A/N: Well, another angsty one-shot for everyone to persuse. I think I should be crowned the Queen of One-Shots. Kind of a catchy title. This is my first Naruto/Hinata fic, so I'm not real sure what the hell I'm doing. If this one turns out to be a real sucker, I guess I'll just write more till I'm better.

So, in this fic, Naruto and Hinata are both in their really late teens, early twenties. That's the age-frame I had in mind while writing, though it's never specified. The song lyrics are from two songs by the band From Autumn to Ashes: "Autumn's Monologue", and "The Fiction We Live". The lyrics seem to be from the same song, but they're not, because the second song is a response to the first. Starting from "You might be just what I need" to the end of the lyrics in the story is from Fiction We Live. All the rest is Autumn's Monologue.

Enough of my rambling. I'm boring, I know. Enjoy!

You Don't See Me

By Siluial

"NARUTO!"

Her voice had never been so clear in all the time he had known her. Nor so loud. She had always been so timid and quiet, afraid to attract anyone's attention on herself. Even as an adult she really couldn't shake off such mannerisms - they stemmed from years of long habit, they were embedded into her very nature.

Oh, why can't I be what you need?

A new improved version of me

But I'm nothing so good; no I'm nothing

Just bones

A lonely ghost burning down songs

Now, her voice ripped through the air, surrounding him as he fell, wooden mask and katana clattering to the ground. His body was jolted violently as he connected with the wet stone, knocking the wind right out of his laboring lungs. He coughed weakly for a few moments, panting deeply, even though the wound crossing his chest was painful.

"Naruto!" she cried, attempting to move to his side, to defend him while he regained his bearings. Looking over her shoulder, Hinata barely managed to duck, avoiding a blow that probably would have ended her life. Another enemy ninja engaged her, and she fought tensley, casting frantic glances at her blonde teammate whenever one could be spared. Distantly, she heard the rest of their small team surrounding her as they too fought for their lives. Finally, she slashed at her opponent, and as he fell, she turned to race over to where Naruto lay.

She had barely closed the distance between them when she was intercepted. Over her enemy's shoulder she saw Naruto attempt to stand as another combatant came to him, launching projectiles that flew all around him, some nicking his flesh. He blocked some, and barely made it into a kneel before his opponent's foot hit him hard in the ribs, throwing him back and tearing the skin about his wound more.

Of violence of love and of sorrow

I'd beg for just one more tomorrow

Hinata fought madly, body twisting and jerking to get a hit in. Desperation fueled her with adrenilane, and she managed to lodge a senbon in the man's arm. He howled and brought a fist into the side of her head, knocking her into the mud under their feet. She snuck a glance at Naruto, to see him attempting to stand once more, blood and mud flowing down his form freely. She was forced to close her eyes as the man she had injured grabbed onto a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back and holding a kunai to her neck.

Where you hold me down, fold me in

Deep, deep, deep in the heart of your sins

"You'll regret that one, girly," he promised, digging the shrap edge into her skin, breaking it. She clawed at his arms, weakening from lack of chakra and from her exertions. As the sharp weapon brought forth blood - she could feel it running down her neck - she bit him, sinking her teeth hard into his hand. He jerked away, she she tasted his blood in her mouth. She had no time to escape, however, as he grabbed her hair harder, and with both hands, forcing her face down into the mud. She forced herself not to accidently gasp and inhale the mud, and just when she thought she couldn't hold it anymore, her head was lifted.

"How'd you like that, bitch?" The man's voice whispered over her ear. The process was repeated several times, each submersion longer than the one before it. Her throbbing head could only register the thoughts of survival and Naruto, and she thrashed wildly in hopes of dislodging her assailant.

Suddenly his wieght was gone, and she rolled weakly to the side, vomiting mud and blood, exhaling through her nose to clear it. It burned and throbbed with pain - she was sure it was broken. She rolled over fully onto her back, seeing a haze of gold that floated above her. Her name reached her ears distantly.

"-nata! Hinata! Are you alright? Hinata!"

I break in two over you

I break in two and each pece of me dies

Her vision clear, and Naruto's dirty, bloody and bruised face was near hers, electric blue eyes open wide with pain and concern. Her mouth fell open, trembled, and she looked down. There was a bloody hole torn through the flesh of his side now, pouring red onto both of their clothing. She couldn't hear anything around them - whether it was the sludge in her ears or the battle was done, she didn't know. Her eyes locked with his, and she read the deep worry in them.

Oh, god.

She had let him down. She hadn't been able to help him. She was the one who had been saved.

Her jaw clenched, and her eyes filled, out of sorrow, rage, frustration, out of all the emotions that she had felt for so long. The tears spilled over, and she dug her fingers into his soiled white vest, pressing her face there, ignoring the pain in her nose. When she felt his arms come hesistantly around her, the lock released, and she shook with the sobs, whole body hitching as she took shaking breaths. Her sobbing moans were loud, but she didn't care. Everything was wiped away into the flood. His arms went tight, and she cried harder.

And that's when he slumped haevily against her, head falling onto her shaking shoulder, his arms going abruptly limp. He slid to the side when she pulled back to see what was wrong, his eyes closed and his face lax. Her voice never reached him.

And only you can give the breath of life

But you don't see me

You don't

--

The seasons turned, spring giving way to the haze of summer. The heat was heavy and damp, and it was difficult to stay in the sun for long. Sweat rolled down her face, dripping from her chin. The blades in her hand flashed dangrously in the sun, slicing the air smoothly as her body moved.

Here I'm pinned between darkness and light

Bleached and blinded by these nights

Tossing andt ortured till dawn

By you

Visions of you then you're gone

Sakura slipped from the hospital room, face pale and tired. Her hands shook as she closed the door, and her green eyes were bloodshot as she looked up. "Hinata," she spoke with a trembling voice. "I'm sorry, Hinata - I've done everything I can, but it wasn't enough. He's still -"

The rest of her words were lost as the Hyuuga fled, scrambling down the hallway, ignoring the pink-haired medic's shouts. She ran until she was exhausted, then pulled up chakra to keep her going for even longer. When that, too was expended, she collapsed in a crying heap in the grass, far out into the woods.

The schock bleeds the red from my face…

How could love be so thoughtless, so cruel?

When all, all that I did was for you

She was so helpless. He had been hurt so badly, and she hadn't been able to help him at all. She was a failure and a disappointment not only to her family, but to her friends, too. To the one she had loved for so long that she couldn't remember a time when she didn't.

It had never hurt this badly to know that.

Pulling her aching legs close, she screamed and screamed and screamed.

I break in two over you

I break in two and each piece of me dies

And only you can give the breath of life

But you don't see me

You don't

One of the blades went flying from her hands, fingers too tired to hold the handle any longer. Chest heaving, she moved to stand from her finishing crouch, back cracking and shoulders burning. Grimacing, she wiped her face furiously on her sleeve ad pushed her bangs away from her forehead. The sweat in them molded them upward, so that they stood in spikes and curls on her head.

Sighing deeply, Hinata stretched and moved over to retrieve the weapon, muscles trembling tiredly under her thin shirt. Regardless of her somewhat sullen trudge, she moved with and easy and catlike limberness, toned legs and arms swinging smoothly.

She attempted to bend to pick up the blade, but her back screamed in protest. Sucking in a hissing breath, she straightened and rubbed at her lower back hard, fingers kneading deep into the muscle. After a moment, she looked down at the shining knife, nudged her foot underneath it and with a quick flicking motion vaulted it into the air. Her arm jerked out in a sweeping motion, and in a flash she was gripping the hilt in her hand.

Now you see me

Sunlight broke through the branches above her, falling in a thick stream down her body, heating her skin and filling her eyes. She breathed in the air deeply, eyes tearing as the sun burned them and blinded her.

Now you don't

As she blinked away the light, everything came back in sharp whites, color bleeding into the lines as the sun faltered. As her enviornment came back into focus, she was bewildered to see that a piece of the tree across from her stayed white. Dropping her eyes closed, she shook her head and opened them again, gaze drifting back to the tree. She drew in a sharp breath, and her pearly white eyes dropped open wider. Her mouth opened, but no sound came forth.

Now you need me

Now you don't

The white splotch against the tree moved away from the bark, took a few hesitant and wobbly steps forward, stopping a few feet from her. She trembled strongly, eyes watering again, but not from the sun this time. She stared, stupefied, at the heavily bandaged young man before her, his shock of gold hair mussed and sticking out from between a few strips of gauze and linen. One arm was encased in a hard cast, the other wrapped from elbow to fingers in bandages. Under one strap of his sleevelss shirt were more bandages, and Hinata knew that they wrapped around his waist and torso under the shirt.

Slowly her eyes moved up his chest and to his face, tracing over the three whisker marks on each cheek, to the somewhat uneasy grin, and lastly to his sharp, electric blue eyes, where a true smile laid in wait, sure to be directed right at her.

The spell broke as she looked into his eyes, and she moved in a burst of speed, feet propelling her to him. She hit his chest dead on, moving slightly to the side to avoid his broken arm, and she buried her face into the skin at the crook of his neck, feeling the living warmth there in the tan skin. Her arms went about him and tight as she dared, and she softly cried as his one arm went about her, wrapping under her arm and gripping at the nape of her neck. His face pressed into her hair.

There was silence for a stretch of time, as she tried to articulte some form of words. When she did finally speak, her voice was choked and trembling. "I thought…that….you…Sakura said –" She was silenced as she suddenly felt his lips on hers, his hand at her nape pressing her face into his, his thumb shifting so that it could wipe the tears from one of her cheeks. She softened, moving her lips back against his, fingers gripping the shirt at his back in her fists.

You might be just what I need

No I would not change a thing

Been dreaming of this so long

But we only exist in this song

The separated slowly, breath a little swifter than before, both smiling. Naruto pulled Hinata against him, stroking a hand up and down her back soothingly. She turned her head so that her nose brushed his neck, her ear against his collarbone. His voice, when he spoke, vibrated from his throat, rumbling in his chest and against her skin. He talked slowly and quietly, more tom himself than her.

"It's funny, you know? I didn't quite…get it…at first. When I woke up, I didn't remember much of anything, I didn't know the people around me. They were strangers. But I knew one thing. I knew the face of someone, and it was you. I knew only you. I had to find you. So I did, and now I get why." He pulled back, smiling brightly at her, hand stroking at her face. His forehead dropped to rest against her own, his warm breath breezing across her. "I love you, Hinata. I love you so much that it was the only thing I could think of after I came back from the edge of death."

The thing is I'm not worth the sorrow

But if you come and meet me tomorrow

I will hold you down, fold you in

Deep, deep, deep in the fiction we live

Tears spilled past her cheeks once more, wetting his hand, and she smiled wider than she could ever remember smiling. Boldly, she pressed her lips against his once more; heart fluttering madly so that she thought it would stop any moment. After they broke for air, she swallowed and locked gazes with him. Both hands moved up to stroke across the marks on his cheeks. "Naruto – Naruto, I love you so much!" she cried sharply, sobbing, but gladly, and happily, secure in the knowledge that the body against hers was alive. And it was never going to leave her again. The broken pieces inside her could begin to mend.

I break in two over you

I break in two and if a piece of you dies

Autumn, I will bring you back to life

Of course I see you

I do