Fragile Hearts: Eighteen

"A-are you sure about this?"

Naruto chuckled, "you'll be fine. Besides you're the one who agreed to have dinner with us." Hinata pressed her lips together and closed the car door. The night was a bit windy causing her to shiver as she stared up at his rather large house. "Come on," he said extending his arm towards her. Her lavender eyes stared down at his waiting hand before carefully taking it. He smiled and pulled her towards him, "why didn't you wear a jacket?"

"I didn't think I'd need one," she admitted. The Hyūga was dressed in a simply sleeveless lilac dress that stopped just above her knees with matching flats. Her hear was caught in a neat bun leaving only her bang.

"Well you look great anyway," he said leading her to the front door.

"T-thank you," she blushed. The blonde opened the door and immediately they were tackled by his waiting dog. Naruto released her hand to rub Kurama's head lovingly with a smile on his face.

"Alright, down boy," he said stepping away from him. The vermilion coloured dog then turned his attention to Hinata who was busy taking off her shoes. "You remember Hinata right Kurama?" The Uzumaki asked crouching down beside him. Once she was done she turned only to find both of them staring at her.

"What?" She asked with a small smile, but Naruto only shook his head. He got to his feet and removed his shoes as well. "He's gotten bigger."

"You think so?" He asked. Hinata nodded and looked back at his dog, "well, Pervy Sage is probably in the kitchen."

She giggled and started walking with him, "why do you call him that?"

He scratched the back of his head and chuckled, seeming shy to tell her the reason. "It's...a long story."

"I have time," Hinata smiled determined to know why, but he merely shook his head with a coy smile. They entered the kitchen and she was surprised to see the white haired man with a red apron on standing beside a black haired girl.

"Izumi, you're still here?" Naruto asked leaning against the door frame.

She nodded and opened her mouth to answer but before she could Jiraiya spoke up. "She's assisting me with the cooking."

"That better be the only thing she's assisting you with," Naruto grumbled earning a glare from his godfather and a giggle from his maid.

"You're walking on thin ice boy," Jiraiya said turning away to monitor the many pots on the stove. "Glad you could make it Hinata."

Hinata smiled, "I'm glad you invited me Mr—"

"Dad," he interjected.

"I don't think you understand how much of a pedophile you sound like asking her to call you dad," Naruto said leaning off the door frame.

The white haired man deadpanned, "what? It makes sense for her to call me dad since she'll be my goddaughter soon enough." He then turned to the blushing Hyūga, "think of it as practice."

"I don't call you dad," the blonde muttered.

"Because you're an ungrateful little—"

"Master Jiraiya, your Udon!" Izumi exclaimed tapping his shoulder. The white haired elder grimaced at his godson before turning his attention back to his cooking.

Naruto chuckled and took Hinata's hand, pushing his other hand into his pocket he gestured with his head that she should follow him. Taking one last look at the two people in the kitchen she followed Naruto to wherever he was leading her.

"I never got to give you a tour of my house," he said as they walked down the hallway.

"That's my fault since the last time I was here...I wasn't really...myself," she whispered looking at the various pictures on the walls.

"Everyone has bad days," was all Naruto said. "This is the living room," he said turning right, into a spacious room.

"Wow." Hinata's lavender eyes shifted from his large television to his expensive furniture. "You have a fireplace."

She let go of his hand and walked around the room, stopping in front of it. "Yeah, but I hardly use it."

"Why is that?"

"I'm hardly here." He shrugged, "work is pretty hectic."

She frowned and looked around, "t-then why have such a big house?"

Naruto fanned his hand back and forth, beckoning her to approach him. Once she did, he continued showing her around the house. "Well to answer your question... I want a large family in the future."

The pale girl frowned and crinkled her nose, "why?"

"It's hard being an only child," he answered entering his room, the only room the Hyūga was familiar with.

"How big?" She walked towards the glass windows that interested her the most about his room. The sky was dark and cloudy so it seemed as though no stars or even the moon was out. The wind had gotten stronger, blowing through the many trees and shrubs in Naruto's vicinity.

He took off his jacket and came to stand beside her with his hands in his pockets. She glanced at him momentarily and in that moment she wished she hadn't. It was the first time she saw him in a plain white T-shirt and jeans. He seemed so casual, relaxed...and very attractive. Her eyes widened and she quickly looked away, slapping her hands against her cheeks she shook her head. You can't think of him that way!

Naruto caught a glimpse of her actions through his peripheral view, but he simply shrugged. "About six or seven."

The Hyūga's lavender eyes widened and she turned to face him quickly, "what?"

"Children." He explained thinking that she was confused.

"I-I know, b-but...six or seven?" She asked seemingly horrified by the numbers.

He chuckled, "yeah. Is that a problem?"

"Yes!" She answered quickly.

The blonde held back his laugher as he stared at her puffy face. She would always pout whenever things weren't going her way, that much he knew. "Why?"

"Because I only want one child."

He frowned just then, "he or she will get lonely."

"Fine then two, but that's it," she said considering what he said, but he was only playing with her.

"So could you explain something to me?" Naruto asked eager to get to the point. She was caught.

"What is it?" Hinata asked still perplexed by their previous topic.

He turned away from the glass window in order to face her fully. "Why are you the one telling me how many children I should get?"

The lavender eyed girl face palmed just then and turned away from him. Naruto smirked and chuckled before walking around to stand in front of her. "I-It's complicated." She said hiding her face in her hands.

He rolled his cerulean blue orbs and took a hold of both her wrists, pulling them away from her face. "I hardly find you having some amount of feelings for me complicated," he said. She was silent and refused to lift her head, "please look at me." Hesitantly Hinata raised her head, his eyes started at her pale eyes before moving to her blush stained cheeks. "You didn't hate when I kissed you, did you?" She averted her eyes and shook her head. "Then why did you push me away?"

"B-because I don't know what this is," she confessed.

He released her hands, "how long?"

"What?"

"How long until you figure out what it is that you feel for me?" Naruto asked.

She shrugged, "I don't know Naruto-kun."

The blonde sighed and started pacing, "it's okay...I'm a patient guy."

Hinata giggled involuntarily when he said that, "f-for how long will you lie to yourself?"

"Until you start telling yourself the truth," he shot back.

"It's...not that simple."

"I'll wait," the Uzumaki replied still pacing.

She noticed and frowned, "what's wrong?"

"I'm trying not to kiss you again," he admitted shamelessly.

Hinata blushed and looked away, "w-we should g-go back downstairs."

"Good idea." He said taking a deep breath. They both avoided making eye contact as they left the room and by the time they were downstairs Izumi was on her way out.

"I'll be leaving now Master Naruto," she said with a small smile.

The blonde nodded, "okay, stay safe on the road."

"I will," she then turned to Hinata. "Goodbye Miss—"

"U-uh call me Hinata please," she interjected feeling uncomfortable with the formality...She'd lived her whole life with it, now she wanted to feel the freedom she had.

Izumi nodded, "Hinata."

"Bye," the pale girl said watching as she left.

"Would someone come and help me set the table!" Jiraiya called from in the dinning room.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "I'm coming."

"I should help."

"No, you're our guest," he said leaving her in the hallway. Hinata sighed and walked around, what Naruto said to her upstairs on replay in her head. Her cheeks suddenly heated up once she remembered how straightforward he was. They were becoming comfortable with each other...but he was way ahead of her. Though he did have a point, ever since they started talking to each other again she visited him more often, he'd pick her up, she even makes lunch for him if he's working on a Sunday...how could she not know what exactly she felt for him?

Unless Naruto was right and she was actually lying to herself. She knew what she felt, heck even Tenten knew, but she'd never admit it to herself. And who could blame her with the past she had? She'd become so damaged that even when Naruto tries to give her what she deserved...she doesn't know how to respond to it. She was simply scared, scared that he would hurt her. For loving him would make her weak, vulnerable and completely at his mercy. But even though her brain was saying no, her heart wanted to take the chance.

"Hinata," the sound of someone calling her name made her snap out of the trance she was in. The Hyūga looked around and realized that she had wondered into the living room and Jiraiya was standing by the door. "Dinner's ready," he said before walking away. Hinata sighed and straightened her already straight dress while trying to collect her thoughts. She was a mess, but no one else had to know that.

Dinner with Naruto and his godfather was more fun than she had anticipated. She'd never laughed that much in a while and they did everything possible to make her feel like part of the family.

"Yeah, he was a real troublemaker in school, not to mention an idiot," the white haired man said. They were now on to dessert, which was chocolate ice cream.

Hinata tried not to laugh as the blonde glared at Jiraiya. "I don't think that's your story to tell old man."

"I can't wait to tell your kids too, that is, if you ever get any," he smirked. The Hyūga suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable with the topic of children, having already embarrassed herself in the discussion she had with Naruto earlier.

"S-so Mr. Jiraiya, Naruto-kun tells me that you write books. What kind of books exactly?" She asked diverting the conversation, but by the way Naruto's expression changed she feared that she'd just made a mistake.

Jiraiya smirked, "well—"

"It's getting late don't you think?" Naruto interjected looking at the pale girl beside him on the couch.

"Uh I-I guess," she responded clueless about his intentions.

He stood up and placed his bowl on the table, "I should get you home."

"Okay." He left to get his car keys and jacket while Hinata got ready to leave. "It was great having dinner with you Mr. Jiraiya."

"Is it so hard to say dad? Jeez," he complained which made her smile. She got to her feet once Naruto retuned. "It was good having you, come over any time."

"I'll...I'll do that," the pale girl smiled.

"Be right back Pervy Sage," Naruto announced leaving with Hinata.

"If you intend to keep calling me that then don't come back," he said before the whiskered cheeked man closed the front door.

He rolled his eyes playfully and handed one of his jackets to Hinata. Quickly pulling on the article of clothing she followed him towards his car where he held the door open for her. "I really had fun tonight," she said before entering the car.

"Enough to do this again? Maybe just the two of us next time?" He asked with hopeful eyes.

Hinata giggled and shook her head in disbelief. It was all so familiar, "just...take me home Naruto-kun."

Smiling he closed the car door and jogged around to his side. Although he didn't get the answers he wanted to the questions he'd asked, he knew that they were becoming closer. It was a slow process but the results may just be worth the wait.

Fragile Hearts | A NaruHina Story
©Infinite_Writer01™2016
Thank you for reading!