Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
CHAPTER 9
Naruto decided two things: twilight was his new favorite time of day, and it was far too brief.
All too soon Hinata was slipping out of his arms, blushing redder than ever as she pulled his loopy ass to his feet. Is this what it felt like to be drunk? Like your legs might give out any second? Like your brain was full of helium? Like everything was funny and you couldn't stop smiling?
He giggled. He, the jinchuriki of the most feared demon in the world, son of the yellow flash, Toad Sage, the creator and only wielder of the Rasenshuriken, giggled like a school boy as he scooped his girl up and carried her over the threshold of his home. The home he built for them with his own two hands.
He could have pounded his chest in pride if he wasn't so preoccupied with the woman in his arms. Said woman was wriggling free, much to his regret, but he allowed it, seeing as she was 'oohing' and 'aahing' over his handiwork. Inside, the hut was shrouded in the dimly lit warmth of a dancing fire, offering up only mere hints at the furnishings within. Holding his hand aloft, Naruto gently coaxed a bright Rasengan within his palm, adding a bright bluish glow to the yellow light, and suddenly everything was revealed.
The clones had gone above and beyond, he was impressed with himself. The doorway through which they entered was on the far right of the hut. The two stone steps led into a small genkan closed in on three sides, slightly sunken below the floorboards that were sanded to perfection under his bare feet. Naruto kicked off his shoes, and Hinata shuffled her feet as best she could to knock off the dust, having never made it to Mt. Myoboku with shoes to begin with. He hoped that was one of the things Neji had added to his scroll.
His eyes appreciatively roamed over the simple comforts. The entry opened up to their left where the wall was lined with a tidy pile of chopped firewood, above which was an open window, shutters nearly shut to keep any curious bugs outside while still allowing the evening breeze to slip in.
Just beyond the firewood along the same wall a wide plank was braced against it like a desk, with a stool slid underneath. Naruto's chest constricted, knowing that Ero-sennin had planned to spend many an hour hunched over that spot, scribbling out his heinous erotica.
With a snort he blinked away his emotions and stepped up into the room, eyeing the numerous shelves that lined the wall perpendicular to the desk. They stretched from one end of the room to the other, waiting to be filled with any kind of cup or bowl, scroll or book. In the far corner opposite the genkan was the makeshift chabudai his clones had made from the massive stump dug out of the clearing.
His eyes glazed over a bit as he pictured enjoying nightly dinners there next to Hinata, their knees brushing against one another under the table as they leaned over and stared into each other's eyes…did he grab any candles for his scroll?
On the next wall, to the right of the shelves and above the low table was another window. Its shutters swung slightly, the flow of air dancing across the room and escaping through the window on the opposite side. A dusky, periwinkle slit of sky and stars twinkling through the open shutters. To the right of it were two lines of pegs, high and low, for hanging clothes, cloaks, towels, anything.
In the middle of the room was a square irori, set down into the floor and lined with smooth stones from the river. The bottom was filled with fine sand, and a low fire burned merrily as it slowly roasted what looked like mushrooms on two kabobs propped over it. Naruto grinned, the toads must have anticipated their first homecoming and prepared something to eat.
"What's behind that wall?"
Naruto glanced up from his inspection of the mushrooms, having completely forgotten about looking around the corner at the rest of the hut. Hinata brushed past him, eagerly tip-toeing up out of the genkan and peeking around the wall on the right that sectioned off the last corner of the single room. Forcing himself not to steal a bite of the food, Naruto turned to see what she was talking about, looking over her shoulder as they peeked around the thin wall. The blur of stress and activity over the last few days had made his multitude of clone memories fuzzy, and he honestly couldn't quite recall what was there.
His eyes flew open in horror as he saw the sturdy frame of one single bed. Just one. Not two. One.
Oh god, he screamed internally, his head immediately beginning to pound. Hinata's gonna think I'm a pervert! What the hell were my clones thinking?!
A small voice in his head very accusingly reminded him that he knew exactly what they were thinking, because they were in fact just an embodiment of his own will, but he was too busy hyperventilating to really register its truth.
"Oh," Hinata whispered, her knuckles turning white where her hand rested on the edge of the partition. Naruto wanted to scream. The Rasengan warbled in his upturned palm. His free hand was frantically expressing his internal struggle. Yanking on his hair, rubbing his face, planting on his hip, jamming into his pocket, then back to hip again.
"Uh, w-well, Ero-sennin's plans were a little, uh…you see it's just such a small space and all…that, it's just, umm…" Naruto was dying. With each exhalation his chest was caving in as his brains threatened to explode. He was terrified and excited. A horrible combination really. It made him want to throw up and adjust his pants at the same time.
He shifted awkwardly, feeling strangled by his own clothes and emotions simultaneously. He mopped sweat from his forehead, not noticing the small slip of paper on the edge of the pristinely tucked sheets that Hinata had picked up and started reading.
"It's from Shima-sama," Hinata said, her voice high and thin, shakily holding it out for him to read as well. Naruto peeked between his fingers, having buried his face in his hand, and cringed as he skimmed the neatly written lines.
Naruto and Hinata,
What a lovely little home! I hope both of you will be very happy here. This is a little welcoming gift from us, the sheets are woven of special fibers that are perfect for our warm climate. I hope you both enjoy them very much!
"Sweet Kami," Naruto hissed under his breath, glaring at the cheeky little smiley face at the end of the note, winking knowingly. Shima knew exactly what she was doing. He absently rubbed his backside, frowning as he recalled the way she had kicked him out of her own hut earlier when he had barged in on a nearly nude Hinata. And now she had adorned their sleeping quarters with satiny sheets like it was a marriage bed? Women were so confusing.
"W-well, how n-nice is that?" Hinata said with forced cheerfulness. Her fingers trembled as she folded the paper back up. Then folded it again. And again.
Naruto couldn't breathe. He couldn't believe there was only one bed. He was gonna have to share a bed with her. Not just a sleeping bag on the ground near her. A bed. The same bed. At the same time. Together.
Was it hot in here? His shirt was plastered to his back with sweat. His stomach lurched, making him whimper miserably. Distracted from her systematic and anxious destruction of the taunting piece of paper, Hinata turned and stared at his growling gut. She blinked at him blankly for a second then snapped upright.
"I'll make you dinner!" she announced much too loudly, and bolted outside to grab the scrolls.
"Um, th-thanks," he croaked into the empty room, taking a moment to adjust his damningly tight trousers while she was outside. Those sheets did look awfully silky, nothing at all like the scratchy blankets he had back in Konoha. His hand tentatively reached out to poke at the soft, milky colored fabric. Shit, it was really nice. It would feel amazing on his bare skin, twisted around her round—
The door banged open and Hinata maneuvered through with her armload of scrolls, fumbling a bit as she dropped them on the floor. Naruto snatched his hand back like he'd been burned, swallowing hard, feet frozen like a statue as he stared at the bed.
That mocking, comfortable, single, soft bed.
Whipping around he almost bolted for the door, but was barely able to stop before trampling the pile of items Hinata had just unsealed. It appeared to be things from his scroll. Amongst the plethora of supplies was a lantern with one of the glass panels cracked, a few mostly intact plates and cups, a bag of dried rice, some mismatched utensils, and the dented cooking pot Neji had helped him find, which thumped and rolled to his feet. Obviously food had been at the forefront of his mind during his looting—er, search of Konoha.
As Hinata lit the lantern and set it in the center of the table, Naruto let his Rasengan disperse. Bending to scoop up the heavy iron pot, he tried to regain his sanity as he flexed it onto the long dangling braided rope that hung from the center of the peaked roof. He steadied it over the center of the irori, struggling to steady his emotions at the same time. This wasn't the end of the world. It was just a bed. Hinata wasn't screaming and running, so he shouldn't either. It was just a bed. For sleeping in. Nothing more. Just sleep. Next to Hinata. In the dark. No big deal. No big…
Internally chanting the calming words he turned around, inhaling measured breaths through pursed lips, only to be greeted by the sight of Hinata's round ass as she stretched out on her hands and knees to grab at a water flask that had started to roll away.
He almost passed out.
Planting his hands on his knees and hanging his head in shame as he struggled to fight down the urges that were making him crazy, Naruto noticed the rumpled little pile of clothes nearby. The few shirts and extra pants he had "borrowed" from Konoha.
Launching himself over several items strewn across the floor he snatched up a shirt and the pants, heading for freedom and the fresh air that he hoped would help him clear his head.
"Y'know I am ripe, I'm just gonna go down to the river and wash up real quick," he chuckled nervously, shuffling through the minefield of things towards his escape. "Feel free to open all the scrolls you want. I'll help you as soon as I get back."
Without waiting for her reply Naruto flew out the door, nearly slamming it behind him. Racing down towards the water, the heat in his face was debatably due more to his burning thoughts than his burning muscles. Either way, when he finally reached the water's edge, he simply chucked the clean clothes over a large leafy stem and threw himself into the cool depths. Staggering through the shallows until the water reached his middle, then sinking below the surface.
The silent fluidity of the current engulfed his senses, and he let his whole body go limp. Face scrunched in self remorse as much as with the effort not to breathe. Arms floating away from his torso as his feet slowly lifted off the sandy bottom.
He needed to relax. Chill out. Loosen up. Everything was fine. This is what he wanted right? Hinata with him. All the time. Hinata loving him. Knowing he loved her in return. This hut was just his way of showing her how much he loved her. Enough to protect her. To stay with her. Close to her. Very close. All night…
He jerked up out of the water, gasping and spluttering. There was a loud squawk and the branches rustled overhead as several birds were startled into the sky. Naruto punched the water, growling with frustration. There was a need stirring restlessly in the pit of his stomach. A need he felt he didn't deserve to feel. Hinata had fulfilled one of his greatest desires: to be loved freely, verbally, and physically. It was the stuff he had dreamed about all his life. How dare he feel unsatisfied in any way?
Naruto sighed, rubbing his face and blowing aggressive bubbles before flopping upon his back and just letting his body get carried away by the sluggish current. Stupid Ero-Sennin and his single bed floor plan. Stupid clones who didn't think to change it. Stupid hormones that made the whole thing very exciting.
He would just have to offer to sleep on the floor. He had grabbed bedrolls from the Konoha supplies. It wouldn't be the end of the world. But it wouldn't compare to the freshly stuffed, soft mattress, swathed in silky sheets, fluffy pillows splayed in dark midnight hair, and warmed to perfection by her peaceful body.
Yeah, the floor was totally…fine.
His own body mightily disagreed with his brain's attempts at rationalization. Now soaked in the river, his clothes felt even more constricting than when he had been gazing down at the pure white sheets with less than pure thoughts. Peeling out of his shirt Naruto examined its dirt, sweat, and blood stains with a frown and began scrubbing the fabric against itself to loosen the grime as best he could. If he had been thinking clearly back in the hut, he would have paused to find some of the soap he had packed. Oh well. He'd take care of everything tomorrow.
Hanging the sopping wet shirt on the knot of a low hanging branch, Naruto bobbed in the water and unhooked the button of his pants, grunting with the effort to get the heavy clothing off. Finally succeeding, he flung them over the branch as well, spraying droplets across the surface and himself. Shuddering from the tickling trickles over his abused torso he glanced down, and groaned again. He really had to get himself under control, every half hard inch of himself, before he dared show his face back at the hut. He wouldn't want to scare the living daylights out of his girlfriend.
Holy shit, she's my girlfriend. His face flushed and a stupid grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. It was a legit thing right? They had kissed and everything. Not just a quick little peck either. A toe curling, mind melting, heart pounding lip lock. He couldn't wait to do it again. His tongue unconsciously ran across his lip, remembering the taste of her, and the fleeting thought of what it would be like to explore her more deeply made him throb from the inside out.
BAD NARUTO!
Plunging back beneath the surface he flailed around underwater until his lungs were screaming for air and his mind was much more focused on not drowning than anything else.
The rest of his ablutions went quickly, an anxious energy motivating him to hurry back to the hut. Hurry back to her. Abandoning the wet clothes to dry on the branch for the night, Naruto was already heading back as he pulled the fresh pants on, fumbling with the button as he barely kept from running. Darkness had fully fallen by now, with the moonlight illuminating enough of the landscape that his adjusted eyesight could easily follow the faint trail back home.
Home? Was that right? Could he call it that, even though he had never slept a single night under its roof?
Home. It felt right. More right than the orphanages he had lived in for years as a child. More than the random hotels that Ero-sennin had dragged him through during their travels. More right than the empty Konoha apartment that no longer existed. A grin spread across his face.
Home! Where the heart is, where she is, where he wanted to be!
Forgoing the shirt all together, he flung it over his shoulder and broke out into a full sprint, laughing like a fool as he jumped over the stone steps in a single bound to fling the door wide open.
"Tadaima Hinata!" he declared as he burst inside. She startled from where she was leaning over the irori, turning the kabobs of mushrooms as well as two more sticks of fresh fish. Her face was flushed as it split open in a reciprocating smile that nearly turned into a giggle at his overly exuberant entrance.
"Okaeri Naruto-kun, how was your bath?"
Swiftly turning to hang his shirt on one of the hooks along the wall, Naruto hid his blushing face as he suppressed the thought of what else he had nearly done besides just scrubbing himself.
"Good," he answered, clearing his throat in a way he hoped did not seem suspicious. Padding over to her side he squatted down and sniffed dramatically, humming in sincere anticipation of the delicious smelling food. He was so hungry. Anything would be nice, but everything about tonight seemed to light up his senses.
"Were you able to find what you needed?" Naruto asked, scanning the items that she had already lined across the shelves and the rest that still cluttered the table, waiting to be assigned a spot.
Hinata nodded, pulling one of the kabobs closer to examine the meat. "Hai, the scroll from Kiba-kun and Shino-kun had a bunch of herbs from my garden as well as the animals from your traps. I was able to add a little extra something to the food with them."
Naruto's mouth was watering as he eyed the glistening meat in her hand. "It looks amazing."
Pausing for a second, Hinata shifted on her knees before hesitantly lifting it up, holding it out towards his mouth.
"Would you like to try some?"
The loud rumble of his stomach spoke for itself, and Naruto chuckled sheepishly before carefully biting down on the sizzling food. She watched him lick his lips with a level of attention he usually only dedicated to learning a cool new jutsu, and it made his ears redden as he chewed. As expected it was delicious, and he held back no praise as he reached for the spit of mushrooms as well.
"Your turn," he commanded with exaggerated seriousness. But instead of offering her the stick, he twisted one of the browned mushrooms off, blowing on it between his pinched fingers as he watched her face.
Her eyebrows lifted as her eyes widened, and he could see her throat bob as he held out the bite. Why he was torturing himself, he couldn't say, but when she never broke eye contact with him as her lips closed around his fingertips, the concept of masochism never sounded so rational.
Back and forth they went, feeding one another as they laughed and teased. Naruto tried to show off by throwing the food high in the air before catching it in his mouth, only for Hinata to snatch it and cram it in her own. Shocked that the proper Hyuga Princess would commit such a crime, he retaliated by throwing a mushroom at her, which she also deftly caught with her teeth. Their first meal in their little home ended with a food toss and catch contest that spanned the width of the hut, and not a single bite hit the floor.
Hinata hugged her stomach and laughed, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth. "I don't think I've ever had a dinner like that," she sighed happily.
Naruto grinned, dragging his forearm across his own face and not feeling an ounce of shame over the act. "I can't wait for the next one!"
She blushed and nodded eagerly, turning her hand to cover a yawn. It was pitch black outside, the hut only illuminated by the yellow glow of the flame within the cracked lantern. Naruto could feel the weight of the day pressing down on his shoulders, even heavier now that he was full and happy. Crawling forward on all fours he used a small board to scoop sand over the coals of the irori, trying not to stare at the bed as it loomed ominously around the corner of the partition.
They were running out of delay tactics, the elephant in the room would soon have to be addressed. Once again his stomach twisted, not unpleasantly, and desperate to maintain control of himself he scrambled to think of what to do next.
"If you want to go wash up or anything, I'll take care of this stuff," he offered, gesturing to the rest of the scrolls. Hinata stretched, rubbing one of her eyes as she nodded.
"Thank you Naruto-kun," she sighed tiredly as she stood. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Her footsteps were soundless as she walked around him, the air shifting as she passed making him shiver with stifled anticipation. His thoughts started to gain momentum once more. It would be time for sleep when she returned. Sleep in the bed. The one bed. One not-so-big bed.
"Hinata!" he stood abruptly, making her jump with her hand on the door and quickly turn to face him. Fisting his hands with chivalrous determination, he cleared his throat.
"I'll sleep on the floor," he said through gritted teeth, forcing a tense smile. Every fiber of his being screamed in outrage, but he held firm. "So, you don't have to worry about…anything."
Her eyes flickered, he couldn't be sure if it was a trick of the light through the cracked glass or if a flash of regret had crossed her expression.
"Oh. If-If that's what you want," she stuttered, her toe drawing small circles on the flat boards of the genkan. Perplexed by her reaction, he scratched the back of his head anxiously.
"Well, I uh, just kinda figured that, y'know, it would be more p-proper, and all." Damn it, he was stuttering as much as she was now. And no matter how hard he tried there was no disguising the reluctance in his tone. The noncommittal hum of agreement she gave didn't help convince him that he was making the right choice either. The last thing he felt like being was 'proper'. Crossing his arms with a huff he accidentally bumped his own sore ribs and grunted with increasing annoyance.
The sound seemed to make Hinata perk up, like a light bulb had just gone off in her head. "But you're hurt! Injured people shouldn't sleep on the floor. The bed would be much better for, um, healing purposes."
"It would?" he asked with narrowed eyes, half confused and half suspicious. She nodded so swiftly her hair swished into her face.
"H-hai."
Interesting. Did she think she was being subtle? That he wouldn't think about what that would mean?
"But what about you?" he asked.
Her blush was instant and vicious, spreading generously across her nose and cheeks. Naruto stepped closer, like a shark smelling blood in the water, sensing an opportunity too delicious to ignore and unable to summon the manners to do so.
"Me?" she squeaked, brushing her hair out of her eyes and twisting it anxiously around her finger. "O-oh, I can sleep just about anywhere. It's fine. I'll just lay down, um…"
"With me."
His voice had dropped, it was practically predatory as he stepped down into the genkan to face her. He couldn't help it. His paltry attempt at civility had melted away until only instinct was left. With the last vestiges of his self control, he added what he hoped was not the lamest excuse in the world.
"It would be impolite to hog the bed all to myself, y'know."
"It would?" she whispered, mesmerized by his fingertips as they drummed along his bare bicep. Her hand stilled in its restless twirling of her dark tresses. "I-I guess it would."
Suddenly catching herself staring, Hinata snapped her eyes back up to his face and smiled tightly, the strain of holding something back clearly shuttering her expression.
"I promise I don't take up much room," she tried to joke.
Naruto shrugged, making sure to flex his shoulders a bit more than was necessary just to see what she would do.
"Oh yeah? Well, I hate to break it to you, but I do. It might be a tight squeeze."
Her eye twitched. "Tight squeeze?" By some behemoth effort she managed to maintain his rapidly heating gaze. But the redness was now extending all the way up to her ears. I wonder if I could make it go even further?
"Uh-huh," he nodded, invading her personal space until she was craning her neck upward, or else risk staring straight into his mischievously twisting lips. "Next to me. In the bed. Tonight."
"…in bed." He heard her body thump lightly against the door as she braced herself, nodding bravely despite appearing weak in the knees.
Naruto tilted his head teasingly. "Do you think you could get used to that?"
"H-hai," her response was more exhalation than answer. Pressing her palms into the wooden door, she looked for all the world like a trapped animal. The temptation to torture her was like a swig of sake from Jiraiya's flask when the sage wasn't looking. Burning and warm and heady. Naruto planted a hand on the door beside her head, looming over her as much as he could, as much as his libido would sanely allow him. The exhaustion of the day was devouring his rationality, and soon he knew he would cease to give any fucks about propriety altogether.
"Are you sure?" he murmured, unable to stop staring at her lips. She was chewing on them ruthlessly. He should make her stop. She needed to be nice to her lips. He wanted to be nice to her lips.
Slowly, with great restraint, he dipped his head sideways towards her ear, giving her ample warning as to his intention. She went completely rigid, her breaths short and shallow, fluttering over his shoulder as he carefully closed in.
"Hi-na-ta," he crooned directly onto her ear, savoring her gasp as though it were the dessert for his meal. Her whole body shuddered as she nodded jerkily, and his pupils blew wide.
Gotcha. His free hand reached around and tugged needfully on the ends of her hair, making her flinch but not recoil. The contradiction of fear and excitement her body language was telegraphing made him want to play with her even more.
"C'mon Hime, get used to me," he teased as he kissed her forehead. Her eyes slid closed, her brow furrowing, but she didn't stop him.
"Get used to me," he warned gently, huskily, motivated by her silence. He kissed each of her temples, her eyes squeezed tighter, but her head turned into his touch.
"Get used to me," he commanded lowly, dragging his lips down her cheeks. She was blatantly trembling, he was wickedly smirking. He just needed a quick taste. Something to take the edge off the ache that was growing in his gut again. Enough to sate the beast so he wouldn't devour her in the night.
The whimper that escaped her as he pressed his mouth over hers went straight to his head. Why such a sound would make him want to dig his claws into the woodwork was beyond his comprehension. This kiss was completely different than before. It was raw, hungry. If the affection they shared at twilight was a blessed benediction, this midnight urgency was a hypnotic spell.
More, his brain demanded.
Running his tongue across her lips, he moaned in bliss as she immediately opened up for him. The hand stroking her hair turned possessive, tightly gripping the nape of her neck as she allowed him to explore her. Her tongue tentatively danced with his, hot and fluid, testing the ways they could move together. Their breathing was loud, bordering on frantic as Naruto pushed her up against the door. He was certain she could feel his pounding heart through his ribs. Feel his deep satisfaction rumble in his chest as he hummed when she pushed back into him, clinging to him.
What the hell was he supposed to do with his hands? They were touching her everywhere, like they had a mind of their own. Cupping her jaw, gripping her shoulders, sliding down to her waist until they finally settled on her hips. With every new territory they claimed, he itched to feel her more. She was starting to writhe beneath him, creating a friction which was stoking a fire that he couldn't contain.
"Damn it," he groaned, tearing his mouth away from hers and nipping at her bottom lip with much less gentleness than he intended. She inhaled sharply, but instead of retreating her arms tightened around his neck. He bit her harder, sucking her plump lip into his mouth for an instant before soothing away the aggression with another sloppy kiss. But he needed more, and his hungry mouth wandered further downward, peppering her neck with bruising attention.
Stretching beneath him she bared herself to his feasting, an offering without rebuke.
"N-Naruto-kun, that-that feels…" her words strangled as he threw all caution aside and licked her pale skin from the curve of her jaw to the peak of her chin, and she threw her head back with a soft thud against the wood.
It was her high pitched sigh that ultimately did him in, breathy and needy, straight into his ear. With a surge of salacious power he grabbed her thighs and hoisted her up, smashing her into the door which rattled under his fervor. Her legs instantly wrapped around his hips, and she cried out as he sank his teeth into her neck.
Without thinking he ground his aching length into her center, and it felt like a bolt of lightning shot straight up his belly. Hinata arched upon him in a grind of pure want, and he almost passed out, the motion pressing her breasts into his chest with mind numbing weight.
They rocked against each other in a rhythmless and frantic heat that was rapidly heading out of control. Naruto had never felt like this in his life. Felt like every inch of his skin was on fire. Felt like he was gonna die if he didn't engulf her. Felt like he was gonna explode. Felt like he was gonna—oh shit!
Clamping his hands around her waist like a vice he reeled backwards, harshly breathing through flared nostrils as he clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth nearly cracked. She squirmed, her hands clutching his arms, still chasing the euphoria they had started. The torture of every shift of her pelvis was nearly enough to make his knees buckle.
"Hina-ta," he choked out, his voice hoarse and desperate. Her eyes flew open, suddenly processing their position and she gasped softly. Through his bleary vision he noted that the blush had traveled all the way into her purple jacket, and he took a measure of pride from the fact.
Licking his lips once, twice, he held her like a live bomb, terrified of what she might set off if he so much as jostled her.
"I think—you should—g-go," he managed to spit out.
Her face fell. "You want me to go?"
"Not even a little bit," he growled. His legs shook and she unconsciously shifted upon his groin for balance. He groaned like he had been punched, and his dick twitched traitorously. "But if you don't, I-I might, do…something."
Hoping his eyes would say what he couldn't bring himself to put into words, he stared at her with fierce intensity. Her mouth dropped open, understanding dawning as her eyebrows soared into her hair. "Oh. I see."
One leg at a time Hinata timidly released him, sliding down the front of his body and leaving no secret as to what state of arousal he was in. When she could peel her fingers off of his arms she fisted them tightly over her heart, shyly looking away as he awkwardly hunched over and planted his hands on his knees, hanging his head and trying to calm the throbbing ache in his core. He could only nod weakly as she whispered something and slipped out the door, disappearing into the night.
Far beyond lying to himself, Naruto abandoned all pretense of piety as he clawed at the zipper of his pants. The tension was so intense it was nearly painful, and he kicked the clothes and boxers across the room without caring where they landed. Swallowing hard, Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, caving into his aching body with a tentative grip of his straining cock. In his mind it was her hand groping him instead, while he traced the smooth planes of her stomach. Followed the tantalizing slope of her waist. Dug his fingers into the curve of her hip as he held her down upon himself.
A deep groan slipped out of his pursed lips as he ground his hand up and down his hard dick, imagining instead grinding into her heat. Kami, she would probably make the most filthy sounds. Perhaps even cry out his name, igniting his sense of possession and unleashing the fire that was threatening to devour him. Her skin would burn under his touch as he tore away the layers of clothing between them.
His pace sped up, pumping himself as his fantasy ran completely wild. He wanted to bite her neck hard enough to mark her. Trace the line of her collar bone with his tongue before diving down into the deep cleft between her breasts. Bury his face in full swell of what he had only glimpsed when he had barged in on her earlier.
"Fffuuuck," he hissed, his head twisting sideways as he grit his teeth under the pressure of his building climax. His hand tightened, the other greedily palming his balls as he pictured thrusting so hard she bounced free of her bindings. Her heavy breasts bathed in nothing but moonlight and his heated stare. She was all his. His to worship. His to ravish. His to take.
He sank his teeth into his bottom lip, the way he wished he could sink them around her nipple, tugging and sucking until she writhed upon him and begged for release. Begged him to let her scream. Clawed at his shoulders with her nails until he was carved up by her passion, while he rocked her into oblivion. Until she would throw her head back and cry out into the heavens as he drove into her tightness, drove her over the edge…
He barely had the wherewithal to grab his T-shirt off the peg before his climax seized him, every muscle clenched in ecstasy as he poured himself out until he was literally and mentally empty, save for the haze of lust that blurred everything but the tingling of his skin. Letting go of all his tension as it blissfully bled out of him Naruto sagged sideways against the wall panting harshly, deliciously exhausted.
He felt amazing. Elated. A little guilty, but ultimately, glorious.
Staggering across the room like a drunk, he kicked the shirt under the bed, and blinked deliriously in search of his pants. His gaze landed on the boxers, limply dangling off the edge of the bed. Good enough.
It took him three tries to get his legs through the proper holes. Upon successful completion, in more than one sense of the word, Naruto's body simply gave out. In a landslide of exhaustion the culmination of the day hit him like a ton of bricks, and he passed out cold face down on the bed.
A short while later a still blushing Hinata slipped back into the hut, her hair wet and jacket hanging from her arm. The lantern still flickered merrily on the table, and the hut hummed with the deep snores of a completely incoherent Naruto. A few pokes of his torso in various places confirmed her suspicions, he was dead to the world.
Sighing in relief Hinata quickly collapsed beside him. The anxiety of having to face him after such a…scintillating event no longer an issue. On the contrary, with a boldness fueled by the knowledge that he would never remember a thing, she rolled him over and covered them both with the huge blanket. Snuggling into his side she carefully tucked his arm around her middle just the way she had always wanted, and floated away into a dreamland that was much more realistic than ever before.
The distant chorus of croaks and ribbets dug through the thick blanket of drowsiness that clung to Naruto's brain. The moist, early morning humidity from the multitude of ponds dampened the skin exposed above his blanket, and he instinctively burrowed deeper into the warm core that he had involuntarily wrapped himself around whilst dead to the world.
The warmth smelled nicer than normal. Making him nuzzle the pillow with a sleepy refusal to acknowledge the burgeoning day. Clinging to fuzzy dreams of soft clouds and weightlessness.
Then the warmth sighed.
His blue eyes snapped open, the familiar sounds and smells of Mt. Myoboku mixing with the sight of unfamiliar walls and sheets, bringing him forwards in time. Memories of sage training and late nights spent sneaking away to perfect his Rasenshuriken until he dragged himself back into Fukasaku's hut and collapsed out of pure exhaustion were doused in the fresh awareness that this was not one of those days. There was no buggy breakfast frying nearby. No raspy humming coming from Shima's kitchen. Just the distant sound of birds chirping, and much closer rhythm of soft breathing.
Blinking with rapidly increasing alertness, Naruto studied the waves of black hair twisting up out of the white sheets, disappearing into the folds of a rumpled shirt, and surrounding the body from which the delicious warmth was radiating. Hinata's warmth.
His fingers twitched with alarm as he mentally traced the path of his arms. They were entwined around her waist in a possessive manner that caused his cheeks to heat up from an inner awareness of just exactly where his hands had buried themselves in a heat seeking journey throughout the night.
Sai and Sakura had always accused him of being an aggressive nocturnal snuggler, blaming him for hoarding everyone's pillows and stealing blankets every time Team Seven shared a tent. It would seem his subconscious desires had manifested during the night, because he could feel every thud of his heart beating against her back. The tantalizing friction between his chest and her spine increasing with every anxious breath. The comforting weight of her body curled into his protective embrace. No pile of pillows could compare this luxurious setting.
Sure, they had crossed a few lines last night. The mellow heat from the charming fire, the rippling shadows of the lantern's light, and the intimacy of the night had mixed with the high of their confessions to cast an evening spell which still felt surreal. But now, in the exposing brightness which streamed through the partially open windows, Naruto recalled his actions and assessed his current situation completely differently. He cringed at the memory of his mindlessly lewd behavior. What kind of asshole followed up such a beautiful moment with that kind of horniness?
And now here he was, starting out the new day by practically groping her in bed. The only reason Hinata hadn't jūkened him to kingdom come was probably because he had the luck to awaken first. Maybe if he could slip away and clear his head he could summon the courage to look her in the eye again. Maybe they could just pretend it hadn't happened? That the evening had ended after the fun dinner and then they had just fallen straight to sleep like two perfectly platonic people.
Just as Naruto was coming to the conclusion that escape was his safest option, Hinata shifted in her sleep. He froze, praying that she wouldn't wake up, tensing in preparation to flee on sight. Craning his neck up off the pillow to check for the slightest sign of her temples starting to bulge with veins, he was instead presented with the gut melting sight of her sleepy pout. He shifted carefully and leaned a bit further, wondering what she was dreaming about. The frown deepened and her hands began to fumble at her waist until they blindly found his slowly retreating arm and hugged it back into place. Startled, he watched in fascination as the corners of her mouth turned up and a breathy sigh escaped her lips as she unwittingly burrowed further into his embrace. There was nothing lascivious about it, just a simple, honest desire for his touch that permeated even the depths of her unconsciousness.
The act flooded him with an unexpected surge of childish pleasure, satisfying the constant longing for affection which had defined the majority of his youth. Throughout his life, body contact was something that had only occurred with vicious negativity. The tight grip of an angry shopkeeper as they tossed him out onto the street. The fists of the drunks who hunted him through the alleys if he failed to hide well enough. The shove of a bully chasing him off the playground. The blows of a spar, with only the briefest touch of the wakai no in afterwards to assuage all the pain.
Affection was something Naruto had always craved and of which he'd been forever starved. The gentle head pats and side hugs from Iruka-sensei had been just enough to keep him alive. The compulsion to get a response out of his peers was what drove him to chase after Sakura like a stubborn dog, not fully understanding what he wanted, but knowing he needed it all the same. It was why he had been so hyper-focused on Sasuke, thinking that if he just drowned him in attention then surely he would get some in return.
He was wrong. It just seemed to drive them both away.
With puberty his understanding of affection had broadened, aided in no small part by his time spent traveling with Ero-senin. The Old Toad was not perfect, but he was the one who really helped define the difference between the types of bonds Naruto wanted in life. There had been plenty of opportunities for physical touch from the plethora of women that the perverted sage had paraded in and out of their day to day lives. But even in his naivety, or perhaps because of it, Naruto had felt that such affection was shallow, forced. That it would take more away from him than he would get in return.
Upon returning to Konoha he had tried a new strategy: if he cast a wide net, pouring his affection out far and wide, be it physical or emotional, he was sure to catch something right? To find someone who would return his attention? The theory had fueled him through the rough first weeks as Sai's teammate and the desperate mission to save Gaara, one of the few people on the face of the earth who could understand Naruto. Sakura had teased him for the way he had blushed when shaking the Kazekage's hand upon the successful completion of his rescue. But she didn't understand. It was the joyful flush of receiving a genuine act of friendship, a sincere touch from a gentle hand. Reciprocation, finally. For Gaara, the simple gesture was steeped in emotion, and Naruto sensed that. And it was addicting.
From then on Naruto had been keenly aware of any instance of affection, and had spent more mental energy than he realized analyzing its many hues. It was what made the moment he heard Hinata utter those words stand out in his mind, even through the engulfing craze of the Kyūbi's possession. She had been painfully, heartbreakingly sincere. He had been obsessed with seeking her out, confirming his suspicions, his hopes.
And look at where it had led him.
Reflexively tightening his grip, Naruto dared to nuzzle deeper into the back of Hinata's neck with a deep sigh. Kami, she felt amazing. She felt safe and homey. The faint aroma of the river still clung to her hair, mixing with the smokier scent of the banked fire nearby. It added to the coziness of their nest. Their cocoon of blankets. He wanted nothing more than to just abide with her, to drink in all of her until his lifelong thirst for affection was finally quenched. It didn't need to be all heated kisses or passionate caresses, he'd take anything. A smile, a long glance, a cooked meal, a conversation. Any drop of her attention was worth savoring.
Forgetting that he was supposed to be sneaking away instead of entangling himself deeper into the stuffed mattress by her side, Naruto let his guard drop. Completely lost in his own la la land of musings and bliss. But his fidgeting and stirring were gradually rousing her as well, and without opening her eyes she slowly unfurled in a languid stretch.
"Ohayō Hinata," he murmured lazily next to her ear, failing to account for the fact that she might also need a moment to remember where the hell she was.
The blankets exploded as she lurched up off of the bed, practically becoming airborne as she twisted around. Naruto yelped in fear as he protected his manhood from her flailing limbs. It was a wise reflex, because now she was terribly tangled up in the white lengths of fabric causing her to barely keep from falling on him when she landed on her hands and knees.
They stared at one another, breathing quickly and blinking slowly. Curtains of hair were tumbling over her shoulders, fluttering with each one of his harsh exhalations and tickling his face until he could barely suppress the urge to twitch. But Naruto didn't dare move. Not until the alarm in her expression and the pulsing veins of her Byakugan faded away.
All at once recognition cleared the haziness of sleep from her eyes and her cheeks blossomed with generous pink splotches. Naruto exhaled in relief, he wouldn't die by jūken. Today at least.
With greater awareness of her predicament Hinata sat up, untangling her arms and shakily combing her fingers through her hair as she stuttered out a soft and raspy apology. As his panic relaxed Naruto couldn't help but admire her, pushing himself upright as well. She looked mussed and sleepy, but in an adorable way that made him want to pinch her cheeks.
Their bed was tucked into a tight corner, almost completely closed in on three sides, further proof that when Ero-sennin originally made his plans he was still just a traveling hermit without a companion or a disciple. The rough sketches and wood framework Fukasaku had shown Naruto when he had first come to Mt. Myoboku were incomplete, just like the few manuscripts the erotic author had left behind when his life had ended. Trying to read and modify the plan was too painful to contemplate at the time, and Naruto had not paid much attention, instead focusing on his own Sage training.
The result was that Hinata was now trapped, her one exit laying beyond Naruto's body, which was not interested in moving at the moment. His grin widened further as her gaze assessed her situation, and she chewed the inside of her cheek. Would she be brave enough to climb over him?
"Going somewhere?" he teased, earning a cute pout. Hinata straightened her t-shirt, which looked like a plain old large men's shirt that she had rummaged out of the supplies. It was slipping down one shoulder and he thought he saw the faintest marks on her neck before the shirt and her hair were nervously adjusted. The sight stirred mixed feelings. He had bruised her, with his own teeth no less…and he kinda liked that fact. But was she upset?
Naruto frowned, raising an eyebrow at her silence as she continued to comb her hair over her shoulder. Her eyes were drifting down toward the foot of the bed where his legs were drawn up and an opening was apparent. Deciding to stick to lighthearted fun until he had a better idea of what was going on in her head, he stretched out his legs, shaking his head scoldingly.
"Ah, ah, ah! What's the magic word?"
Hinata flinched at the discovery of her little plan and sank deeper into the swaths of fabric, pulling the blanket edge up around her ears and lifting pleading eyes to his derisive expression. Something that might have been the word 'please' was mumbled into the hem, but he chose to ignore it.
"I can't hear you," he sang, planting an elbow in his hand while tapping a finger on his chin in dramatic thought. Pretending to contemplate a vastly complicated treaty for her escape. "Hmm, since someone doesn't know how to use their words I guess I'll take a kiss in exchange for your release!"
She gasped, and he barked with laughter, unable to keep from rocking the entire bed. The other end of the large blanket pooled down around his hips, revealing the bare skin of his chest as he guffawed and hugged his stomach. Her blush was so cute, her wide eyes so alluring, Naruto couldn't resist pushing a little bit further.
"C'mon Hinata! You didn't have any problem kissing me yesterday," he snickered, reaching to snatch at the makeshift hood she had created. Strands of dark, tangled hair framed her face and he tried to smooth them away but she only melted further away from his hand, her slender fingers pressed tightly over her mouth. He could have sworn steam was rising out of the cracks in her blanket armor.
"B-but, I have m-morning b-breath," she stuttered out.
Naruto huffed. "Like I care. I went on a mission with Kiba once, remember? I call him Dog Breath for a reason. Nothing could be as bad as that!"
Hinata snorted, her shoulders trembling as she giggled. "It is pretty…distinct, isn't it?"
"See! We're both immune! Now pay the toll if you want out!"
Her hands lowered from her face as she laughed, but her lips remained pressed tightly together. Grabbing handfuls of her blanket cocoon he tugged, scooting the little ball of fluffy fabric and Hinata closer to himself. She stared at him for a moment, wavering indecisively as he tried to persuade her with a waggle of his eyebrows. Hesitantly, she tilted her head back, presenting her chastely puckered lips to him.
Unwilling to let her balk he dove forward, planting a brazenly loud smack directly on her mouth that nearly pushed her into the wall, forcing her to release her hold on the protective layers of sheets and plant her hands onto the mattress lest she topple backwards. Seeing his chance Naruto commenced the most brutal tickle attack he had ever unleashed. Well, it was the only tickle fight he'd ever had, really. Sasuke and Sakura had wanted no part of his morning shenanigans. Sai had no concept of boundaries and such a thing might accidentally escalate into an actual fight. Yamato would just string him up in a tree if he ever tried. And Kakashi-sensei never slept—like, ever—so he was impossible to sneak up on.
And so that morning fulfilled two of Naruto's dreams: waking up with a beautiful woman in his arms, and having the most epic tickle fight ever. The pillows barely survived. The blankets were pathetic shields. The laughter was unhinged, morning breath and messy hair were forgotten, and the joy was overflowing.
It all ended too soon, when Naruto managed to dig his fingers into the extremely sensitive muscle of her inner thigh, causing Hinata to kick him across the room in a knee jerk reaction. He cartwheeled out of the bed and landed in a mangled heap of white sheets, his head and eyes spinning.
"Hot damn," he mumbled under his breath as Hinata scrambled to his side, apologizing profusely. If that's what she did when he only tickled her there, what would she do if he…hmm.
Mental notes were made.
Shaking the dizziness away, Naruto pushed himself up to sit against the wall, his legs tangled in the sheets which had been yanked off the bed with him. Her hands were gently grabbing his jaw, turning his head side to side, asking if his vision was okay, if he'd bit his tongue, did he need her to heal anything?
"I'm fine, Hinata, I'm fine," he laughed, capturing her wrists to stop her from searching through his hair for any bumps. Her skin was flushed and warm from their morning romp, although the blush on her face hadn't really faded since she awoke. His eyes softened from their mischievous sharpness, his hands giving hers a reassuring squeeze.
"Ero-sennin used to joke that I was made of rubber, I always bounce back."
To prove his point, he released her and pulled down the rumpled blanket from around his torso to reveal nothing but smooth skin. All the scratches, bruises, and cuts from yesterday were completely gone.
"See? All better. It's one of the few upsides to being a jinchuriki." His mouth twisted in a rueful smile as he patted himself with false pride.
Hinata stared at his face, reading the deeper layers under the offhand comment. The half smile faded from his face as he felt her keen gaze seeing more than he meant for her to, and Naruto cleared his throat and looked away, wanting to keep the mood as lighthearted as possible. Her eyes narrowed slightly, dropping to focus on his chest, curiosity and shyness warring in her expression as she hesitantly poked the spot on his rib where she had healed him yesterday.
He held his breath, the atmosphere thickening as he tried not to twitch under her gentle inspection. Rarely had he ever spoken out loud about his "status" to anyone, it being a mystery to himself for most of his life as well as literally forbidden. He had a hard enough time making friends, topics such as the demon of hatred who had murdered thousands of his countrymen and could very well break free at any given moment to do it again weren't exactly great icebreakers. Fidgeting nervously, he searched his mind for a way to change the subject.
"How about some breakfa—"
"Is it awful?" Her soft question caught him off guard.
"What?"
"Being a jinchuriki. What does it feel like? Is it…does it hurt?" Hinata had settled on her knees beside him, as he sat on the floor leaning against the wall, hair standing up on all sides even more than usual. But she looked at him without any judgment, only an open, caring gaze that made him terrified as hell.
Terrified because he wanted to tell her the truth. He wanted to vent, to pour out his burdens. To share his horror stories of the blood thirsty nightmares that tortured him as a child. The pain of feeling burned alive when training with his tails and accidentally taking it too far. The fear of never being allowed to fall apart, less the monster within escape through his wild emotions. He wanted to open the flood gates and show her all his hidden wounds and let her heal them.
But what if it was too much? What if it was so much worse than she thought? What if she was overwhelmed by his baggage and she started having second thoughts? People around him had a nasty habit of not sticking around and disappearing when things got rough. He didn't want to give her any reason to want to leave.
"N-not really," he lied. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He wasn't acutely suffering all the time. Just, flirting with the edge of hell, on a daily basis. No big deal. He smiled brightly for added emphasis, making sure it crinkled his eyes. "Nothing I can't handle!"
Hinata frowned, her shoulders drooping a bit as her eyes shimmered in that way that made him feel like he had said something terrible. His smile felt stiff. The two stared at each other.
She started to say something, paused, and chewed on the inside of her cheek. Glancing down, her hands retreated into her lap and began fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Naruto twitched, the plastered expression melting from his face as he observed her closing up, like a flower folding up its petals as the sunlight faded. His shoulders sagged. The last thing he wanted was for her to shut off. For the glimpses of her bubbling joy to be tampered. He wanted her to be open and honest with him.
Like he wasn't being with her.
Crossing his legs Naruto sighed harshly as he leaned forward and planted his elbows on his knees, kneading his temples with his fingers, trying to figure out where to begin.
"Being a jinchuriki is…hard."
That was the understatement of the century. He cleared his throat and shifted restlessly on the floor attempting to put the insane experience into words. No one had ever really asked him what it was like before. Ero-sennin had wanted to know how the chakra flow felt when they trained. Sarutobi was only concerned about what secrets the Kyūbi was sharing, always worried Naruto would learn something he didn't want him to know. Iruka-sensei didn't want to know anything, just pretend like it wasn't there at all. Kakashi-sensei had been interested in his fighting abilities, for better or worse. His eyes, claws, teeth, and extra chakra talents.
All of those things were just small pieces of the whole picture, the signs and symptoms of a disease but not a true cause. No one had ever asked him what it actually felt like on the inside. No one had ever literally stopped, sat down, and looked him in the eyes and asked to hear his story. But here was Hinata, quiet, calm eyes wide with anticipation, eagerly waiting to hear him spill the tale that he had never revealed before.
And so he told her. He told her about the childhood of running. About the nightmares. About the confusion of not understanding why he'd been exiled from everything that everyone else had. He told her about being an orphan, about wondering what had happened to his parents. About trying to add and subtract the monthly allowance he got when he could hardly count. He told her about a time when he first started the Academy, and he got all the math questions wrong because he hadn't realized that the shop owners had been short changing him all his life. He told her about how he got so addicted to ramen because it was all he could afford, and the only people who would serve him a hot meal were Teuchi and Ayame.
He tried to tell her happy stuff too. He told her about traveling with Jiraiya. Told her about fighting Tsunade and then watching the Three Sannin face off. He talked, and he talked, and he talked.
When it came to talking about the day that he went into a full nine tailed fury, his words choked up in his throat. He told her about his father, The Yondaime, how he'd punched him in the gut. The secrets Minato had revealed about the night of the Kyūbi's attack. About the feelings that welled up within his heart when he had experienced true parental approval for the first time, even if it was just from a chakra spirit.
Hinata didn't judge him for the tears that slipped down his cheeks. If anyone understood the desire to have their father express their pride, it was her. She validated his emotions, and reciprocated with her own. Opening the tightly locked cage around her heart and releasing its contents for the first time in the broad light of day.
She told him about her mother, the blurry, fuzzy, warm memories she treasured. How the kidnapping had changed everything, ruining her family on so many levels. How the ripple effects of that night still moved the motivations of her father to this day. She told him about her sister, the bright little firecracker piercing all the dreariness for so many years.
Naruto gasped when she told him about the red scarf she had saved from the day he had defended her against the bullies. He'd completely forgotten about that. His surprise doubled into shock as Hinata squeaked out her confession to stalking him most of their childhood. How watching him persevere had given her courage as well. Until the day had come when she knew she could lay down her life for him without regret.
The day continued creeping by but they hardly noticed, lost in a world all their own inside that tiny hut, entwined on the floor in a soft blanket. Swapping tears and laughter, exposing themselves heartbeat by heartbeat, breath by breath, word by word. Somehow the affection of their meandering conversation felt a million times more intimate than the fleeting moments of physical passion they had shared the night before. Their united elation in each new discovery was palpable and unfaltering, a new and exhilarating facet to their burgeoning relationship compared to the mind numbing ecstasy which had been so brief, yet so powerful. This was something much deeper. A strengthening of a bond that was fresh and fragile into a trustworthy connection that would last a lifetime.
They had completely forgotten how much time it passed until suddenly a knock sounded on the door. Naruto jumped up to answer it and swayed a bit with lightheadedness. What time was it? How long had it been since they last ate?
Fukasaku and Shima were squeezed side by side on the top step, grinning suggestively as Naruto swung the door open and blinked painfully in the bright midday sun.
"Just waking up Boy? Had a late night, eh?" Fukasaku cackled deeply at Naruto's blush as he looked down and realized he was still in his boxers. Pulling the door nearly shut and blocking it with his body he glanced over his shoulder at Hinata. She had scrambled to her feet and was gathering up the massive blanket, the curtain of her hair strategically hiding her face. For the first time he noticed that she was wearing what looked like boxers under the large white shirt. Orange boxers. Nice.
"Enough funny business!" Shima scolded loudly and Naruto's head whipped back around. But her smirking smile rendered her harsh words harmless. "I heard there is a new Toad Summoner, and I wanted to be the first to congratulate her!"
"Oh! R-Right, the Contract. The Contract specifically for Summoners to sign. The Toad Contract…you mean that one?"
Two pairs of buggy eyes glared at him, unamused. "Yes that one! Did you forget already?!"
There was a gentle tap on his shoulder and Hinata appeared at Naruto's side, having slid into her normal purple jacket and pants while he was attempting to delay the inevitable.
"Hai," she said sheepishly, her eyes squinting shut in a bright smile as she opened the door all the way and greeted their guests with a polite bow. "I just haven't had a chance to actually sign it yet because there was a lot to do last night in the hut."
Fukasaku snickered, "I can't imagine what that would be." His guffaw choked off into a hack when Shima smacked the back of his head when she noticed the mortified blush that was creeping up Hinata's face. While the old married toads bickered away Naruto sighed resignedly and turned to retrieve The Scroll, hoisting it over his shoulder and marching out into the clearing where there was plenty of room to unroll its enormous length.
The smell of warm grass was accentuated by the dew rapidly evaporating in the hot sun. Naruto sent out a couple of clones to collect what was left of the freshwater puddled in the larger leaves before it all disappeared, and another to go back inside and prepare breakfast. Or was it brunch? Might as well be honest with himself and call it lunch at this point.
Immediate tasks assigned, he threw down the ancient scroll with a flourish that would make Jiraiya proud, and the foursome gathered around to admire the history of signatures.
Unlike last time, when he had been young and greedy for jutsu, Naruto paused to study the names on the paper with nostalgic reverence. This was the closest he had ever come to inheriting something from his father that wasn't simply genetic or a damn curse. Each new name was more vibrant than the last. The blood from his own looked as fresh as if he had just written it yesterday.
Kneeling down on the warm earth he gently pressed his palm over Minato's red handprint. Naruto's fingers were longer, his dad must have been young like him when he signed the contract. His characters were neat and even, conveying a solemnity that was in direct contradiction with the scrawling signatures on each side of it. Jiraiya's and Naruto's were barely legible, both had been teeming with excitement at the possibilities that lay before them when hurriedly writing their names.
How appropriate that Hinata would be the next one, her steady hand a perfect balance for his personality, on paper and in life.
Her fingers trembled as she bit her thumb, but her eyes were dancing with anticipation. His heart thrummed. This would make it all official. No one could force her to leave after this.
She didn't flinch when her teeth broke skin, and her strokes were sure and steady. The rich, dark blood glistened in the sunlight, thick enough to balance on top of the paper for a second before soaking in. Pressing her lips together in concentration she spread the liquid across her palm and carefully stamped her mark at the bottom. A fat drop fell from her fingertip as she pulled away, jostled by Shima's eager congratulatory embrace.
Naruto stared at it when it plopped heavily onto the scroll, a round bubble in the middle of her handprint that refused to absorb. A breeze kicked up, and he shivered despite not being the least bit cold. The wind rippled the bead of blood, and to his shock, it started to roll across the paper, as if driven by an unseen hand.
"Uh, g-guys, what the heck does this mean?" he demanded, pointing at the scroll and making everyone turn around in confusion. They all leaned in, nearly knocking heads as they gaped at the surreal sight.
As they watched, the drop of blood from Hinata's handprint laboriously made its way towards his own bloody imprint, trailing a line of bright red to mark its journey.
"What does that mean?" Hinata whispered. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Shh!" Fukasaku hissed, throwing out his short arms. "Nobody move! If this is what I think it is…"
"What is—" Naruto grunted as Shima flicked his forehead, glaring at him to be quiet. His face was starting to sweat as he rubbed at the stinging spot. But he didn't dare take his eyes off the scroll.
Halfway between his old handprint and hers, Hinata's blood stopped. For a moment nobody breathed. Waiting for something that he couldn't even begin to predict. Then, as if pulled by a magnetism beyond the laws of the universe, the blood from his old mark, beaded up and began to move as well.
They all gasped. Naruto's nostrils were flared as he watched his own blood, which by all means should have been long dried, streak across the remaining distance and head straight for Hinata's. Shima was nearly squealing, dancing back and forth on her feet. He felt Hinata seize his hand just as the two lines met, clinging to him with a painfully tight grip as their blood united and mixed together.
"Its been so long," Fukasaku murmured with a tone of awe. "I'd forgotten that could even happen."
"What happened?!" Naruto snapped, his knuckles going white over Hinata's fingers. If this was a trick of some sort, some kind of curse from the gods, he would fight to the death before he let them take Hinata away. He would do anything, battle anyone, to make sure she was protected forever, no matter what—
"Calm down Naruto-chan!" Fukasaku cried, waving his arms in the air. "For Kami's sake your eyes are turning red! This is a good thing, a great thing. A once in a lifetime blessing."
Hinata's breath hitched. "A blessing? For who?"
"For both of you!" Shima sighed dreamily, clasping her hands and pressing them against her green cheek. "It's the actual Red Thread of Fate. You're soulmates!"
"Soulmates?!" they exclaimed in unison, staring at each other and then down at the undeniable red line that stretched from his finger to hers upon the chakra laced scroll.
"Indeed," Fukasaku chuckled as he stroked his goatee. "This changes everything."
A/N: Awkward love is the *best*! "There was only one bed" is like, my fav trope of all time. You can't stop me, mwah-ha-ha!
If you feel like things are moving too quickly, if you are thinking 'Oh author! They are moving so fast! They're too young!', to you prudes I say: LIFE IS SHORT. These two are shinobi. Shinobi die. Why hold back? 'Live, Laugh, Love' is more than just a cheesy peel-and-stick wall art in a country kitchen. It's legit.
But the actual wall art is still cheesy as hell.
Also, I added a drawing of the hut layout on my Tumblr nightowl27-writer, incase anyone wants a visual. Hopes it's helpful!
As always, thank you for your patience and thank you for reading!