I'm terrible, but at least there's a chapter right?

It had been a week since Hinata had come to this new school. She'd settled in pretty easily, kept her head down as she'd always done. She was trying her best to mind her own business despite that nasty tugging at her every time she spotted Naruto- or yellow top as she referred to im in her mind.

It was curiosity. Blatant, nagging, infuriating curiosity that she couldn't quench. She would forget about him and his magical disappearance into the brick wall she'd stumbled upon only to remember it upon seeing his tanned face and distinct whisker marks in the hallways.

As she was reminded of his involvement in some secret society(Illuminati, she'd chuckled to herself) every time his face showed up, Naruto wasn't helping matters.

Ever since she'd helped who she'd originally thought to be his younger brother(he wasn't), he'd been stalking her. He appeared around every corner trying to make conversation with her. When she would deliberately sit down at the emptiest table in the cafeteria he would follow.

His friends would follow him- and her quiet corner was suddenly the loudest and most attention-drawing place in the cafeteria. They would make conversation with her and while she did her absolute best to be quiet- she couldn't just ignore them. That would be rude (not ruder than almost leaving a 12 year old kid to bleed out in the street) but this was basic human interaction that she couldn't possibly pass up.

And begrudgingly- she admitted- it was nice.

She was just thankful that it was Friday and she wouldn't have to see those fuckers for two whole days.

Bring!

There was the last bell. She hurriedly stuffed her supplies in her bag and filled out the class just as everyone else did.

The door was literally two feet away from her when Naruto popped out of nowhere and started speaking with her.

"Hey- so Sakura and Sasuke totally abandoned me and I reeeeally wanna go see that new Ouija horror movie but I can't go by myself- or rather, I can't piss my pants by myself,"

By this point they were walking and talking- well she was doing the walking while his mouth chattered on.

"therefore you have to come with me!" He finished.

She shook her head at him. A part of her really wanted to go but she knew that'd be irresponsible. She had to look after Hanabi and besides- anytime she let herself get close to someone she usually ended up burned. Not to mention the fact Naruto was apart of something dangerous- something she didn't want to be associated with by any means.

"I, uh, I can't."

He had to lean in closer to hear her and the proximity was making her uncomfortable. Hadn't he heard of boundaries?

A frown formed on his face, and something tugged at her. "Why not?"

"I-I have to watch my little sister, and my dad's pretty strict." Perfect excuse. Totally true.

An odd expression worked its' way onto his face before he chuckled lightly, "Can't be too strict if his daughter's a delinquent."

She faltered before freezing. "What are you talking about?"

Her tone changed and she could see the perplexion on his face.

"Well if you can beat up two grown men then you gotta have some fighting experience."

Shit. She'd forgotten about that. She had to cover it up, she needed a good excuse- a great one.

"I didn't beat them up, I-I just caught them by surprise." Crap, that stuttering was so convincing.

He grinned like he knew something she didn't. "Well according to Kono you kicked ass!"

Damn Brat, She thought, I should have shut him up.

She couldn't have people knowing or thinking she could fight. While she suck out violence in some hopeless sense of releasing stress- she wasn't trying to attract attention, especially the attention of someone who disappeared into freaking walls!

She stopped abruptly, "Look,"

She jabbed a finger into his chest, "I am not a delinquent, nor am I a fighter so you'd better-"

Her lips froze. There was something moving behind Naruto- someone- and it was moving fast. That was when she'd finally noticed she was in the middle of the same alleyway that he'd disappeared into a week before.

"Look out!" She moved him (or had he dodged?) just in time to avoid a well calculated stab to the back of the neck.

Naruto chuckled inwardly as Hinata tried to explain to him how weak she really wasn't. He got the fact that she didn't want to attract attention, but why was she so desperate? Maybe she's in witness protection...A part of him absently thought.

She stopped suddenly and before he knew it her finger was jabbed into his chest threateningly. She narrowed her eyes at him, daring him to say something before she spoke,

"Look, I am not a delinquent, nor am I a fighter so you'd better-"

She stopped once more, eyes wide in shock and confusion before she threw him to the ground. He'd dodged the knife literally a millisecond before it neared, but he was still impressed by her ability to move not only him, but herself quickly enough to avoid getting hit.

The assailant made a few more slashes at Naruto while he dodged them swiftly, knocking the knife out of his hand with the back of his own.

The assailant signaled Naruto with a pointed finger, and Naruto nodded in turn. He punched Naruto a few times before his body went limp. To Hinata he appeared unconscious, but while Naruto had actually taken those punches, and did they hurt, he was very much awake.

He watched as Hinata struggled between running away and standing her ground and fighting. She went with the latter.

As the assailant aimed for her ribs on the right, she dodged left. In succession he made two quick jabs aiming for her head, in which she dodged once more.

Is she gonna fight or are they just gonna keep dancing? Just as Naruto had that thought, Hinata landed a Brazilian kick on his chin. Naruto watched in awe as the "assailant" tumbled down. The kick had started off like a normal high one, but as it neared his face her knee turned downward.

He watched as she picked up the knife the attacker had wielded earlier, and made way towards his fallen body. "How much do kidneys go for these days?"

Naruto decided it was best he didn't allow his subordinate to be carved up like a turkey. He faked his awakening by coughing loudly, which drew her attention away from the truly unconscious man.

"Oh, are you done pretending to be asleep?" She asked angrily, "I don't appreciate being observed like some lab-rat."

Naruto chuckled as he dusted himself off, "What gave it away?"

"Earlier when he was moving to slit your throat, you dodged just as I moved you away from him."

He'd been hoping she hadn't noticed.

"Also when you factor in the fact that this guy," she kicked the body underneath her, "was acting like he was scared to hit you, it can mean only one thing."

He raised an eyebrow.

"You're his boss and this was a test."

Naruto clapped slowly for her like the puppet master he was, "Bravo, but don't you wanna know what it all means?"

A sinister smile slithered onto his face and she found herself wanting to run. She braved through it though, and drew a scowl upon her own face.

"I don't give a fuck," she watched as his face grew wide with shock, "just stay way from me, I don't have time for your shit."

She walked away in what appeared to be a smooth manner, but was shaking in her boots.

He laughed. And she shivered at the brokenness that pored out in waves.

"We're the same."

Even with her back turned she knew he had a smile on his face. He knew she did too.

They were the same.

Broken, playful little things.