Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words:
Publish: 06/18/2020
Summary: Under duress, Naruto and Hinata are married for better, for worse...
Author's Note: Thanks to Hippyredfox who really helped me on this short story.

Papers on his right, papers on his left.

Papers everywhere.

Why important contracts were still printed on papers? What was the point of technology if not to avoid extra work?

And again a new pile of files put on his desk! It brought him back to reality. Facing him, Minato, now free from his load, unbuttoned his jacket buttons before taking place in a leather chair.

Naruto was sinking under work and, of course, his father's presence didn't help him focus. Every time he was in the same room with him, his little voice would whisper at his ear he had to confess, once and for all, that his marriage was a disaster. That all his attempts to please Hinata had miserable failed.

Oh Paris, capital of love. It should've helped him conquer or maybe just soften the atmosphere and his wife's harsh caracter. But, despite the night stroll, the rides on the Seine, Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, the restaurants, nothing! Nothing had made impact. The honeymoon ended on the same note as it had begun, if not worse.

But he didn't give up!

Back at Konoha, he planned cinema, opera, ballet dates, candlelit dinners, everything that could've make her happy. But, she codly refused to do all of this. The least activity they could do together seemed to disgust her. So, once again, he invited Neji and his wife, Tenten, Hanabi, Ino, to, again, try to calm her. And it worked! Well, a little bit... These afternoons spent with their family were a breath of air for Naruto. For like half a day, they looked like a couple. For a micro moment, hope rushed back.

It wasn't enough!

His little attentions would fly. He would offer little notes, bouquets of lilies, her favourite, to her once a day as soon as he was back home from work. She didn't care. Little by little, his want to make her change her mind about him was wilting like those flowers which would have surely wish to die elsewhere than in this porcelain pot, in the middle of that freezing and tensed atmosphere.

To top it all, for months now, she would leave the villa he bought for her long before he arrived. For hours, he would wait for her before, too tired, fall asleep on the sofa of their huge living room. It's only at that moment she would come back.

Well, at least it was clear.

She was avoid him like the plague.

But, persevere was his motto! Was he seen as an idiot? Maybe. The idiot in love. However, even idiots are in pain. Naruto's pain could be read on his traits, hear in the darkness of his sleepless nights and merge in his gestures.

On edge, he became anxious. Taking advantage of all the public moments they were attending to, to not letting her go, to not letting her out of his sight. Because, during those moments she let him put his hand on her lower back. Smell his perfume in her ebony hair. Kiss her hand, her temple, her forehead. And, if she was in the mood for more acting, he was allowed to kiss her lips. To have dance here and there. An eye contact during a photo for the press.

Moment of happiness, purely calculated.

These acted little attentions increased their popularity. But the opinion of the newspapers and readers wasn't worth it. He only wanted her. He wanted to see her lavender gaze enlighten because of him. To be the reason of her smile. For that, he would've done anything to have just one kiss meaning 'I love you'.

It was what he wanted, more than anything else in the world.

But he failed.

Everything he reaped was fake.

Others were naively fooled by her acting which would start an array of remarks; 'you are so cute.', 'it's obvious you are so perfect for each other.'

Let's say it's obvious she was breaking his heart. Again and again and again...

"Naruto? Something's wrong?"

This question made him even more mute than he was for the last ten minutes. Fear knotted his stomach. How to not disappoint him? He didn't want the little amount of esteem his father acknowledged to collapse. So, he remained silence and shook his head, too busy trying to get rid of his memories which were gradely breaking the picture he made of his marriage with Hinata.

But what could he do alone?

He loved her. So much.

Was he strong enough to carry this weight on his shoulders?

As planned, his marriage with her rapidly promoted him CEO of his father's company, as well as the Hyuuga's. In the meeting room, he recalled the congratulations he received. The board was proud of its choice. That marriage changed him. He was now a man. Finally, people were taking him seriously.

But, married men, real married men, provided strength and stability to their wife. Naruto? He was the true embodiment of moroseness for Hinata.

What was she seeing when she looked at him? A burden. A consequence in her life which bonded her to a marriage she never wanted. And Mrs Namizake was doing no efforts to make it agreable. Could he be mad at her? Of course not. Neither of them had a choice. All Naruto had that she didn't, was feelings.

After months of trying to make her fall in love with him, today, he felt down in the dumps.

Feeling his father's piercing stare, he finally deigned to look at him, leaving his numbers on the screen which was burning his blue eyes.

"You wanted something?" he asked.

"Just wanted to know how things worked out for you and your wife."

Oh, really great! He was still wondering how he was going to avoid this sensitive conversation with his father.

"It's been a while since we talked about you."

Really? That's so great to notice it, but not for this subject.

"Well, nothing really changed since then."

True but not really natural even though he tried to be seen like that. More, his father wasn't an idiot. He knew his son better than anyone.

"You mean you haven't consummate your marriage?"

Embarrassed, Naruto's cheeks and ears turned red.

"Hinata still needs time to make herself comfortable with the situation." he mumbled. "Nothing to worry about."

"It's been more than a year since you got married." his father said at loud. "Did you do everything to make her comfortable, to please her?"

Of course he did!

"Yes but her new job is taking all of her free time. It's hard to find a moment to be together."

Especially, when his wife was running away from him...

"Naruto, a husband knows when to find time for his wife."

"I tried, father, she refuses everything. She didn't chose to be with me and she blames me for it every day."

"It's not what it's written on the prenuptial agreement."

As if a piece of paper would change something.

"Don't make me believe everything is clean." Naruto said. "I'm not that stupide."

Flustered, his hand deep in his golden hair, he took a long breath in to calm down. His mood swings won't help him understand nor make the situation better. Getting angry at his father wasn't helping neither. Minato was always imperturbable.

"Do you know what a woman desire the most in the world, Naruto?"

Why didn't he like that sentence?

"It's to be a mother." his father finished.

Their blue iris, identical in all points, met. He should've known better. His father was plotting something. From the beginning, this conversation had only one goal: reminding him that everything was about business.

"Make a child to Hinata and she will be loyal to you."

Loyal? He was kidding, right?

Minato disappeared without waiting for an answer, leaving him alone with his reflexions.

Hunted until the end of the day, Naruto kept thinking about that conversation, even when he arrived home.

Hesitating to enter, he knew the house was empty, as usual. The silence will be heavy between the walls, leaving only his father's words running in his head. He was afraid to hear them, again and again, once inside. This situation was so oppressive. He didn't know how to act. As a stranger to his own house, he entered the entrance hall with tiredness.

However, a surprise was waiting for him.

When he opened the front door, he noticed right away noise and a suitcase under the coats. Hinata's.

Was she leaving?

Where?

With caution, he stepped in the shared bedroom. Or rather the bedroom where Hinata would slept alone.

Even if their were bonded by a contact, Hinata could still take the decision to go live elsewhere. And he couldn't say no. Knowing their life together could end one day, kept Naruto in suspense. Knowing she was near him was fortifying. Yes, it was in a cold atmosphere but, it was still a confort.

Unlike what he thought, the room wasn't upside down. From what he could see, only a few drawers were empty and it was only missing one or two pairs of shoes in her closet.

Looking for her, he saw her long raven hair swing in the bathroom while she was searching her drawers. One foot in the room, Naruto felt nervous.

"Hinata? What are you doing?"

At the sound of his voice, she tensed before turning around, now facing him. Their eyes met, meaning she was ok with him being here. Her toilet case in hand, she stuck a lock of her hair behind her ear then got back to her research.

"I left you a note in a kitchen." she said.

"Now I'm here, you can tell me."

"I'm leaving for the weekend."

What?

Her tone clearly said that she won't give more details to her short explanation. Massaging the nape of his neck, the conversation with Minato was still fresh in Naruto's mind.

"Why didn't you mention it earlier? Is it work?" he tentatively asked.

"Not at all."

Her answer took him by surprise.

"Then, what is it?" he insisted.

Too busy, she didn't answer right away. She checked she had found the right bottle of shampoo then put it in her toilet case before catching her bag. She went past Naruto who followed her towards the exit.

"I'm leaving for Hawaii with Ino, Tamaki, Kiba and Deidara."

Even though he knew her friends, he couldn't help but feel irritated when she mentioned Deidara, Ino's brother. A handsome guy with long blond hair who was a womaniser and, who was to close with his wife. Several times, he saw them, alone, while he was whispering at her ear words that made her blush, even laugh, for real. Powerless, he never knew what to do.

Why was he seducing a married woman?

His sister's best friend?

Hinata Namikaze, his fucking wife!

"I don't want you to go." he rumbled out of the blue.

Consumed with jealousy, he didn't manage to hold back. Surprised, Hinata looked at him once more. Again, their pupils met, their eyebrows frowned.

"You don't have your say Naruto."

"You want to go for the weekend? Let's go together. I-I would like to have a serious conversation with you about-'

"I have nothing to say to you." she coldly cut him.

Classic.

"Well I do. I have a lot of things to say but you're never here." he reproached.

"Don't you put the blame on me-"

"I'm not leaving with a single man! You are!"

She let a nervous laugh pass her lips, characterising the anger overwhelming her.

"Wait, are you jealous?"

Totally.

"Latest news, I'm maybe a Namikaze now but, I don't belong to anyone!" she continued.

He clearly understood it. No need to twist the knife in the wound.

"In that case, go tell him that!" he demanded "Because everyone can see in his eyes the only thing he wants it's to be in bed with you-"

The slap which landed on his cheek echoed in the entrance hall. Silence came back, only disturbed by Hinata's quick breathing. Outraged, she took her bag and her suitcase and went around him, determined to leave him here, in his remorses.

"When will you see I love you more than anything?"

He heard her stop. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.

"I truly love you Hinata."

Silently, he wished his words hold her back. He wished he couldn't hear the noise of her high heels bang against the marble and go away. He wished she understand that, for him, it wasn't business. It was real love.

A nonreciprocal love.

He was in pain.

His heart turned to liquid, melt under the sadness.

Alone in this huge house, again.

Silence, again.

Again...

What can I say except "ouch..."