I'm glad about with the feedback! Thanks everyone XD
Here's the next chapter.
I'm so sorry bout the late update and all. We moved and I had to wait a little while for internet to be back up.
Also! TO everyone starting up school again, I hope y'all have a great year. And if you are a senior like me... HECK YES!
Please Read and Review
DO NOT OWN NARUTO
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His World
Everything is different in the outside world. The sun is brighter and it reflects off the melting snow with a blinding glare. Snow, something new to me, is cold and chilly. But Naruto sneaks me out every now and then so we can play in it. At first, I was scared, it was so cold that one day when it seemed to dig into my skin and down to my bones so that even my fingers and toes couldn't bend without pain. So freezing. Then when I could touch it, and mold it, and when I was well enough to help Naruto build a snowman, I learned how fun it was!
Mostly though, I couldn't go outside without Naruto. It still scared me some what, how big it is, how wide it was. The world seemed to go on forever beyond my eyes. The nurses always came in and found me sitting by the window just staring outside. It was bigger, stronger, stranger, than I ever thought before, but I felt ready to step into it.
There was a light knock on my door, snapping me out of my thoughts and I scrambled back on to my hospital bed. "Y-yes?" I called quietly.
I already knew it wasn't Naruto, he came barging in as 'if he lived here', or so his mother told me. Instead the door creaked open and the think black curly hair of my therapist peaked in. Her lovely wine eyes settled on me and her red lips broke into a grin.
"H-hello Kurenai." I waved shyly.
She walked into my room and shut the door behind her, heading over to my bed arms holding a sketchbook, small story books and letter paper books close to her chest. Kurenai was pretty, her hair was long and curly and she always had on nice clothes.
"Hello Hinata!" She chirped and pulled up a chair. Her eyes turned to me with a knowing grin. "A pretty day yes?"
I blushed. "Y-yes."
As she started setting up a little table for today she spoke to me carefully. "You want to try going outside later, without Naruto near by?" With a shake of my head my silent answer was 'no.'
For some reason she was trying to pry me away from him. I loved Naruto though. It wasn't a love that daddy told me he felt for me, or what I felt for Neji and Hanabi. It was kind, soft and warm. I wanted that with me forever. Kurenai told me that he couldn't always be there for me though, that I would have to learn how to stand on my own, but she also said I didn't have to do it so soon.
"That's okay Hinata." She smiled kindly and patted my hand.
Kurenai felt like a mom to me, nice, kind, caring. She would hug me in these safe hugs that I only ever felt with her and Naruto. She also said I didn't have to live with my family. Which is good, when I first saw my grandfather's eyes, they reminded me of daddy. It scared me. It's not that I don't like them, but every time I see them, it just scares me.
"You want to work on your letters today?" She asked. Kureani helped me talk about things, and she read to me, she taught me my letters, and she let me draw. Sometimes we would walk and she would hold my hand. I liked that.
"Y-yes." I was determined. So far, I could say the ABC's with little mistakes and could write my name in a less scratchy way as well as Naruto's. I wanted to write her name to.
She started to set out the green book with all the big letters and reached into her black purse for a pencil.
"When- w-when can I g-go... S-somewhere?" I asked her carefully, eying her movements. Was I going to go to a room again? Would I live in a house instead? But where, if grandfather scared me.
She didn't pause in her movements. "Well Hinata, we are trying to find a good place for you you go."
"W-what abo-out N-Na-"
"They want to, but their house wasn't deemed big enough to fit an extra kid."
"Uh..." I twirled my fingers but she grabbed my hand softly and set the pencil in them.
"Hinata," She told me with a stern face, looking into my eyes, "You have a tough road ahead of you. You will need to learn things that kids your age already know and have known for a long time. It'll be hard going, but I want to be there with you the entire time. Do you trust me to help you through anything? Including finding a family who will love you?"
I wanted a mommy and a real daddy, or anyone who would be nice to me. I didn't want to leave Hanabi and Neji behind, but I really wanted that more. "Y-yes."
She smiled and I felt happier. "Okay then." She looked at the page before us. "Now what does 'A' stand for?"
"C-can you be m-my m-mommy?" I asked her silently.
"Wh-" She began and I blushed shaking my head.
"Hinata." She seemed shocked. But then her face smiled all bright and happy. "Hinata, that's a true honor that you want me as that role. Who knows? Okay?"
"O-okay." I beamed.
Before we could start again the tattle tale loud thumps of Naruto came rushing down the hall. Without pause the door burst open and the blond boy walked in grinning. He wore his normal black jacket and some black jeans with bright orange shoes, smile wide as the sky.
"Hinata!" He yelled loudly enough not to hurt my ears, but still loud enough to be himself.
"N-Naruto!" I clapped happily as he came closer to the bed, hand sheepishly rubbing the back of his spiky sunshine hair.
"I forgot school let out early today and all. So that's why I'm here." His blue eyes landed on Kurenai who seemed a little amused and annoyed at the same time with his sudden appearance.
"Umm...sorry?"
She sighed but smiled to let him know everything was alright. "You had plans today yes?"
"Yeah! I asked the doctor if I could take her to eat some food, you know? She said she felt much better and well, the hospital food isn't good and I want her to taste something delicious for once!"
"I t-think it's g-good." I whispered. He shook his head.
"Nope! It's not good enough. I'm ganna show you something that'll make you melt!" When he saw my wide eyes he laughed. "Not actually melt, I mean, you'll love it even more than this food."
"So... Do you mind Kurenai? Please oh please!" He fell to his knees hands clasped tightly together over his head. I giggled.
For a second she didn't answer, looking back between the two of us. "You owe me Naruto. Let me get her dressed for outside and you better take good care of her! Okay?"
"Yeah!" He jumped up and punched the air. I couldn't wait to have energy like that. Just recently I could eat solid food without it making my tummy hurt, and I could walk around the hospital by myself without my legs hurts either. Naruto told me I was getting stronger all the time.
"That means get out!" She grabbed him by the shoulders, turned him to the door and pushed him out.
"Hey!" She closed the door and roller her with a laugh.
"Come on Hinata, think you can put on everything yourself today." I blushed. Sometimes daddy had dressed me, he never allowed me to do it myself. I had trouble with buttons and zippers and shoe laces. But I quickly was able to crawl into a shirt the right way soon and put on my pants and socks without falling. Kurenai and Hanabi bother helped me with the bra, but I had that down to.
"Y-yes!" I told her happily.
####
After Kurenai walked the two of us to the door, Naruto grabbed my hand and led me away from the front of the hospital. I hadn't yet been out from the front, only the courtyard, so I took the opportunity to see the tall buildings from my small stand.
"So Hinata, it looks like you got a little more meat on you!"
I blushed and nodded my head. "Y-yes. T-that's good?"
"Yeah!" He placed my hand on his stomach and pressed in. "See, meat. Well, some abs to, so muscle as well, but still, it's meat!"
While laughing I pushed his stomach some more before calming down and letting it rest in my pocket for extra warmth. We walked silently to what Naruto called the 'bus stop.'
He didn't want me walking for to long, so he said we would catch a ride to Ichiraku and eat, then he would take me somewhere amazing.
"Hinata, you're going to love Ichiraku! It's the best food I've ever had or ever will have." A big long bugs drove up and pulled over to us with a load screech. I pulled closer to Naruto.
For the past week or two, I've been watching all the moving cars move around the town. They were fast and monstrous, but interesting. I could barely remember riding in one when I was little, with my mommy in the front. But going into one again seemed like a really hard task.
Deep breath. I inhaled and let Naruto lead me on to the blue and white bus watching as he reached into his pocket for two green dollar bills. He then slid it into a little box that whirred as it ate the money away and trapped it inside.
"Come on Hinata." The box beeped green and he dragged me off to the back seats and we sat in the curved chairs. He let me have a window seat.
With a thick screech the bus set off again and I could feel my stomach rise to my throat. Grasping Naruto's hand tightly I leaned into his side burring my head against his shoulder, the sudden movement making me dizzy. Would I ever get used to this? It didn't seem to bother anyone else on the bus.
Naruto warped a warm arm around my shoulders, squeezing my close. Sighing happily I breathing in his comforting smell that I couldn't yet place. "It'll be okay Hinata."
"O-okay." I whispered happily.
####
The place called Ichiraku was a cute little restaurant. Inside were tables, booths and a bar like table around the main area where Naruto took me to sit.
"Hey, old man!" He waved a hand and lifted me up into the raised seat much to my embarrassment as I blushed a deep red.
"N-Naruto!" I protested lightly, but letting him sit me down any ways. I admit, I did like the way he treated me so carefully. Often making small remarks on 'what a princess' I am.
"Naruto!" An old man wearing a small white cooking hat showing his graying side burns walked up. Unlike my grandfather whose eyes were wide and wise and calm, his were squinted close with laughing wrinkles around his lips and forehead. The effect giving him a friendly look. He shook a thick hand with Naruto before bringing out a paper pad and a pencil. An art I still have yet to master.
"What will it be today?"
"A menu first Tenuchi." Naruto beamed. "I want to show Hinata here what's on the list." With a raised eye brow the man turned to me and smiled.
Reaching under the counter he pulled out a menu and handed it to me. "For you little lady, it's nice to see Naruto has such pretty friends." Blushing happily I could only nod in mute thanks. "Tell me how you like my food okay!"
"Y-yes." I whispered as Tenuchi walked off behind some red curtains letting out a wall of steam.
Leaning in close Naruto pointed out the first item on the menu. Squiggly letters blurred together in a messy mass. "I- I c-can't r-r-read." I stuttered shamefully.
He smiled encouragingly. "That's why I wanted to get it. Just read the first two items and then we'll order. Don't worry, I'll get you something good if you don't like the first two choices you see."
"O-okay."
Placing a shaky finger on the first blond word I began to sound out the letters. "Buh- ee- f-" I paused embarrassed and saddened by my slow progress, feeling tears come to my eyes. What if I couldn't do it?
"It's alright, I won't laugh and you can take your time." He encouraged.
Taking a deep breath I pulled up my courage. "Buh- ee- f. S- t- oo. R- ah- meh- n..." Placing the sounds together I figured out the puzzle of words. "B-beef stu r-r-amen?" I questioned uncertainly.
"Exactly! Good going Hinata!" He praised clapping his hands. I laughed happily as my small but big success. "Now the next one."
Calming down I placed my hand on the next item. "Ss- puh- p-puh- i- ss- y... ee?" I started out while he nodded his head for me to continue.
"Naruto!" A loud voice interrupted my train of thought and he turned his head to the voice. I followed his blue gaze. Walking up to us was a group of kids, but the one who called his name was a girl with candy pink hair and green eyes with a wide forehead. Other kids around our age spilled out around her and walked up, offering Naruto a greeting of hello.
"Yo!" He laughed and clapped hands with a few of the boys. The pinkett though punched his arm rather hard and put a finger in his face in a scolding way.
"Naruto, we wonder why you ditched us! You never told us you had a date." Naruto's face turned a deep red. What's a date?
Knocked from my thoughts I caught a flash of pale white eyes and long brown hair with a grumpy face underneath. "N-Neji?" I called.
He lifted up his head a little in shock before pushing the others out of the way until his was in front of me. I twirled the chair a little to face him, smiling at the sudden movement. That was kind of fun.
"Hinata? What are you doing out of the hospital. And... Are those Naruto's clothes?" He gaped. My jacket was his old jacket and the fuzzy pajama bottoms I refused to take off were his as well. The shirt underneath was a red long-sleeved one also from Naruto and so was my penguin cap that covered my ears.
"Y-yes."
"Naruto, what are you doing?!" He glared at him.
Naruto laughed and pushed the advancing boy back a little bit as well at the pink haired girl. The other kids stood silently with smirks and grins on their faces, occasionally sending me a curious glance.
"Hey, hey, I got permission, and look! Kurenai made sure she was wearing proper warm clothes and all, and I just let her borrow mine 'cause she likes them!" He defended. "And the reason, Sakura, why I ditched is so I could take Hinata here out for some real food instead of that hospital stuff.
Neji looked ready to continue his fight with Naruto when a girl with brown hair in two buns and brown eyes walked over to me and held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, you related to Neji right? I'm TenTen." She told me with a grin.
Gingerly I held out my hand. "H-Hinata." I said quietly.
"Neji, she your cousin or something?" A boy with pineapple hair asked.
He sighed and turned away from Naruto who made a funny face at his back. "Yes, this is my little cousin Hinata. Apparently Naruto is watching out for her."
"Realy? Naruto?" A blond girl said with a laugh. She turned to me with blue eyes a bit like Naruto's, but instead of warm they were intense. "If you get tired of him call us girls over, we'll straighten him out."
I shook my head. "N-Naruto's real nice." I defended. Naruto grinned and patted my shoulder in thanks.
"You all come here to eat?" The kids took their seats around us and the old man along with a young girl came out from behind the curtain to take orders.
"Yes dobe." A boy with black hair and eyes eyed me curiously while holding the pink girl close to his side.
"Shut up teme! No one asked you." He turned to me with a smile. "Hinata, you wanna keep going?"
Everyone turned to look at me with wide curious eyes and i blushed, shaking my head no. I know Naruto wouldn't laugh at the slow time I had to take to understand a word and I'm sure his friends would either, but I was embarrassed about not being able to read. They could all read I'm sure.
"Are you sure? They won't laugh."
Biting my lip I glanced at the other shyly while the ordered, reading from the menu easily. I wanted to be ale to do that one day, and both Kurenai and Naruto said it would take practice.
"P-promise?"
"Yeah." He glared at his friends to drive in the message. With a thick sigh I pulled up the menu again and placed my finger over the next entry.
"Naruto, what are you doing?" Neji asked, curiously and a little protective of me. I grinned at him.
"Practice."
"Naruto!" The blond and pink haired gaped.
"Not that!" He yelled back. "Now, sssshhhh." He placed a finger on his lip and then turned back to me, letting his blue eyes engulf my entire form. They all shut up with wide gaping mouths. Was it so shocking Naruto could be quiet? He turns down his volume all the time just for me.
Taking a deep breath I began again. "Ss- puh- p-puh- i- c- ee." I blushed when the others seemed to focus harder on me. Then Naruto shifted and held his hand on my shaking one, dragging my finger lightly to the next word.
"Don't worry 'bout them." He whispered.
"Mmm- I... ee? S- o. S- s- o- oo- p." I puzzled over the last word with great difficultly. "Spuhicy. Meeso, Soop?" I said carefully. Naruto beamed.
"You're doing a whole lot better! Isn't she Neji?"
"Yes, she is. Good job Hinata." He smiled slightly and I grinned feeling happier and smarter already.
Thankfully none of the others said anything about my slow reading, instead they introduced themselves and told me funny stories about the adventures they had with Naruto. The blond ordered for me and him regular miso ramen while the others tried to make me feel more welcomed. I heard Neji tell them silently that he would tell them what was going on, but other than that they didn't bring up my differences. Naruto had wonderful friends.
###
On the way back Naruto carried me on his back and I happily leaned against him, tired from today. He headed away from the bus stop and down the streets to the monument. Along the way telling me about how it came from when the lands were ruled by ancient ninjas with magic powers and all their strong leaders were carved into the mountain.
"It survived hundreds of years, it's Konoha's best thing in the world. When I was little, I actually wanted to be a ninja and have my face carved up there, but now I'm thinking about being a cop like my dad and protecting people. I can't be a ninja, but I can do my best right?"
I nodded my head quietly. He began walking up a bunch of gray stone steps with trees crowding over them, careful not to move me around too much.
"You know, it's a major attraction and all, but at this time of the year not many people go up there. They don't know what they're missin'."
He stopped for a second and I saw his blues eyes turn to find my pale ones. "Close your eyes."
"A-again?" I grinned.
"Yup."
I smiled and did as I was told, digging my hand deep into his shoulder. I wonder what amazing thing he had to show me this time.
"We'll come up here again in the spring so I can show you everything blooming, but the snow is pretty to!" He declared. After a while of peaceful silence and a few bumps he stopped.
"You know how to count right?"
"To um..." I blushed. "To t-t-twenty."
"Good!" He laughed shaking me with him. "Count down with my from five, and when we reach zero, open your eyes."
"Five." I followed his lead, speaking in time with him.
"Four." His voice built with anticipation.
"Three."
"Two!"
"One!" Now his loud shouts out did my quiet voice.
"Zero!"
I opened my eyes and gaped. The world before me was bigger than even my hospital room view! Everything was covered in a glimmering layer of orange and red shining snow as the sun fell down beyond my eyes. It was so pretty!
"N-Naruto!" I gaped and landed down on my feet, walking closer to the edge I spread out my arms as if to hug the world.
"It's s-so p-pretty!"
His strong arms wrapped around me from behind. "Nothing is a pretty as you." I blushed and turned my head to him, the setting sun shining on his face. His blue eyes soft and darker with a feeling I didn't know.
"N-Naruto?"
"Can I kiss you?!" He blurted out, face red. Kiss? Like a princess...
Naruto wants to kiss me like a princess! I smiled at him. Never did I really understand what a 'kiss' was, but every princess had a magical one.
"Yes." I whispered happily, holding back my stutter. He grinned a little shyly and bent down his head, eyes closed slightly in a way that sent warm shivers down my spine. I followed his movements, letting him lead as I puckered my lips and closed my eyes.
For a second his soft warm lips landed on mine and a strong hand held my chin in a gentle grasp, moving his finger delightfully across my cheek. It was weird at first, the feeling of his lips on my own. But nice, warm, and strong all at the same time. I could feel love, I felt loved, all by Naruto. This, I never wanted it to end. He sighed happily and pulled away with a foxy grin.
"Hinata,you are amazing." I sighed happily and leaned back into him. I wanted more of that safe feeling.
"N-Naruto, s-so are y-you." I couldn't wait to see everything he had to show me in my new life. His bright, warm world.
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I hope y'all like this!
One more chapter and then that's it.
Please read and review! XD