Hinata didn't stop running until she had locked the door to her bedroom and flopped on the bed. She left a very concerned Neji and a very angry Hiashi downstairs; she technically was supposed to have been visiting Sasuke in the hospital with Neji and his team.
She felt like and idiot for sneaking up on him like that…she should've known that sooner or later he would sense her and think it was another assassin after his hide. And yet…he had been talking to himself, like he was arguing with something… her eyes went wide with shock…The Kyuubi…
Hinata remembered the day Naruto had confessed to her about his demon. He seemed so lost, so alone. Naruto was afraid that she would've thought him a monster, and hate him for it like all the other villagers. Hinata definitely was shocked at first, and didn't know what to say. Her silence seemed to hurt him as much as outright hate, she saw that and felt terrible…
In truth, she didn't care. Heck, if it wasn't for the Kyuubi, Neji might have messed him up badly in the Chunin Exams, he might've even died out on his more dangerous missions. She felt angry at the villagers for being so cruel. It was not Naruto's choice to be laden with such a burden; it was forced upon him as a baby. Hinata realized that, in that respect, she and Naruto were not so different.
She never had the love and respect of her family; he never had a family at all…
She fell into a tired sleep, hoping that tomorrow would be better, for both of them…
Naruto unlocked the door to his home, eyes starting to droop in sleep. He walked inside and as he passed his kitchen, he saw Jiraiya asleep in a kitchen chair, papers scattered about and a copy of Icha-Icha Paradise covering his snoring face. Naruto took one glance at one of the papers and snorted in disgust. No doubt more of Ero-sennin's "research"…
He quickly gathered up all the papers and threw them into the fireplace in his living room, sitting on the couch and smiling, content at once again thwarting the perverted plans of his old sensei. He stretched out his arms and yawned, and tossing off his orange trench coat, fell asleep on the couch, his mind beginning to create an all too familiar scene…
Naruto ran through the forest, his orange jumpsuit catching on twigs and roots as he dashed to the nearest bush to answer nature's call. His face fell in relief and after a few minutes he redid the zipper to his pants. He made to leave but an odd light caught his eye, peering through the bush…
He crept out of the bush and instantly hid in the shadows of a tree. He stared in awe as a graceful silhouette of a slender but curvy girl danced on the surface of the river water. The moon shone down on the scene, but Naruto was completely entranced in her dance, still not able to see anything but a silhouette. She waved her arms about, actually moving the water with her, the light sparkling off her short, dark hair. He walked towards her, feeling lighter than air, as if he could walk on water too…but he was wrong.
He instantly fell, face first into the cold water. He jumped back up, and to his dismay, the girl was gone. He turned around and jumped. The silhouette was now less than a foot from him, and as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer to him, Naruto saw the light of the water reflect off her dark indigo hair, bouncing in her pale pearl eyes…
Naruto snapped awake and yelled in shock. He was breathing heavily and sweating bullets. His heart was racing a mile a minute and he had apparently fallen off the couch. He jumped up and looked around wildly, nearly dying of shock as he heard a laugh behind him.
Jiraiya laughed heartily and said, "Ah, the beauty of dreams…you are quite a funny sleeper, you know that?" Naruto scowled at him and dusted off his vest and shirt. "Judging by your movements and excessive sweating, I'd say you had the dream again. Am I right?" Naruto glared at him but nodded reluctantly. "I see…it's a shame you don't know who this girl is, not even seeing her face…chances are she'd make for a good research subject…"
"Ero-sennin, you are a great fat pervert. Shut your face and I'll forget you said that." Naruto then remembered…he had seen more this time. He had seen her eyes…those pale lavender eyes…eyes he knew he had seen before…he had seen the hair before too, that dark indigo hair…
He shrugged and entered the bathroom. After securely locking the door, he threw off his uniform and stepped into the hot water. As the steamy water washed over him, his mind traveled back to that night….the first night he had seen the girl by the waterfall.
Kiba thought he had dreamed it, and Hinata just got all flustered about it…he smiled upon remembering Hinata. She had grown so much within the past few years, and she was easily the most beautiful woman in the village now. Well, she was to him, at least. He pictured her face in his mind, and as he remembered her pale pearl eyes, everything clicked into place…
When he first saw the girl, Hinata had worn her hair shorter…just like the girl…and those eyes…he hadn't seen eyes like the girl's since…Hinata…he stared out into space in absolute shock. "HINATA'S THE MYSTERY GIRL!" Naruto smacked his forehead in shame, he felt like an absolute moron for not having seen it before. No wonder Hinata didn't want to discuss it…he had seen her dancing alone, in the water, naked. Given, the shadows hid her body from full view, but he got the basic idea nonetheless.
He felt shocked, overjoyed, scared, and confused all at once. He knew his heart seemed to nurse a soft spot for the girl…but now he felt as if this had elevated far beyond any minor crush or infatuation. Hinata seemed to be on his mind all the time now. He always seemed to feel lighter when she was around, when she talked to him, or laughed quietly at his corny jokes…that laugh always got him.
He felt happy that his dream was of Hinata, the girl he already loved. He was scared because if anybody found out that he felt this way…well, let's just say Hiashi Hyuuga would be out after his head.
He was confused because he knew he had to do something, or two things would happen. One, Hinata would get swept off her feet by some other guy, one who most likely was after her money and power. That's how suitors were most of the time…having had to fill out the papers for several marriages as Hokage, Naruto had met many men whom he would've rather never known…
And two, if he kept this feeling a secret any longer, he felt like he would keel over and die.
Naruto quickly ran out of the shower and dried off. Throwing on his clothes, he made for the door before Jiraiya's voice stopped him. "Well Hyuuga-sama, it certainly is a pleasure seeing you here today." Naruto's jaw hit the floor when he heard a meek female voice respond. "Y-yes…w-well, if Hokage N-Naruto-sama is not here…m-maybe I should…" Jiraiya chuckled, and Naruto's shock turned to anger.
He peeked around the door, and indeed his fears were confirmed. Hinata sat at his table across from Jiraiya, who was giving her the look…the look he always got on his face when he was thinking about his filthy book… Kyuubi asked amusedly,
"He's a dead man…isn't he?"
Naruto growled low and said, "No…but she's off limits…"
Naruto turned into the kitchen doorway just in time to bump into Hinata as she beat a hasty retreat from the kitchen. They stared bewildered at each other, but soon smiled nervously. Naruto's eyes shot to Jiraiya, who was still checking out the lines of Hinata's form… "Hinata, tell me honestly, is this guy bothering you?"
Hinata bit her lip and cast a nervous glance at Jiraiya, who merely smiled widely, oblivious to the fact that if Naruto's eyes could channel chakra, they would have turned him to ash by now with the look he was giving him. "Hinata-chan, could you grab my coat? I left it on the couch in there, please?" Hinata blushed and smiled lightly, he hadn't called her Hinata-chan since he had become Hokage…
She searched in the living room as Naruto came into the kitchen and gave Jiraiya a withering glare of utmost hatred and irritation. "What's your problem, kid? I was just doing some research…"
Naruto grabbed his collar and his eyes flashed with red chakra. "Jiraiya, you're a pervert, and I've put up with a lot of your filthy mind over the years…but you never, ever conduct your research using any of my friends, ESPECIALLY NOT HINATA-CHAN." Jiraiya laughed and said, "Oh come on, what's the harm? I'm getting on in years, I need to enjoy what time I have left."
Naruto's knuckles cracked violently in his other hand, now a tight fist. "You're time will be even shorter if you keep eyeing her like some piece of meat, got it?" Jiraiya made to snap back but saw the red fire now emanating from Naruto's eyes, his pupils slits. Jiraiya got really nervous and finally got the hint that maybe, just this once… his "research" would hurt somebody….namely him when Naruto ripped his limbs off.
"He-heh…got your point, I'll give it a rest…" Naruto released his collar and growled softly. He turned and walked out the door, a very confused Hinata following close behind.
Naruto closed the door
and locked it, not feeling the will to risk Jiraiya causing another
ruckus in town. Hinata handed him is coat and he barely managed to
put it on before she hugged him tightly, fighting back her tears.
"Hinata-chan, I am so sorry you had to meet Ero-sennin…he is a
powerful shinobi, but nothing but a great pervert and a freak…I'm
sorry if he scared you."
Hinata sniffed and said, "H-he
looked at me really funny…I don't l-like him…" Naruto laughed
and said, "You are one of hundreds of women who in a prefect
agreement about that. But…what were you doing here in the first
place?"
Hinata blushed profusely and dug a hand into her pocket. She trembled slightly as she produced a small box from her pocket, and practically shoved it at Naruto. She said quickly and loudly, "H-HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOKAGE N-NARUTO-SAMA!" And with that, she ran off as fast as she could, casting a look of anxiety and hope back at him before she disappeared.
Naruto looked plum confused. He remembered the box in his hands and opened it, taking care not to lose the top, as the box did seem rather expensive. He extracted a small piece of paper, and unfolded it, reading in tiny print,
"Happy birthday, Naruto-kun. I figured you'd forget this, what with being Hokage and all. I know you've never had a real nice birthday before…what with the conditions behind your birthday. I hope this at least brings you a little joy today. I'll see you soon.
Hyuuga Hinata
P.S: If you would be so kind, I would be eternally grateful if you would meet me at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop at five this evening. I hope you can come!"
Naruto smiled in disbelief. He tucked away the note and finally got a look inside the box. He eyes grew wide as he extracted a ring, with a ruby on top, carved into the shape of...the seal of the Fourth Hokage. He slipped it on his right forefinger and it began to glow with the chakra flowing inside him. He looked to the spot where he saw Hinata disappear not two minutes ago and smiled. His birthday…he normally didn't associate that day with being happy, but neither would you if it marked the anniversary of having a sentient demon sealed inside you.
He remembered the additional note at the end and looked at his watch, which read about 4:45 pm. He realized he would be late if he didn't hurry, and dashed out to make his way to the center of town….
