Hinata laid awake for about an hour until she was sure everyone else in the main house was asleep. She quietly activated her Byakugan and scanned through the house. Her father and little sister Hanabi were both in their beds. Hinata was still slightly disturbed by the fact that she lived in the center of a compound full of people who could see through walls.
Once she knew the coast was clear, she turned and carefully opened her window. It was too risky to try to leave through the house.
It wasn't that her house was a prison she needed to escape from. Actually, she had eventually come to like her home. Sure, the traditions of her clan were questionable and the earlier years of her life weren't particularly enjoyable but she knew she could've had worse.
Naruto certainly did.
Despite their apparent rivalry in their youth, Hinata had eventually grown close to Hanabi and Neji. Her father on the other hand was still as absent as ever. He spent all of his time training Hanabi, dealing with administrative duties, or simply isolating himself. Despite his everlasting reclusive behavior, Hyashi had indeed become less cruel since Neji's death. Her father didn't berate or undermine her anymore. After Neji sacrificed himself, Hyashi seemed to be more appreciative of his daughters given that they were the only real family he had left. He still was not affectionate in any way, but Hinata could tell that he had changed, and was still changing. She needed to believe that if Neji could change, her father could too.
Regardless, he was still a strict leader, namely with his daughters. It was no question that he wouldn't approve of her sneaking out, especially to go spend the night with a boy. It was imperative that she remained undetected.
Shouldn't be too hard... she was a trained ninja, after all.
"This is it... no going back." She said to herself before she climbed through her window and landed quietly on the ground outside. All she had to do now was sneak past the night guards and leave the compound.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, her heart rate rose dramatically. Adrenaline suddenly kicked in and she became extremely aware of her surroundings. She was in the center of the compound with several Hyuuga Shinobi patrolling throughout. She decided that the smartest way out would be to climb over one of the outside walls rather than trying to go through the front gates that were likely to be heavily guarded. The closest exterior wall was about two hundred yards away and twenty feet tall, an easy climb if she could get to it. If she could get over the wall, she was in the clear.
With her Byakugan still activated, she moved silently through the compound, staying as far from any guards as she could. The moon was still bright enough to give away her position if she wasn't careful. She would have to find spots where the moonlight didn't touch if she was to stay unnoticed.
She made a mental note to remember their patrol routes as well as potential hiding spots so that she could have an easier time sneaking out again in the future. Now that she possessed a key and knew that Naruto would always welcome her, it was likely that her first time sneaking out would not be her last.
Of course, another thing to consider was that she'd eventually have to sneak herself back in. Her father always woke up right as the sun rose, sometimes earlier. If he woke up and found that Hinata was nowhere to be seen, she'd have hell to pay.
She was about thirty yards away from the wall when she found a Hyuuga Shinobi standing guard. He appeared to be slacking off, just standing around and occasionally tracing his finger along the edge of his kunai. She waited for a few minutes but he didn't seem to be in a hurry to move. It was ironic, that the one guard not doing his job was also the one person keeping her from leaving.
She needed him to move, and soon. Really, she just needed him to move his line of sight. If she could distract him even for a few seconds, she could slip past him and make the climb. She needed to cause a distraction loud enough to draw his attention but not the attention of others.
She looked around on the ground next to the bush she was hiding behind and found a rock. It looked big enough to make a noise but not so big that she'd have to heave it just to make it fly. After picking it up and taking aim, she threw it in a direction facing away from her and watched as it landed with a thud before rolling into another bush and making a rustling sound.
"The hell?" The guard said to himself before turning to investigate. Now was her chance.
Hinata bolted toward the wall and channeled her chakra through her feet so she could run straight up and over. She was on the other side of it in seconds. Upon landing, she looked around and saw that she was in a small thicket of trees, with the dimly lit streets of the village close by. Her heart was pounding through her entire body, every fiber of her being rushing with excitement as well as fear.
Well then, time to give Naruto a little surprise.
Naruto had laid awake as well, only unintentionally. His mind was racing far too fast for him to get any sleep. He kept thinking about Hinata and how she had gone out of her way to make his day special. And of course, he thought about the "dessert" they had shared. He reminisced about how she looked on top of him, the way she felt on top of him, and the sounds of pleasure she made as he indulged in her beauty.
He had slowly started drifting off to sleep as his tiredness began to overcome him, that is, until he thought heard the lock turning on his front door. He sat up and listened further, waiting.
He smiled almost instantly as he heard the front door open. There was only one person it could be.
"No way..." Naruto whispered to himself.
"She actually did it..."
Naruto nearly laughed knowing that Kurama was just as surprised as he was.
His heartbeat quickened as light footsteps approached. It was dark, but he could easily make out Hinata's beautiful figure in the shadowy doorway of his room. The moon shone bright enough through his window to illuminate her smiling face.
"Hinata?" Naruto said as he stepped out of his bed.
"Were you expecting someone else?" Hinata said before walking up to him and kissing him. As she broke the kiss and backed away, she bit her lip slightly as she saw Naruto in his night attire. He was only wearing boxers. Even in the darkness of his room, she nearly drooled at the sight of him.
"I wasn't expecting anybody! You really snuck out!?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
"I know, but, holy shit! I can't believe you actually did it!"
"It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. I really surprised you then?"
"You did. This birthday just keeps getting better! So, what do you want to do?"
"I know I just got here, but we should probably get some rest, especially me. It's late, and I'll have to be back home before sunrise."
"I was kinda hoping you'd say that. I haven't gotten any sleep yet. What time do you need to leave here? I'll set an alarm."
"Probably about 4:30 just to be safe."
"And... set. If you want, I can give you some of my pajamas. I don't usually wear them anyway. They might be a bit long, though."
"Naruto... I don't sleep in pajamas either."
Hinata unzipped her jacket before tossing it aside. She then removed her pants and socks, throwing them to the floor after. She was left in the same matching underwear set she had worn earlier that day.
Truthfully, Hinata normally slept completely topless. It was far more comfortable given the size of her breasts. However, she figured it might be unwise to take her bra off right before getting in bed with him, especially after everything they did earlier today. Otherwise, they might be up all night.
"Is this okay, Naruto?"
No, not really. He was thinking of the day's earlier events all over again. It wasn't going to be easy with her body pressing against him all night, but he would have to prove both to her and to himself that he was in control of his urges, not the other way around.
"Of course. Don't be afraid to get comfortable." Naruto said as he climbed back into his bed, making room for Hinata to lay beside him.
Hinata nervously joined him in his bed and snuggled up to him.
"I can't believe we're really doing this..." Hinata said with an excited giggle.
"Me either... but I'm glad we are." Naruto said as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
"Me too. I'm also excited for next week. But for now, I'm about to pass out." Hinata said tiredly. The feeling of Naruto's arms around her was already helping her ease into sleep.
"Sleep well, Hinata. Let me know if you need anything."
His voice was soft and caring which made Hinata settle into his embrace even further.
"You sleep well too, Naruto. I love you." Hinata replied before nuzzling her head into his chest.
Naruto could hear the tiredness in her voice. He nearly chuckled at how quickly she faded into unconsciousness in his arms. With her hair so close to his face, he took a breath and was met with the pleasant smell of her shampoo. Her scent was still so sweet and addictive.
"I love you too, Hinata."
He held her tightly and willed himself to calm down. He was still partially nervous that she would get caught somehow, which wouldn't be good for either one of them. As he soon fell into a deep sleep, he smiled to himself knowing that Hinata would take such a risk just to lay by his side.
4:30 seemed to arrive in an instant. It was almost as if they had only blinked before Naruto's alarm went off.
"I don't want to go back..." Hinata said sleepily.
"Don't. Stay."
Naruto's sleepy voice was deep and raspy. Hinata had heard him talk like this over the phone and had enjoyed the sound of him, but it didn't compare to hearing him in person. He wasn't making her departure any easier.
"You know I would if I could." Hinata replied as she put her clothes back on and prepared to leave. She was already trying to memorize the path she took when she snuck out. Having to sneak back in hopefully wouldn't be as hard now that she knew where to hide.
"I know... here, let me walk you out." Naruto said as he lazily started to sit up.
"No, it's okay, I can let myself out. You go back to sleep."
"You sure?"
"Of course. I'll make sure to lock the door behind me."
"I love you." Naruto said.
"I love you too, Naruto." Hinata replied. It was difficult to tell, but she was smiling brightly. She loved hearing that from him, especially when he said it first.
"Be careful, okay? And stay out of trouble." Naruto said while looking up at her with his eyes only halfway open.
"Always." Hinata said before leaning down to give him a goodbye kiss.
Naruto had begun missing her as soon as she left his room. His bed felt larger now without her in it beside him. The only part of her that remained was her scent that had been engraved into his sheets once more. It wasn't as fulfilling as having her next to him, but it was enough to help him quickly fall back asleep.
When he awoke, he decided to give Hinata a call and make sure she had made it home undetected.
"Hello?" Hinata said through the phone.
"Hey, it's me."
"Hey you."
"Just calling to make sure you didn't get into any trouble."
"Nobody knows a thing... it's our little secret."
"I like our secrets."
"Good, only a few more days and I'll share some more with you."
"And how exactly are you going to do that?"
"You'll know soon enough."
"Tease."
"Me? After what you did yesterday?"
"Fair enough... maybe I'll make it up to you and share some secrets with you too."
"I hope so. I'm looking forward to it. What do you have planned for today?"
"Actually, I was planning on visiting the Hokage's office to check in with Granny Tsunade. I'm also hoping that there will be some missions available soon. I'm running pretty low on money."
"Let me know what you find out, okay?"
"Of course."
Naruto had mixed feelings about starting missions again. It was true, he needed the money, but more missions meant less time with Hinata. Maybe this was why Shinobi typically didn't date. It wasn't unheard of, but it was typically ill advised. He thought of how Asuma was killed and how Kurenai was left as a single mother. He'd never forgive himself if he let something like that happen to Hinata.
Even if Shinobi weren't killed in action, they were often busy on missions away from the village.
This was the life he had chosen but things weren't the same as they were once before. He now had more ambitions than just becoming Hokage some day. As he prepared for the day, he took a look at himself in the mirror and pictured Hinata next to him. He saw more than a life of just combat and danger. He imagined their future together, with their own home and maybe even kids.
He wanted those things with her, and everything that came with them.
He told himself he wouldn't let his Shinobi career interfere with his relationship. Even if he was on a mission far away, he at least had someone waiting for him to come home.
That was something he simply couldn't give up on.
"Come in!"
Naruto entered the Hokage's office to find Tsunade and Shikamaru. They seemed to be butting heads with each other.
"Ah, Naruto! It's been a while." Tsunade said.
"It sure has! What's going on?"
"I was just informing Shikamaru of a mission he is to carry out."
"Oh, so we are doing missions already? Great, that's what I came here to find out. What's your mission, Shikamaru?"
"The details aren't important." Tsunade interjected.
"It's okay, he can know. I was planning on taking him with me anyway." Shikamaru replied with a cold tone as his eyes dropped to the floor.
"Well then," Tsunade said before turning to Naruto again.
"As far as we know, Hidan of the Akatsuki is still alive. According to Shikamaru, his body was still living when he was buried. In order to move on from all previous conflicts and to keep the best interests of the village in mind, I have tasked Shikamaru with finishing the job. We don't know the full extent of Hidan's abilities, and I won't risk letting him become a threat again somehow in the future."
"Shikamaru, are you sure you're up for that?" Naruto asked, his voice heavy with concern.
"We don't know if he's still alive, or if we can even actually kill him. But if someone is going to finish that bastard off, it's gonna be me." Shikamaru's gaze was still fixated on the floor.
"I understand..."
Tsunade continued, "I thought you might feel that way. That's why I chose you for this mission. However, I understand if you want to sit this one out. There's no shame in it."
"No. Like I said, it has to be me."
"Then it's settled. Shikamaru is squad leader. I have also permitted him to include up to two other Shinobi to join him. Naruto, since you're tagging along, that leaves one more opening."
"That won't be necessary. We'll take care of it." Shikamaru replied.
As they exited the Hokage building, Naruto began to wonder why Shikamaru had already planned on taking him along before he even showed up.
"I'm not complaining or anything, but is there a certain reason you picked me to tag along?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, there is. I'll tell you in a minute. Not here."
They made their way through the village and out of the newly built gates before Shikamaru stopped in his tracks.
"Naruto, before we go any further, you need to understand what I'm asking of you."
"Uh, okay? What is it?"
"I brought you along for two main reasons. The first is that with your Sage jutsu, you should be able to tell if Hidan is dead or alive without us having to dig him out. Less work, you know?"
"Makes sense to me. What's the other reason?"
"Because I trust you."
"Oh... I appreciate that, but, what does trusting me have to do with killing Hidan? If he's still alive, he shouldn't even be able to move. What exactly are you trusting me with?"
"That's the thing, we aren't going to kill Hidan. Dying's too easy. He killed Asuma, and I want him to pay for that. I want him to suffer. If he's already dead, then I guess there's nothing to be done about it. But if we get there and find that he is still alive, I have every intention of turning right back around and telling Tsunade that he's dead anyway."
"You're going to lie to her?"
"I tried to reason with her and assure her that he wasn't a threat. She wouldn't budge. I know it's not fair to ask you to lie to her with me, and I'd understand if you decided not to. I'm telling you this now so that you can stay behind if you choose."
"Don't you want some sort of closure? Wouldn't it be better to know that he's gone for good?"
"No. My closure is knowing he's still down in that hole choking on dirt."
"But, like Tsunade said, we don't entirely know what he's capable of. What if he comes back somehow?"
"He won't. He can't. He's stuck down there, and he knew it before it even happened. I saw the hopelessness in his eyes when he realized he lost. I think about that look on his face every day. Besides, if he could come back somehow, he would've done it by now."
"Still... look, I get it, really I do, but that's not healthy for you. You need to let go of-"
"I don't want a lecture. Are you coming or not?" Shikamaru interrupted.
Naruto sighed deeply before answering.
"This is fucked, you know that right?"
"Yeah, it is. I know it's a lot to ask, but I didn't know what else to do. So... you in?"
"Yeah... yeah, I'm in. I still think you'd be better off with him dead, and I definitely don't think we should be lying about it, but it's your call. If this is really what you want, then that's what we'll do. It'll just have to be our secret."
"Thanks, Naruto. I knew I could count on you."
"How far is it?"
"Not terribly far. This shouldn't take too long. Don't worry, you'll be back in time to see Hinata."
"Whatever. Lead the way."
They traveled quickly and in silence for about an hour until they reached a small clearing in the middle of a forest. The grave had changed since it was first made. The dirt had smoothened out and patches of grass were already growing on top. Nevertheless, Shikamaru recognized it just as easily.
"This is it." Shikamaru said solemnly.
"I'm ready when you are. No rush." Naruto replied.
"Do it."
"Okay, give me just a minute. It's been a while since I've done this."
Naruto sat down and cleared his mind as he began collecting nature energy. Normally he was able to reach Sage Mode in merely seconds or less, but this time it took him roughly half a minute. He hadn't activated Sage Mode since the war. He made a mental note to train soon and get back to his normal efficiency.
"Okay, I'm ready." Naruto said as he stood up. Shikamaru looked at him and saw the unmistakable orange hue around his eyes with his horizontal pupils.
"I am too. Is... is he alive?"
Naruto scanned the surrounding underground area for any signs of human life or chakra flows. He found nothing.
Hidan was dead.
"There's nothing here. If he couldn't perform his ritual, his immortality must have ended at some point. He must have died from starvation or something. He's gone, Shikamaru." Naruto said as his eyes returned to normal.
"I see."
"I'll give you a minute."
"No need. He's dead. There's no changing that."
"I'm sorry, I know that's not what you wanted to hear. But listen, there's nothing left of it now. It's time to let it go, to move on. It's all in the past now."
Shikamaru was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. Naruto could tell he was still processing everything.
"Yeah... I guess you're right. He's gone. It's over. Thank you, Naruto. Sorry for dragging you out here with me for nothing."
"You don't have to apologize to me. You're my friend. I'm sure you would've done the same for me."
Naruto was taken aback as Shikamaru embraced him. It was very unlike him to show affection or appreciation. Naruto returned the hug and tried his best to comfort his friend.
Shikamaru soon pulled away and spoke in a less depressing tone.
"You tell anyone I hugged you, I'll strangle you with your own shadow."
"No need, I'll add it to our list of secrets."
Shikamaru chuckled in response, resulting in a grin from Naruto.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Shikamaru said.
Can you tell that I like Naruto and Shikamaru's friendship? Lol.
Which reminds me, I noticed a review asking if the story would be entirely romance or if it would include "Shinobi things" (thanks for the review, by the way.)
While the story is and will be mostly romance, I do enjoy adding different elements to keep the fic alive and interesting. So, expect a little action/adventure from time to time. I feel like this chapter qualifies for that.
If you liked this chapter, be sure to leave a review. I always read every single one, some of them multiple times. See you next time!
