How is it possible to feel so many things at once? How is it possible that he feels so angry, so sad, so happy…
So… so relieved. Relieved that she's here. That she's alive.
Naruto watches as she talks to Konohamaru, laughs with him, smiles at him and there's that familiar itch under his skin. It's the one he had every time Kiba forgot about personal space and would wrap his arms around her so tight and lovingly as if Naruto wasn't her boyfriend and standing right fucking there—
No. Out of everything, he can't be feeling that.
It was easier to convince himself that he'd moved on when she was nothing more than a weathered scar on his heart but seeing her now…
No.
No.
Why now? Why did he have to see her now?
He's finally happy, finally content with his life and the path he'd chosen. He's worked so hard. He can't ruin it.
The sense of impending doom grows every second he continues to stand there, ogling her like a fucking creep.
He has to leave. He has to leave before he does something he regrets.
He'll make up some bullshit excuse to Konohamaru in the morning about why he had to leave early and— and he'll tell Kaiyo the same thing when she grills him about leaving when she specifically told him to stay and they'll never have to know about her.
Everything will be fine if— when he leaves.
Gathering his wits, Naruto turns his heel and ducks back into the crowd. He's laser focused on the exit. He has to get back home. Back to the stable life he's built. Back to his kids. Back to Kaiyo.
But the further he gets, the more the traitorous side of him yearns to look back.
She's the woman who saw worth in him when everyone else saw a fuck-up desperate for attention. She hurt you far more than those people ever did.
She's the woman who taught a hopeless orphan like him what love was and showered him with it wanting nothing in return. She abandoned you.
And she's the woman who gave him the two greatest gifts of all. She abandoned them too.
The exit is meters away but his feet stop him. He rubs a hand over his pounding heart in an attempt to calm it.
He wants to see her. He needs to see her.
He turns, desperate eyes searching for her deep red dress. She's still by Konohamaru but this time Udon is with them. He's frantic, wildly gesturing to the dance floor before he drags a reluctant Konohamaru away.
Although her smile fades, the fond expression stays and she looks peaceful. Content. Not at all like the woman she had been in the last months he'd seen her all those years ago. For that, he's both grateful and bitter.
Knowing that she's fine is enough. He can leave.
It had to be. He has to leave.
Why isn't it?
He wants to believe his feet move on their own but he knows it's his heart leading them back to her.
The alarm bells ringing in his head with Delta were child's play compared to the ones in his mind now. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to turn around.
I've seen you in love, Naruto… With Kaiyo, you're different.
He knows. He's always known.
Silently, he takes Konohamaru's abandoned spot beside her. She's too busy swirling her cocktail with a straw to notice him. She's so blissfully unaware that he's there fighting a goddamn panic attack. He sneaks at peek at her side profile and there's a fond smile on her lips.
Was she thinking about Konohamaru? His brows furrow. He hoped the fuck not.
His voice is low and hoarse, the tide of emotions brewing in his stomach barring him from speaking normally. It's the first time he's said her name in years.
"Hinata."
Hearing her name, she angles her head to him. The reaction is instant. Her pretty lavender eyes widen, colour blooms across her face and she squeaks. Fucking squeaks. It's adorable.
With a hand cupped over her mouth, she gawks at him and when Naruto hesitantly meets her gaze, she quickly turns away as if he's burned her. Panicked, he turns away too.
He squeezes his eyes shut, cursing himself for creating this terrible, downright awkward situation. He couldn't run away though. Like an idiot, he'd already thrown away that opportunity.
Maybe she'll run away, he thinks optimistically. Yeah, she's done it before. It wouldn't be completely unsurprising if she does it again. Smiling through the crippling pain the thought gives him, he peeks over his shoulder.
She's still there. Thankfully.
And she's already looking at him. Her eyes are trailing his body. From his torso, to his biceps and Naruto is suddenly very conscious of the way he looks.
Is she… checking me out?
Her eyes finally make their way up to his face and when she realises he's already watching her, she's mortified. She abruptly turns away again, the tips of her ears burning bright pink.
Oh yeah, she was definitely checking me out!
Naruto can't fight the grin off his lips at the realisation. Warmth fills his chest because the scenario's strangely reminiscent to their teenage years. Back when she had been so painfully shy and he had been so painfully dense.
She's avoiding his gaze, looking anywhere but in his direction. The way she bites her lip and the nervous twitch in her fingers tells him that she's dangerously close to running for the hills.
But she doesn't.
She stays.
It gives him a lot more satisfaction than it should.
Naruto's fingers drum against the bar as the silent seconds between them stretch for far too long. He frowns.
Now what?
He definitely should've had that drink he wanted before he came up to her. Maybe with some liquid courage, something would've happened already. Maybe he would actually say the things that haunted him throughout her absence.
Hinata clears her throat, silencing his thoughts. She's still not looking at him and he's still pretending he's not looking at her. She signals for the bartender.
"What can I do for you, Hinata-sama?" There's a warm familiarity in the bartender's voice as he addresses her.
In response, Hinata smiles or at least, tries her best to. Her lips are too strained at the corners for it to be real.
"Two shots of tequila please, Katsu-kun."
Hearing the soft tone of her voice so clearly for the first time in years sends shivers down his spine.
"Coming right up." The bartender brings out two shot glasses and fills them with tequila that Naruto knows is one of the most expensive. It's top shelf for sure.
"A-Actually," she speaks up, clearing her throat once again, "Could you leave the bottle, please?"
The bartender blinks. His lips part as if he wants to question her, as if he wants to refuse… but he doesn't. He bows his head. "Of course, Hinata-sama."
"Thank you."
The bartender flashes a weary smile before setting the bottle down in front of her and leaving.
Seconds pass before Naruto hears the glass grind against the bar's countertop as Hinata slides him one of the shots.
Curious, he looks at her and for the first time, she meets his gaze, eyes shining with nerves and yet unwavering at the same time.
Already holding her own shot between her manicured fingers, she tilts her chin up to him. An invitation.
Naruto gulps, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders.
"Oi, cmon what's the big idea, Sakura-chan!" Naruto complained. "I just wanna say hi to my girlfriend!"
A lie, of course. What he really wanted to do was steal her away so they could do naughty things but nooooo.
Ino was in front of him, acting as a human shield. He dared not pass her. She had long nails and wasn't afraid to use them.
Sakura was behind her, holding Hinata in her arms as if she were her child. Hinata stayed there blinking innocently between her best friends and boyfriend.
"You stay with the guys, you idiot!" Sakura yelled. "We're having girl time and Hinata's staying here."
She tightened her embrace around his girlfriend and goddamit, Naruto was getting jealous.
"But—"
"Stop being dramatic Naruto, a few drinks in her and she'll come running after you, wanting to fuck too." Ino said, casually.
Hinata gasped, "I-Ino!"
"What like it's a lie? The minute you two have alcohol, it's like the whole world disappears and the only thing you see is each other." Ino grimaced. "It's disgusting."
"We want to hang out with her before you both get all drunk and obsessive and decide to fuck each other over your clothes on the dance floor." Sakura added.
"W-We d-don't—"
"Yes you do, honey." Sakura interrupted, stroking Hinata's shiny indigo hair. "But don't worry we still love you."
Hinata looked at him apologetically. A sign that she was going to stay with the girls. Naruto pouted, not wanting to leave without her. Despite the innocent smile that formed on her kissable lips, there was a playful, almost criminal glint in her eyes. His spirits were immediately lifted knowing he'd be in for one hell of a good time later. He grinned devilishly.
"Ew, they're already doing the eye thing. Quick Forehead!"
"NARUTO, GET AWAY!"
Naruto picks up the glass. Once he does this, there really is no coming back. He looks at her, wondering if she could hear the hammering in his chest.
He nods, sealing his fate and together, they down the shot.
The liquid slides down his throat easily but he still cringes from the taste. Hinata is quick to refill his glass and her own and wordlessly he accepts. They have another.
And another.
And another.
And another.
With every shot, the distance between them dwindles.
The room is spinning again, a lot worse than before. One thing was clear though. Hinata was a much more formidable opponent than Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon.
"Done already?" She teases. Her velvety words are hardly slurring which annoys Naruto to no end. They had almost finished the goddamn bottle!
"You're ch-cheating!" A part of him hates himself for sounding like Konohamaru in the limo.
She giggles, somehow finding his very serious accusation funny. "I'm not."
"Yeah, it's— it's the glasses, yeah!" He swaps around their glasses and fills them with the last of the tequila.
Hinata indulges in his silly little antic and immediately downs the shot from his glass. His glass that he used. His glass that his lips have touched. Now her lips have touched it. There was a lipstick print on it's rim now. His heart races again.
God, why was he getting so worked up over this as if he hadn't put two kids in her?
"You're so silly, Naruto-kun." She teases once again, an airy giggle escaping her pretty red lips.
Naruto's childish thoughts stop and the world around him is quiet. His back straightens and his brows furrow as he looks down at her with such focus that he didn't think drunk him was capable of.
"Say it again."
She blinks. "What?"
"My name. Say it again."
She smiles a smile he knows is as real as it gets. Leaning in close, she looks him straight in the eye and enunciates every syllable.
"Na-ru-to-kun."
Something in his chest stirs.
"That's me." He reminds her.
"Mhm."
"And you're Hinata."
"Mhm."
"My Hinata?"
Her expression softens and like a secret she whispers, "Yours."
For a moment, all Naruto can do is admire her. One word. One word and all his worries seemed to dissipate in an instant. All their history, all the pain, all the unanswered questions… He couldn't find it in him to care about any of that. What mattered was now.
Tonight, Hinata was his and he…
He would be all hers.