I'm so sorry. I have no other excuse but academics/college. So naturally as finals are next week I have time to write the next chapter XD... eheh..
Anyway. I'm so GLAD that Naruto came back to Konoha. And FINALLY said SOMETHING to Hinata. Not exactly the conversation I wanted...BUT hey, I'm not going to complain because of course it wasn't a bad moment at all. That at least confirms that if/when Naruto and Hinata discuss her confession it won't be negative...? Naruhina? Please?
Eh who knows... (If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the latest chapters of Naruto...)
The rain was really coming down. Hinata let out a high pitched gasp which was barely audible over the thunderous roar of raindrops slapping against the ground. Naruto unzipped his jacket, thrusting it's span over both him and Hinata.
"C'mon!" he yelled. They ran down the dirt path, the mud squelching under their feet as it soaked through their sandals. Finding a large oak for cover off the road, Naruto and Hinata sprinted for the trunk of the tree.
In her haste, Hinata slipped, her arms flying in front of her instinctively. Naruto made a quick turn around, catching Hinata in his arms as her feet flew out from under her. With her weight suddenly pressing against him, Naruto slipped himself on the mud beneath him and together the two fell backwards. His back hit the tree behind him, the leaves and branches above them blocking the rain, and he grunted on impact. After that they were silent for a few moments, breathing heavily in each others arms. The rain continued to pour down onto the earth without hesitation.
"A-are you okay, Hinata?" Naruto asked with a strained tone and a bruised head.
"Yes... I think so," She looked down at herself, and then back up at him. "Thank you," she said sincerely.
"No problem," He said, but it didn't cross his mind to let go of her. She didn't seem like she wanted to separate either. She leaned against his warm chest with lenient ease, content as her head fell to rest on him.
"Are you alright?" Hinata reached her hand to his head. He instantly felt embarrassed and his ears pinked.
"Yu-yeah..." He said sheepishly.
He looked down at her. She smiled without hesitation or restraint when their eyes met.
"I love you."
It really wasn't planned; it just kind of came out. He didn't mean to drop it on her like that so suddenly. Her eyes were like saucers, oh Kami. He was never really good at saying the right thing. He was a great talker, but it all just kind of flowed out without him thinking much of it. Shit, he wished he had at least thought a little before having that come bluntly out of his mouth. He was terrible with timing. And wording things right. Why did he have to say that wrong? Hinata's jaw had dropped. God, she was still staring at him. Should he say something else? Probably. But his thoughts were swimming and his words were likely to come out jumbled and incredibly stupid.
"What?" Oh, thank goodness, she said something instead.
"Hinata-chan, I..." He tried to begin again.
"No."
Naruto blinked. "What?"
"No. Y-you can't." She was rigid in his arms.
"Wha-"
"No!" Wrenching free of his grasp, Hinata staggered backwards. The hands that pushed him away were trembling. The look on her face shouldn't have caught him off guard. He should have expected an outburst. But he couldn't have expected the pain. He felt beaten, bruised, when he saw her eyes. Eyes that were so scared, so in denial, so lost.
She shrieked and it felt like he had been punched. "Please... Please don't say that...!"
"H-hinata...the rain.." She was getting drenched; he took a wary step forward, his arms raised, palms facing the stormy sky.
"I-I-I don't know why. But it hurts. No, Naruto-san y-you can't love me!" She was shaking her head, as if the idea of it was unfathomable.
"Why not, Hinata?" he asked forcefully, his tone deep and serious. He stepped out into the rain with her. He didn't mean to sound so direct, so angry, but he was only angry at himself.
"B-because..." she was caught off guard. He took a step toward her and she flinched.
"Why is it so wrong for me to be in love with you?" He said with his voice faltering, asking more to himself than to her. Why couldn't he be with her? Why did he have to be undeserving of her?
"I've never felt like this before. I didn't know how to do this right! All I know is I want to be by your side. Cause that would be pretty damn wonderful." he gave a dry laugh, in response to the irony of how happy he was to be with her and how persistently she avoided his touch when he tried to gently reach out to her. How worthless he really was.
She kept on crying, bending at her waist. Grasping the wet fabric of her jacket, near her heart, she cried, "Why does that hurt so much?"
Naruto said, "It's because I hurt you. I was stupid. I didn't know what to do. So I kept my mind on the mission. I needed to find peace. For Konoha. But I didn't... I didn't think clear. But I wanna think clear now!"
She wrung her hands, her dark hair plastered on her face from the rain. She looked into his eyes, terrified. In such pain. Each raindrop that hit her skin left a cold, paralyzing chill.
"I didn't realize. I used to give you comfort... But when you really needed it, I wasn't there. I left. It must have made you lonely. Really lonely... And lost."
Something snapped; she ran right to him and banged her fists on his chest. "Stop it! P-p-please stop! It hurts Naruto-san!"
He let her hit him. She began to cry again, slowing the beating of her fists and clenched her fingernails in to her palms.
"All I wanted was a response. Acknowledgement! But you never looked back at me!" Hinata gasped, only realizing once she said that, that she had unconsciously let that slip out. Where had that come from? She recalled blurry visions, fleeting memories that seemed like only dreams. But when she gazed up into Naruto's pain stricken, knowing face and instinctively knew it must have been a reality some time ago.
"Shit, Hinata I-..." He deserved it. He deserved everything she blamed him for. It had hurt when he came back to Konoha. It had hurt so bad because she had unknowingly given him the same treatment he had given her two years ago. She hadn't acknowledged him at all and he had questioned his own self worth. No wonder she suffered. No wonder.
Blood ran down her wrists from the full of her palms; Naruto took her small hands in his. "I'll leave. I'll leave as soon as possible. I only hurt you." Her head raised, startled. "I'm so sorry, Hinata. I'm just being selfish. You're better off without me. You don't get hurt without me around. You're better off. "
Hinata's eyebrows furrowed and she tried to say something. But nothing came out of her mouth.
Naruto hung his head and begged."Forget what I said. Forget it please."
"N-Naruto-san..." For some reason, the idea of Naruto gone left her even more terrified and pained.
"Don't remember. There is nothing worth remembering. "
"W-wait, I..."
A sudden scream echoed throughout Konoha. Then an explosion. Hinata and Naruto raised their heads to the noise.
"Something's wrong..."
The rain had drizzled to a stop. Smoke arose from the skyline of Konoha. "Oh Kami..."
The two broke apart and sprinted towards the village.
"Shit, what could have happened?"
"I-I don't know."
The village was full of chaos. Villagers were running, screaming. Mothers grasped their children's wrists and scooped them up, frantically pushing and shoving their way through the crowded streets. Ninja were assembling, looking towards the sky, putting on their gear, shouting from all directions.
Hinata's team 8 was gathering in front of Ichiraku. Sakura was with them, yelling as frantic as the other ninja. Some buildings were on fire; that explained the explosions and smoke. Civilians and ninja hurried about their village to put out the fire. Hinata and Naruto ran over to their friends hand in hand, they hadn't realized they hadn't let go.
"What the hell is going on?" Naruto exclaimed loudly. Sakura and the others turned to them, glanced down at their joined hands and then matched their gazes once more.
Before anyone had a chance to answer, there was a booming voice that echoed throughout the valley:
"There's not much you can do. You don't stand a chance, dobe."
All eyes drawn to the voice, they found themselves gazing up in complete shock towards the Hokage Monument. Atop the Fourth Kage's large stone head stood none other than a vengeful, looming figure of Uchiha Sasuke.
I'm sorry it's so short, but I have plans :). It was a heavy-duty chapter, and I really struggled writing it...I don't really know why, haven't written creatively in a while I guess...
Reviews please! xoxo