Author: Wow it's been such a long period since I got the chance to write again. Ugh graphic designing is not easy as it seems unfortunately and my laptop has choked up on me, I am gonna try writing from my mobile (-_-)n. Thannks to the people who have reviewed and messaged me to continue, I am gonna try again to get the story out (seriously its haunting me). So here I go. Muah 3
Disclaimer: Naruto and the world still does not belong to me. Mores the pity though. :P
Chapter 05
Hinata snuggled deeper into the alluring heat of Naruto kun's body, his warmth a balm to her tired, aching and sore body. She wished that morning never came, where she would wake up on her bed painfully alone and cold from inside.
She sighed and wrapped her legs tightly around Naruto kun waist and nuzzled his warm back as her hands clutched his clothed chest.
"Hinata chan are you awake?" Naruto quietly asked, tilting his head to a side.
Hinata woke instantly. She was plastered against the real in flesh Naruto kun's back, his heat scorching her body as he carried her through the dark paths at night with few streetlights on.
She gasped in horror and quickly loosened her clamping grip on him, nearly falling down before Naruto kun quickly hoisted her up by grabbing her thighs.
"Aaah be careful Hinata chan, you okay? Sorry if I woke you up." Naruto said standing still.
"N-n-no just surprised. How...?" She trailed off, remembering being at the Ramen master's shop and then the feel of Naruto kun's hands...she flushed red till her toes.
Naruto felt Hinata's temperature rise.
"Hinata chan, are you feverish? Should I take you to emergency directly...?" Naruto asked worried.
"N-no I am fine, just -" she blushed some more, wishing she could control herself before she exploded. "- just tired. Good sleep will take care of it."
"You should take care of yourself more, being a med nin and all." Naruto harrumphed before slowly moving forward. "Don't forget to drink tea before going to bed, it will help" he sighed, " Hyuuga residence it is then."
They travelled across the closed market in comfortable silence. The empty streets felt different at night shortly after midnight and they hardly came across anyone even passing by.
Hinata was in heaven, simply relishing being near Naruto, his sweet heat and his polite hands as he dreamily carried her back home. Then reality crept in. A horrible feeling engulfed her. Why was Naruto kun accompanying her so slowly through the street path when he could have flashed her through easily. Unless was as she that heavy?! Maybe she had tired him out carrying her from the ramen diner...she should have gotten down after waking up!
"Ano...Naruto kun...I am okay. Let me down, I can walk by myself." She said in a small voice, feeling mortified and suddenly overly conscious.
" Naw. You should rest. I'll let you know when we get there."
"But… I am heavy."
Naruto snorted. "You weight less than my backpack. I have carried heavier drunkards before and at least you smell hel- I mean heck a lot better. You should eat more. How else are you going to have energy for the medical nin stuff and working at the old man's shop, huh? " Naruto admonished her slightly jostling her.
"Sorry for keeping you so late." Hinata mumbled in his shoulder, pleased with his concern and compliment.
Naruto smiled and shook his head at her politeness. "No big deal. It's not like I have anyone waiting. "
Hinata felt a pang of sadness at his casually replied response. She knew how it felt when no one bothered to wait for her or welcome back her warmly, but at least she had some semblance of family and presence of servants made sure her emotions were in check. How must Naruto feel in that apartment, all alone….no one to speak to…share his day…help him relax…cook…help in chores….no wonder he liked being out practicing harshly with no care for his body…taking such risks…
Hinata felt herself go teary and ashen. It wasn't fair that he who deserved to have everything, didn't.
"Hey, you asleep?" Naruto whispered.
Hinata shook her head against his shoulder, feeling too raw to speak.
"I have been moving slow because I didn't want to jostle you too much but it's getting chilly, I don't want you to catch a fever, so hold tightly -"
"No, " Hinata softly interrupted but clutched him harder, "you are keeping me warm back here. I want to go slowly."
"But won't your father worry?" Naruto asked, wondering darkly how a man could let his apparently exhausted and fragile daughter alone without any protection and out at night without any concern.
"No. He-he-he doesn't wait and goes to sleep early." Hinata softly replied.
Naruto felt his protective instinct bristle. "Hinata chan, you walk back alone by yourself every night?"
"Yes."
Naruto grinded his teeth. "I will walk you back from tomorrow night."
"B-bu-but why? No need to trouble yourself… I can come back by myself -"
Naruto came to stand still. "It's still not safe Hinata chan. You are too important to be left unprotected. You are already too tired from all the work, how can you protect yourself?"
Hinata felt frustration bubble inside. She wasn't weak and she had proven herself in the Madara battle as a Konoha kunoichi, how could Naruto kun think she couldn't defend-
"No..I..THAT'S NOT HOW I MEANT", Naruto loudly burst suddenly realizing how it must have sounded, "I mean of course you know how to defend yourself…you're an awesome kunoichi …it's just..I care for you Hinata chan…and -"
And Hinata melted. He didn't think she was useless or weak like her family thought, especially her father.
"-and it's just that the world is full of creeps and you are a pretty girl all alone and out at night - "
Hinata blushed hotly at the pretty comment.
"- it might give them ideas and what if someone starts stalking, waiting to prey when you are unaware or too exhausted from work like today and now that I am totally free I can easily wall back with you-"
"Okay." Hinata interjected quietly.
"Okay? I will pick you from tomorrow onward then" Naruto said relieved, and then laughing spun them, Hinata clutching him tightly but smiling widely, before he cheerfully jogging towards the street that lead to Hyuuga residence.
"Yay! Promise I will get to eat your delicious ramen everyday!"
****
Inside Hyuuga residence
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
It was few minutes till 1:30 am and she wasn't back yet.
Hiashi Hyuuga stood in the traditional Japanese living room, in his traditional loose garb, his eyes fixed on the gate of the Hyuuga residence.
Woosh.
A Hyuuga clansman appeared behind him, bowing. "Lady Hinata will be entering the gates soon."
He let a relieved sigh. "What caused today's delay?"
"Lady Hinata fainted at the ramen diner."
Hiashi's brows scrunched in concern, his lips tightened. His daughter was already exhausted because of the old hag's medic work and now she had suddenly decided to learn cooking that weird ramen dish. She was stubborn and tenacious as a mule just like her mother.
"Uzumaki san is bringing her back. They are coming slowly because Uzumaki san doesn't wish to jostle her."
"He is back?" Hiashi asked sharply, now understanding the cause for her fainting spell today.
"Yes, he is to stay for 2 months' vacation. Lady Hokage is planning this year's excursion in hopes that he finds a wife."
Tension infused Hiashi. He had no idea what the old hag been up to. This couldn't happen, his daughter would be heartbroken once again if he found someone new after that Haruno chit. Hinata had been on tenterhook for any news of him in the last few months, no wonder she wanted to learn ramen, his favorite food.
It was true he hadn't liked that Uzumaki kid in the beginning, worried about the Kyuubi influence on the young Naruto's reckless ways and then baffled with his own daughter's growing devotion to him. The first time his daughter had spoken up against Hiashi had been in Naruto's defense when he had casually remarked on Naruto's unruly behavior. Since then he had kept an extra eye on the two's interaction and his daughter's dismaying reaction, why only in this situation she was nearly as shy as Hiashi though to his credit he had never fainted near Hinata's mother except for the occasional croaking, shivering and blushing.
It had been devotion to Naruto where his daughter had found her strength, hope and inspiration. He had thought it mere infatuation but it never ceased, the interest or the one-sided love never dwindling. He himself accidently on purpose met the Naruto kid and had been flabbergasted at the Chuunin exam. Naruto was truly an exceptional person, deserving of his daughter –No – but he was what her fragile heart sought and he wouldn't let anything break it.
The gate to the residence opened and Hinata gingerly walked inside, her eyes sparkling and a wide smile that he had rarely seen except when she was with Naruto or thought of him.
"Arrange a meeting with the Hokage soon." He wasn't going to let the old hag hitch that kid to anyone else except for his daughter.
TBC
Ps. So what did you think? Sorry for any grammatical mistake. Comment/ comment/comment or review/review! Happy reading :D