A/N: As this story got a good response, I decided to write another chapter. Let me know what you think!
Someone said the characters are OOC. Please let me know how because I didn't think so. Actually, they'll appear as that in future chapters, with the shift in personalities regarding the changes in timeline.
Note: This chapter has NaruHina, with a slight hint of NejiHina and KibaHina.
Chapter 2:
Telepathic Exchanges
Naruto knocked lightly on Kiba's door. "Hinata?" he calls out softly.
There was no answer. All he heard was soft sobbing.
He was compelled to follow her, and not to leave her alone. Someone was whispering in his hair, someone with a good, bright aura. He had long learned to trust this instinct. Turning into sennin-mode, he tries to sense Hinata's feelings, and everyone's around him. It felt like peeking into someone's diary, but he couldn't help it. Everyone was down in the dumps lately.
All thoughts circling inside Hinata's heads were about how useless she felt. Since the beginning, when she was disgraced in her clan, and how her sister managed to outshine her since a young age. When Neji gave her a beating in the Chunin Exams, she again felt useless for not being strong enough to make Neji see that it wasn't her fault and neither was she strong enough to put up a decent fight. Her grounding fear that Naruto will never be able to defeat Neji because she knew just how strong he was and what strength he was holding back.
During the Senbon Sparring festival when she strained her eyes, Naruto and Sakura revealed to her how Neji had stuck to her like a shadow, removing obstacles from her way and tending to her needs. She remembered asking if someone was there because she felt a warm presence. But he never responded, preferring to help her without her knowledge. How he had wandered into dangerous territory to get her the Eyebright just so she could see the fireworks.
How during the war they had each other's back and how scared to death she was when he was pulled into the Sound Four's Death Jutsu along with Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru and appeared lifeless. She cried openly when he opened his eyes and instead of being the one to assure him, he ended up reassuring her.
It was all Neji this and Neji that. The only memory of Naruto she was thinking about was the fact that she constantly put herself at risk for him and he never noticed her. Right when Pain attacked, she threw herself as a human shield. When the Juubi attacked, she again covered him and had accepted her death.
She never expected to survive both the times she shielded Naruto. Neji had to step in and with the little chakra he had left to deflect the stakes with his kaiten, but he was pierced when his chakra ran out. How Naruto was so dumbstruck. Had he been able to assist Neji for even a few more minutes, he would have been saved by the cocoon of Kyuubi chakra and Sakura's newly awakened hundred healing. If someone was hurt over his demise more than her, it might be Hiashi, who still felt like he failed his promise to his brother even though Neji relieved him of that burden by stating it was his own choice.
Tenten had all the right to feel upset. Tenten was the only girl Neji had spent a lot of time with and ever considered strong and who had earned his respect, other than the Hokage and of course, Hanabi, her little sister who had strong potential. But still, he never gave up on her, Hinata, despite the fact that she did not constitute any special strength. He ditched his teammates often so that he could tutor her. He had become her protector and guardian. And now that he was gone, she had no one, perhaps except Kiba and Shino. Naruto, no, he was never there for her. Naruto never noticed her, and would never see past Sasuke and Sakura.
Naruto was hurt. She's wrong! He wanted to yell. But it was true enough. Whatever chance he had, and he had a damn good one, was ruined because of his stubbornness of staying blind to Hinata's open affections.
Against his better judgment, he decided to speak to her. He was suddenly guided no to let this go by.
"Hinata-chan," he sent out to her via telepathy. "Hinata-chan, I can hear you."
"Naruto-kun?" She whispers softly, shocked.
"Hinata. You're strong. Believe it."
"N-Naruto-kun… H-how…?" he felt her gasp.
"Hinata-chan, please don't be sad. You're the best. I.. We love you."
He wanted to smack himself for saying that. What made him change his sentence again?!
Say it,a voice guided him. Or you'll come to regret it.
Naruto understood now. He felt it. Someone was visiting him.
"Hinata, I… I love you. You better believe it."
"Naruto," someone spoke directly in his ear.
Naruto jumped up a mile. He turned to see Shino. When had he sneaked up behind him was beyond Naruto. He always went by unnoticed.
"Naruto," Shino began, "My friend tells me exactly what you're doing and is transferring your communication directly to me. That is to say, I'm aware that you're prying into her private thoughts."
Naruto was confused. Then he noticed a bug sitting on his forearm, and he flapped his arm wildly, screaming.
The bug flew off and went back to sit on Shino's nose.
"Don't be privy to her personal thoughts Naruto. It's indecent."
"B-but… I'm not…" Naruto started to say.
Just then the door opened and Hinata stepped out. She looked at Naruto to Shino then back again. Her Byakugan activated as she looked at Naruto. Naruto shivered, feeling the killer intent.
"H-Hinata-chan. It's not like you think!"
"Jūkenhō!" She yelled, hitting Naruto's stomach. Naruto felt like his body was paralyzed and had his whole breath knocked out of him.
"I warned you that she should not be disturbed," he heard Shino say as his vision started to shift angles and blur.
So Uzumaki Naruto, the great ninja, defeater of Kaguya and bringer of peace in the ninja world, fell unconscious by a gentle tap to his intestines by an angry Hyūga Hinata.
Has this happened another time? Naruto wondered, feeling a weird sense of déjà vu.
His mind wandered fast as it went to a mode he was just getting familiar with. This time, instead of the familiar lurch backward, he found himself hurling forward. He had a vision of a miniature version of Hinata striking him. This Hinata striking him was just a child. When he opened his eyes, he saw another Hinata looking down at him. But she was different as well. She appeared grown up. He got up suddenly, holding his tummy.
"Anata! Are you alright? What happened?"
Dear? Hinata was calling him dear? Or was she calling him just you?
He looks at his arms. He hada right arm? It was bandaged, but he tried moving it, and it did! This was a different time.
"Naruto-kun, you were supposed to be at the Hokage Office!"
Am I? Naruto wondered, scratching his head.
She checked his forehead. It appeared fine. "Who hit you Naruto?" she asks.
He remembered a miniature version of Hinata heedlessly rushing forward as he tried to stop an argument. He did not expect to be hit. It had somehow made him lose his focus, so when he came to, he was here. He remembered it now.
But why have I come here? He thought. He looked up at Hinata, just admiring her pretty face, her white eyes, how her hair was cascading down as she looked at him and held him on her lap.
"Where are the kids?" she was asking.
"Hinata," he finally managed to get out. "Hinata, before I start out on this journey, I want to let you know that I love you. And I always will. This title of Hokage, it does not mean anything if you're not there by my side."
She blushed. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden Naruto?"
He reached to touch her jaw and traced it with his fingers.
"Never leave me Hinata. I always need you by my side. Always and Forever."
"Na-Naruto!" she said, blushing furiously.
He smiled in contention. Some things never changed.
He closed his eyes as he was pulled forward again, Hinata's touch on him like feathers. When he opened his eyes, he was sprawled on his chair at the Hokage's office, pictures and documents surrounding him.
Had enough? Kurama grumbled.
N-not really. I didn't manage to linger long on the day I actually intended to visit. Because another memory came on strong, I was washed away there instead.
Do you think you changed anything? Will it make a difference?
I'm actually not sure. She hit me! I did not expect that to happen.
He felt Kurama just shake his head.
Anyway, I don't know if it made a difference did it? I need to see for myself if my wife is still leaving me, and taking our kids with her. It was that day Kiba and her first hooked up, remember? I wanted to stop it from ever happening. I can't be sure if that made any difference because, according to her it didn't mean anything, but you have to find it suspicious why he has been lending her so much support ever since she told him she's leaving me.
You should have waited to confirm it first.
Waited? Kurama, in case you've forgotten for a few seconds, my wife is leaving me, my son hates me, and my daughter doesn't even know me, or care enough to know. Being Hokage is part of my job… It keeps me so busy that I don't have enough time. You expect me to just sit tight and wait and not do anything about it?
Should've just let Sasuke sit here, eh? He doesn't give a shit about these things. Look how he left his family for so many years for his melodrama.
I actually sent him on a mission. I did not expect that it'd take this long. Anyway, now I truly understand why so many kages never marry and it remains a dream to them. Naruto sighed.
He sat there quietly for a few seconds.
I think I should go check if my wife is still insistent on leaving me.
Kurama sighed. Let's see, Naruto.
