Chapter Two: A Feast For Two

Sotoshi was a very troubled man. His son wanted to move to the Capital to chase after some woman he met while working in the family shop, his daughter was entering a rebellious stage, and his wife decided that he would make the perfect punching bag for the day as always.

In short, his morning was crap

So one would understand the rush he was in to get to his bakery where he could find some peace. The only thing stopping him where the sacks of flour he needed for the day. Normally, he would take three before coming back to retrieve the last. Today however, he was in a rush to get away from his nagging wife and didn't like the idea of having to come back once he was in the clear. In a different time Sotoshi might have decided to play it safe and take and take the three of four and come back for the last. However, that was a different timeline. Here, he just wanted to leave. So he grabbed his sacks of white power and hoped for the best.

He would never know just how much this choice changed the world.

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Hyuuga Hinata was ecstatic. Just as she was every morning on her way to the bakery to pick up her daily order. Every morning she would walk to the bakery a few miles from her home to pick up a dozen cinnamon buns for her family breakfast and a snack after her lunch. She started this tradition with her mother when she discovered that walking with her mother made a baby Hinata calmer than normal. Unfortunately, the trick didn't work for the newborn Hanabi so her mother had to stay home and take care of her little sibling. Hinata still enjoyed her morning walks, taking in the sights of Konaha as the sun began to paint the village with color.

Today however, she couldn't focus on her surroundings. Her thoughts were all on the boy from yesterday. Uzumaki Naruto was a mystery to her. He was loud and crass yet lonely and silent. Hinata always considered herself a lonely person. She didn't have many- wellany if she was honest with herself- and her family didn't particularly like her, but at least she

had a family. As far as she could tell the little boy had no one. He was always by his lonesome.

While she was trying to remember seeing the nice boy with anyone she bumped into a tall figure. When she bounced back from the large stature of the person in front of her, there was a flash of brown cloth before an explosion of white powder covered her from head to toe. Blinking to clear her eyes, she looked up to see that the large body hidden behind the stack of flour sacks it was carrying. As she got her bearings together she could faintly hear a lot of cursing but it was muffled. Listening closer she could hear it was coming from the man in front of her.

"...fucking kids never watching where the hell they're going..." The little heiress could do nothing but stare wide eyed as the man used swearing she never even heard before. But she knew it was bad. It felt wrong when the words hit her innocent ears. The mans tirade continued as he set his cargo down and up until he got a good look at who exactly it was he was threatening at the moment.

The Hyuuga Heiress. THe heiress to the clan that ran almost everything financially in the village. One of the most powerful clans clans in Konahagakure. The only clan that came even close to the was the Uchiha.

And he was yelling at it's heir.

"Hyuuga-sama!" he yelled out before dropping to his knees into a low bow. "I apologize for my insolence! Please come to shop and i'll give you your order-plus more- free of charge!"

"It's okay..." Hinata tried to tell the man who had been so nice to her in the past. Yet, he would have none of it. The man ushered the little heiress into his shop and got to making the order (that she never ordered). "Now I seem to remember you liking cinnamon buns right? Good they'll been ready in about half an hour."

Seeing that it was hopeless trying to convince the baker that all this was unnecessary for a small accident, she sat in a chair by the window and watched as the village began to come alive. shops began to open and children headed off to school as their mothers started their morning shopping. For a brief moment she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to live the quiet life if a civilian. no rigorous training schedules, making your own decisions,...falling in love... The young girl could still remember a few days ago when she mentioned that she wanted to marry her Prince Charming like the princesses in her story books. That dream was immediately shot down by the council member who overheard the conversation shared between mother and daughter. Hinata could still remember the snide words the women spoke.

" Oh Hitomi, stop filling that child's head with such delusions. You and I both know that she will do no looking for her prince. That job falls onto those who understand the proper qualities needed to marry one of Hinata's stature. We will find a suitable man of higher status, one that will improve upon the clan. Now the love part...well... she will most likely grow into that."

The girls young brain didn't understand everything the Elder had said but she did understand that she didn't pick her Prince Charming. Yet to her, that was okay, because he would pick her. then they couldn't do anything about it.

At the time of course, it was sound logic to a four ( almost five) year old. But those where thoughts for the future. Right now, she was content to just watch others go about their morning rituals. Soon after she was called to the counter to receive her goods and went to her change purse to get the pay.

"No no no, you don't need to pay Hime-sama. This one is on the house." The robust baker claimed with a kind smile towards the girl. Hinata timidly reached for the bag, not sure if whether or not she should take it. In the end she decided that it would be best to do as the man wanted so she could get home in time for her training.

Walking out the shop the little girl allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts. Sometimes she would try to pretend like she herself was a civilian child, helping her parents out with morning chores before playing with friends. Yet, the actions of those around always made it hard. People would always back up, giving her room that others claimed she deserved. Many shopkeepers who saw her go past would bow before propositioning their goods to her, offering only the best for one of Konaha's clans. But the little girl didn't want any of this. She just wanted someone to play with her, and stop acting like she was a grown up. She didn't get why they acted this way around her.

At that moment Hinata made her first wish that came true. She wished that that Naruto boy was here to play with her. It was then that she heard it. A sneeze.

Now you see, she was in the perfect position to hear this little noise. had she been even a few seconds faster, she never would have heard it. Never turned into the seemingly empty alleyway. Never looked upon upon the little blond boy huddled up behind a trash can.

No, she would have just gone home.

However, she did hear that sneeze. She did turn into the alley. And most importantly, she did see the little blond boy.

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Young Naruto was having a terrible morning. He played a harmless little prank on the Warden at the orphanage last night and she got angry. She got really angry. What was simply started out as a harmless water balloon to the chest (that was as far as his little arms could throw from his spot under the bed) escalated into Mitoaki-san kicking him to the curb for the night, telling him to come back if he ever learned some goddamn respect.

Naruto didn't understand what the problem was. No one was hurt and he'd seen the older kids do much worse things. Like the time Kimeko came back with that baby in her tummy. Little still didn't fully understand how it had got there. Kemiko said that her boyfriend put it there so it could finish cooking until it was ready to come Arashi told them that Kemiko was a cheap whore who fucked for money. The young blond didn't understand what the older boy said, just that it made the soon to be mother very angry. He was even more confused when Kyoko told then them that fucking was sex, and then proceeded to explain what sex was. THis new revelation of course led to all the young children showing one another what was hidden under pants and skirts which just got everyone in trouble.

Compared to that, his water balloon seemed almost saintly. Yet, it was still him who was sent to the streets. It didn't help matters that it decided to rain last night. THe early morning chill in the air wasn't doing much good either

Young Naruto could do nothing but freeze and let out an occasional sniffle or sneeze while huddling on the warming trash can for heat. What he didn't expect to see was the little blue girl from a few days ago peek her head around the corner to stare at him.

For what seemed like an eternity (yet in actuality was closer to about two minutes) the youths stared at one another, each waiting for the other to make a move. Any type of move. Soon seeing that this waiting day could take all day, Naruto decided to move things along a little faster.

"Hi, I'm Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo." The blond said in a nervous yet excited voice. Nervous because this was where most kids would say with authority 'Kaa-san said you you can't play with me' or 'Getaway, Tou-san said your a freak demon boy' or something else of the like with their tiny noses turned to the air, hands on hips, and leaving before he could get a word in elsewise. Excited because, well, he was talking to someone! he had a chance to make a friend! He couldn't mess up an opportunity like this. Who knew when the next one would be. He just prayed she wouldn't be mean to him like everyone else he spoke to.

This girls however, did nothing of the sort. She let out a small squeak and jumped at his voice. At first Naruto was worried he had scared her away. She stayed just where she was however, not moving at all. after a few more seconds, she opened her mouth to speak.

"M-my name is ...Hyuuga Hinata." her voice was so quiet. The whole concept of whispering was practically new to the young boy. The orphanage was always load, filled with one child looking for more attention than the others. There were few who actually kept to was the boy about a year his senior with thick eyebrows and big eyes. THe only time Naruto ever saw him was when he first transferred from the orphanage across town till it was repaired.

Realizing that Hinata would not leave him, The orphan felt a rush of joy for once in his short life. "Hey, do you wanna be my friend dattebayo?" He bit his lip as he awaited her answer. For a moment, the girl looked shocked at the proposition, as if surprised he would ask such a thing, but then she gave a hasty nod of her head to indicate her agreement.

Unknown to her however, was the preasure little naruto felt in his chest. To him, he had never in his life been happier. Not when Jiji-san took him for ramon, not when he discover that orange was his favorite color, or even when he made the decision to be Hokage. To him, this girl in front of him was an angel. Her indigo-black hair shone in the morning sunlight. Her pale skin reminded him of the soft fabric worn by the rich and the slight blush that seemed to be on her cheeks reminded him of kisses. But, it was her eyes that seemed the most heavenly to him. Those pupilless lavender orbs that looked like crystals in moonlight. She was so pretty to him. and she wants to be my friend! for the first time the boy felt blessed.

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Hinata had a friend.

Before this moment that was something the girl would not be able to claim. She had Neji-niisan and Kaa-san and Tou-san. But never a friend. She even had a new sister. but this was a new excitement than when her parents came back from the hospital with a small bundle wrapped in clothes. There was someone in the world who would claim her as their friend!

Hinata looked her new friend over. His once white shirt was tattered and dirty color that was close to a dark brown. his blue shorts were faded and worn and the matching sandals looked like they didn't provide much protection. Naruto's tan skin was grimy as if he had missed quite a few baths. The boy's blonde hair looked a few shades darker than Hinata remembered and she was fairly sure those dark streaks were neither natural nor intentional. Above all however, the main thing she saw were his shining blue eyes. A shade that the young girl had never seen before and she doubted that she would ever see anywhere again except in this childs eyes.

His boys was small and skinny, but it would be a long time before Hinata understood the terms malnourished or starving. At the moment he just looked really hungry to her.

"Ano...I j-just wanted to th-thank you...F-for helping me the other day." The boy gave a cheeky smile before boldly stating "No problem. They was bein' mean for no goddamn reas'in. had to put 'em in they place ya know?"

The Hyuuga part of her was appalled at they way the boy spoke. It also wanted to point out that he was the one to get beat up the other day, but thought better to keep it to herself.

"Well...I-I wanted to my gr-gratitude, s-so would you like to share these with me?"Gingerly, she held out the open box of treats in offering to the boy. His eyes flashed as he gazed at the steaming buns. His stomach gave a loud rumble before he hesitantly took one of the warm pastries. When Naruto had a firm hold grasp, it was immediately devoured. Hinata was shocked at the speed he practically inhales his food.

"Naruto," The boy looked up whilst clean his dirty little fingers of any crumbs with his mouth "You eat s-so fast. Y-you might get sick..."

"Really?" Naruto asked curiously. Hinata gave an affirmative nod of her head. "Well, how 'bout ya tell me when ta eat. Till I can ya can me 'bout ya' self." Patting the spot next to him in an attempt to make it at least a little cleaner, Naruto cleared a spot for his new friend. And Hinata sat, with all the grace a four year old can possess. Also talk they did, for hours they spoke of their short lives while eating a shared treat that would be the first of many.

Hinata would never know the change she made in the universe. A change made because, this was the day a little blond boy made a promise to himself. a promise to protect the girl who was the first to protect him. Even if she didn't know it.