Fragile Hearts: Thirty-Five
Sasuke shook his head while looking at the tape recorder on the table.
"What?" Hinata practically gasped.
"We can't use this as evidence Hinata," he said crushing what little hope she had left.
The pale girl frowned, "w-why not?"
"This is illegal evidence," he said picking up the recorder. "Did Toneri know you were recording him?" She shook her head, "then he could easily deny having this conversation with you."
"But it's his voice," she pushed desperately.
The Uchiha frowned, "can you prove that in court? They'll say someone impersonated him or that it was tampered with."
Hinata groaned and rested her head on the table. "Why is it like this?" She whispered.
Her counterpart sighed, "it'll be okay Hinata."
"I'm not a child Sasuke-san, you don't have t-to lie to make me feel better," she retorted looking down at her lap. Her forehead against the wooden table felt pressured and hot as tears whelmed in her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "I know things don't look so good right now...but it's better to be honest with me t-than to fill me with false hope."
"Hinata..."
She shook her lowered head and gasped for breath, "I-I can't save him..." She sobbed thinking of all the times that Naruto had come to her rescue. But no matter how she tried, even putting herself in danger, she was still unable to save him.
"Why do you keep doing this to yourself?" Sasuke asked quietly. Hinata didn't respond so he continued, "I spoke to Naruto today and despite all that I said to him, he only cared about your well being...if he ever knew how you were sitting here crying over being unable to help him how do you think he'd feel?"
Her eyes widened but she didn't lift her head. Sasuke had a point, but what else was she to do? If she didn't try to help him...then what would happen to him?
"He's so selfish," she muttered for truly he was. She was never given a chance to worry about him, he simply wouldn't have it.
"A man in love has the right sometimes to be selfish," Sasuke retorted softly.
Her tears rolled down her cheeks slowly, meeting their end on her jean's pants. "What now?" She asked after a while.
"We get Naruto the best lawyer we can find."
...
Hinata stayed home for the rest of the day. She was afraid to go to her apartment in case Toneri decided to look for her. Skipping dinner for the second time in a row she sat on the couch with a thick blanket and Kurama sleeping on the chair next to her.
With dull eyes she skipped from channel to channel deaf to what was featured on each. She felt drained and lifeless in a sense, her source of happiness was not with her and she couldn't do anything about it. The thought made her turn off the TV and lay down on the soft furniture.
Pulling the blanket up to her shoulders she turned on her back and stared up at the dark ceiling. That night there was no rain, only a cold breeze blowing which made her clench her blanket closer. Her mind switched to Naruto, she wondered whether he was cold or not which made her only sadder.
He doesn't want you to be sad.
She sighed and thought of the possible outcomes of Naruto's case. According to Sasuke industrial espionage was a serious crime and he could be sentenced up to twenty years.
Twenty years...for something he didn't do.
It made her sick. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad people get away with horrendous crimes? Why wasn't the innocent given a voice?
Hinata stretched her hand upwards and looked at her pale, slender fingers in the growing gloom. She remembered how Naruto would compliment her hands, but in truth she loved his more. They were tan, much darker than her pale skin, but she knew that the sun loved him more so it kissed him more than others. He was a ball of sunshine that was being suffocated by the darkness she brought with her.
"...he was in the way..."
Toneri's words were on replay in her head. They made her realize something that she was afraid to admit...that it was her fault. It was always her, Toneri only wanted her and because of Naruto's involvement with her he got hurt.
If she hadn't taken an interest in him then he'd be okay. It was her fault...
Hinata lowered her hand and winced, she couldn't believe that she had brought nothing but misfortune to someone she'd fallen for. Why couldn't she do anything right?
Her stomach began to growl, but she ignored it and got up to look for her phone. Her search took her upstairs where she had left it to charge in the bedroom. She needed to make things right, once and for all.
Sitting in the egg-shaped rattan hanging chair, Hinata pressed the number three on her dial pad activating her speed dial and held the phone to her ear. It rang three times before the person picked up.
"Hello?"
"Kiba-kun," Hinata started. "Is my father still there?"
He wasted no time in answering, "yeah...do you want to speak to him?"
"Y-yes." She swung her legs. "Thanks Kiba-kun."
"What's going on Hinata?" The brown-haired man asked on the other end of the phone.
"I'll explain soon, but please don't worry about me."
"That's impossible and you know it," he said. She could hear shuffling on the other end which meant that Kiba was moving around.
"I'm fine though."
"If you say so, well I'll hand the phone over to your father now."
"Thanks," she said.
"Yup."
Hinata waited silently until she heard the voice of her father on the other end. He said hello a few times, but she was unable to find her voice. Thinking of what she was about to ask him after their last encounter, she was simply afraid.
"Hinata?" He tried once again.
"Father," she finally spoke.
He sighed in relief when she answered. "How are you?"
"I'm fine..."
"Have you thought about what I said?" He asked.
Hinata blinked and looked around her hesitantly, "yes."
"And?"
She bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath. "I-I need your help."
Her father frowned, "with what?"
"It's Naruto-kun...he's been...arrested," she said exhaling. Anticipation of his response crawled along her agitated skin.
"What did he do?"
"I-I'll explain everything later, just...will you help him?" She squeezed her eyes shut. It felt degrading asking her estranged father for help, but she had no choice. He could get a suitable lawyer for Naruto...he knew what to do in situations like this. She was clueless.
Her father sighed once more before speaking, "okay, but under one condition."
"Which is?" She listened attentively to his next words. Immediately her eyes filled with tears, but she didn't cry, if anything she'd expected this from her father. "W-why?"
"I want to fix our relationship Hinata. We're a family and it's time we started acting like one." She rolled her lavender eyes and clenched the phone in her hand tightly. "I won't let you get hurt again."
...
The next day flew by quickly and before Naruto knew it was time to see the judge. He didn't exactly know what to expect, but he wasn't afraid. Hinata's father had hired a very good lawyer, which he promised to repay him for. It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but he didn't exactly have the resources to find a suitable one himself.
"Let's go," the guard said to him. The blonde didn't protest he merely allowed them to handcuff him and lead the way. The ride to the courthouse was long allowing him to think, although he'd been doing that for the longest while.
Never had he expected to be riding in the back of a police car on his way to be sentenced for something he didn't do. Life really was unpredictable.
By the time he arrived he searched the environment with his eyes looking for a familiar pair of lavender eyes. When he saw none he became crestfallen although he wasn't sure whether he wanted Hinata to see him in such a state. It was somewhat a dilemma, though even where he was seated beside his lawyer he still searched for her.
Sasuke was there, along with his fiancée, even Ino, Sai, Temari and Shikamaru came. But still that wasn't enough, he only wanted Hinata. Naruto turned around in his seat and placed his hands on the table, but then the door opened and he quickly turned to see who it was. To his dismay it was only Shion.
He began lowering his gaze, only then did he see her. Standing at the end of the aisle with her eyes fixated on him. His spirit rose and a smile tempted to grace his lips. Hinata quickly looked away and made her way over to Sasuke and Sakura.
Naruto, facing forward smiled slightly and began talking with his lawyer. He might be going through an unfair situation but Hinata gave him hope.
They were there for hours, until those hours became days. The case was drawn out, but Hinata came to every hearing and would sit at the same spot, right behind him. Though every time he saw her she looked paler and more fragile. He feared that she wasn't taking care of herself and so he ended up worrying. Whenever he asked Sasuke about her well being he'd say she's fine, but something was definitely off about her.
Finally on the fifth day Naruto's innocence was proven and he was able to leave. Toneri was sentenced to seventeen years in prison for stealing company trade secrets and framing Naruto. The Uzumaki wished it was longer, but it was better than nothing.
"How does it feel to be free again?" Sasuke asked from the front seat of his car.
"I wasn't in jail for that long," Naruto snorted from the back. Sasuke laughed and the blonde glanced at Hinata who was sitting beside him quietly.
"Well it's good to have you back," Sasuke continued.
"Yeah," Naruto breathed gazing at the Hyūga. Once they reached Naruto's house Sasuke left and an awkward silence remained between the two. Hinata had yet to say anything to him and Naruto felt sad about it.
He left to take a bathe and Hinata proceeded to prepare dinner. Both suffocating in the tense atmosphere around them. Naruto didn't know what to say to her, was she upset with him? Disappointed? He was lost.
After his bathe he got dressed in a plain black T-shirt and a pair of worn out, blue jeans. Ruffling his semidry hair he descended the stairs and saw Hinata on her way into the living room.
"Hinata," he called out stopping her in her tracks.
She glanced at him as he approached her, "dinner is ready." She said quietly and turned to leave, but he stopped her by hugging her from behind. Hinata froze in his arms, she was speechless as she indulged in the warmth of his hug.
"I don't care about food," he said hugging her tighter and closing his eyes. He feared that she wasn't real, that he was dreaming again and when he opened his eyes she'd be gone. "Just...just let me hold you."
Hinata smiled slightly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You're such a baby," she croaked, her throat closing on her.
Naruto opened his eyes and released her so that she could turn to face him. "I thought you were upset with me," he confessed.
The Hyūga quickly shook her head which filled him with joy. "How could I ever be upset with you?"
Naruto smiled and pulled her into his embrace once more. He kissed the crown of her head and sighed in relief.
She was real.
They talked for the rest of the evening, food forgotten and when night came both ended up in Naruto's bed cuddling under a blanket.
"You're hogging all the blanket," Naruto grumbled tugging on one end.
"No I'm not," Hinata protested pulling back. "You're bigger than me."
"Which is why I deserve more," the blonde replied. The Hyūga giggled and Naruto took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. "Don't you have blankets at your house?"
"Are you asking me to leave?" She asked staring up at him.
"No," he shook his head and stared into her lavender eyes. "Move in with me."
"I don't think you're asking me." She smiled staring back at him.
Naruto shook his head once more, "I just think it would be perfect."
"I've never lived with a man before," the pale girl said quietly.
"There's a first time for every time," he replied.
Hinata giggled showing her pearly white teeth, "we're not even married." Her hand reached up to play in his hair, but his hand held hers instead.
"Let's change that then."
The Hyūga froze in his embrace, "what?"
"Marry me?" He asked before kissing the back of her hand.
"Are you serious?"
Naruto nodded and smiled, "I'm serious."
Hinata smiled, but something flashed in her eyes that he couldn't quite catch. "O-okay."
"Is that a yes?" She nodded and he grinned. "Yes!"
Hinata laughed as Naruto pulled her closed and began showering her face with kisses. "Stop," she said in between her fit of giggles.
"As you wish Mrs. Uzumaki."
Hinata blushed crimson, "I hate you."
"Still waiting for the day when you'll tell me the truth."
She stared at him with love in her eyes and sure enough he reciprocated the gesture. "I don't want a big wedding."
Naruto nodded, "anything else."
"I get to redecorate the house." She said.
"It's yours."
She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, "is there anything that you want?"
Naruto smiled and began stroking her hair. "Just you."
They both fell asleep after that and for both of them it was the best sleep they'd had in days. Naruto was beyond happy, he finally had Hinata. But by the time he woke up the next morning his happiness completely vanished.
"Hinata?" He called walking around the house. "Hinata!" His heart pounded in his chest as be began to panic. Where was she?
He finally stopped when he found her cellphone on the living room table with a letter underneath it. His hand shook as he picked up the envelop and opened it slowly. His heart broke as he read what she'd written and he knew that his nightmare was now a reality.
"Meeting you was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. You saved me...now let me return the favour."
-Hinata.
Fragile Hearts | A NaruHina Story
©Infinite_Writer01
Inspired by: Can You Hear My Heart - EPICK HIGH ft. LEE HI (Scarlet Heart Ryeo OST 6)
Thanks for reading!
