taunting the other man. "Alrighty then, sleep ya later."
Hinata breathes a sigh of relief, casting a furtive glance over her shoulder, just to make sure they aren't following.
A little ways along the sidewalk, Naruto missteps.
"Are you sure you're alright?" she asks.
"I'm perfect, ya'know. Super good. But, um, do you think, we could like, take a cab. Maybe. To wherever we're going."
The restaurant she is leading them to is not far enough to warrant the fare. "It's just a couple blocks."
"A couple blocks?" He looks ready to cry.
"I thought you were fine?" She can't help but tease him. It reminds her of when they were in college and he'd stay up too late but swear he was fine for an early class-only to pass out and get yelled at mid-lecture.
"I'm tip top. Believe it." He stumbles again and out of instinct Hinata wraps her arm around his waist.
"Mmmhmm." Hinata frowns up at him. "Tip top, huh?"
He gives her a wink. "I mean, if you wanna cuddle me, s'not like I'm gonna say 'no'." He wraps his arm around her shoulders and stands a bit straighter.
"You're so full of it." Hinata can't help but giggle.
"I think the words you're looking for is smooth."
She can feel him rest his head atop hers, and she's not sure if it's to catch his breath or out of affection. She clears her throat and starts them walking again. "Oh, is it?"
Naruto sniffs in the cold air. "Yup. Where are we going anyways?"
"I thought, that maybe, you'd like some ramen."
Naruto stops dead and the crack in his voice makes her lips quirk. "Ramen?"
Hinata smiles. "It's really good, too."
She watches him cast his gaze up the street and then back to her. "You know the way around here?" He asks. She hears the question he's not asking, but doesn't comment. Instead she just nods. Yeah. She knows the area.
He inhales sharply and winces.
"You're in pain aren't you?" Maybe she should just hail that cab and send him home.
"I told you. I feel better than ever." He winks at her.
She shakes her head. So stubborn.
The walk takes longer than it should have, but they finally reach the restaurant and the warmth from inside is very inviting.
In the entrance, Naruto hedges. "This place is kind of pricey."
Hinata looks up to him. "My treat."
"Oh, hey, no, I can't let you–"
"Technically you're paying," she tells him. "It's from my winnings."
It takes him a moment and then his eyes widen and a shocked grin spreads over his face.
"You bet on me?" He asks with a laugh.
Hinata ducks her head and simply nods.
She's always bet on him.
She's always been in his corner.
She always will be.
He moves closer and presses his cheek to her temple. She closes her eyes and savors the contact. She hugs her friends, she justifies, so this is still within her boundaries.
"Thanks, Hina."
"Come on, lets get some ramen." She pulls him inside.
The place nice with large tables and friendly service. The ramen is good as is the company. They eat and laugh and although Naruto is very clearly tired from his fight, he makes an effort to stay focused and conversational.
She congratulates him on his win several times and he grins each time.
"Thanks for coming tonight," he says when they're back outside, waiting for his cab.
"Of course." She nods easily. "What are friends for?"
He shifts away from her and clears his throat but when she looks at him, his expression is unchanged.
When the cab finally comes she makes sure he gets inside without additional injury.
"I'm beaten, not invalid," he teases.
Hinata flushes, tucking her hair behind her ears. She's mothering him again. "Go home and get some rest, okay?"
He reaches out and squeezes her fingers before she can withdraw all the way. "Okay."
She watches the cab pull away and wraps her coat tighter. Just to hold onto that warm feeling in her gut for a little longer.