Naruto Uzumaki sat at a small table with beakers and test tubes and other various scientific equipment in a dark room with very little light shining yet just enough for him to continue his work. His face and hands were horribly scarred and wrapped in gauze bandages loosely hanging but tight enough to cover him. He slowly worked on an artificial skin mask he had tried to perfect for severe burn patients before he was murdered for something he never had but the attackers thought he did. He eventually got revenge on said assailants before leaving town to find a way to perfect his research. Months went by as he traveled the elemental nations and yet despite doing good for other people he couldn't perfect his formula. As he sat at the table he looked at a washed out photograph of a young girl with short himé cut hair and pupil less eyes In a small pendant necklace.
'I'm so sorry Hinata-himé. I hope to one day tell you how stupid I was for not realizing your feelings and tell you how I feel the same.' He thought gently stroking the photo in the pendant before closing it with a click. He turned to his small laptop to check the progress bar on the screen to see how far along his mask was taking to make before it changed and came up with a prompt saying "printing failure" flashing red on the screen.
"DAMNIT!!" Naruto roared before going into a fit of rage and smashing things to pieces and knocking his computer to the ground. As he had his tantrum he saw images of the civilian council, an explosion, the people who whispered behind his back saying they were glad the demon was gone, the accident that disfigured him, and the Uchiha bastard that he thought was his friend before finally an image of a smiling Hinata made him stop saying, "no. Calm down Naruto. You got you're revenge for the attempted murder of yourself. Focus. Remember, you're trying to finalize your formula to see her again. Think of her. Only her." He then was finally able to calm down before taking a breath and picking up his computer and dusting it off before placing it on the table and sat down starting again. After a few more hours he finished his mask and placed it in a large freezer room to keep it from melting after an hour so he can use it when he needed to. Suddenly there was a knock at his door.
"Who is it?!" He called.
"It's me Dr. Westlake. I've brought your dinner." The voice behind the door being the appartment owner.
"Just a moment I'll be right there." He said before grabbing another mask from the freezer and putting it on. The owner waited patiently before the door finally opened and out stepped a young man with sun kissed blonde hair, blue eyes, and wearing a lab coat and turtleneck sweater underneath.
"You're ramen Doctor. Just as you asked for." The apartment owner said smiling handing him a brown bag.
"Thank you. Here's the money as per usual." 'Dr. Westlake' said.
"And as usual it's on the house for how well you've been for treating my daughters burn wounds. But thank you." The apartment owner said taking the money anyway, "by the way Doctor, there's a young girl here to see you. Says she knows you personally. Shall I send her in?"
'Doctor Westlake' looked at her for a moment thinking 'I don't know anyone as Westlake since the accident, who could possibly be looking for him?' He then nodded and said, "send them in it's probably an old patient of mine or something." The owner nodded before turning and leaving before the doctor turned and went back inside his apartment and closed the door behind him and setting his dinner on the dining room table before another knock was heard.
"Come in." Westlake said not looking before the door opened and in stepped his visitor. He turned to see someone he did not expect ever to find him.
"H-Hinata?!" The young man said surprised and worried.
"Hello Naruto-kun. Or should I call you Payton?" She asked kindly if not a bit nervous.
"W-What are y-you doing here?! How did you find me?!" Naruto asked.
"The Hokage Gave me an address to your last location. I went there and asked around before someone telling me where you were currently staying. It took me a few months of traveling but here I am." She said.
"You shouldn't be here. If the Council-" he began.
"The council doesn't know I'm here this is a mission directly from the Hokage. Naruto I've come to-" Hinata started.
"No! I'm not coming back to Konoha! Those bastards in the council only want me back because of who my father was who they kept the knowledge of from me for years! They don't deserve me back. They only care about that Uchiha bastard and that's it. They can rot in Hell!" Naruto said angrily.
"Naruto I-" She began.
"NO! I'm not going back and that's final!! Now take your leave and don't come back." Naruto yelled.
"But I-"
"GO!!!" He roared throwing a cup at the wall past her head scaring her. Hinata could only well up into tears and quickly ran out the door.
"Hinata! Hinata!!" He called before the door slammed shut and he sighed before cursing and running after her.
Hinata ran through the streets crying her eyes out before slowly stopping and clutching herself and crying before collapsing to her knees and sobbing.
"Miss are you alright?" A voice said from behind her which caused her to gasp and turn. She saw a young man about her age with brown hair and green eyes wearing a white shirt and black vest with brown pants and shoes looking at her with concern.
"Y-Yes I-I'm fine thank you." Hinata said wiping her eyes and standing.
"Is there anything I can do? Can I walk you home?" He asked.
"Sorry I'm not from here. I'm actually don't know where I'm going to stay for the time being."
"Well why don't I walk you to the nearest Inn? I can even get you something to eat my treat." He said smiling.
"Thank you. I appreciate it very much." Hinata said.
"You're welcome. I'm Genma. What's your name?" The now named Genma asked.
"I'm Hinata." Hinata said smiling.
"Well Miss Hinata. Let's go get you some food eh?" Genma said offering his arm which she took. They soon began to walk the streets passing by shops and stalls before finally turning a corner into an alley and stopping.
"Um Genma? This doesn't look like an inn to me." Hinata said
"That's because it's your deathbed bitch!" Genma said viciously before pulling a knife and grabbing her and pushing her against the wall.
"Please! D-Don't do this!" Hinata said
"Shut up! Now you and I are gonna have a little fun before I slit that pretty neck of yours." Genma said smiling darkly.
'Kami please no. Someone help!' She thought closing her eyes.
"Hey!" A voice called from the alley entrance. They both turned to see Naruto standing there.
"Hey buddy get lost this ass is mine!" Genma said
"Let her go. Now." Naruto said calmly.
"Or what? You gonna make me smart guy?" Then Naruto walked towards the assailant and decked him. "You're gonna wish you didn't do that." Genma said and stabbed Naruto in the shoulder but Naruto never flinched and grabbed Genma by the wrist and twisted his arm before snapping it making the young man scream before Naruto threw him into the wall and began beating him viciously. Hinata could only stand there horrified by Naruto's brutality an then Naruto did something she did not expect, he grabbed the knife and stabbed Genma in the lower jaw and through the head before dropping him. Naruto breathed heavily before turning and asking if she was alright. Hinata could only nod before Naruto grabbed her hand and walked her back to the Appartments and to his room. Hinata sat on the bed as Naruto began to unbutton his shirt a bit.
"This May frighten you but I promise I'm not going to hurt you." Naruto said cautiously.
"I'm not afraid." She said. Slowly Naruto began to remove his mask and once it was finally off Hinata gasped but didn't look away. Naruto's face was horribly burned from the right side of his face and mouth around the left side of his jaw, exposing the teeth and covered in black burns. His right ear was barely an ear and his once beautiful blonde hair was gone. Naruto turned to look at the wall and sighed, "I wish you didn't have to see me like this. I'm a monster just like the village said I was."
"No." Hinata said standing up and walking towards him moving his face to look at her with her hand, " you're still the same Naruto. The same kind boy I fell in love with."
"But how can you love me when...when I look like this?" He said a tear forming in his right eye. She smiled and kissed him before saying, "because it's not the face I fell in love with, it's your unwavering kindness and willingness to never give up. I don't care about you're disfigurement I care about you."
"Hinata..I-I'm sorry for not noticing you for so long. I finally realized after all this time. I...I love you too." Naruto said. Hinata smiled and kissed him again and he kissed her back as best he could. When the kiss broke the rested their foreheads against each other and looked into each other's eyes and smiled.
"Will you come back to Konoha with me? I promise no one will harm you ever again." Hinata said.
"As long as I have you, I'll travel to the deepest parts of Hell." Naruto said to which she smiled and giggled.
"Then let's pack You're things and go home. Cmon." She said before letting go and leaving his side to help him pack for the long journey to Konoha.