Chapter 6: A Moment Between Us
"Nothing is permanently perfect. But there are perfect moments and the will to choose what will bring about more perfect moments."
― Mary Balogh, Simply Perfect
Hinata
"Your eyes would make this whole venture worth it."
His breath is laced with the smoke he used to hide himself trying to split her from her team, only faintly covered with the smell of mint. Remnants of fog coat the area, though it is only this man alone she has to face.
She recognizes his headband belonging to Amegakure, hazel eyes narrowing in delight at her notice.
"Don't worry, I'll make this quick!" He purrs.
Hinata says nothing in response, readying herself just as he reaches out his arm.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Kiba's whistle rings in her ears a moment later, a note of pure surprise taking in the bruising spots along the now unconscious man's arms, legs, and chest. She curls her hands back against her sides, remnants of lightning still warm against her fingertips.
Their scrolls are safe.
His grin widens as her gaze turns fully to him, chuckling. "Damn Hinata! Where were you hiding a technique like that?! That sure as hell didn't look like the normal Hyuga Gentle Fist!"
Shino stays silent, though his brows have rose slightly in surprise at seeing this new variation to one of the Hyuga clan's signature moves.
Hinata smiles, shrugging in response. "I've been practicing with my nature affinities."
Kiba beams approvingly, nudging at her gently. "Heh, I can see why you've kept it under wraps for the main tournament part! Though you've been training with Naruto, right? I'm surprised he was able to help you in creating such a powerful attack!"
"Naruto trains quite often actually Kiba. He's spent longer hours than you practicing various jutsu in the forests and training grounds from sun up to sundown." Shino defends him much to Hinata's surprise.
"Ouch Shino, tell me how you really feel about me!" Kiba retorts back.
He sniffs the air then, ensuring that there aren't any other teams or people laying in wait near the tower before sending Shino and Hinata a nod of all clear.
Before Hinata can speak a sharp throb courses through her fingers, thread pulsing and subconsciously she looks back in the direction Naruto had come from again.
'What's going on? It's never hurt this bad before even when we were training separately.'
Kiba blows out a breath, Akamaru's warning bark forcing her to look back towards the tower as it slowly comes into view. Moonlight highlights the specialty made hardwood and mahogany panels, scratches at the sides marked from kunai from over the years and the wild creatures that call this forest home.
They're so close now, to turn back now would be foolish; reckless.
"We told you already we can't worry about the other teams! They'll either get here in time with both a heaven and earth scroll or fail; simple as that." Kiba mentions as they get back to moving.
Shino nods in agreement, they've set enough traps behind themselves and nearby that they should be in the clear now. "Let's just hope they avoid encountering those Sand siblings as well. More than likely though, they would be the first team to finish this part of the exams based on the skill and power they have."
The thought makes goosebumps chill her skin. She knows they're both right, but it's not like they're feeling the same twinges to their hands. The desire to check on one's red thread when they're in danger can be all consuming, no matter the risk it could cause to themselves just trying to get to them.
They reach the tower minutes later, taking in the series of wires across the floor.
"My beetles note four cameras in each corner of this room." Shino notes just as voice comes out from the intercom overhead.
"Congrats Team 8 on successfully receiving both scrolls and surviving the Forest of Death. Proceed to the exit at the end of the forest and enter the building marked as the exam destination point where you may open your scrolls!" A man's crackly voice explains before it clicks off.
Kiba arches a brow at the voice, that sounded like that jonin sensei with the chronic cough. What happened to Anko-sensei and the other proctors?
The three do as instructed, entering the solitary building.
Hinata takes out the Heaven scroll from her pouch while Shino reveals the Earth scroll from his jacket.
Kiba leans forward excitedly, rubbing his hands together.
"We'll finally get to see what's so secretive about these scrolls!" He cheers.
On the count of three they pull open the scrolls, Hinata pausing as she takes in the circular swirl of black ink in the center.
'This is for a...summoning jutsu?'
White smoke baths the area not a second later startling them all into stepping back, slowly clearing to reveal familiar dark tresses and scarlet eyes.
Kurenai-sensei.
Kiba's shoulders instantly droop, scowl marring his face.
"Hey, what gives?! Why are you here sensei; what happened to us getting an actual reward?" Akamaru barking his confusion as well.
Kurenai steps forwards, lightly decking Kiba for his rudeness. "Not the proper way I expected to be greeted after all your excitement of wanting to collect more scrolls than necessary earlier." She huffs.
"Ah, are you here to inform of us of our standing?" Hinata guesses.
Kurenai looks to her with a nod, smile etching up her lips at her posture, the way her pearl eyes look at her straight on.
'You've grown so much in such a short amount of time.'
If only her Father could see this side of her more often...
"Yes, I wanted to be the one to formally congratulate you all on passing! The next phases of the exams will be one on one matches, but I'm not sure how soon they'll begin until this part of the exams officially concludes. You should hopefully get a few days of rest before returning back here." Kurenai explains.
She pulls her team into a hug then despite Kiba's protests and Shino looking like he wants to just go home now. She recites to them the meaning behind Heaven and Earth scrolls, proud none of them felt the urge to open the scroll and be instantly disqualified.
Her gaze lingers back on Hinata, Hinata's eyes focused to her hand.
The throbbing has lessened up, though she can't be sure if that's a good or bad sign of Naruto's current predicament.
"You can't let the worry get to you. Red thread or not, Naruto will find a way to get through I'm sure." Kurenai whispers to her and Hinata feels her face warm.
How many people know he's her red thread? Hopefully, only just her team...
'He's alive, that's all I can accept for now.' Hinata reaffirms to herself and Kurenai with a nod, allowing herself one last look backwards to see her red thread twists through groves layered with thorny bushes, deep vines, and moss drenched trees.
Somewhere within that darkness, Naruto is in the midst of a fight.
Sakura
"Sakura, please allow me to protect you and go full out against this guy! You get back into the forests out of sight!" Lee asserts.
"The Eight Gates are opened when you need to protect a trusted comrade or loved one!" Gai-sensei's words pop to mind, one of his very first lessons in teaching him to begin mastery of this taijutsu.
That time is now.
And then, and then...even if their red threads aren't bonded together Sakura will see he can be just as cool as Sasuke, will look at him even if just for a fleeting second in adoration!
Sakura shakes her head, ignoring the rush of pain sliding down her body, pricking at her like hot needles. She swallows the rising need that pulls at her to go check on Sasuke and Naruto, keeping her eyes focused on Zaku.
No, there's no way she's letting Lee handle this alone.
"Tell me what I need to do to best distract him and I'll do it." She promises.
Lee clicks his tongue, clearly not liking her answer but he'll have to accept it as Zaku holds up his arms once more.
"Heh, it doesn't matter what moves you two try to use! Nobody can escape from my airwaves!" He taunts. These Konoha shinobi no nothing of a harsh life. They have such pampered and sheltered lives, never having to worry about where their next meal will come from or if they'll have to steal in order to just survive to another day.
He licks his lips excitedly, straightening out his hands.
His first blast goes straight for Sakura she barely leaps away from, shredded pieces of bark and leaves rain down on her, cut into her skin.
Lee blocks him before he can launch a second wave, Zaku sneering at his protectiveness.
"Go Sakura! I'm sure you'll know when to step in." He yells to her.
"Do you really think that pathetic girl is worth your time? You're not her red thread match, let alone even attractive enough to get her attention!" Zaku chuckles, grin widening at the hint of red to Lee's cheeks, silence saying it all.
Sakura meanwhile blankets herself into a thicket of moss shrouded in enough darkness to not be in Zaku's direct line of sight, calming her breathing. Pain ripples over her like an endless wave, threatens to pull her under into darkness.
She shakes out the dizziness, clearing her mind.
'I still have some chakra left. Nothing showy, but enough to help even just a little.' Sakura determines, testing the strength in her hands. Bruises mar her knuckles, skin ripped at the ends revealing a thin coating of blood.
Her stomach tilts at the idea of attacking again so soon, sweat beading and sticking to her locks.
It's fine, she has to be fine.
She focuses back towards the battle, watching in awe as Lee kicks Zaku high into the air, high enough for sunlight to catch along his black locks, dark eyes equally wide in shock.
Lee slides up behind him with ease like his very shadow, bandages locking him in.
And then they're falling, twisting into a mini tornado and Sakura quickly calculates the seconds before impact, making the signs.
"Earth Release: Flying Thrown Stones!"
Slamming her hands to the ground she unleashes a torrent of rocks large enough to cause some damage in multiples, stones jabbing into Zaku's body while his head slams down straight against the earth. When the dust clears Zaku lays slumped over, blood dripping from his mouth and nose.
"Lee, you okay?!" Sakura shouts, running to his aid.
His cheeks bloom a bright pink as Sakura lifts one of his arms across her shoulders, keeping him upright.
"You saw me, right?!" He asks hopefully.
Sakura nods, though her chest aches, black spots swimming through her vision.
"Good! I just need to take a quick youthful rest. You should as well!" Lee advises, fatigue seeping in.
Sakura forces a tight smile, lying that she will.
'Now. Now I must go check on Sasuke.' She decides next as she lays Lee back into the shade of the trees.
Her red thread won't stop pulsing, refuses to be ignored any longer.
Only her feet wobble and her muscles burn, nausea bubbling back up as she stumbles to the ground.
'No, no! Not now! I still need to get to Sasuke. Find Naruto."
She spits up bile, acid burning on her tongue. Exhaustion digs into her as she tries to stand again, pulls her back down as everything around her turns hazy, black spots appear again by the dozens, too many for her to ignore.
'No, I'm going unconscious...'
The bushes shuffle to her right, blonde hair poking out amidst the fauna making her stiffen in shock. Green eyes widen, recognizing thinly veiled comments that the coast is clear and for Choji to put his chips down already.
'Ino?'
She shakes her head to clear, dizziness and fatigue temporarily abated as Ino sidles up to her.
"Looks like you're a bit shaky on your feet there Forehead!" She teases as her and the rest of Team 10 fully pop out of hiding, Ino giving her a helping hand up.
Sakura scoffs, giving her a half smile.
"You're late Pig."
Sasuke & Sakura
"Your injuries aren't fully healed and you're low on chakra. Sasuke will be disgusted by your appearance." Ino huffs. She didn't jump out of hiding with her team for Sakura to go run off and injure herself further!
Or worse.
Sakura merely shrugs, stretching out her arms, thankful the numbness to her fingers is gone.
"Better disgusted than him dead; time is of the essence Ino." She counters, gazing in the direction her thread leads.
Ino steps into her path before she can take to the trees, leaning close to her.
"Don't do anything stupid Forehead...no Sakura; seriously." She murmurs.
A smile etches up Sakura's lips, reaching out to squeeze at her shoulder the same way she did for her in childhood. There's so many things she wants to say, so much they buried of their friendship until the time came for them to learn of their red thread matches...
But now is not the time or place.
"Of course Ino! We still have to find your red thread match after all!" She whispers back.
The pair beam at each other then, truly relieved that the other is okay.
They can make it through this trial; survive.
CRUNCH!
And just like that Ino's grin morphs into a scowl, twisting to glare at the culprit.
Choji.
"Do you have to eat now of all times?! I told you to put your bag of potato chips down, not tear open another one!" She snaps.
Choji squirms under her glare, looking to the trees as a flock of blackbirds take flight. It'd be nice to fly away from this situation too right about now...
"I get nervous when I'm hungry; sorry!" He yelps under her intense stare.
"You eat no matter what emotion you're feeling! Ugh, your loud snacking is going to give us away to any other teams nearby!" She hisses.
Shikamaru yawns beside him, gesturing for Sakura to get going.
"That or it will be all your yelling Ino. We haven't exactly formed a perfect plan on how we're going to get our Earth scroll." He adds dryly, sighing when she fixes her glare on him that his complaining is no help either.
Great, he should've just stayed quiet.
The branches feel cooler as Sakura leaps from tree to tree, leaves disturbed or cracked apart the closer she gets.
She catches the cottony blue of Sasuke's top from the corner of her eye, holding in a gasp taking in his slumped form.
At his neck are three black dots, hot to the touch as she lowers herself beside him.
Orochimaru's work.
Sakura curses under her breath, straightening him out.
"Damn it, I'm too late."
Despite trying not to think about it, Kin and Zaku's words pop to mind, so focused on beauty that she slacked in mastering skills for real-world shinobi assignments.
And now this has happened.
'What...What did he do to me?' Sasuke grits his teeth, thrashing about.
His vision swirls, snake eyes watching him from up above.
"If you can survive that seal being placed upon you, then you'll be worthy of me giving you the power you need to kill Itachi." Orochimaru's voice purrs in his ears, bounces off the trees and hanging leaves surrounding them.
A second voice abruptly cuts in, sharp and annoyed. "Get away from him Orochimaru! You've interfered enough in these exams as is!"
Their voices become too low for him to make out, Orochimaru slinking back into the trees to avoid the second voice's rapid fire attacks.
"You're too late...has the curse seal now...you, Jiraiya, and Tsunade never understood me really, especially after the war...I'll soon learn all the jutsus in the world and then you'll truly never be able to stop me sensei."
'Sensei?' Sasuke questions, though their figures remain too flurry to distinguish.
"I'll put an end to whatever it is you're planning...you've gone too far this time Orochimaru." The voice of the second man snaps back.
Their figures and their voices fade to black, replaced with vibrant pink hair and teary verdant eyes as he opens his eyes slowly.
"Sakura?" Sasuke croaks out.
Sakura nods just barely, squeezing his arms gently.
"Yes, I'm here."
She rests him back against what he assumes is her gear pack and a bundle of leaves, vision fuzzy as she moves for a blurry figure of orange higher up in the trees.
'Must be Naruto.' He guesses.
A moment later Naruto he assumes is laid beside him, face damp with sweat. This isn't good, they're all severely injured in some form or fashion it seems.
"You're both in bad shape, hell we're all in bad shape." Sakura whispers between grunts as she straightens their bodies out.
Sasuke attempts to lift his head only for bile to rush up, twisting away from her as the little of breakfast and lunch they had hours ago comes back up.
"I'm...fine." Sasuke asserts between pants, body shaking betraying him. Sakura merely pushes him to lie back, sighing.
"You just threw up and you have a fever. You're most definitely not fine." She retorts blandly, applying a wet cloth over his eyes.
It smells of lily and fuchsia, scents that remind him too much of Sakura.
Too much of home.
How did she even find them? And then he is reminded of the heat at his hand, of course.
So a red thread can truly trace you no matter the distance, no matter how far if he chooses to go from the village for good...
He sits up again despite her protests, taking in the scattering of scratches and bruises to her arms.
How long was he unconscious?
He glances overhead, silver moon midway in the sky.
"What happened? Who did this to you?" He questions in succession.
Sakura blinks before shaking her head. She should've taken Ino's advice and healed more of her injuries.
"Doesn't matter. They've been taken care of."
"Not exactly." A voice grunts from up above.
A kunai comes between them, Sakura staying back providing a cover for Naruto.
Dosu slips out from the trees, gaze focused on Sasuke alone.
"I get it now. Lord Orochimaru only used our team as pawns. He told us to kill you when really all along he just wanted to place that curse seal upon you; test your strength. Hmph, well I'll change those plans of his by killing you now while you're weak."
Sakura tenses in preparation to unleash a flower bomb to create an escape, Sasuke to her surprise coming back beside her.
"You need to rest!" She commands.
But she takes in the haunting black of his seal activating as it slides across him like a living tattoo, eyes turning a sharp crimson.
'So this is a taste of the power Orochimaru can truly give me.'
"Was it him Sakura?" Sasuke asks again after a pause.
Sakura clenches her teeth, unsure what to make of his rising malicious grin.
"No...one of his associates." She answers.
"Then he's our enemy all the same."
And then Sasuke steps forward just as Dosu launches out a screech of sound from his device.
The ringing only lasts a second, Sasuke leaping behind Dosu in a flash, twisting at his neck.
He drops to his knees instantly, lifting up his echo speaker only for Sasuke to spit flames to it via his fireball jutsu. The fire coils up his arms, forced to tear his speaker away before flames can slither across the rest of his body.
"Stop; I give! Take...Take our scroll. It's the one you need, right?!" He cries out between gasps.
Sasuke ignores his command, twisting harder, grinning as his skin takes on a bluish hue, breaths growing fainter.
"You and your team showed no mercy to Sakura and our comrades earlier. You knew there was a chance you could die in this forest!" He taunts.
Dosu lets out a garbled gasp, scratching at his hands to no avail.
"Kill him. Kill him." Orochimaru's voice repeats faintly in the back of his mind.
It's a fitting punishment he agrees...
But before the final snap, lilies fill his nose, Sakura tugging sharply at his shirt.
"Stop it! We don't need to kill him!" She urges, pulling harder on him to let go.
His curse seal recedes, letting Dosu drop down. He pulls out the Earth scroll from his wrappings while he writhes and gulps in air, eyes glassy and vacant.
"We can't show mercy to an opponent Sakura. We need to pass these exams by any means necessary." Sasuke warns.
"He was already giving up and you still wanted to push for death! This...the curse seal is already getting to you." Sakura counters softly.
And from the way his hands twitch, she knows he's thinking the same.
He rubs at his head feeling a migraine come on, Sakura situating him back to against the bark of his tree as he slips unconscious again.
"You'd do well to stay away from him now on." Dosu rasps out as he slowly gets back to his feet.
At Sakura's silence he goes on, eye crinkling.
"Orochimaru is a patient man. Sasuke will eventually go to him and leave you and the orange clad boy behind. He's going to forget about you two, abandoned all his memories of Konoha for power and revenge." He continues before slipping away.
Sakura scowls once she's sure she's alone, pressing at a growing bruise upon Sasuke's cheek.
Yes, this part is done, but the preliminaries and final matches are next...
And already this curse mark has given Sasuke what he's desired for so long, power no matter what it could cost him.
She pinched her sides to stop the sting of coming tears.
'I don't want to watch you kill Sasuke, destroy yourself by letting this darkness take over you.'
Naruto & Hinata
'They could stand to lower their voices.' Hinata sighs.
But perhaps like Father, even the guards have forgotten her presence for the most part. In their eyes she's only something to just be protected; ignored otherwise. Everyone has grown so used to her silence and meek voice that often get's carried away by the wind, changing that status quo won't be easy.
It seems like she's only visible to those actively looking for her like Hanabi when she gets a rare moment alone with her or Hanami fetching her for a meal. It's late evening now just before dinner, sky taken to that same golden pink it was just days ago back in the Forest.
Instead of the scent of blood in the air, it smells of the bright orange marigolds and blue hydrangeas in the garden.
"I heard Lady Hinata actually made it through the Forest of Death trial! Her and her team have advanced to the preliminaries of one on one matches!" Hitoki mutters.
Haruto waves it off, leaning his head closer. "I bet it's only thanks to those teammates of hers. There's no way she'll make it to the actual finals!"
And Hinata can't help it, rage simmering up like a fire as she slides her door open loudly making the pair jolt.
"Perhaps next time you two should gossip about Neji's team instead of me. Unlike my Team 8 who came out relatively unscathed from the forest, Team Gai suffered an injury involving Lee that slowed them down. Nonetheless, we all made it through, so you should find other subjects to pass the time." She voices.
To prove her point she activates her byakugan, shows them a flare of violet-blue fire at the tips of her hands that makes them step back in alarm.
Naruto's right, it does feel good to see the momentary shock upon their faces.
"Just yell at them back Hinata! That will show them!" Naruto advises.
He picks at an old tear in his sofa, the Hyuga clan seeming to have no end to their stand-off and uptight behavior from Hinata's stories.
Hinata shakes her head, covering up a giggle. "Our clan isn't like that Naruto, you know that. However...I will try to speak up for myself more no matter the situation."
Naruto looks to her fully then, nodding. "Good! You'll report the news about to me here or at Ichiraku's once you do it!"
"Err, we meant no harm in our comments Lady Hinata!" Hitoki stumbles out.
He sharply nudges Haruto to speak up too who bows politely, glancing from her hands back to her face. "P-Please excuse our rudeness Lady Hinata! We'll just go check how things are on the west end of the manor!"
Hinata watches them practically run around the corner, sighing. Her heart knocks against her chest, drums in her ears making them burn.
"Ah, so the mouse can speak up for herself." A new male voice calls out.
Neji.
And before she can help it, not show it in front of him of all people, she stiffens.
Neji steps forward out of the shade of the garden's tree, white eyes narrowing in cruel amusement.
"Why don't you save yourself the trouble and forfeit? You still have time to tell your sensei or one of the proctors that you don't want to participate after all. Uncle has lost all hope for you having passed the heiress title to Hanabi after all." He comments.
Hinata bites her lip, tongue drying.
'Say something.'
Neji arches a brow at her silence, shrugging.
"I guess just now was a fluke then. I'm trying to save you the trouble of embarrassing the clan any further-"
"No, I'm not going to quit no matter what you or Father says." Hinata cuts him off. Her progress and training all this time has been for herself alone to improve her strength, to ensure she's not a burden to her team or any mission she's assigned to.
A flicker of surprise crosses his face seeing her serious expression, this rare note of anger lacing her words.
And it crosses into frustration when she puts up her hand into position.
The signal for activating his seal, the reason he is forever chained in servitude to the main branch...
"You wouldn't." He sneers.
Hinata steps back from him, hardening her gaze to match his steel.
"I...I don't want to, but you're threatening me Neji. I won't let you keep pushing me around."
They watch each other then for an agonizing minute, Neji to her surprise relenting first.
"Fine. It's not like I don't have other ways to get under your skin. For example, Naruto. He's your red thread match, isn't he? I'm sure Uncle would love to hear you lied to him and everyone, are pretending not to be matched to anyone." He remarks coolly.
She restrains herself from cracking, lips staying perfectly flat.
"I'm not lying. I'm matched to nobody; just like everybody expected to happen." Hinata answers casually. The memory of that winter night clings to her, the resigned disappointment in Father's eyes as her birthday cake sits untouched, the bemused smirks of both main and branch family members that she apparently can't even be matched to a partner.
The lie doesn't go over so easily, Neji studying her in silent disbelief before turning away.
"So you say. I'll know for sure when I eventually face off against him."
She waits until he is fully out of view, truly back in the branch quarters of the compound before taking off into the falling twilight, chest tight. Streaks of reds and pinks run across the sky as she rushes towards the central square, glow of golden lanterns dotting each side of her.
Hanami will wonder where she went when she comes to retrieve her for dinner, of what made her leave the manor in such a hurry...
But at this time of day, she knows already where Naruto will be even without her red thread as a guide.
"-And then when I woke up Sakura was all banged up being attended to by Ino and Shikamaru and Choji were saying I'm super heavy to carry! I'm sure I'm not fatter than Choji though, oh but don't let him hear I said that, you know!" Naruto gripes, regaling Teuchi and Ayame with how his team completed the Forest of Death.
Hinata fidgets behind him, wondering if she should step in and make her presence known or let him finish eating.
"Slow down Naruto, there's plenty of more ramen you can have! I just made a fresh batch of miso, tonkotsu, and beef!" Teuchi remarks.
RUMBLE!
Hinata feels her face warm, stomach betraying her to get a bowl herself when she's skipping dinner right now. Naruto glances over to her with a laugh, cobalt orbs widening in surprise seeing her here in public before warming, gesturing to the empty seat beside him.
"Oi, so that stomach growling was coming from you Hinata? Grab a stool! Teuchi has plenty to go around! He jests.
Flustered, she peeks to Teuchi and Ayame who nod. The aroma of egg, pork, and spices entice her, breaking her chopsticks with a nod towards Naruto as Teuchi sets a bowl of tonkotsu ramen in front of her. Ramen isn't a typical meal eaten at the manor, even late night snacks only consist of simple rice bowls with a thinly sliced meat of choice or rice crackers.
"It's good, right?! Teuchi has the best ramen in all of Konoha no matter what his competitors say!" Naruto states proudly, Hinata giggling at his enthusiasm.
An hour passes of them discussing their teams, who they think they'll be up against, what missions they'll take on once they become chunin.
'Wait, how did Hinata end up eating more than me?!' Naruto gapes in surprise as he takes out Gamachan, peering at Hinata's 10 empty bowls compared to his 4. Teuchi and Ayame taking them all away in equal shock.
"Thanks for the meal as always!" Naruto beams as he gets up, Hinata shifting out her wallet to pay for her own bowls when Naruto holds up a hand.
"Don't worry Hinata, I'll cover it for the both of us!" He explains at her perplexed look.
Gamachan may be a bit skinnier for that, but the mixed expression of shock and joy to Hinata's face is worth it. He was going to commentate it weird that he didn't know Hinata loved ramen as much as him only for Teuchi to advise him that this was a better idea instead.
"Ah, no need to embarrass her further Naruto! A gentleman can pay for the meal on the first date!" Teuchi hurriedly explains while Hinata is away in the restroom.
"This is a date?" Naruto questions back after a pause, Ayame nodding while her Father lets out a groan.
"Yes, you two have been here over an hour and are our last customers here!"
"What?! No, you don't have to! I can-" Hinata begins, Teuchi shaking his head, gesturing for them to go walk their meals off. The night is very much still alive after all, neon blue and electric green signs promote nightclubs and 24-hr eateries and gambling spots.
All the vices Pervy-Sage tells him to avoid, but that he knows he actively indulges in...
He crosses his arms behind his head, glancing to Hinata whose gaze has taken to observing the crescent moon shine in the corner, the cluster of stars dots of whites and yellows.
"Hey, so what made you decide to head to Ichiraku's at this time of day, you know? Not that I wasn't happy to see you! Heh, that last time you saw me I was probably covered in snake residue and leaves." Naruto remarks.
Hinata blows out a breath, halting them in place stopping them from going in the direction of the Hyuga compound.
'So you say. I'll know for sure when I eventually face off against him.'
Neji's words sink into her, weigh upon her chest still like rocks.
"Can we go to your apartment for just a bit; please?" She asks, Naruto blinking before shrugging with a nod.
They walk in silence the rest of the way, Naruto halfway in closing his door just as Hinata abruptly leans into him, wrapping him into a hug. For a second he isn't sure what to do with his own hands, fidgeting before loosely wrapping his arms around her in return.
"Whoa Hinata! What happened?" He asks as they nearly stumble backwards.
'I yelled at two guards. I stood up to Neji, though now I don't know what he'll do to you if you face off.'
But the words jumble together, staying on the back of her tongue and she sighs and just burrows further into him. He still smells faintly of Ichiraku's signature miso ramen and the woods, so intertwined with his jacket from the long hours spent near both places.
"I'm nervous for the next matches. And I yelled at Neji and some guards." Hinata confesses.
Naruto chuckles, wishing he has been there to see that before nodding. "Yeah...I'm a bit nervous too, but also excited, you know! Everyone's going to see just how strong and great I am!"
Hinata laughs, moving back slightly to look at him properly. "Naruto, you're already all of those things no matter what other any civilian or shinobi say."
Naruto scratches at his cheeks nervously. Hinata makes it sound so simple and true, that there's no reason to worry about the comments and bets on his losing he knows will be whispered behind his back.
It feels like his voice echoes in the dark of his room, steady tempo of his heartbeat rushing into his ears. He wonders if he's even hugging her right, if his breath still stinks of ramen, if being this close makes her heart thrum just as fast as his own.
"I also wanted to see you; that's all." Hinata eventually murmurs into his chest. Lavender looks up to meet cerulean, showing him she's serious and a shiver of delight runs up Naruto's back, face starting to burn.
"That's all?" Naruto repeats to be sure, leaning them back against the door. Nobody ever just wants to see him, there's always a reason whether it be for a prank he pulled or being called for a mission.
Hinata nods, burying herself deeper into his arms, his warmth. She pushes Neji's words away, locks them in back of her mind to worry about later.
"That's all." She confirms.
-x-
Does anyone have some rain that they don't want or can spare that they would like to send in my direction?! I miss the rain lol, especially with all my plants and my lawn dying! Seriously, it's been a super hotter than normal summer and I've seen patients coming in for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, stay hydrated everyone!
Hopefully all the changes made sense, I know doing the actual preliminary and final matches is going to be a bit more difficult for me to change up, but look forward to it!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
