A/N: Hi, there! I don't want to get too personal (and I hope you understand), but, long story short, I became unexpectedly ill soon after I posted chapter 4. All my energy and resources were given to the care of my health and family (both which will always be priorities to me). However, as I have been progressively recovering, I have also been progressively writing. And I have to say, writing this story has been a great comfort. I just love Naruto and Hinata so much. Not only that, please know that any comment—reviews or PMs—was also so comforting to receive as I navigated a new reality in my life. Following and favoriting were also sparks of joy. Thank y'all so much.
And now, without further ado, enjoy the chapter!
—
(cinnamon rolls)
—
Hinata thanked the waitress when her protein bowl and green tea were placed before her. It had taken her all her self-restraint to not order a cinnamon roll, but she knew her face was showing the disappointment. Unfortunately, cinnamon rolls were not an appropriate meal right before going to work with Maito Guy and Rock Lee, a.k.a. the Green Beasts.
"Why don't you order one for later? So you can have it after work?" Sakura suggested lifting her own to-go box of dango as an example.
"It's okay, the smell alone would drive me insane." Hinata confessed with a low sigh while looking down at her order. Sakura and Ino watched their Hyuga friend unknowingly pout to herself. The blonde and pinkett exchanged a humorous look, silently deciding to change the subject. Hinata's behavior towards cinnamon rolls reminded them of a certain blond and ramen.
"How lucky is it that we all happened to be free this morning, hm?" Ino started chirpily.
"And to be back at our favorite café from college?" Sakura added looking around at the nostalgic establishment. "Aaah… good times." Hinata followed her lead and also took in their surroundings and smiled openly.
"Thank you, Ino, for inviting us." The Hyuga said sincerely. After all, it was Ino who had the idea to meet over at their old hang out spot.
"Hey, no biggie." Ino responded with her characteristic cheeky smile, waving off a manicured hand. "It just made sense! With me taking classes this afternoon at KU, Sakura having a shift at the university's hospital, and this place being on the way to your assigned gym—it would've been a wasted opportunity to have gone anywhere else!" She counted each good reason with her fingers and concluded with a thumbs up.
"And how is grad school going, Ino-pig?!" Sakura asked before taking a bite of her caesar wrap.
"Kicking my hot ass! Honestly, I feel like complaining like Shika sometimes…" Ino started her rant to which the other two girls nodded and listened carefully, cheering on their friend or adding comments when needed.
Having brunch at the café combined with Ino and Sakura's presence had transported Hinata back a few years. She quite enjoyed the feeling, having created many happy memories in college. Hanabi always—exaggeratedly yet truthfully—told her that she had finally bloomed during those years. This café was also the place where she had met with her ex for the last time before they parted ways, but Hinata had no reason to focus on that at the moment. Well, especially when Ino turned to her with a mischievous smile all of sudden.
Hinata gulped, reading herself.
"But! Why are we wasting time talking about my thesis when, truly, we should be asking how Hinata's day went with Naruto yesterday?" Hinata ungracefully choked on her food, and Sakura let out a small laugh before pushing a glass of water to the struggling girl while Ino raised an eyebrow in interest.
"How-how d-did you guys know?" Hinata said with difficulty even after having a drink, her eyes a little teared up.
"Well, after you didn't text me back yesterday, and being the one who sent Naruto your way, I could only assume." Sakura said, shrugging her shoulders.
"And you can't blame us for wanting to know." Ino added, stirring her smoothie with a straw. "Naruto is a dear, long-time friend, from the days when we were nothing but a bunch of senseless teens. And you are just as dear, our precious Hina." The Hyuga couldn't help but smile at the fond tone Ino used to describe both herself and Naruto.
"We didn't want to make you guys more uncomfortable at the barbecue the other night, but Ino and I are just so curious about you and Naruto." Sakura apologetically admitted.
"And, to be honest, I'm already shipping." Ino stated as if it were nothing.
"Shi-shipping!?" Hinata looked bewildered at the Yamanaka, a furious blush taking over her pale complexion, while Sakura shook her head in disbelief.
"Ino, you can't say that! Hina hasn't even told us a thing yet!"
"Does she have to, though?" Ino looked unfazed and turned her attention to her fidgeting victim. "Even if you tell me you guys are just friends—and I'll take your word for it—I'd still be dreaming about you two getting together 'cause you can't erase from my eyes the overload of adorableness you and Naruto displayed the other night." She put it simply, eyes shining dangerously as she made Hinata sweat cold in her seat.
"Pft!" Sakura bit a laugh in, Ino was just too much—poor Hinata. "Ino, please, what are you? A fangirl of some sorts?"
"Forehead, I have always been Hinata's number one fangirl!" The blonde winked at said young woman making Sakura finally lose it and laugh out loud.
Hinata was at such a loss of words at the moment, that she just gave into her blush and hid behind her hands. After Sakura calmed down, she placed a friendly hand on the indigo haired girl's shoulder and gave it a gentle shake.
"You know Ino, she's just a sucker for love, and a closeted matchmaker." Sakura said to which Ino just let a long, dreamy sigh out. "Jokes aside, we got the impression you and Naruto became really close in a short period."
"I promise I won't say any more weird shit, Hina." Ino chuckled and added, "You must know I mean well."
Hinata peeked from between her fingers, finding no trace of malicious intent from her friends. Not that she even expected any ill from them, she was just so embarrassed because a small part of her weirdly enjoyed Ino's earlier comments.
"Well…" She started after a moment, lifting her face up and pressing her hands against her thighs. Her lavender eyes shifted between her two friends briefly, trying to make a decision. "I'm not sure what he thinks, but I do feel like we've become close…"
Thus, the next several minutes were spent on Hinata describing to her friends how they hung out at the ramen shop soon after their first meeting, her conversation with Tenten about her internal conflicts of imposing on Naruto (to which Ino enthusiastically supported Tenten's stance), hers and Naruto's easy and almost daily phone conversations, and how much of a good time she had spending the afternoon with him the day prior—although she purposely left the embarrassing details out such as slamming the door on his face and ogling his toned abs. As she shared the happenings with her friends, Hinata felt each word coming out more and more relaxed, finding enjoyment in talking about Naruto.
"And how do you feel about him now?" Ino asked softly, both her and Sakura watching Hinata with equal interest in their eyes.
The Hyuga paused for a moment, taking a sip of her tea as she carefully thought about her answer. She had purposefully avoided spending time with that question when alone—afraid of overthinking things. However, after openly talking about her time with Naruto to friends that loved both of them, she suddenly wasn't afraid of the answer she might find within.
In fact, the harder she thought about it, the harder it was to not let the corner of her lips turn up. The sides of her neck felt a hint of warmth, and a quiet giggle escaped her as she lifted up her eyes to look at the expectant girls.
"Promise that this stays between us?" She asked timidly, just to give her quick heart some reassurance.
"Of course." Sakura answered for both of them while Ino nodded firmly.
"I… I definitely feel something different but comfortable when I'm with him." Hinata said slowly, choosing her words with much care, trying to translate what she felt. "You know how I struggle with social anxiety…" She let the sentence hang in the air for a bit, Ino and Sakura nodding with sympathetic expressions. "But, with Naruto, that was not much of an obstacle. I mean, I'm a blushing mess most of the time, but… It was like reuniting with a childhood friend. Yet, 'friends' feels wrong to say. I-" she took a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed by her coming admission that just felt right at the moment. "It's a new feeling that I've never experienced before."
Ino smiling softly, feeling all of Hinata's words through the girl's eyes. Sakura reached out to Hinata's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, also smiling at her friend's confession. They had never seen Hinata speak with so much emotion before. Her soft voice was bashful yet full of conviction. Her lavender eyes had a silver shine to them. And her timid smile never wavered as she worked hard to express herself.
"I want to, well… I want to continue to spend time with him and figure it all out." She ended her confession by squeezing Sakura's hand back, and hiding half of her face with her free hand. Their food was long forgotten as the three girls took time to bask in the sweet aura of their conversation.
After some time, Ino cleared her throat and said nonchalantly, "You know I ship it," to which even Hinata laughed this time.
"Well, I obviously cannot speak for him, but I'm sure Naruto feels the same about spending time with you." Sakura said thoughtfully. "He's always seeking you out, it seems."
Ino agreed and the warmth around Hinata's neck climbed up to her cheeks.
"We could spend hours telling you about how he was in high school, but I'm sure there are stories better told by him." And that should be told by him, Ino mentally added, considering his right to share more personal affairs.
"Yeap, he's definitely a better storyteller, but we could indulge you with some embarrassing moments, and pictures!" Chimed in Sakura, already pulling out her phone.
"He's told me so many already." Hinata giggled with a hint of mischief. "I'm just trying to piece together who you guys were in the stories, now that I know his friends."
"Oh my god, NO! What has he told you?!" Ino jumped forward, calling attention from other customers while Hinata and Sakura laughed.
The rest of their time was happily spent as they talked about Naruto, Sakura, and Ino's high school days with their other friends. Sakura had a few funny videos from some of the stories Hinata had heard from Naruto before as well as a couple of group shots of their little gang in school uniforms—Naruto's hair being longer and messier, his face always sporting a bandage somewhere, and his tie never properly groomed. Hinata also learned how each girl befriended the then blond troublemaker, their first impressions of him, and how he had proven to be the most loyal soul behind his goofy personality.
It was interesting for Hinata to hear more about him from their friends' perspective, and it left her even more curious about certain topics. After all, they had also not mentioned his family—or past girlfriends.
As they were leaving, Sakura asked them to wait outside while she used the restroom. Hinata and Ino were chatting about how the rest of their week looked like when Sakura walked out holding a sealed to-go box.
"What is it?" Hinata asked, confused, when the pinkett handed her the container. The polystyrene surface felt quite cold in her palms as she accepted it, and her face frowned at the small mystery.
"Two cinnamon rolls, raw, so the smell won't tempt you." Sakura said with a playful wink. "You can just bake them fresh tonight. They said if you just keep them refrigerated for most of the afternoon, they will still be good by the time you get home. Ino's idea, by the way." She pointed at the other girl with a thumb to which the blonde just smiled proudly.
"I-I don't know what to say." Hinata said touched by her friends' thoughtfulness.
"Just promise us we'll be seeing more of you from now on." Ino said, locking arms with both girls so they could start walking together.
Hinata's heart beat in happiness as she fell into step next to her friends, the white box tucked in tightly in her arms.
—
Naruto's ears had been burning hot for the past couple of hours for no apparent reason. Maybe someone was talking about him? Either way, he shook the thought away as he tried to listen to the young college student thanking him as they walked out of Jiraiya's gym. Sarutobi Konohamaru, as he was called, had made quite the impression on Naruto and his godfather. Shikamaru was right about this one, and they had just hired the late teen as Naruto's new social media manager.
The Uzumaki saw something of himself in the boy. He immediately recognized Konohamaru's eagerness to prove himself to someone. He didn't know who it was, but he saw the fire. Naruto knew it was the right choice.
"Hey, I'm the one who should be thanking you, so relax." Naruto teased him. He noticed how the eighteen-year-old was clearly star struck by Naruto— well, Konohamaru was probably his number one fan since he was the creator of the fast-growing Instagram page, kitsune_watch. "You're young but obviously talented, and savvy!"
"Th-thank you, boss!" Konohamaru said, the excitement tripping his words a little. "I'll be sure not to disappoint! This opportunity is way too important to me, you bet!" Naruto chuckled good naturedly at the young man's enthusiastic level of commitment.
They shook hands by Konohamaru's car after confirming details for their next meeting in two days. Naruto waved as the car drove away and stood a bit longer on the sidewalk. His hands tucked in his training joggers as his face lifted up, feeling the sun's warmth.
Spring was quickly turning into summer, he could feel it in his skin.
He also wondered if Hinata was at Maito Guy's gym already, working. He tried to picture her in a martial arts uniform, taking down someone much bigger than her. He would have to ask her to spar sometime. Just for fun. Maybe some light karate? Or boxing? Yoga with her was nice, too.
"Uzumaki Naruto, it's a pleasure to finally meet you." An unfamiliar deep voice startled the blond out of his musings.
Blue eyes met with black ones which seemed to wrinkle with a hidden smile under a facemask. Naruto immediately recognized the long gray hair that defied gravity and the left eye vertical scar from pictures online. Although he had never met the man in person, Naruto had been waiting for Hatake Kakashi's visit since his first official fight upon returning to Konoha.
Kakashi watched Naruto's stunned expression morph into a wide smile, his whiskers pushed up and canines exposed. The youngster definitely knew who he was, but so did Kakashi. Uncharacteristic enthusiasm stirred within the hard-to-impress older man as he saw his old idol reflected in the blond standing before him. He had no doubts of who Naruto was, even if surnames differed.
"Ready for a talk that will change your life forever?" He said not bothering to introduce himself.
"'been ready my whole damn life, believe it." Was Naruto's unceremonious yet confident response to which Kakashi chuckled and gestured towards the gym entrance.
"Show me the way, kid."
—
Hatake Kakashi meant business wherever he went cladded in a simple yet well-tailored blazer, face mask, and leathered zipper folder. He was the scouting's main face of the Fire Country's branch of the MMA Pro-League; his picks were known to be the most popular—and profitable—ones currently.
Being retired for many years prior to Naruto, Jiraiya had never worked with Kakashi, but was well-informed of who he was and how he operated. So when Naruto returned to his office from walking out the Sarutobi kid accompanied by Kakashi himself, the old-timer coach almost fell off his chair.
After all, Hatake Kakashi only dignified an amateur MMA fighter with an in-person visit when a contract had been already forged. Jiraiya had no doubts, Naruto was about to become Konoha's newest hooky in the league.
It took him less than a second to recover though. And, before Naruto or Kakashi could open their mouths, Jirayia was already standing and gracing them with his signature booming laughter.
"Kit, shut that door tight 'cause we're about to seal a deal here." He said, already pulling Kakashi into a firm handshake.
"Jiraya, the Sannin, you live up to your reputation." Kakashi reciprocated the handshake before sitting comfortably across from said man. "It's an honor to meet you officially."
"Same, Naruto and I have been patiently expecting your visit." Jiraiya said, tapping Naruto's shoulder, inviting his pupil to take a place next to him on the leather couch.
"So I've heard. Mr. Uzumaki wasn't that surprised to see me."
"It's been my one purpose to make it into the professional league." Naruto declared making direct eye contact with the scout. "No matter how long it would've taken me."
"Well, lucky for you it's happening sooner rather than later." The gray man smiled with his eyes, opening his lather folder on the coffee table. Jiraiya chuckled again upon seeing Naruto smiling like a fool. Kakashi was not hiding his intentions whatsoever. "I've actually been on your tail since you started competing in amateur championships away from Konoha. I happened to catch a fight of yours in the Water Country, while on vacation with a buddy."
Jiraiya looked a little surprised by that last statement. Competing in the Water Country was at least three years ago, soon after he took Naruto to train under the cutting waters of the coldest waterfalls in the Elemental Nations.
"You were rough and inexperienced when fighting Momochi Zabuza, but displayed a raw talent and an unconventional approach to tight situations that I'd seen only once before." Kakashi continued. "I had a hunch, and I knew I wanted to be the one to sign you when the time was right." He ended with a click of his pen. "Shall we start?"
—
Maito Guy's gym was Hyuga Neji's second home where he trained and worked most of his days. Yet, he was not supposed to be there today. Even though it was Monday, he had scheduled a rare day off after having to pull double hours in the main office with Hinata for the past two weeks. Needless to say that he was surprised when his uncle asked to meet him at the gym with such short notice.
"Mr. Neji." The young men working the reception smiled politely when standing up to scan Neji's ID. "Have you come to see Ms. Hinata?"
"Hinata is here?" Uncle didn't mention anything about meeting with Hinata as well.
"Yes, sir. She's teaching with Mr. Lee today. They are at dojo number three." Neji thanked the helpful receptionist before making his way to the class.
With all the finesse a Hyuga possessed, Neji slid in the dojo without being noticed. He sat on a wooden bench and rested his back against the wall. His eyes wandered through the students dressed in white cotton uniform sets until he spotted his cousin. She was dressed in a dark navy aikido hakama and white gi. Her long indigo tresses tied up in a high ponytail. Even though she was shorter than everyone else, Hinata still stood out. Her voice was calm and not overly loud, but the precision in which her words were coming out gave her presence and stature.
He stifled a laugh upon seeing all the students flinching when Lee loudly announced that he was going to blindly select a volunteer to help Hinata demonstrate the movement they were just discussing. Lee speed-walked a lap around the students with his eyes closed and stopped at the feet of a shorter yet stocky man.
But Neji's attention was taken away from the tatami when he felt someone sitting next to him. Hiashi greeted him with a nod but gestured to him to be silent as he turned to watch his daughter.
Together they observed Hinata exchange pleasantries with the student who seemed confident and unnerved. She smiled pleasantly and waved him to advance forward. He tried to grasp her elusive arms once, twice, and by the third time she swiftly grabbed both of his arms with a grasp that looked gentle, but that Neji knew it to have just enough pressure—a Hyuga fighting stamp. She kept the student's right arm low by her hip, and pulled his left arm over her head as her body spun around under it until his chest touched her back. With one pull of his left arm, Hinata threw the man over her right shoulder like a weightless feather. The student looked stunned on the floor, blinking rapidly at the ceiling, as the class awed and clapped. He soon stood up to bow and shake Hinata's hand, complimenting her on the move.
Neji joined in the clapping and side-eyed his uncle. He had to stifle another laugh when he noticed Hiashi discretely slipping his phone back in the breast pocket of this white button down. "Send me the video later, alright?" He quietly whispered to the older man who just 'hm' in response.
"The most youthful display of strength!" Lee shouted most enthusiastically. "As you can see, it's not about your opponent's size or weight, but your technique!" He said while clapping a hand on Hinata's back, making her jump forward a couple of inches. "Final words before breaking into pairs, Hinata?"
"Remember," her soft voice ringed throughout the dojo, all eyes on her. "Aikido uses the momentum and strength of your opponent, and turns them in your favor. Be confident in what you can do instead of being intimidated by the threat. And don't let your experience make you forget basic principles." She finished to an audience of nodding heads.
"Well said, cousin." Neji murmured, wanting to clap her again. He had always thought Hinata thoroughly thrived when helping others.
When Lee busied himself dividing the class into pairs, Hinata finally spotted her small Hyuga audience. When she moved towards them, Hiashi signaled her to stay and continue. She then opened and closed her finger of one hand three times, telling them there was only fifteen minutes left of the class to which Hiashi acknowledged with a nod.
Neji enjoyed his time observing the remainder of the class, doing his best to push the nagging curious thought of why he had been summoned there anyway. When Lee was dismissing the class, Hiashi finally stood up and looked Neji in the eye with what looked like a small teasing smile.
"Come on, nephew, let's put you out of your misery."
Neji followed him, letting a quiet sufferable laugh out. "How dare you, uncle."
"You're too much like your father, Hisashi. Sometimes, it's easy for me to read you. But other times, your poker face is the best this family has ever seen." Hiashi continued their way to the staff room that Gai had already cleared for them earlier.
They didn't have to wait long before Hinata joined them. She was still dressed in her hakama and gi, her face a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"Father? Should I be expecting Hanabi to join us as well?" She asked after closing the door behind herself and walking towards the empty chair next to Neji.
"I know you're both curious, and I promise to clear it all right away. But let me first apologize for calling you out on your day off, Neji, and for blind siding you, Hinata." Hiashi looked at his children resting his hands on his knees. "But yesterday I got a call from Hatake Kakashi, concerning Neji."
"Kakashi?" Neji felt his forehead crease.
"But Kakashi is only involved with hookies, Neji is already a signed…" He heard Hinata trailing off in a whisper next to him.
"Uncle," he called Hiashi, "does that mean whoever Kakashi is scouting next will be my next fight?"
Hiashi confirmed with one nod of his head and held Neji's gaze for a while. But, when he spoked next, his gray eyes were fixed on his daughter's lavender ones. "As we speak, Kakashi is signing with Uzumaki Naruto."
A million thoughts crossed Neji's mind, mostly excitement, anticipation, and even some early strategizing. He had been observing the Uzumaki for a long time now, learning and taking notes on his fighting style. He's always had this feeling they would face each on the octagon. But none of that mattered now because what really bothered Neji was how he did not know why on earth Hiashi kept on staring at his cousin.
Hiashi did not look angry, reproaching, or even stern. If anything, Neji would say that his uncle looked interested. And, honestly, Neji was too after noticing the soft blush tinting Hinata's cheeks as she casted her eyes down to her lap.
Hinata seemed to finally feel the weight of their stares on her when her head jolted up as if she had been woken up abruptly. Her next words, though, were completely unforeseen to him.
"Father, are you gonna ask me to stop seeing him?"
What.
—
Naruto stared at his reflection on the subway window, his mind far away on thoughts of the afternoon events. He felt his body shake hard with a sharp movement of the train, but his trance was unbreakable. The same string of thoughts circling his mind on infinite reply.
I signed a hooky contract. Today, I signed a hooky contract with Hatake Kakashi.
A couple argued two seats away from him, their words lost in the background.
I am now officially on track to work my way up to become a contender. Hooky, contender, champion.
Above him, the muffled speaker announced his stop coming up next.
Hyuga Neji. My first fight will be against Hyuga Neji.
A group of teens laughed and giggled from somewhere behind him.
As in Hinata's cousin, Hyuga Neji.
By the time the train stopped at his station, Naruto was lost in Kakashi's earlier words. You already have a significant following on social media, people love to watch you. Kakashi's business-like voice ringed in his ears. And we want that. That's the business nature of this whole thing. We want people to tune in on pay-per-view and be entertained—be excited! Go to bars with their friends, bet on apps, talk about it on social media, you name it. I could never put you and all your potential to waste. Naruto's chest almost burst with pride as he listened carefully to Kakashi building up to the reveal. That's why we've decided Hyuga Neji would be a formidable opponent for your debut match in the league.
He stepped out on the dirty platform and made his way in a bee-line, skillfully avoiding other patrons with ease. Kakashi's reasoning spinning around his head as a new mantra. What felt like a proud moment had suddenly turned into doubt for the young fighter.
Yes, he did briefly think about how Neji was from this almost royalty family of martial arts. How Neji's father and uncle were legends of their own time. How some articles online called him a genius in the octagon. Yes, he did do his research on Neji after Sasuke pointed out the Hyugas had been watching him that one time. Yes, he did think about all of that and all he read about Neji's trajectory. And yes, he was aware of the challenge. But.
But.
But, that was not what was bothering him.
No, what worried him was the fact that he didn't even tell Jiraiya that fighting her cousin bothered him.
It worried him because he was unsure of what Jiraiya would say.
What would Jiraiya say if he knew about her?
Hinata.
Beautiful, inside and out, Hinata. Hyuga Hinata.
His, well, friend?
Naruto's thoughts got interrupted when the sun momentarily blinded him as he came up from the underground steps. He shaded his eyes with a hand as he looked up at the still bright six o'clock sky, a sign that the days were starting to stretch out a little longer.
He stared at the sun until his eyes could no longer bear the brightness and resumed his way home. Hands in pockets, eyes low on the sidewalk's concrete, a slight frown taking over his features.
Was he making a big deal out of nothing?
He was not an overthinker. Far from that, actually. Naruto was known to be an impulsive, acting-before-thinking type of guy. Jiraiya had to train him hard, like real hard, so he could control that natural tendency of his and use it to his advantage.
But now… What the hell was going on with him?
Was it because Hinata was not nothing?
Because she was a friend who wasn't just a friend?
Freaking hell, his head hurt.
What. Was. Going. On.
"Naruto?"
His eyes shot up, thinking for a second that he was hearing voices.
Nope, he was not.
Because there she was, in a pair of jeans and sleeveless tee tucked in. Her long indigo hair tossed over one shoulder, a gym bag hanging on the other. She was smiling as she greeted him right in front of his building.
And just like that all was forgotten.
He forgot all the thoughts that pestered him all the way home. He forgot because how could he not? When she was right there, smiling at him with her pearlescent eyes and blushing cheeks.
"Hinata?" He knew his face looked as surprised as his voice sounded.
"Hello." She said tilting her head slightly to the side, a hint of amusement in her tone. "I came bearing a gift, to congratulate you." She lifted up a white, take-out box. "I was hoping to catch you on your way in."
Naruto could not and did not hold back a wide, brilliant smile. Yes, all the worrisome thoughts he had just forgotten came rushing back in, but they did not seem as important or urgent as before. They didn't feel like a big deal anymore.
She knew about Neji and himself. She knew it, and she was here in front of him.
"Let's go inside." He simply said, still smiling from ear to ear.
Hinata nodded, falling into step right beside him. "I'll need to borrow your oven to bake them." She commented as he held the door to the small lobby open for her.
"Bake? What do you have in there?" He peeked at the box like a curious child.
"Cinnamon rolls!" He noticed her feet almost hopping in place as they stopped by the elevator. He chuckled at her pure joy. "From my favorite café, Ino and Sakura's treat."
"No way, and you're gonna share this treasure with me?" Naruto didn't joke, he genuinely looked stunned.
"Of course, today is special. You signed with Hatake Kakashi himself." She bumped her shoulder with his arm as they rode the elevator up to his floor, surprising him internally. It seemed she just kept on surprising him today—it was the first time she ever initiated any type of physical contact, the skin of her arm rubbing against his for a few long seconds. He just had to ignore the goosebumps that ran down his own arm as he smiled at her again.
"You are always in everything." He said, shaking his head a bit.
"Well, you can't credit me that much this time." She shrugged her shoulders. "You are gonna fight Neji, after all." Her eyes looked straight at his.
And we can continue to hang out, no problem?—is what he wanted to ask her but didn't. He did not want to break the nice mood they had going.
"How could I forget that?" He raised his brows and laughed good naturedly instead, gently pushing her out of the elevator. His left hand remained on the small of her back as he led her down the hall past a few doors. "September will be here in a blink."
"Were you surprised when Mr. Hatake showed up? I remember with Neji, he surprised us in the office. We were in the middle of a video conference with some partners when father just suddenly dismissed everyone, very out-of-character for him. If I didn't know any better, I would say father was excited." Her giggles ringed pleasantly in his ears, but his hand resting on her back felt hot at the mention of her father. He removed it promptly, pretending to look for his keys on himself.
"You always make your dad sound so strict." He laughs awkwardly, hoping she wouldn't catch on his racing heart.
"That's because he is." She said unceremoniously. "Always trying to hide his feelings but making his expectations known. Hmmm… But I should also say that he's become a little softer over the years." She finished right as he unlocked and opened his door for her.
Naruto watched any thoughts of her father vanish her eyes as she curiously peeked in, making him ease up again and chuckle.
"You can go in, ya'know." He nudged her softly, making an embarrassed pink dust her cheeks.
"Excuse me." She whispered as she took a couple of steps in and removed her shoes. He did the same following behind her.
Naruto quietly watched her study their surroundings. His apartment was similar in size and layout to hers, but it was bare of any decoration or personal touches. It very much gave off utilitarian vibes. Perhaps even a little military-ish with some weights resting by his tv and a pull-up bar installed high on the archway to his bath and bedroom. Well, at least it was clean enough with just a couple of dirty dishes in the sink. He hadn't even realized he was holding his breath until she smiled up at him.
"You've got such a cliche guy's place, minus the video games." She teased him lightly to which he laughed knowing it to be true.
After setting their gym bags next to his couch, Naruto showed Hinata the way around his kitchen. The young woman insisted on doing all the work which, in her words, wasn't much and it was for his "celebration". So, Naruto made himself comfortable on the kitchen island stool and settled for watching her moving around his small cooking space.
Hinata pulled her long tresses off her face in a high ponytail and washed her hands. Naruto allowed himself to freely admire her once she turned away from him. He thought her ears poking from behind a few strands of loose hair were cute and her movements were fluid. He noticed how she briefly pouted when deciding which size of sheet pan to use—not that he had many, just two—and hummed a soft sound of approval when happy with her choice.
Without realizing it, Naruto was smiling. Not his typical convinced shit-eating grin or his wide, let-me-show-you-all-my-teeth type of smile. It was small, closed-lip, and barely loop-sided. He felt calm. And happy.
A different kind of happiness that he had never experienced before.
"Hm, what do you think?" She said finally turning around with two cinnamon rolls placed evenly on his largest sheet pan.
"Don't they grow once you bake them?" He said a little amazed.
"Hmm, yes…?"
"'Nata, they are freaking huge."
"But of course!" She smiled at him, much to his surprise, like a small enthusiastic child. He could only shake his head with a chuckle.
"Then, they're perfect." And she happily accepted his assessment with a nob, turning to the oven.
After the 'massive' rolls went into the oven, Hinata was about to move towards the stool next to him when something caught her eyes.
"Are these all postal cards from your training trips?" She asked with a gleam in her eyes as she admired all the colorful pictures under magnets on his refrigerator. They were the closest thing to art or decorations he had in the place.
"Yes, one for each city, town, or village we stopped." Naruto said as he stood behind her to have a better look at them together.
"Is this a collector's hobby or is there something more…?" She trailed off, curious.
"How did you know…?" He whispered with squinted eyes, wondering if her rare eyes had some type of mind reading powers. Hinata just shrugged her shoulders innocently again and looked up at him, expectantly. He finally just chuckled and told her, "Each place was a lesson. I keep these postcards right here, so I can be reminded of them everyday."
"Oh, wow." Hinata's voice was laced in admiration as she turned back to scenic images. "Is there one in particular you're usually drawn to?"
"Hm, yes, I think this one." He said, pointing at the postcard of a massive waterfall surrounded by fog and trees. "This is the Land of Water's largest, coldest waterfall. You can only reach it after six days of tracking on foot in the misty woods."
"Did you go under it?!" Hinata faced him, and he suddenly realized how close they were standing now—her thick, dark lashes blinking up at him.
"You bet!" He said before he could get lost in her. "Jiraiya made me walk under the water on the rock bed that lays right below it, and every time I fell off, I had to go back to the beginning."
"Oh my, and what was the lesson?"
"Endurance and moving forward without fixating on past mistakes." He said while closing his eyes, the feeling of the cold hard water against his shoulders pushing him down ingrained in his soul. If he concentrated enough, he could hear its numbing sound as well.
"That's incredible." He heard her say honestly, and when he opened his eyes again, he felt his neck warming up with the look she was giving him.
"That's Jiraiya for you." He said bashfully, not knowing what else to say or do and settling for rubbing his neck instead.
"And you." She added with a smile, before moving away.
It took him a moment before breathing again. When he did, he blinked twice at the empty space she used to be at and redirected his gaze towards her moving figure.
Naruto found her climbing up on one of the tall stools. She sat comfortably and waited for him with a smile.
He wanted to smile back and join her in an instant, but his feet seemed rooted to the cold kitchen tiles and his mouth opened before he could stop himself.
"Hinata." Her name sounded uncharacteristically serious coming from his lips. "Is it really okay for us to be hanging out like this when we both know I'll be going against your cousin? Wouldn't there be any, hm, conflict of interest?"
The silence that followed was not awkward as Naruto expected. Instead of a frown or some other displeased expression, Hinata's smile stretched out a little more. She even left a breathy laugh escaped her lips and looked away in the distance as if remembering something funny.
"Did you know Ino posted pictures of us on social media?" She asked him, resuming their eye-contact. Naruto tilted his head to the side and scratched his cheek, confused.
"She did?" He brought himself closer, resting his weight on the counter with his elbows, right across from her.
"Yea… Just some group shots of us all having fun at Sakura's the other night," Hinata told him, Naruto curious to see where she was going with this. "But apparently sometimes we were in the background chatting, and we seemed close. Or at least that's what my father concluded." She said with another small laugh.
"Yo-your father?!" Naruto choked as his back shot straight up.
"My father prides himself on knowing everything, that's just another way to say he stalks my sister and I online." Now she was giggling openly at the absurdity of her father's sneaky behavior and Naruto's astonished look. "He, of course, does not know we know his ways."
Naruto thought about it for a moment, trying to image the serious man from all the pictures he'd seen laying in his bed late at night, face glued to a brightly lit phone screen while obsessively scrolling through Instagram or TikTok. No way, that was just too surreal. "Damn." That's all Naruto managed to say, making Hinata nod in amused agreement.
"He paid me a visit at work today with Neji," the words coming slower from her lips after the joke died off, "to tell us all about you fighting each other. And," Hinata hesitated, and his gaze bore into her. A faint blush tinted the apples of her cheeks as she reciprocated the intensity of his azure eyes. "And to remind me that once the promotional stuff starts for your fight, fans and the media might scrutinize us for hanging out."
"Hmm, I see." Naruto said quietly after pondering her words for a minute, picking up at her uncertain tone at the end. What was made clear to him though was that Hiashi himself wasn't necessarily against them being seen together. Or at least that is what the young man hoped for.
"He also told me to tell you," She resumed, breaking their visual contact and glancing down at her clutching hands under the counter. A warm feeling stirring at Naruto's gut as he watched the blush intensifying on Hinata's delicate features. "...to tell you that you should enjoy your relatively low profile for now and strategize your media campaign carefully."
Naruto processed Hinata's, or better saying, Hiashi's advice, his brain working hard in overdrive to read in between the lines. If he understood the man right, Naruto was somewhat getting some kind of permission and warning. An indirect permission to keep seeing Hinata and a warning to keep his daughter out of trouble.
Swiftly, he made his way around the counter and sat next to the young woman, her dark bangs blocking his view of her eyes. Carefully but without hesitation, his right hand gently pushed the strands of indigo hair to the side—the tips of his fingers brushing against the soft skin of her forehead before taking his hand back slowly. The Uzumaki opened a wide smile when her eyes darted back to him at the loss of contact, and he chuckled at the adorableness of the blushing tips of her ears.
"Tell your dad that I'm grateful for the advice, and that I have already hired a media manager." Naruto said confidently, hoping she would feel the same too.
"You did?!"—was her excited reaction, wanting to know more.
The oven's timer rang happily not too long after that, and they spent the rest of the evening taking bites of the delicious baked good as they chatted about their day. Hinata wanted to know about Naruto's new hire and his feelings on signing with Kakashi. Naruto wanted to know all about her lesson at Guy's gym and was pumped to watch a short video of one of her moves, apparently recorded by her dad himself. (Naruto was starting to think that the old man Hyuga was not as scary or intimidating as everybody made him out to be.)
They stayed like that, basking in each other's company, until Hinata announced that she had an early day the next morning. He offered to walk her home, but she had come to see him straight from work with her car—to which he insisted to walk her to.
As they exited his building, the warm breeze let a few more strands of her hair loose—the ponytail starting to lose some of its height. Naruto's hand itched in his pocket to reach out and just undo her hair completely, but he obviously held back the urge. Damn, has he always been this touchy? Craved for physical contact?
Because that's how he felt, like craving.
Hinata stopped by the driver's door once they reached her car, and turned around to say goodbye. Her left hand held tightly to the strap of her bag while the right tugged lightly at the hair over her shoulder. Her head was ever so slightly tilted downwards, making her bangs lower enough to touch her long lashes. Her pearlescent eyes were still visible, looking up at him—a lavender gleam dancing on their surface under the dim streetlights. She bit her bottom lip, making its rosy color more apparent and attractive. Words seemed like they wanted to escape her, but she stayed quiet while lost in whatever her thoughts were.
Seeing and feeling her look at him that way pushed Naruto's heart against his chest, and he had stopped breathing completely.
"Hi-na-ta," he pronounced each syllable slowly, caught in the trance that were her eyes—his mind long gone, "do ya' wanna go on a date?"
—
to be continued.
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N/A: Thank you so much for reading! I tried to make this chapter longer to make up for the wait. Plus, I love long chapters as a reader. I'm excited for where the story is heading, so please do leave me a review.
About the MMA AU I'm creating, it's loosely based on the American UFC (Ultimate Fighting Champion) organization. I'm trying to incorporate explanations organically as I expand the plot and universe. But, let me know if you have any questions. For now, it's worth noting that fighters usually fight every three months or so, so their bodies can recover from the trauma properly. Also, really big names fight only once a year because that's how much money they make—it's a long way to get to that level of status though.
Again, thank you so much for all the interest in the story. To MungBean, thank you for the review! You are too kind, I'm so glad you've been loving what I've done so far. I have nothing but respect for Kishimoto's work, so even if this is an AU, I hope to do them justice. And, spoiler alert, you won't be curious for much longer, haha, ;) It's been a little awhile, so I hope this chapter can still find its way to you.
A final shout out to Darth Tenebris2 and Samqw09, you know your PMs made my day.
Thank y'all, and take of yourselves!
