Fragile Hearts: Twenty-Two

Hinata didn't have an answer to Naruto's confession and he didn't push her. He only wanted her to know how he felt about her, he knew that she'd respond in her own time. They still spent time together, even more now that there were no secrets between them. Currently they were at Naruto's house watching movies.

"Popcorn's ready," Naruto said entering the living room. He plopped down beside her on the couch and handed her the bowl.

"Pizza is better," she mumbled getting a handful.

The blonde smirked, "yeah, but you lost." He said referring to the rock-paper-scissors challenge they had earlier, which she lost even after demanding a redo.

"Don't remind me," she pouted before stuffing her face, ever eyes never leaving the television. Naruto smiled and shook his head, reaching out he started eating while watching the movie. "What are we watching?" He asked since Hinata was in charge of picking the movie.

"Sinister," Hinata answered watching as Naruto's expression changed. "What?"

"I forgot that you like thrillers..."

"Problem?" He shook his head in response. From there on they watched the movie in silence, occasionally taking mouthfuls of popcorn. They sat in comfortable silence, both enjoying the feel of the other next to them. Nearing the end of the movie Hinata kept glancing at her phone.

The blonde noticed and spoke up, "expecting a call?"

She shrugged, "I texted Tamaki...I was just checking to see if she replied."

"She's still not talking to you?" He asked surprised.

The Hyūga shook her head and frowned, "no and I don't know why."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows and grimaced, "maybe she's going through some personal problems...?"

"Maybe...but Kiba-kun said she's fine at work and she talks to him so...I don't know."

"Stop beating yourself up over it, okay?" He said ruffling her hair.

"Easier said than done," she mumbled looking down at the empty bowl. With a sigh she placed it on the coffee table in front of them. Naruto picked up the remote and switched off the television, "hey, I was watching that."

"No you weren't," Naruto deadpanned, he could see right through her lies. She folded her legs in the couch and looked at him, waiting for him to do something. "Yes?"

"Well...w-what are we to do now?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. Talk?" Just then Kurama came running in, he jumped onto the armchair adjacent to theirs and laid down, preparing to sleep. Hinata simply smiled, "it's his new spot," Naruto explained as they both watched him.

"I made the right choice giving him to you." The whiskered face man nodded and switched his position so that his head was resting on her lap and his legs were thrown over the armrest of the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Going to sleep," he replied closing his eyes.

Hinata's eyes widened and she poked the side of his head, "you can't."

"How was your day?" He asked without opening his eyes.

"Okay, I swear Shino wants me to quit," she said narrowing her eyes which made him chuckle. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing...I used to sit like this with my mom," he said out of the blue.

Hinata froze, "o-oh."

Tapping his fingers against his stomach Naruto opened his eyes, "she'd ask me how was my day at school and we'd talk for a while, until dad came home."

Her slender fingers ran through his hair slowly as she listened to him. "Your mom sounds like a wonderful person."

"She is...well was..." He said looking up at her with a tender gaze. Hinata blushed and looked away, though she continued running her fingers through his hair. "You remind me of my dad though."

Almost choking on thin air, the Hyūga glared at him, "s-so you're saying I'm masculine?" She asked pulling back her hand.

Naruto laughed and shook his head, grabbing her wrist, he placed her hand back on his head. "No, but you're a lot like him. Quiet, good cook, soft spoken...the complete opposite of me."

She fought but lost against the smile that appeared on her face while she listened. "Well in that case I'll take our comparison as a compliment."

"You should...I'll take you to meet them one day...that is I-if you want." He said staring at her.

"I'd like that...and you could meet my mom too," she said as her smile faded. She felt awful since it's been years since she last visited her mom.

"How'd she die?"

Hinata took a deep breath, "she was sick...died when I was around three or four...I can't remember."

"I'm so sorry," he said but she merely shook her head.

"It's okay...H-how did your parents die?"

Naruto began swinging his legs that were hanging over the armrest. "There was a fire, both of them died...I lived with my teacher after that for a while. He would try to keep me out of trouble at school, but I constantly got into fights anyway..."

She nodded and offered him a small smile. She wouldn't say something as quotidian as 'I'm sorry' because she could actually sympathize with him and his situation. She knew what it was like to lose a loved one and so much more...maybe that was why she found it easy to talk to Naruto. Although he didn't show it as much as her, he was just as broken. Under the tough façade he put up to decisive people who didn't really know him, was a fragile heart that had been broken.

"Do you think you'll ever talk to your father again?" He asked breaking her chain of thoughts.

The pale girl shrugged and started using both hands to play in his hair. "I doubt he wants to see me."

"You don't know that..."

"I do..." She countered his statement. "If he did t-then he'd call or come and visit me...he knows where I live...they all do."

Naruto sighed and frowned, "you should still try to salvage your relationship with your family...before it's too late."

She stopped playing in his hair and got up, the blonde sat up and looked at her while she simply glowered at him. "W-why? Why am I-I the one who's always left to pick up the pieces?" Hinata was tired, both mentally and physically. It was always her, she would always be left in the aftermath, trying to salvage the ruins of the destruction others left in their wake. Her friends, family and now even Tamaki. She didn't know what she did to her and yet she was trying to fix it. Why should she? She was the only who was hurt every time, but because she suffered in silence they all took advantage of it.

The Uzumaki didn't really have an answer to her question sadly...but he wouldn't take back what he said. "Because this is what it does to you," he said getting to his feet. "You get frustrated, worried, because you care Hinata."

Maybe I should stop caring then...it's not like they reciprocate the feeling.

"I'm tired." She replied truthfully.

He stopped in front of her, "that's why I'm here. You can take out all your anger and frustration on me, I'll take it...but never change." His hands rested on her shoulders and his thumbs traced small circles.

Her lavender eyes met his and she suddenly became lost in an ocean of blue. How could she have ever compared him to any other man? He was completely different...perfectly imperfect. "You have a way with words Naruto-kun," she smiled after a while.

He lips parted and the boyish grin she'd come to love was revealed, "so I've been told."

Rolling her eyes playfully she shook her head, "by whom?"1

The blonde averted his eyes, "lots of people."

"Like?"

"Uh...you wouldn't know them," he laughed nervously.

"Mhm," she nodded her eyes never leaving his face. "If you say so." Naruto smiled and pulled her in for a hug; she'd gotten used to his embrace over the past few days. They were warm and she felt secure in his arms, she suspected that a mother's hug would feel the same and yet it wouldn't. Naruto's hugs were filled with love yes, but a different type...though they had similar characteristics. He wanted the best for her, he wanted to keep her safe and to help her grow, but still it was different in a way that she could not explain.

Her small hands intertwined with each other behind his back and she settled into the fortress that was his embrace. Her head rested against his chest and she could faintly hear his heart pounding in it's confined space. It always sounded like that whenever she heard it, he was nervous which she found rather cute, knowing that she was the cause of it. His hand tightened around her and he pulled her closer, he could never get close enough.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered not sure if he'd hear her, but he did.

"Yeah?"

"I-If and when I do face my father again...w-will you come with m-me?" She asked closing her eyes.

He stiffened momentarily which she found disappointing, but that changed with his answer. "If you want me there then yes."

"Thank you," she replied after a while. Slowly, but surely she was falling for him.

Hinata stayed at his house for a few more hours before she decided that she was ready to go home. "Ahh, but it's only 8:15," he whined while getting his car keys.

She giggled and pulled on her jacket, "I have to go home."

"You don't have to. You want to, because you don't like me," he said, his mouth set into a moue.

She arched an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips, "who said I didn't like you?"

"So you do like me?" He asked as he opened the front door for her. She passed him and noticed the hopeful look in his eyes that he always had whenever he asked her something concerning him.

"Maybe..." She replied just to spite him.

He groaned and closed the door behind him, "oh come on. What kind of answer is that?"

She spun around, walking backwards so she could face him, "I'm not sure. You tell me."

"You hurt me Hinata," Naruto said narrowing his eyes at her playfully.

He pressed a button on his car keyring which disarmed the alarm and opened her door for her, "okay fine...I-I do like you," she explained with one foot already in the passenger's side. "Satisfied?"

"No."

"What do you want then?" Hinata asked sitting down. He bent and reached across her which made her blush while thinking that he was about to kiss her. The blonde smirked and simply reached for the seatbelt and buckled it for her.

"I think you know what I want," he said, his face merely centimeters from hers. She could feel his breath on her cheek and vice versa as they both stared at each other.

"I-I'm not sure I do."

The Uzumaki smiled and leaned in further, "for you to love me."

Hinata blushed crimson and watched as he straightened and closed her door. Walking around to his side, her eyes watched his every movement. He was becoming more straightforward with her each and every day...which was very embarrassing for her. The sound of his car door closing snapped her out of her dazed state and she blinked.

"We should do this more often," he said fastening his seatbelt. She nodded and he drove off after a few moments.

The drive to her apartment was quick and quiet. She assured him that she didn't need him to walk her to her room and reluctantly he agreed. "I'll see you around," she said bending to look at him through the window on her side.

He nodded and smiled, "yeah, stay safe."

"I will," she promised stepped back onto the sidewalk. Hinata stood there and watched as his car started to drive off, she waved and he pressed on the horn to tell her goodbye. She smiled and only after his car was out of sight didn't she make her way into her apartment complex. The elevator still wasn't fixed so she took the stairs slowly. She was so tired, spending time with Naruto drained her completely, the only thing she wanted was to sleep.

She finally made it to her floor and turned down the hallway, but the sight of someone at her door made her stop a few feet away from it. She didn't know how many times she'd come home and find someone standing at her door. It was getting old.

Hinata approached whoever it was slowly until she was close enough to recognize her visitor. Only then did she break out into a sprint and tackle him with a hug. He seemed surprised at first until he realized it was her. "Hinata, where have you been? I've been waiting here for hours," he said hugging her back.

"Sorry...I-I just can't believe it's you!" She said close to tears, though she didn't want to sully his immaculate uniform. "When did you—? How—?"

He chuckled and pulled back, "I'll explain after we go inside." He said gesturing to his luggage. She smiled and hugged him again which caused him to roll his eyes.

"I missed you Neji-nii."

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