Haha! I feel so loved :) All the reviews and shtuff... makes me all emotional :') lol jk, or am I? that's for you to decide! Anyways, I again tried to make it longer but keep the awesomeness as much as I could, so here it is! Beware- if you are terrified of some sad stuff, this story might not be good for you... Usually I don't do sad stuff, but this is... well, different. Anyways,
Enjoy!
When everyone showed up the next day, Naruto introduced them all to Shikamaru, who lazily waved and sat down.
"Jeez, Naruto, how many people are you going to bring out here before they fill up the entire yard?" Sakura asked. Naruto grinned and shrugged.
"Hey, I just can't stop from inviting people, ya know?" Sakura shook her head as Ino smiled and Hinata giggled a little. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, observing the group. He could tell already that they were all hiding secrets from each other. His eyes roamed to Ino, who decided to cough right then. The others didn't seem to notice, but Sakura looked at her worriedly while Ino just waved her off. Shikamaru observed her more, his eyes narrowed. Finally he sighed and looked away. How… unfortunate.
"I heard it was going to rain today," Ino announced. Everyone glance up at the sky, and Sasuke shrugged.
"It doesn't look like it's going to be any time soon," he responded. The others agreed and they continued talking. Soon Shikamaru fell asleep, and Sakura shook her head.
"What's with him?" she asked, "Is sleep all he ever does?" Naruto shrugged.
"That's what he was doing when I first met him, so I guess so," he told her. It was silent for a while, the only sound being the breeze ruffling the grass and Shikamaru's light snores.
"So tell me, Bushy Brow," Naruto started, interrupting the silence, "Why do you wear green spandex? And why do you have a bowl cut? And why are your eyebrows so bushy?" Sakura shook her head as Ino covered a giggle.
"Why, you ask?" Lee said, "It is because I am honoring Gai- sensei!" Everyone glanced at each other in confusion.
"Eh, who?" Lee shook his head and pounded his chest with his fist.
"He was my karate teacher and adoptive father," he told them, smiling fondly, "After my parents died in a car crash when I was six, Gai took me in and taught me to defend myself! Then he died when I was twelve in a car accident, so now I honor him by dressing as he did and doing my best at learning karate!" It was silent again. Ino smiled a bit.
"I think that's really nice, Lee," she said kindly. To Lee's shock, everyone nodded their heads and agreed. Usually when he told people this, they would say he was stupid and that he just looked stupid. But these people—these friends—were actually praising him for it! To everyone else's surprise, tears started running in waterfalls down Lee's cheeks.
"Thank you, my friends!" he exclaimed, and went around and hugged every single person in the group, even Sasuke and Shikamaru, who had been woken up by Lee's shouting only to find himself being hugged by the loud, green spandex- wearing boy. When he finally got Lee to let go, Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, that's nice Lee, but do you have to wear it every day?" he asked. Despite the fact that everyone thought he had been asleep, Shikamaru had been awake enough to hear Lee's story. Lee now looked down at his jumpsuit while the others agreed.
"You could wear jeans every once in a while," Ino suggested. Sakura nodded.
"Yeah, like, at least twice a week or something."
"And an actual shirt," Sasuke added.
"And you could shave your eyebrows," Naruto threw in. Sakura turned to glare at him.
"You don't shave your eyebrows, you idiot," she told him. Naruto shrugged.
"Wax, shave, whatever," he said. Hinata giggled a bit while Sakura rolled her eyes and Ino smiled. Lee smiled fondly at the group. It wasn't often that he revealed his story to anyone, and when he did he usually got fake sympathy or indifference in response. These people… they seemed to actually understand and actually care. Lee smiled again and suppressed the urge to go and hug them all again. My friends… You truly are the most caring people I've ever met…
After school it was raining, and Naruto spotted Hinata standing on the curb in the rain without an umbrella.
"I'll catch up later, ok?" he tossed to Sasuke and Shikamaru, who nodded. Naruto watched them walk away before turning back to Hinata and walking up to her.
"Hey Hinata," he greeted loudly over the rain. Hinata only jumped slightly at the sudden voice.
"H-Hi, Naruto," she responded quietly.
"Why are you out here in the rain?" he asked, "Didn't you bring an umbrella?" Hinata shook her head.
"I-I didn't know i-it was going to rain," she told him, "A-And my f-father is running l-late for some reason…" Naruto looked around. Almost all of the kids were gone by now; only a few remained, waiting on their rides.
"Well I could walk you home again if you want," he volunteered, "I'm sure your dad just forgot or something. Or maybe he's busy again." Hinata hesitated a moment before nodding, and Naruto grinned as he took her wrist and gently pulled her across the street.
"W-What about you, N-Naruto?" she asked as they walked down the sidewalk together, "D-Don't you have an u-umbrella?" Naruto shrugged, a habit he had even though she couldn't see it.
"Nah, I don't own one," he said, "Just never got around to buying one, I guess."
"B-But what about y-your parents?" Hinata asked, "D-Didn't they get you one?" It was dead silent other than the pattering of the rain, and Hinata's heart jumped.
"N-Naruto?" she called. Was he still there? Did he get mad and leave? Naruto watched as Hinata's face grew worried, and she turned her head around even though she couldn't see. He felt horrible for making her like this, and finally he pushed his feelings aside and took hold of her wrist. Hinata jumped a mile high, and his feelings of regret and disgust with himself grew.
"Sorry Hinata," he muttered, "I'm here. I was just… thinking about something." Hinata felt her heart drop and ducked her head, knowing that it was her fault he sounded so depressed.
"I-I'm sorry," she whispered shakily. Was she crying? Naruto couldn't be sure, so he gently raised her chin and hesitantly slipped her sunglasses off. Those pretty eyes were revealed to him again, and Naruto could just see tears mounting in her glassy white orbs. Hinata stood still as stone as Naruto took her sunglasses off. What was he doing?
"It's ok, Hinata," he said finally, quietly. He found himself without the heart to slip her glasses back on and cover those beautiful, sightless eyes, so instead he slipped them on the top of her head. Naruto observed her eyes again and brushed pieces of hair from her face. By now both of them were soaked to the bone, but neither seemed to notice.
"N-Naruto…"
"Sorry Hinata," he told her, "I just wanted to see you're eyes. Are… you mad at me?" Hinata shook her head without hesitation.
"O-Of course not, N-Naruto." Naruto felt the corner of his lips lift a bit.
"Alright, Hinata," he announced, only a little less cheerful than he usually would have, "Let's get you home." Hinata smiled slightly.
"Ok, N-Naruto."
They walked down the streets in silence, simply enjoying each other's company, and eventually they made it back to Hinata's home. Naruto walked her to the front door again and turned to her.
"Well, here you are, Hinata," he announced, his smile fading a bit now that she had to go and he would be a lone again. Hinata nodded sadly, seeming to know what he was thinking.
"T-Thank you, N-Naruto," she told him, "I-I hope you're not… m-mad at me…" Naruto looked down, guilt flooding him.
"Of course not, Hinata," he told her, "You're one of the most caring people I've ever met. I don't think I could ever be mad at you." Hinata smiled, her face turning pink.
"T-Thank you, N-Naruto," she said again, "I-I hope… when you want to… y-you will come to m-me…" They both knew what she meant, and Naruto nodded.
"I will, Hinata, I promise. I just… can't," he said painfully. To his shock, Hinata then wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him.
"I know, N-Naruto," she whispered. Naruto's eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. They stood there for a few minutes, just locked in each other's embrace. Finally they both let go and Hinata's face turned cherry red.
"G-Good bye, N-Naruto… Thank you…" Naruto smiled and shook his head.
"No… thanks, Hinata." Naruto gave her one last quick hug before walking away, leaving a stunned Hinata on her porch. After a moment she shook her head and entered her house, the largest grin she had ever had on her face.
Naruto walked down the street in the rain, all the time thinking of Hinata. She was... definitely the most caring person he had ever met. Naruto sighed. Too bad he couldn't be the same...
Aw :( Sadness... Anyways, I promise not all of it will be terribly sad, there will be happy and maybe funny, but yeah. Anyways, I hope you liked it! Review and shtuff, BYES!