Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Notes: Hello loves! I hope you are all staying well and enjoying life. I wanted to get this posted sooner, rather than later and get back to the next chapter of The Mission. I am working on it, I swear. Life has been more than hectic lately, but I'll have it up soon. I had meant for this chapter of Casual Touches to be the last but well, Naruto had other plans haha. I hope you enjoy, and as always, leave me a review to let me know what you think! ~ All my love, Luna
It's been weeks, weeks, since he's been able to touch her. Missions have kept her busy and his 'training' with Kakashi has taken much of his time. Naruto rubs the back of his neck to try to ease the tension as he reads through a stack of papers at a small table to the left side of the Hokage desk. After that meeting before the chuunin exams, he'd approached his old sensei and asked if there was anything he could do. During peacetime, there aren't many missions that need a shinobi of his caliber. Naruto has found himself more often assigned to diplomatic missions, continuing to build and strengthen the ties he started to build before the war. Don't misunderstand, he enjoys traveling and getting to see friends all over the world but he's also a bit concerned he'll grow rusty in his fighting skills no matter how much he spars with friends while home. Gaara usually gives him a good run when he visits Suna.
He's going to be Hokage one day, all but a given now. Naruto honestly isn't sure why Kakashi is still holding out, when his sensei obviously dislikes the work. Not that he isn't doing the job more than admirably. Naruto thought it might kill two birds with one stone as it were when he asked if he could help. He needs to fully understand the position and the requirements and he's grown enough to know that it's more than just being the strongest ninja in the village. So, here he sits reviewing documents and listening in to conversations between Kakashi and Shikamaru as they discuss village business. They ask him for his input often and he's learned to ask questions if he doesn't understand something and they never begrudge him the explanations. He's preparing, and they know that.
That doesn't change the fact that he hasn't seen Hinata in more than passing since he helped her carry medicines to the hospital those weeks ago. He sees her mostly when she comes to the Hokage office to receive missions or report back from a completed one. She always spares him a small smile and a nod. He smiles back and watches, listens and all together gives more of his attention to the proceedings when she's there than he does for most other occurrences in the office unless he knows they are of high importance. He's sure that Kakashi and Shikamaru have noticed and he's only slightly embarrassed.
The words on the paper in front of him are starting to blur and he closes his eyes and rubs the finger and thumb of his bandaged hand against the bridge of his nose, massaging the ache between his eyes. "Alright, that's it for the day." Kakashi says as he rises from his chair, silhouetted against the setting sun beyond the windows.
"I can finish this, just a second." Naruto frowns slightly, his usual determination not to stop in the middle of something pushing forward, but Kakashi tsks behind his mask and shakes his head. "No, you've done enough today. Put it aside until tomorrow," and then pulls out the magic card, "let's get ramen."
Naruto is shuffling the papers into order and pushing up from his chair before Kakashi has finished speaking, a broad foxy grin on his face. "Yes! Ramen!" and with a fist pump into the air by his head he closes the distance between himself and his sensei, helps the other remove the robes and hat of his office and ushers him out the door. Kakashi just huffs a quietly amused laugh and lets him.
Naruto should have known better than to expect things to go as planned. That being said, he's not complaining about the outcome this time. Kakashi and he had reached Ichiraku at the same time that two smaller figures had rounded the corner just down the other end of the street. Sakura was chatting animatedly with Hinata, gesturing and leaning in to see the dark haired kunoichi's face as they walked. Big smiles and quiet laughs, all as they drew closer and Naruto wasn't conscious of stopping short or of the amused look on Kakashi's face as he watched his charge watch the young women move closer.
As if they had choreographed it beforehand, Sakura looks up and meets his eyes and then turns to Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei, Naruto! Finally out of the office?" The smile she gives them is warm and slightly mischievous. Naruto's eyes narrow just slightly before he nods. "Hi Sakura-chan, Hinata." Hinata smiles at them and gives Kakashi a slight bow, her ever present manners requiring her to acknowledge the Hokage with respect. "We were going to get ramen, do you want to join us?" Naruto asks both of them, but keeps his eyes on Hinata's face. It's been weeks, and they are closer physically now but still not close enough for even the slight brushes and casual touches that both drive him crazy and sustain him. "Oh, we were going to go to the dango shop" Hinata says quietly and she does sound disappointed. Naruto is about to say something but Sakura cuts in, "We don't have to go to the dango shop if you'd rather have ramen Hinata. I don't mind."
There's a slow flush creeping across Hinata's cheeks and she's looking down now. "Ano, I don't want to change plans so suddenly Sakura-san. You were the one who suggested dango." With a quiet huff, Sakura pats Hinata's shoulder and begins to steer her into the ramen stand. "Nevermind that! Ramen is fine!"
Naruto blinks as the two women disappear under the flaps and turns to say something to Kakashi only to find his sensei has disappeared during the conversation. Naruto whips his head around looking for him, mostly out of habit, and then huffs a laugh. He moves toward the hangings blocking the door of the shop and pushes them aside to enter.
He sees right away that they are seated in such a way that he will have to decide to sit next to Sakura or Hinata. There's a single stool to the right of the Hyuuga, next to the wall of the shop. Or he could move to Sakura's left and see more to the center of the bar, where he usually sits when he comes here. Without too much hesitation he moves to sit next to Hinata and when he meets Sakura's eyes over the other woman's shoulder she smiles at him.
Hinata startles just slightly when he slides his legs under the bar and takes his seat. His leg brushes just barely against her own under the counter as he settles in. He leans his elbow on the counter to call greetings to the old man and his daughter, and if he makes sure his arm brushes against Hinata's as well while he does this, well no one will know.
It's the casual touches that do it. As they eat their food and he leans around Hinata to speak with Sakura he doesn't try to keep their arms from brushing over and over again. He pushes his leg into hers under the bar when he turns to speak. Where usually he would try to create space, or would try to minimize how much contact he has with her, now he embraces it. Hinata has a perpetual blush on her cheeks, but she never moves to put space between them either and Naruto watches closely not wanting to make her uncomfortable. He may want the touches but he doesn't want to disrespect her and if he senses even a second of discomfort from her he will move away. Instead, Hinata reaches out and brushes her fingers along his forearm as she asks him a question about his work in the Hokage office. Naruto feels goosebumps rise along his skin under his jacket and wills her to do it again.
The conversation between the three of them is easy and broken only by the times that they busy themselves enjoying their meals. When they've finished and Naruto insists on paying Hinata protests but Sakura hushes her with a smile. Naruto just smiles and holds the hangings out of the way for the two women to move under and out of the shop. Sakura quickly gives her farewell as she has a shift at the hospital and waves as she walks away down the street now lit by lanterns as the sun has fully set.
Naruto stands awkwardly for a moment before nudging Hinata's shoulder in the direction of the Hyuuga compound. Hinata blinks up at him in surprise before smiling and clasping her hands in front of her as she moves to lead the way. Naruto keeps the space between them small, using the excuse of the other pedestrians on the street. His hands are at his sides and he wishes she would let hers fall as well. He wants badly to reach out to her but he still hasn't figured out how to tell her, how to make it perfect. She deserves something special, something that can match her confession to him. And maybe that's where he's stuck, because there's no way to match that. The courage she showed, the caring, the strength. He can't replicate that situation.
He lets his shoulder brush hers again, catches her eyes as they glance up at his face. "Hinata" he says quietly and when she turns more fully to him, he finds himself at a loss of words. They are still walking and the distance to her home is dwindling, the time when they will have to separate is growing tighter. "Hai, Naruto-kun?" she's waiting and he's wordless. Naruto feels his cheeks stain red, sees her eyes widen and then she's reaching out to catch at the edge of his sleeve. With the slightest tug she pulls him to the side of the walkway. They end up at the mouth of a shadowed alley. She stands with her back to the swirling gray behind her, no hesitation, no worry, as if she trusts that he will keep her safe and she doesn't need to guard herself.
"Naruto-kun?" she asks again as she drops his sleeve and Naruto doesn't want to lose that contact, small as it is. His hand chases hers and as he links his fingers with hers, he watches as her eyes widen. "Can we go somewhere quieter to talk?" he's speaking barely loud enough to be heard over the noise of the street behind him but she hears and nods. Naruto shifts the link of their hands so that he can turn to lead her without twisting her fingers or releasing the connection.