O o O o O o O
Naruto's grip tightened on Hinata's wrist as he led her down the crowded streets. She had no idea where they were going but asked no questions.
As he roughly pulled her taking turns to dodge other people walking down the streets, she struggled to get her hand free.
Naruto tightened his hold even more.
"Naruto-kun ... I have ... I have to train."
"I DON'T CARE !!!" Naruto screamed while pulling her closer to him.
Hinata gasped and her eyes started to tear.
She started to slightly sob to herself.
Naruto ignored her until they were in front of a building she had never seen before.
Hinata stopped sobbing to look up curiously at the strange place.
Naruto opened the door to the very large building and while still holding Hinata's hand pulled her up some stairs.
Hinata was stairing at the floor the entire time so when Naruto stopped in front of one door, Hinata bumped into him.
He used one hand to dig into his pocket and take out a key. He opened the door and shoved Hinata inside.
Hinata almost tripped but caught herself. She looked at Naruto who shut and locked the door then turned to her.
"Naruto-kun ...," Was all she could she say before once again lowering her head.
"Why do you have to ... WHY ?!?!"
Hinata's shoulders started to shake and Naruto could only guess she was crying.
"Why do you have to do that to yourself ?" He asked a bit more calmly.
Hinata shrugged her shoulders.
She honestly didn't know herself but for some reason whenever something didn't go right or things were just a mess it helped.
"Hinata-chan ..." Naruto said while moving closer to her.
Hinata lifted her head and wiped her eyes. She avoided looking him in the eyes though.
"You told me ... you promised me, you would stop."
Naruto put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Naruto-kun ... that's like asking a fish to stop swimming in water."
Hinata boldly looked him in the eye.
"HINATA IF YOU KEEP DOING THIS YOU'RE GOING TO DIE !!!"
Hinata jumped as he screamed at her even more.
"I'm sorry ... I'm sorry." She said while dropping to her knees.
Naruto dropped right along beside her with his hand still on her shoulder.
"I don't like to scream at you but ... god damn it."
Naruto pulled on his blonde hair to let out his frustration.
"Promise me." He said while standing up.
Hinata hugged her knees and looked up at him confused.
"What ?"
"You heard me." He said while grabbing her arms and pulling her up on her feet.
"I realize now ... I realize I can't expect you to keep a promise ... but promise me anyways. Promise me you'll try to stop and that means you can't give up either."
Naruto looked into her eyes determined. Hinata gave a small smile but it soon faded.
"Promise me." Naruto repeated demandingly.
Hinata shook her head no and started to silently cry.
"I can't ..." She said while lowering her head.
"Yes you can, Hinata-chan. Promise me."
Hinata nodded her head no again.
"PROMISE ME !!!" Naruto screamed as his frustration began to grow.
"I'm not going to make a promise I can't keep ..."
Naruto stepped away from the now sobbing girl in front of him. He opened up his weapon pouch.
The noise gained Hinata's attention. She rose her head as Naruto pulled out a kunai.
"Naruto-kun what are you doing ?"
He rolled up his sleeve and looked to Hinata.
"Pay attention." He said while raising the kunai over his head.
"Naruto-kun !!!"
Hinata could only watch as Naruto gripped the kunai tighter and brought it to his wrist.
Blood exploded like a fountain, it errupted from the puncture made on Naruto's tan skin and trickled down his arm.
"Naruto-kun !!!" Hinata screamed in between her sobs.
Hinata ran to him and placed her child-like fingers around his arms and attempted to pull it towards her so she could in some way help him but he pulled his hand out of her reach.
"Naruto-kun ... let me help you."
"No !!!" He said stubbornly.
Hinata looked into his eyes.
He had taken it too far. She had gotten the point now but ...
"Naruto-kun ..."
"Now you know what it feels like." He said while also looking into her eyes.
Hinata was about to question what he meant but he continued speaking.
Naruto with his still bleeding wrist, grabbed Hinata's hands. He pulled her sleeves up to reveal the very many scars that covered the area where her veins should be.
"If you want to hurt yourself why not just go slit the wrists of a person you care about ? When you cut yourself like that ... you're only hurting the people that care about you."
Hinata looked down at the floor.
"I ... I understand." She said while taking back her hands and pulling her sleeves down again.
There was an akward silence for a while before Hinata gained the courage to speak.
"I need to go. I was supposed to train today with my team."
Hinata went to walk away but Naruto stopped her.
"You can't go out like that."
Hinata looked down at her jacket sleeves.
"You go clean yourself up and I'll wash your jacket."
"No. I have to go now."
Naruto ignored her and unzipped her jacket. Hinata blushed furiously but didn't object.
When the jacket was completely off Naruto looked at her and frowned.
"What's the matter ?"
"It's on your shirt."
Hinata was confused but she looked down and realized he was talking about the blood.
"I'll have to wash that too."
Before Hinata could ask or say anything Naruto interrupted her.
"Wait here."
Naruto walked out of the small room and into another one.
Hinata took the opportunity to look around the room. It was very small and quite messy. Then again he lived alone.
Before Hinata could do any real investigating of the room Naruto came back holding a thin black shirt with a spiral on the back.
"Here you change into this while I wash your clothes."
Naruto handed her the shirt and she took it without question.
"What about ... your wrist ?"
"Oh, it'll be healed soon. Now go."
Hinata did as she was told. She didn't know where the bathroom was but it didn't take her long to find it since the place was so small.
She quickly went in and took off her shirt. She looked over Naruto's shirt. She was finding it hard to believe she was actually going to wear his shirt.
A few minutes later when Hinata had finsihed she walked out of the bathroom holding her light blue shirt.
She didn't see Naruto at first but heard him in the kitchen.
She nervously walked over to him.
"Oh you're done already ?"
Naruto stopped tending to whatever he was tending to and looked over Hinata.
She blushed and handed him the shirt.
"Are you sure my shirt isn't too tight ? I mean ... I didn't want to give you one that was too long so I gave you a shirt I used to wear when I was younger."
"It's fine." Hinata said while trying not to blush.
"Have a seat." Naruto said while leaving the room.
Hinata sat down at the table that rested in the middle of the kitchen.
Moments later Naruto came back.
"When you're clothes dry, we can go back and finish our food."
As good as that sounded to Hinata she knew what she had to do. The others would worry if she atleast didn't show up.
"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun ... I was supposed to train ... and, uh I'm ... already late."
Hinata stood up and pushed the chair under the table.
"Well ... atleast let me bandage you ... so people don't see."
O o O o O o O o
Okay that was chapter twenty three. For some reason I'm just having a load full of ideas today. Review.