Anime/Manga: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words: 1 793
Published: 02/29/2020
Summary: As a typical bad boy cliché, Naruto screams with his look and his rock-metal band his hatred towards society. For him, he is only good at writing words on a piece of paper but Hinata sees in him more that just a lost teenager on the path of life.
Author's note: This OS has been inspired by an idea of Hippyredfox

He could hear everything and despite that, he needed her to be able to breath, see, touch, taste... live. How was his life before Hinata? It was like a forgotten memory that he didn't want to remember. 'Then say something. Fuck. Anything!'

"You're not going to tell what happened?" Hinata gestured again. She was giving him a hand and he was the only one who could grab it. "Was it Kabuto again? I thought you stopped buy him grass and that you payed him back. Did you lie?"

"Why d'you think I lie right away, eh?" He finally reacted to defend himself. "You didn't think that shitbag just wants to be a pain in my ass until the day I die?"

"In that case, you should press charges Naruto-kun."

"You want me to go see the cops to snitch on him?"

"Or let me-"

"I already told you I don't need you father's fucking money!"

"And what are you going to do the day you'll have a gun pointing at you, eh?!"

"I'll cope by himself, like I always dit! Now drop it! You can't understand shit!" he spoke in a booming voice.

Of course she couldn't understand. Since her birthday she was surrounded by her family, by domestics and by health professionals so that she could have a normal life despite being deaf. Realising that is what the blonde wanted to say, his words she had read on his lips hurt her deeper than she had expected. For a second, they glared at each other but, since no deal could be established with their attitudes, she let go of him as she turned on her heels.

This was like a slap on the face which made him realise he had lost his temper. He should've stayed focus on his hands. He knew that everytime he let words passed his lips it was hurting people. But it wasn't what he wanted with her. He was always extra careful but as soon as he would see her nervous because of him, he would turn crazy. With that, yesterday's events, today's event and Hinata's worry grown heavy on his shoulders and, at the end, he fucked up... Again... Why was he so toxic to the people who were closed to him? "Damnit!"

Once he had caught her, he went in front of her and showed her his palms as a peace sign. She stopped but didn't answer the apologetic smile he sent her.

"I'm sorry Hina. Ok? It wasn't meant to-"

"I rather stop this conversation with you right now because it might end badly. I'm going home and we'll maybe see each other tonight."

In front of her short hands signs and wet lavender eyes, Naruto stayed mute and unable to do a move. He saw her disappear but after a few seconds, she came back in front of him. This was enough to make his heart flutter with hope. Maybe she had changed her mind.

"One last thing. I know you want to change things on your own but help won't kill you Naruto-kun. Sometimes, when the wall is to high to climb, you can ask someone to help you... even if that person is a disabled person."

This time, with a painful throat, she left for good, hoping with all her soul that this conversation will change something in a positive way to avoid a even more complicated situation.

It was already dark outside. It was later than usual, she noticed it as she looked at her watch before looking back at the Sabertooth. Usually, she was one of the first consumers to be sitting but tonight, Hinata thought that maybe Naruto needed space to focus and to think about what they mentioned earlier.

Luckily, her cousin Sasuke was in town since the end of the afternoon and his welcome diner had distracted Hinata. Unfortunately, as the three passengers got out of the car, worry knotted her stomach.

With her small tentative footsteps, she entered the building and they were overwhelmed by the sound of the music, making their hearts heavily throb. The blink of lights hurt their retinas. The whole building seemed to shake, bending to the partition of notes and to the lyrics the singer was screaming through her microphone. Spectators jumped, hands up, hustling the trio.

At the public's excitement, Hinata looked at the stage and, as the bums started new notes, huge red letters were visible in the dark, forming the name of the band: Akumas.

Screams started again when lights from the ceiling exploded again in the dark to illuminate the musciens. Nuances of colours caressed their sweety and not much covered bodies. Shaking his head every time his drumsticks met his drums, Gray keeped up the crazy rhythm of the beginning of the song while Sakura's powerful voice accompanied the two half-naked guitarists. Smiling like little demons, Natsu and Naruto seemed to fight each other with their instruments for only weapons.

Seeing him like this cooled Hinata's nerves down and brought tears to her eyes. Her empty heart demanded to be filled with the resonances of the song. Once she had announced to Neji and Sasuke they will meet again at the bar, she drove in the mass.

Despite her petite high, she forced her way until she could reach for the speakers. With her fingers, she touched the rugged surface and, within the second, familiar tingles ran through her body. Her eyes shut close and she let the vibrations, which went on her skin, take her in her own little world. Music was so familiar, warm and powerful that she didn't need the lyrics for understand the message the teenage group wanted to express.

Then, the vibrations changed and it wasn't impossible for her to know who was playing because sensations were strongly tying everyone's guts in the room. Opening her eyes, her gaze instantly fell on him. Focus on his fingers which were torturing the strings of his instrument, Naruto was playing for his public a guitar solo worthy of Guns N'Roses while Gray and Natsu - who was improving on the electronic keyboard - were accompanying him.

Euphoria grew even more among the public when Sakura moved forwards on the stage to deliver the last verse and in doing so, to end the concert.

Darkness fell onto the room for a few seconds then phosphorescence colours shone on the Akumas who were saluating the whole frenetic public with a smile on their lips before disappearing in the dark. Clapping and whistles resonated for several minutes until the crowd dispersed. Some got out for fresh air and other waited for the group to come back among them to be able to personally congratulate them.

Seeing Neji and Sasuke talking with Sting and Rog, Hinata came back on her track. However, a hand caught her wrist, making her jump. She quickly turned her head and saw Naruto, hidden behind the black curtain underneath the stage, who gestured to her to follow him. Without hesitation, she intertwined her fingers with his and slipped under the stage. Striding over the metal pillars, they reached the recording studio's door.

Once inside, Naruto properly closed the door and returned in front of Hinata to open the door of the sound-insulated room. As soon as they couldn't hear the noise from outside, he made some room on the couch while she was trying really hard not to stare at his back muscles and his current wrounds that Sakura had hidden as much as possible with makeup. He invited her to take a sit and when he too sat, a t-shirt was now on his torso.

"I'm... I'm glad you came."

Believing his gaze was avoiding hers, Hinata brightly blushed when Naruto showed her a red rose. Despite the throbbing of her heart, she took the flower between her hands to free his.

"I dunno how to do it... so, I bought this flower as an apology for me being an asshole earlier. You're right and the turd that I am was wrong... I was too confident and I didn't think of the consequences of my actions... nor the meaning of my words."

Hesitating, he scratched the nape of his neck and finally looked at her. A shy smile was on Hinata's lips, showing him that he had her attention.

"With Gray's father, we went see the cops and they gonna help me. They gonna catch Kabuto. I not gonna watch behind my shoulder anymore Hina. I'll start focus on school and, on the side, I wanna the band to send one of the demos to a label. Could be great, right?"

"I'm really glad you talk to your resolutions with me Naruto-kun but it's with them you should talk about that. Not with me-"

"But your opinion is as important as their!" his voice cut her all the while he caught her hands. "I... I need you."

He was closer now but she didn't moved, her heart beating heavily against her chest. Weakly, she swallowed and freed her hands to answer.

"Me?"

But as soon as she finished her gesture he took the flower, put it aside and took her fingers to put them on his throat, on top of his tattooed fox. His ink covered forefinger rose her chin before showing her to read on his lips. Under her thumb, she could feel his pulse twice as fast as usual and before she could think it was because of the concert, his deep voice vibrate while his lips moved.

"I love you."

Caught off guard, Hinata let go of him but she could still feel his pulse and the resonance of his vocal cords on the tip of her fingers. Realising what he had said to her, her lavender eyes were filled with joy tears as well as sad tears. She wished she could've hear him.

It's at that moment the couch swayed under Naruto's weight as he moved closer until their foreheads touch. He wiped her tears away and, patiently, he waited for her shy hand to come back on his throat and for her to beg him to say it again. And he did, saying it again and again as long as it was necessary, letting her memorise the sensation while he was gazing at her beautiful angel face.

Feeling her fingers getting away from him, he followed them with his eyes and he saw them pointing at him before taping against her heart, meaning one and only thing.

"I love you too" her hands said before catching his face in order to let their lips met.

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