Chapter 8: Embrace
Naruto slept deeply beneath the window where he had remained watching late into the night to be sure that Neji had not set them up or been trailed. It was in this relaxed slumber that the wind twisted round the hut and grabbed the door that was left ajar before slamming it against the frame, the resulting clatter flung Naruto from his sleep and back into the real world and the dark of night. As Naruto's eyes adjusted to the dark he looked around for the source of the intrusion, he quickly scrambled from his nesting to close the door and shift the bolt into position 'I swear I bolted it last night…' he looked around and made his way towards the cupboard to get a drink of water nearly tripping over the newly acquired bag of Hinata's positions. Naruto stumbled a few paces and landed a foot into the centre of Hinata's bedding to find a sudden absence of Hinata herself. Naruto stepped back and stared around in the gloom. His eyes darting in panic to every corner of the hut but to no avail, Hinata was not there to be found, grabbing his kunai pouch he tore the bolt open and rushed out into the clearing outside.
Naruto stood still as the winds wrapped around him, he latched the kunai pouch onto the belt of his trousers and shifted nervously as the wind pulled at his shirt tugging him every which way. His eyes flicked from tree to tree, bush to bush, path to path while his mind reeled 'where? Where could she be? How could they get her? I was right there! DAMNIT!' Naruto picked up a sweet scent on the air and in a split of Irrational thought began to run towards it. His breath came short and sharp as sweat began to form on his skin, his bare feet burnt as the sharp twigs and stone speared at him while he ran. It was after a few minuets that his feet found solid rock beneath them. He stopped to review his location; he could hear water nearby and… something else. He could hear movement on the water, soft and subtle but defined in the silence of the night air.
Naruto slowly made his way over a stone ridge to find a remarkable sight before him. The stone ground of the area had been worn away over years to dig a basin the size of a koi pond. The water was pure and clear, filtered through the rock that surrounded it but what was most startling was what, or who, was on the water. Standing in the centre was a woman, purely seen as silhouette in the half-moon light who stood so gracefully against the winds that made ripples across the pond. Naruto began to move across the ridge trying to detect who this woman was. She shifted softly, twisting in the near darkness, the dim light glistening across her skin, highlighting features of the silhouette, the curve of her back, the shape of her breast, the definition of her thigh. Her hand reached down in a swooping arc to touch the water softly before rising out at speed bringing with it droplets of water that shimmered in the air around her, a palm darted out and clasped around the nearest drop while her foot circled round to strike another from the air before drifting down under the water sending a soft wave towards the encircling stone.
Naruto moved ever closer, entranced by the motions and delicacy with which this dance was preformed, he drew closer and closer in the dark till he was mere feet from the waters edge, The woman upon the water continued her graceful dance upon the water, the rising arcs and swooping motions casting shifting light across her form throwing glimpses of detail for sharp moments. As Naruto moved himself low to the ground to avoid detection his hand landed on something unusual, rather than the stone he had grown accustomed to under his feet it was soft and gentle, he looked down to see he had found a pile of clothes, most likely shed by the dancer on the water, something about them clicked in his mind, something deep within that was unknown to him, The fishnets, the black t-shirt , the jacket, the scent of flowers that clung to them, the scent that drew him here, the scent that made him feel safe and secure, the scent of… 'Hinata'
Naruto looked again at the woman upon the water with renewed clarity, the familiar curves, the long silky hair and the subtle grace in every movement. Naruto watched, absolutely entranced, as Hinata danced upon the water with beauty and elegance. Naruto edged closer to the still waters of the pool before rising to his feet and stepping onto the water, the shimmering ripples drifted and collided with those generated by Hinata's dance and twisted in there own embrace. Nervously Naruto moved his next foot forward closer to Hinata, every moment throwing indecision into his mind, unknowing whether to continue or retreat, to carry on or to cower. Naruto stood a couple of feet away before Hinata opened her eyes after finishing a intricate twist to find herself face to face with him, staring into his eyes on the water and by the half-moon light as the winds wrapped around them.
Hinata began to blush deeply and stepped back raising her arms to try and hide herself, Naruto stepped forward and reached out towards her to take her hand in his. Slowly Hinata moved her hand to take his and stepped closer to him; Naruto moved his head to bring his face closer to Hinata's and slowly closed his eyes as he drew closer. Hinata shivered slightly at the vacant realisation of events before moving to close the last of the gap pressing her lips to Naruto's. Naruto moved his hand round to Hinata's back and held her close as they kissed in the moonlight, Hinata pressed herself closer as her hands snaked up his chest and locked behind his neck.
A gentle wave began to move across the pool's surface as the two began to release the Chakra holding them afloat and began to sink below the surface, still wrapped in each others warm embrace, Naruto's feet touched the stone floor beneath them and stood up to his chest in water holding Hinata close to him, her feet inches from the floor, as the soft currents twisted themselves around the pair who stood oblivious to the world. Hinata slowly drew back and looked into Naruto's eyes and began to speak
"N...Naruto... I...I... Love you" The scarlet colour that filled her cheeks began to rise and she placed her head against Naruto's head quickly and held herself close, the rise and fall of his chest comforting her, Naruto's mind was riot with thoughts, 'she… 'Loves' me? But... How? Everyone hates me and the beast within me… she… doesn't…' Finally his thoughts found voice in four words of his own "I love you too" Hinata looked up into his eyes, filled with passion and ardour as if he had longed for this as much as she had, Hinata drew close to kiss him again when the scene was split by a violent Crack of thunder and flash of lightning, Hinata jumped at this sound and latched closely onto Naruto. Rain began to pour in torrents and Naruto swept Hinata up into his arms and made for the shore at haste attempting to shelter Hinata from the icy cold rain. At the shore he stooped low to pick up Hinata's clothes, which Hinata promptly attempted to wrap the jacket around her.
Naruto ran back the way he had not so long ago from stone to mud as the rain came down around them, soon he had reached the clearing once more and walked into the hut carrying Hinata across the threshold he placed her down gently on her bed before turning to bolt the door shut behind him. Hinata had already hidden beneath the covers in an attempt to warm herself again, Naruto lay upon the bedding beside hers and held her close to him and soon they had slipped into sleep.