Sakura and Ino lay in their futons next to Hinata's on the ground of the Pinkett's new apartment, as Tenten called dibs on the only loveseat. To celebrate moving on, Sakura called for a girl's night, since she has the newly acquired privacy to do so.
"...stargazing because he loves the stars so much, deciphering million-year-old constellations ... and we'll be right next to each other, our hands tangled together, comfortable in each other's embrace."
"Sakura-chan, that sounds beautiful!" Hinata praises.
"It sounds pretty cliche to me" Tenten chides.
"Agreed." Ino chimes in.
"See! Hinata has my back, and has good taste in what a real date should look like! I expect you guys to do better!"
Sakura's new apartment is finally done, for the most part. Hinata liked the fact that it was small but still roomy, unlike the compound. An apartment to herself sounds like a dream, especially if it meant no prying family members.
Apartments also showcased great maturity, especially for young adults who just moved out. Maybe she can prove to her father, better yet to the clan, that she can take care of herself by moving out, to prove that she's mature. Sakura is finally out on her own, this is a new step in her life. She's so lucky.
Her thoughts trace back to a certain blond, who's been alone in an apartment for his entire life. Though she doesn't like to admit it, he can be...quite the opposite of mature. But that's when he was younger! Coherently speaking, could this mean that having an apartment doesn't make you mature? Now she's just confusing herself.
What am I even thinking right now?
"When is he coming back anyway?" Ino ponders, snapping Hinata out of her thoughts. "The guy has been on hiatus for at least two years."
"He sends little messages to me-ahem, us now and then!" Sakura argues.
Ino and Tenten exchange knowing looks. "Oh yeah? And how often does he send them?"
Hinata didn't understand why they were coming for Sakura anyway. If it was true love that she was talking about, then Sakura has every right to express her feelings for the Uchiha. Naruto talks about him now and then, so what makes this any different?
Emerald green eyes narrow on her targets, an icy glare warning them of their tone. "You guys are in my business? See your way out of it."
"Oh okay! Fine then. Is he at least coming back for Naruto's birthday?"
"Nope," Sakura sighs "he never visits on any of our birthdays, but we understand. He's on the road for redemption… this is his choice."
"Sakura I don't wanna sound like a hater or anything but...I feel like you can do so much better." Tenten says as she rests her face on her hand, her elbow propped up on the cushioned seats.
"Oh really? And what about you ? I swear, you always add your two cents in about everyone's love life but we never hear about yours!"
"Facts!" Ino bolts up from her futon, completely invested in where this conversation was heading. "You know, I always had this suspicion that you've had something with Neji-"
"Why does everyone think that?!"
"-but that's in the past, and you guys never told anyone!"
Tenten deeply sighs as if she's heard this conversation for the millionth time already. Hinata feels partially for her. But she would be lying if she said she wasn't interested in what the status of their relationship once was.
"If you guys really want to know- wait a minute. You guys thought we had something in the past? Hinata did you think so too?"
Hinata shoots her an incredulous look, not knowing how to answer. The thing is, she never really thought of Neji to be interested in any type of romance with anyone. It was uncanny to even think of him being involved with anyone. He was always so stoic, direct, and neutral. He never really expressed any type of feelings unless he needed to. With him, he always sought the logical path of things, never letting his emotions guide him. She always thought that he was a difficult person to read.
"Well, I thought of you as one of his close friends. I'm pretty sure he cared for you and Lee greatly. And he was very tolerant of Gai-sensei, so…"
"Yes, Hinata we know that!" Ino facepalms, "We're talking about the possibility of him ever harboring feelings for Tenten, or vice versa."
"Well I'm not sure, he was always a hard person to get through. But the possibilities were there... speaking of my experience, he warmed up to me and soon enough, was always very protective of me. To the people closest to him, he expressed feelings that were not commonly seen by outsiders, which makes me think why people were always so quick to judge that his platonic relationships with female counterparts were something more…when in reality it was just a good friendship that was attained through bonding."
Ino and Sakura turn to Tenten, "well?" Sakura says, "is she right?"
The weapon mistress stretches her legs, rubbing her thighs with her hands. "I mean, we were close if that's what you guys are wondering. He always saved me in the right moments too, but then again that's what friends do...right?"
She is right, Hinata knows she's right. She would know...
"This is not helping my case" Ino sits for a minute, in what looks to be her cunningly thinking of a way to get Tenten to slip. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
"I promise you guys! It was all platonic between us! Nothing more!" Tenten defends.
"You guys we should probably leave it alone" Hinata backs up.
"Fine," Sakura sighs in defeat. "Well since we're on the topic of boys, do you even have somebody that you're interested in?"
For a brief second, Hinata can see the strain in Tenten's eyes, a reflection of grief residing in shallow depths. Tenten quickly straightens her face, feigning her sorrows by masking it with pride.
"I'm independent," she notes the reluctance in Tenten's voice, "and I'm proud of it."
Hinata smiles at her brave friend. Knowing that Tenten tends to suppress her emotions, she was never one to reveal too much of herself. Her shell is hard to break, but the cracks alone may be too much to bear at times.
"Enough about you then! We haven't heard from miss Hi-na-ta in a while" Sakura sing-songs.
"Exactly what I was thinking forehead" Ino continues as Sakura glares at her, "You know Hinata, I can hook you up with some people I know, just to get your mind off of that knucklehead."
"Why would you want to split them up?!" Sakura asks shockingly. "I swear you ruin everything."
"Let's face it, she's watering a dead plant here" Ino shrugs.
"Ino!" Tenten scolds.
"She's right though, it's okay, really" Hinata reaffirms with a sad look in her eyes. She pulls the covers over her body from curious eyes. "There's nothing there between us, so I'm moving on, or at least...I'm trying to."
She knew her love for him was real because if it wasn't, it wouldn't hurt to move on.
"See, now look what you did, made her all sad and shit!" Sakura throws a pillow in Ino's face.
Ino grabs the pillow and throws it right back at Sakura. "This is a girls sleepover and we talk about deep stuff all the time, get over it!"
"Yeah but this is Naruto and Hinata we're talking about, and I'm rooting for them."
"Gods not you too, Tenten" the Yamanaka sighs.
Tenten closes her eyes and crosses her arms, nodding at the despondency in Ino's voice. "She's struggling to move on! If anything, we should help her get with him."
No no no.
Sakura beams at the statement. "Now we're talking."
Suddenly Ino's face lights up, and she looks at Hinata with a devious grin, "You know what, I kind of like this idea. Let's make him jealous by setting you up with someone!"
No no no no no no!
"B-but he doesn't see me in that way!"
"Right?" Sakura agrees "We can't do that if he doesn't even see her in that way already!"
Ouch .
She isn't wrong, but it hurts hearing it come out of other people's mouths.
"...so what I was thinking is that we dress her up nice and good for his little after party" the Pinkett smiles at the questioning glances sent her way.
After party?!
"An 'after party'?" Tenten clarifies, taking the words right out of her mouth.
"Yup. Since he wants to be all macho and have a small get-together with his team, Kiba and I were thinking about throwing him a small party the day afterward, you know, since it's Saturday and all of that."
"Hm, I like where this is going...Ooo, how about, a skin-tight lavender kimono? Oh! Better yet, make it orange! That will have him second-guessing all of his life choices."
"Woah Ino-pig! For once we actually agree on something."
"And there will be lots of alcohol, so things can get spicy fast" Ino wiggles her eyebrows.
Hinata's not sure if she likes where this is going.
"Why orange though? It's such an ugly color."
"Tell that to Naruto," Sakura says, rolling her eyes.
Things were escalating too quickly for Hinata. This wasn't turning out she thought it would. If anything, she was trying to get over him, not make him see her in a new light! But wait a minute, now that she thought about it, maybe that doesn't sound so bad after all. The man of her dreams, eyeing her up and down, taking in all of her assets-
No no no no no no no! What are you thinking right now!?
Hinata can't let herself fall into the trap of her friends! She always does anyway. She starts to pick at a loose string on her nightgown, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. She needs to let them down gently, and let them know that she has plans of her own that don't involve seducing Naruto, but rather being a good and supporting friend. Wishing him a friendly happy birthday.
Yeah ...
"I appreciate the help, but I'm not sure if-"
"Just think of us as the tiny little voices in your head, like ya know...your ego." Sakura taps her forehead.
"Right, you have nothing to worry about" Tenten snuggles further into her covers on the couch, resting her head on the armrest, "you need to be more confident in yourself girl!"
"Mhm. You always doubt yourself Hinata, but I'm telling you," Ino reaches over and cups Hinata's breast in her hands, jiggling them in the process "you have nothing to be insecure about."
Letting out a sharp gasp, she feels her face boiling from the contact. She escapes Ino's hold and cocoons herself in her futon, protecting herself from her lunatic friends. Laughter erupted amongst the friends as she hid from the embarrassment.
The next day over, Hinata sits quietly at her desk, buried in her book when she hears a knock on her door.
"Come in-"
Automatically, the door barges open regardless of her answer.
"Hanabi, you can't just enter without-"
"I knocked." Hanabi interrupts, standing rigidly in the doorway.
She can sense that her sister's mood isn't the brightest today. Probably her teenage hormones getting the best of her.
Sighing, Hinata turns her head back to the book she was reading, unfazed by her sister's emotions. "Fine, what do you need?"
"Come with me to the market today...as in right now." It sounds like a valiant effort on Hanabi's part to convince her to come, and while the proposal was tempting, "not today, Hanabi. Maybe some other time."
"If you come with me today, I won't ask you another time." Hanabi presses.
"We could always go to the market, it doesn't have to be just this once."
"Yeah but I need to go today, as in right now, with you."
Hinata shuffles in her seat, trying her best to not seem annoyed by her presence, "Where is Natsu-san? Is she not here to accompany you today?"
Hanabi leans into the archway of the door. "I told her I was going with my sister, so not to worry."
Hinata absentmindedly turns a page in her book, not paying attention to the content on the sheet. "I'm sorry Hanabi, I'm just not up for it today."
"You're depressed because of Naruto, aren't you?"
Where did that even come from?
"What does he have to do with anything...I'm not depressed because of him?"
"Well, he's bad for you. So just avoid him."
"What?" Hinata finally turns to look at her, puzzled by her answer. "No!"
"And why not? He's a big part of why you're depressed, and quite frankly it's not fun anymore. You're always so gloomy and droopy. You don't do anything with me anymore."
"That's not true! We train all the time."
Hanabi's lips trembled, and Hinata could tell she was holding back tears. "But that's all we ever do with each other. Besides maybe eating together or dinner or being with each other in clan meetings." Hanabi is practically yelling at her now, her voice cracking, not caring if the others in the compound can hear her, "You're stuck in this room all depressed and stuff. It's like you never want to hang out with me anymore!"
"Hanabi…"
Hanabi shakes her head, both fists clenched tightly against her sides. "No just listen to me! Because it's like you don't even care anymore, and it hurts okay?! It hurts so much just watching you mope around the house. And then when I have my chance to speak with you, you always leave to Gods know where!"
"Hana-"
"There's no one else here Nee-Sama. N-no one."
Tears began to swell in her sister's eyes, and her sniffs became more audible. She rubbed her nose, and when Hanabi turned her head to look at her, Hinata could see her reflection from glossy lavender eyes.
Her heart broke from the sight of her sister; she's never seen her like this before. She was always resilient, never showing signs of weakness.
Of course, sadness is not equivalent to weakness, she would know.
But to see her like this, to see a fracture in her physique, she just couldn't understand why she didn't see it sooner. She was born into a clan that wields the byakugan, and yet she couldn't see through her sister's true feelings.
She just wanted to spend time with her elder sister because she was lonely.
Hanabi...
Is it appropriate to apologize at this moment? Should she give her some space? She's in her room, so she can't just leave her here.
She watches Hanabi; her jaw is clenched, rivulets of tears stream down her face, and her muffled cries are threatening to break loose.
She's trying to hold it in.
She can feel a pang of deep guilt forming in the pit stomach, and she doesn't know what to say. What can she even say?
I'm sorry for ignoring you?
She looks away, becoming more frustrated with herself.
Has she been that distant with Hanabi? They talk sometimes after clan meetings, having small talk here and there.
Am I gloomy...and droopy? Is that what I look like towards the rest of the clan?
What does her father think of her? He doesn't even seem worried. But then again, he was never one with emotions. It was always logic and reasoning, values that were similar to Neji's. With him, feelings were always a sign of weakness.
But now is not the time to reflect on herself, she needed to be an elder sister.
She takes a deep breath and gets up from her chair, walking over to her sister. She stops right in front of her, observing her trembling figure. This was her fault, she is the reason the once joyful Hanabi is standing in her doorway in tears.
She reaches out to her, wrapping her right arm around her back, her left hand bringing her head closer to her chest. She holds her gently and squeezes her in the softest way possible. Hanabi was shaking underneath her, her face pressed in her chest, the tears dampening her pink long sleeve shirt.
They remained like this for a few moments, her hold firm on her sister. The hug was a silent promise, in which she hoped to convey her sincerest apologies. Gradually, the trembles started to lessen until there were no more.
When she finally sensed that she'd calm down, she pulled her back slightly, looking down into her eyes. The storm was gone, sure, but the tension remains.
"It was never my intention to hurt you, never less make you feel alone," she lifts a hand, wiping her tear-stained cheeks, "I haven't been feeling myself lately, sure. But I haven't forgotten about you, Hanabi."
A slight frown was etched on her face, clearly still upset at the situation, however, she could sense her chakra loosening, feeling more relieved than before.
Hanabi was silent, but she knew her sister was listening.
At that moment, she didn't need to say anything else. She didn't know what else she could say to make it better. And so, she guided her out the bedroom door, down to the main entrance. She put on her sandals, and both made their way out of the compound.
It was getting cooler outside, she noted. The sun felt distant on this fine afternoon, and the wind was gentle against her skin. As usual, the citizens of Konoha were out and about, their routine activities in sync with the day.
It seems like Hanabi was in a happier mood now since she's skipping right next to her.
Why did it take her sister's tears to have some bonding time? Her heartfelt sore from the thought.
"I wanted you to help me make Sukiyaki for father...you know, because it's his favorite dish? Haven't you noticed how stressed he is lately? I want only us to make it for him, too. Which is why I wanted you to come with me."
The two sisters wove their way through passing civilians as they made conversation. Hinata did observe her father's stress, especially with the pressure that the clan has thrown his way. The clan is changing, ever so achingly slow.
The change may be slow-changing, but each notion that has been set into place has made a huge impact on the clan's values. There was hope, and justice will soon be delivered to those who suffered most in the clan.
"That's nice of you, Hanabi. It's adorable. You're a tough girl who has a soft spot for her father." Hinata smiles.
The younger Hyuga's ears flush red, eyes widening in embarrassment. "H-hey, and what about it?! You would do the same thing as well! It's a simple act of courtesy on my part."
"I'm not saying I wouldn't-" Umphf!
Abruptly, a sturdy body collided with her own, sending her straight to the ground.
"Nee-Sama!"
What just happened?
It all happened so quickly that she didn't have time to react. So much for being a ninja.
"I'm so sorry, are you okay?"
The strange man reaches out to her, a concerned look washing over his features. She feels embarrassed, feeling the eyes of curious locals around her.
"Hey, hey, let me help you up" the smooth voice replies.
"Um...yes. My apologies for running into you sir." She set her hand in his, and he pulled her up with ease. She lifts her head, getting a good look at his face. He's really pretty, she notes. Amber irises that contrast against the deep black of his pupils, and he has suspiciously thick eyelashes that would make any girl scrutinize with envy. He had warm ivory skin that glistened in the sun, and the lightest touch of freckles that wisp across his defined nose, extending to both cheeks. His jawline could probably cut deeper than a kunai, and his middle part did him justice, with wavy dark hair hanging down the sides of his face.
Yes, he is very beautiful.
But not as beautiful as her golden boy.
"No no, I'm the one who should be apologizing here, aha...I guess I need to pay attention to my surroundings more," he has a soft hold on her hand. With his other hand, he puts it on top of their joined ones, clasping them together. "I'm sorry for troubling you, let me make it up to you?"
In her peripheral vision, she could already tell what Hanabi was thinking, a 'what the hell' look plastered on her face.
He was looking at her rather intensely, and it made her slightly uncomfortable.
Hinata quickly retracts her hand and shyly looks away, startled by his openness. "It's fine really. Um, have a good rest of your day." She bows apologetically and darts off, with a flustered Hanabi following after her.
"Um, what was that about?"
They were so close to the market. So, so close, and yet it felt so far. Just a few more blocks ahead. "I-I seriously don't know!"
"Ah, Hinata Hyuga and the art of lying to herself."
"Hanabi!"
"Why was he looking at you like that? And why did he hold your hand for so long?"
"I'm not sure about it, Hanabi, let's just forget about okay?" Hinata wishes for her sister to just let it go, but she has a feeling that this incident will be the starred event of their conversation for the next hour.
"Ah, he probably thinks you're cute!" Hanabi giggles.
Hinata flushes in embarrassment. This was such a minor inconvenience, it wasn't that serious. She'll be fine. Besides the teasing from her little sister, this shouldn't be a bother to her; she'll never have to see him again, so what's the point of dwelling on it?
The two Hyugas arrived at the market, picking up the necessary ingredients they needed to make their father a stress-free meal. While she was shopping, she passed by the bakery section and saw a box of cinnamon buns on display.
Maybe Naruto would enjoy some with their ramen during their study session?
But it's such a weird combination…cinnamon buns with ramen?
She decides to get it anyway.
After gathering everything they needed and paying for their groceries, they made their way back towards the compound.
"Ugh, I'm not gonna lie, that guy was kinda cute," Hanabi cheekily smiles. "Did you see the color of his eyes? They're so mesmerizing" she sighs dreamily.
Maybe if they were blue . Hinata quickly disperses the thought. She slings her arm around Hanabi's shoulders, pulling her sister in close, while they carry the groceries home.
"You're too young to be thinking of boys."
"I just know the infamous Hinata isn't talking! You should be the last person on earth to tell me to be worrying about boys!"
Lavender eyes rolled at her answer, a smile appearing on her lips. "Fair point. But consider it this way, I'm warning you of what's to come."
Hanabi contemplates her response and turns her head to look up at her, a malicious smirk forming on her pink lips. "Pain and suffering?"
Ouch .
"I can never have a normal conversation with you, can I?"
"Nope. No, you cannot."
"Of course not," Hinata sighs in defeat, her tone feigning annoyance. "When will we be making this? I kind of had plans to help Naruto study-"
"Huh?!" Hanabi interrupts, "are you helping Naruto-senpai to study? Is he not nineteen? He's a grown man, nee-san!"
Hinata lightly giggles at her sister's banter. "Grown people sometimes need help too, we can't always rely on ourselves to succeed...I mean we can, but getting help from others who are reliable can be valuable and worthwhile."
"You would think that you'd take your advice for once." the younger Hyuga jabs at her sister. "If you're going to be there long, then I guess we can put off making dinner for father."
"As soon as I become available..which will be in no time, I'm all yours, Hanabi."
"Better be."
And as they continued their path home, Hinata feels contentment. She felt this feeling during her most private moments, and yet, being here with Hanabi, she feels the same thing.
Sure, walking alone on cold nights brought her peace. But her little sister made her skin feel warm, and she almost forgot how nice that feeling was, too.
Naruto's apartment hasn't changed a bit. It wasn't clean like Sakura's, but it wasn't necessarily dirty either. It was probably a mix of the two, with a few misplaced empty ramen cups here and there. There were a couple of scattered books and scrolls throughout his living room floor, and a comforter of what seemed to be from his bed was on his couch, indicating his late-night study habits.
The place felt very much like Naruto ; there was a fragrant smell to him that lingered in his apartment. It wasn't a pungent smell, however, it was very distinctive. Whatever he was washing with, it did him justice. He smelled of the earth and all of its glory. It was a nice, aromatic smell. Warm and oriental, with a tinge of ramen.
It was pretty late-8 pm to be exact- considering that they agreed to study in the late afternoon, whenever they were available for each other.
"I wanna invest in one of those kotatsu things, I heard it's good for the winter y'know?" he said laying down, his back against the cushions of the couch, his head relaxing on the armrest.
"Invite me over when you get one okay?" Hinata's unsure of her boldness towards his statement, but they're friends . The alternative meaning will fly over his head.
She's sitting on the ground getting situated, assorting his work. She thinks she can feel his eyes on her but discards the thought quickly.
"Oh? You wanna come over and hang out with me? Is that what I'm hearing Hinata?" he teases her, and as usual, her cheeks flush.
"N-no! I mean yes? W-wait hold on a sec!" Her boldness backfired, and now her newfound confidence flew right out the window. She resorts to playing with her hair, a nervous tic she newly acquired that replaced her finger-pointing habit.
Wait for a second...he wants to hang out with her. Hanging out, alone in his apartment, together under the kotatsu…
No!
Friends, friends, friends! That's what they are.
Friendly vibes only!
As if she couldn't be more embarrassed, she hides her face with her hands, trying to avoid his face.
"I'm just messing with you y'know?!" Naruto laughs, sitting up. "We should probably get started anyway. Heh, I made you come here so late. I'm sorry about that."
"Oh um it's fine really, especially if it's a friend in need."
"Yeah, I need to catch up on work." he sighs as he gets up from the couch and makes his way towards the kitchen.
As soon as he disappears, she releases an unknown breath she's been holding.
Okay, take a deep breath. It's not that serious.
She's unsure of why she's getting so worked up, he just hinted at a casual hangout. It was such an innocent gesture, and she took it the wrong way!
"Hey uh, why'd you bring a bag over?" he calls out.
That's right, the cinnamon buns!
She gets up to meet Naruto in the kitchen and stands right next to him, where he stood in front of a white plastic bag on the counter. She reaches for the bag, taking out a box of cinnamon buns.
"I got them for us...like a little snack while we study?"
"Really? I was just gonna make us some instant ramen! Remember what I told you..best on the market?"
"Yes, I do remember." she smiles at him, and he flashes a grin at her response.
"Cool, cool. You wanna grab them out for us? They're in the top cabinet right in front of you."
"Sure thing."
She opens the cabinet just to see the cups of ramen on the top shelf. And just to her luck, she's too short to reach it.
She's always been the shortest one out of Konoha 11, and she always imagined that by the time she would reach adulthood, she'd stand tall, reaching the stars. But unfortunately, life had other plans for her.
From her peripheral vision, she can see Naruto grab a pitcher full of water from his refrigerator.
She turns towards the cabinet in front of her. Standing on her tippy toes, her arm reaches out to the top in an attempt to grab the instant ramen, only to have a finger graze the cup slightly, pushing it further back on the shelf. A frustrated sigh falls from her mouth at the failed attempt as she tries again to reach for the cup until she hears footsteps approaching her.
Naruto stops directly behind her, and she could feel his body heat intertwining with hers, his scent electrifying, charging her senses.
She flushes from their proximity...
He's so close, a little too close. The small gap between their bodies terrified her, even if she wasn't facing him. Just the thought of her back against his chest was so...
What is he doing?
She feels his head lean close to her own, his soft breaths lightly caressing her ear.
"Can't reach?" he says, his voice full of mirth, and she can feel his smirk on that perfect face of his.
He doesn't need to know about how the smallest interactions between them send her heart racing, her mind spiraling, and yet she's frozen in place from his hovering figure. "I'm trying" she hears herself say, and she inwardly curses herself for the uneasiness in her voice.
"You're so short..." he murmurs in her ear.
No way he just said that, in her ear!
She can hear him snicker as his arm reaches over her own, easily accessing the top shelf. His body leans in so close, she could feel his chest lightly brush against her back. He successfully takes out a ramen cup and places it into her hand, and then goes back to get another cup for himself.
She feels him step away from her, and she immediately breaks from the trance he put her in. He was so, so close to her. At that moment, she felt like she could burst into flames. Does he know the fuel he adds onto...feeding her flames even more than what they already burn?
Yeah...she needed to get her mind off of what just transpired. She musters the courage to finally turn around, "guess I wasn't tall enough, huh?" It was a weak attempt at starting a conversation, but whatever settles her uneasiness, she thinks.
It's like she couldn't think coherently. Her mind foggy, shrouded by thoughts of him. To think that he could still stir her brainpower into a chaotic mess, reducing her intelligence into that of a rock.
A dumb rock.
"You've always been so short y'know" he says, as he takes the pitcher of water on his counter and begins filling his cup, "but I'm pretty sure there was one point when you were taller than me. I mean...everyone was" he shrugs.
"We are the youngest ones of Konoha's 11" she giggles.
"Ugh, don't remind me."
Once both cups are microwaved, he carries them back to the living room with Hinata following after him, carrying the box of cinnamon rolls.
They sit on the floor around his coffee table and start looking over his work.
"What would you like to start on first, Naruto-Kun?"
"Uh yeah... let's start with foreign relations, yeah?"
As they begin studying, she notes that he is very smart, and he does have a very good memory, contrary to what other people say. He's observant of small details and was also attentive to learning new information. About thirty minutes into their studying, and they're separately looking into their scrolls.
She looks up now and them, sneaking a peek at him. He looks so focused. In all honesty, this is the most focused he's ever looked to her, besides the war of course. It's a little weird, seeing him like this. He's usually frivolous, only showcasing seriousness in battle.
She watches his eyes waver between the inked words on the scroll he's reading; his brows are furrowed, crinkling into the cutest expression. She likes the way his eyes light up when he recognizes something, or when his mouth puckers up when he's confused.
He suddenly looks up at her, his gaze capturing her own. She abruptly shifts her eyes back onto the paper she was viewing, trying not to blush from being caught.
Why does this always happen?!
It's like he always knows when she's staring at him. But then again, who wouldn't? Being a trained shinobi, of course, he would know when someone is watching him. She was ogling the guy for crying out loud, he could probably feel her stare.
She takes another peek at him, and is relieved to see him reading his scroll again. She looks at her scroll, determination brewing as she makes a promise to herself to not look at him again.
Okay, she really needs to stop looking at him. Although… one more peek wouldn't hurt, right?
No!
She tries to focus on her paper, taking a bite out of her cinnamon bun. Delicious flavors capture her taste buds, and she felt her eyes close from the taste.
Cinnamon buns are the creation from the Gods themselves.
"It's good huh?"
Her eyes shoot open, glancing in his direction. There it is again, his smirk...it was chaotically good, in a sense. Cerulean pools staring into her lavender ones.
She looks to see if he's eaten his treat, only to find it gone, along with an empty cup of ramen. She'd eaten at least three-quarters of her ramen.
"Yes um...i-its good. Sticky, but good."
"Yeah, where'd you get these from anyway?" Naruto questions.
"The market! You know, the one a couple of blocks from here?"
"Oooh, yeah! I shop there every so often when I need to restock my refrigerator" he sheepishly scratches his neck, probably embarrassed by the fact that all he ate was ramen.
Should she tease him? She's tempted to do so…
"You eat other foods besides ramen?" she quirks a smile, silently praying that he wasn't offended.
"What? Of course, I do! Just not often, heh. I can cook some things like rice, and I can whip up a really good breakfast as well. But other than that, the to go to is ramen." He grins, seemingly satisfied with his answer.
"Oh, Naruto-Kun! I can help you learn how to cook more meals if you like? You may find something that you like that you've never tried before."
He seemed to be contemplating her answer, and she worries that she said too much. He probably doesn't want her over that often. The fact that she even bothered bringing up helping him with his diet seems disrespectful on her part-
"You would do that? It seems like I'm taking most of your time, Hinata."
That will never be the case.
"It's okay. Remember what I said before? I enjoy spending time with you."
His eyes twinkle at the recollection, and it makes her feel bubbly inside.
"That's right! I almost forgot, heh. Aaah Hinata, you're the best, y'know?"
And then he smiles such a genuine smile that squeezes her heart dry until there is nothing left.
"Well, I wouldn't say that…"
"No, but really, you help me out so much. I do appreciate it y'know? You don't even have to do these things and yet you still do em'."
I want to be there for you, with you.
"I enjoy helping others, so really, it's okay" she reassures.
They exchange one more glance before she focuses back on her scroll, hoping he would do the same. She steals another peek at him to see if he did, which he has. She sighs, looking back into the ancient paper in front of her.
What is she getting herself into?
Going on missions during the coldest months of the year can be troublesome. Especially if she didn't have a coat to wear during her missions.
It was a good thing that missions were not as long and grueling as they used to be, considering this to be the era of peace now.
She still gets tired sure, but at least she still had enough energy to travel home.
It's as if the days get colder and colder. She can stand the cold, sometimes, but as the days go by, she thinks that she should probably invest in a jacket.
"Here, you look cold." Kiba looks at her trembling physique and hands her his jacket.
"It's alright Kiba-Kun, we're almost back to the gates."
With an exasperated look, he sighs, shaking his head knowingly at her. "Gods just take the jacket already. You look like you need it much more than I do."
"No really! I'm fine-"
Kiba slings the jacket over her shoulders without warning, not allowing her to retaliate against his gesture.
"See? You're warm now."
She would be lying if she denied the sudden relief she felt when the warm velvet made contact with her bare skin, easing her goosebumps.
As they walk back, the sun begins to set. Hinata looks to the vault of the heavens and smiles. Sure, it was cold today...but somehow, even on the coolest of days, the warmest colors vividly paint the sky.
It makes her think back to a certain someone.
She deeply exhales, scolding herself for even thinking of him. Who was she kidding? Probably herself-she didn't know anymore. Moving on was the goal, and it feels like a race to her. She's running as fast as she can, and every time she gets there, right there, it seems that the finish line grows legs and runs further away from her.
How is she supposed to move on if there were constant reminders of him? His aura is in the sky above her. The water stream as blue as his cerulean ones. Seeing random-ass frogs even reminded her of him. It was frustrating, in a good way.
Shino must've noticed her dazed look and asked if she was okay.
If she was being honest here, she would tell him no. But she doesn't want her teammates to worry, so she gives a simple "I'm good," and they carry on.
"Are you sure?" Kiba prods her for a real answer. "You've been lookin' kinda lost these days, not gonna lie."
Hinata Hyuga and the art of lying…
Her sister's words echo in her mind. In the end, Hanabi was right. She lies to herself and the people around her. For the sake of others , she tells herself. It's for the best, anyway.
"I promise you guys," she turns and smiles at her teammates, "I'm good." Hopefully, they buy it, they were always good at reading her emotions, they've known each other for years after all.
"Oh...um okay. Wanna get some cinnamon buns? I don't know, maybe to like, you know... cheer you up?"
"I already have them" she sighs dreamily, thinking about the time she spent with Naruto in his apartment.
"...yeah, okay." Kiba turns to Shino. "She's officially lost it"
"Indeed" came the nonchalant reply.
Hinata playfully hits Kiba in the arm, rolling her eyes with a smile on her face. Her boys were always looking out for her, and she will forever remain grateful.
She goes back to watching the sunset, its natural colors reminding her of him. It was vibrant, warm, and welcoming, everything that was Naruto. Also because it was mostly orange if that wasn't the most obvious part.
As she walks alongside team eight, she gazes at the sun, not caring if it blinded her. She takes a deep breath, exhaling a breath of freedom, releasing confinement.
The sun, being a star itself, would someday die out. Someday, it will lose its eternal flame. In a billion more years to come, the sun itself will become a red giant, sputtering out its last breath before death consumes it.
The sun always reminded her of Naruto.
But she doesn't want to think that this will be Naruto's fate, because death is not the end for him. To her, he is forever and timeless and infinite.
With that thought, she cannot compare him to the sun. Not anymore. She could only compare him to himself, for he is something entirely different. He was something beyond the sun, something beyond the stars. And it was vexing. She couldn't figure him out for the life of her because he was just...so...unpredictable...so... Naruto . It was scary and at the same time, it was beautiful. He will forever keep her wondering. He is the embodiment of wonder, and that was the beauty of all of it.
Indeed, a beautiful boy he was.
