Fragile Hearts: Nine

Hinata held the phone away from her ear and winced as her friend screamed with delight on the other end

"Shh!" Could be heard in the background.

"S-sorry," Tenten said quietly after she finished cheering.

The Hyūga smiled and shook her head while holding up a floral dress. "Are you okay?"

The brunette scoffed, "of course, it's just that I'm still at work and these guys get a bit grumpy sometimes. No big deal. But enough about me, who's the lucky guy?"

Hinata blushed involuntarily and dropped the dress onto the bed with the others she had already examined. "You wouldn't know him."

Tenten squealed while smiling, "I can't believe you're actually going on a date. It's been ages!"

She rolled her lavender eyes and pulled back the empty hangers on the railing in the closet. "I-It's not like that. W-we're just going out to eat or something...it's nothing romantic or anything."

"Mhm, sure. I totally believe you."

She sighed and used her shoulder to hold the phone to her ear while pulled out dress after dress. "It's not."

"Yeah and the next thing you know you'll be marrying the guy," Tenten mused. Hinata stopped however, her eyes fixated on a thin lilac blouse. The thought of marriage hadn't occurred to her since she got out of her last relationship. It was two years since then and she had made the decision of growing old alone...well maybe with a few cats, but alone, nonetheless.

"You know how I feel about marriage," she sighed giving up on her search.

She couldn't see her, but she knew Tenten had rolled her eyes on the other end. "That only applies to that butt face Toneri. This other guy may just be husband material."

"Like Neji?" Hinata shot back silencing her. The air was suddenly filled with an almost tangible tension as neither uttered a word. The muffled sound of chatter in the background on Tenten's end was all that could be heard along with her breathing. She had touched on a sensitive topic, reopening old wounds and causing buried memories to resurrect. But they weren't as they once were, they were dead and so they plagued the brunette's mind, haunting her constantly.

The midnight blue haired girl sat on her clothes covered bed, waiting for her friend to say something-anything! Just to clear her conscience.

After a few moments she cleared her throat, "yeah...like him."

Hinata sighed, "I don't know what to wear."

Tenten chuckled, "go shopping. Spoil yourself once in a while."

She offered her a lopsided smile, "not on this budget."

"What budget? You spend most of your money on food!"

"Shh!" Came once again from the background.

"Sorry!"

Hinata laughed, "food is essential."

"So are clothes and shoes," she retorted causing the pale girl to roll her eyes playfully.

"Sure," was her only response.

Tenten sighed, "I have to go now. Are we still on for next month?"

"Yeah...but if something comes up I'll let you know."

"Okay, well good luck on your date," she said in amusement.

"Go away." She listened to Tenten's laughter on the other end before hanging up.

Throwing her phone on the bed she laid back against her clothes. Turning on her side she stared out her bedroom window at the rain as it poured, covering Konoha with a misty, grey blanket. And suddenly she remembered waking up in Naruto's bed and the spectacular view he had of the city from his bedroom.

She imagined sitting in the egg shaped, hanging chair then, watching as the rain came crashing down against the contemporary city. While at the same time taking unrestrained pleasure in the bleak and frosty atmosphere. A small smile touched her lips as she thought of it, the image painted in her head seeming delightful, but somewhat...incomplete.

It was the first time in two years that Hinata felt truly empty, the void within her that had once threatened to consume her had resurfaced. Feeling scared and a bit panicky she shook the imperfect image from her head and sought to give her attention to something else. It was the only way she could keep herself from falling apart once more.

With a sigh she got up and went to her kitchen. She didn't know what she wanted for dinner, but she'd rather spend her time figuring that out than dwelling on the growing emptiness within her.

...

"Late night?" Asked a feminine voice from the door.

"Mhm," Naruto hummed flipping through papers.

"Well then I'm a lifesaver," she said entering his office. The blonde furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at his secretary as she sauntered in with a large paper bag.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at her and sat back in his seat, "that's not...?" She nodded with a smile. "Remind me to never fire you," he said returning the smile as Shion sat before his desk.

"Will do," she said making space on his desk to empty the bag's contents. "I got you a steak burrito and spicy tuna rolls."

Naruto groaned, "I was hoping for Ramen."

The pastel blonde watched as he pouted and pulled the food's container towards him. "That's gonna kill you one day."

"At least I'll die a happy man," he retorted looking at the tuna rolls. With a shrug he picked up his chopsticks and began eating. "Why haven't you left yet? Everyone else has I'm sure."

She shrugged and leaned back in her seat, "I don't particularly have something to go home to, so what's the rush?"

Naruto frowned, "it's not safe for women to be out late at night."

"I can manage on my own," she said laughingly. The young CEO dropped the subject and checked his phone quickly before going back to his work. Scanning his office quickly she sought to continue their conversation. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Naruto asked between bites.

"Don't you have someone waiting for you at home?"

The Uzumaki chuckled before looking up at her. With his elbow on the table he rubbed his forefinger against his chin. "Now that you mention it, I do."

Shion's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly looked away to hide her dismay. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said with a curt nod before going back to the tuna rolls. "I mean, I think our relationship is still a work in process, but it's getting somewhere."

"Wow," she responded, her pale, lavender eyes locking with his. "She's very lucky."

Naruto chuckled, "it's a he."

At that, the blonde girl went into a state of shock. "A-A he...well t-that's...uh, I never thought you'd be..."

"A dog person?" He asked finishing her sentence.

"Yes!" She agreed glad that she had misinterpreted their conversation.

"Yeah, well me neither...but when Hinata asked me to take him, I just couldn't turn her down." Naruto said looking down at his food. "She has a way of getting under your skin, you know? I've never met a woman like her really..."

Shion nodded slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going in. "You sound like you really like her."

He smiled and opened his mouth to say something when his phone started ringing. "Excuse me," he said before answering. "Hello?" Shion merely watched as he nodded, smiling from time to time before checking the time on his watch. Slowly a feeling of being dispensable overtook her making her feel unwanted. "Can you stay an extra fifteen minutes? I'll be right there...okay, thanks Izumi." He lowered the phone and began cleaning up.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes and so should you. It's getting late," he said putting a few folders into his black, leather bag. Taking a bite of his burrito he smiled at Shion, "thanks again."

She forced a smile and offered him a curt nod. Watching as he left his office she sighed and got to her feet. The image of the pale, midnight blue haired girl that came to the office a few days ago appeared in her mind making her uneasy. With one last look at Naruto's desk, she turned out the light and prepared to leave.

...

Naruto tapped his fingers against the stirring wheel of his car as he waited patiently for the cars before him to start moving. The sound of the rain thundered against the roof of his car making him feel antsy. He'd asked Izumi to wait a little while longer but he realized then that he was about to be late. The blonde sighed and rubbed his eyes, if anything he'd just call and tell her to leave...hopefully Kurama wouldn't break anything in the time it took for him to get home.

The memory of the picture frame he'd broke on the first night made him wince. At that rate he'd only be buying things made of plastic...maybe even baby proofing the entire place.

Naruto chuckled, "more like dog proof." He'd never really considered having children, it just seemed very far fetched to him. So distant that he didn't really know if he wanted any. It was like getting a dog for him, he didn't really know he wanted one until Hinata gave him one. Maybe if she gave him-

He shook his head to relieve himself of that thought. Blinking a few times he moved up a bit in the lane he was in. What are you doing? He asked himself as he stared at the brake lights on the car before him.

Leaning back into his seat he reached for him cellphone in the passengers seat. "What the hell," he sighed dialing a number and placing the phone to his ear.

It rang for what seemed like forever as he continuously tapped his fingers against the padded stirring wheel. However when the call did go through he felt a sudden rush of excitement.

"Hello?" She asked, but he was too caught up with the bliss her voice brought him to answer. She repeated the word once more, only then did he respond.

"Hi."

"Naruto-kun...is something wrong?" She asked with concern causing him to smile and press on the gas a little to keep up with the moving traffic.

"Yeah, I just called to..." He searched his mind for a reason. Why did he call exactly? He didn't know. "...to ask if we were still on for tomorrow."

"Uh...yes," she replied quietly. He mentally face palmed, cursing himself for making the conversation awkward.

Naruto bit his bottom lip before whispering, "okay."

The sound of the television on Hinata's end decreased, "I-is that the only reason why you called?"

He smiled and looked down at the gearstick, for some reason whenever she stuttered he found it extremely cute. "Maybe...I uh...I'm not sure why I called honestly," he confessed.

She giggled on the other end causing him to run a hand through his hair, "well that's a first."

"I know," he smiled. "I don't know what came over me."

There was a moment of silence before Hinata cleared her throat softly, "h-how's Kurama?"

"The better question is how's my house. He's a handful."

The Hyūga chuckled, "that's surprising."

"Really? I disagree."

"Hmm, maybe he's only nice to me," she teased.

"Who wouldn't be?" He blurted out.

"I can name someone," she muttered but he heard.

Frowning Naruto's hand tightened around the stirring wheel, "who?"

"It doesn't matter," the pale girl replied.

It does to me...

The blonde sighed, "hopefully...one day you'll open up to me."

Hinata was silent for a while, she didn't exactly know how to respond to that, for deep down she knew she wanted to open up to someone...but she was afraid. People lie, gossip, change and hurt each other. She'd been burned once and to take that chance once more would be to lay her mind, body and soul bare for another to criticize, hate and maybe even love. And that was a step she wasn't sure she'd be ready to take for a long time.

But then...there was something special about the man she was on the phone with. Something compelling that made her feel things she was yet to name. So maybe...just maybe he'd be the one she would finally open up to.

"Yeah...me too."

Fragile Hearts | A NaruHina Story
©Infinite_Writer01™2016
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