Series: Naruto
Pairings: NaruHina
Author: Lynns
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi
Type: Alternate Universe/Romance
Sparks Fly
Chapter 11
The air was so cold that just breathing was painful.
There was no wind, the sky was clear, and the setting sun shone off the white snow, blinding anyone who dared to look. While at the beginning of the new shift, the first two days had been relatively warm for December, but by day three, temperatures plummeted and remained below minus thirty-five degrees Celsius for the remainder of the shift. The freezing weather had put everyone in a damper mood, especially with the toe and hand warmers disappearing like hotcakes, and you were left to try to keep your fingers warm while you worked.
However, for Naruto, the cold wasn't why he was in such a foul mood.
He marched back and forth, carrying 10ft long pieces of deep and shallow strut from their pile in the stockyard to the back of the flat deck trailer attached to his work truck. His toes were frozen, he could barely feel anything with his hands, and the cold nipped at his face, but that paled in comparison to the raging storm that was going on in his own head.
They were on day seven out of nine, and he had barely had any alone time with Hinata ever since they had arrived on site. Sunday last week after the Christmas Party, Kakashi had informed him that it would be too late for him and Hinata to just stay at the hotel for the entire shift and that they would have to stay in camp, meaning there would be no privacy for the two of them. While that had been disappointing, Naruto at least got to spend Sunday afternoon and Monday morning with Hinata at her place before they separated to pack for their flight that night. When they had flown in and arrived at camp, it was the only time he had been able to sit down and have supper with her; heck, it was the only time he had a face-to-face conversation with his girlfriend.
Tuesday morning had come like any other first day for the front shift, but Kakashi had informed Hinata of an urgent request that Konoha Energy had of her Transformer Technician abilities and skills. With it being the end of the year, all transformers on site needed a routine inspection, a few tests to make sure they were running correctly and the large electrical devices were all up to code. Konoha Energy wanted it to be Hinata since she was already here with her tools, and they wouldn't have to pay for another technician to travel to site. Thankfully, she had all the paperwork organized and ready for Temari to just step into her shoes as the new office administrator, meaning she could focus just on being a Transformer Technician for the shift. However, it took Hinata, Gaara, Kakashi, and Itachi the whole day, including four hours of overtime, just to print off all the paperwork and plan out a routine so that she would be able to test all the transformers on site before the end of the shift.
Since she would be testing live transformers, it was then brought up who would be Hinata's assistant. At first, Naruto thought Kakashi would be able to pull some strings and have it be him by her side, but alas, that was a fool's dream. So instead, Itachi chose Deidara on the main plant crew and had just gotten his Journeyman ticket a few weeks ago; they didn't want to pair her with an inexperienced apprentice. If it had been anyone else on the crew, perhaps Naruto wouldn't have cared so much, but the fact that it was Deidara just made him irritated.
It always amazed him how Kiba had been labelled the player among the electricians but not Deidara; the man was infamous for his one-night stands at camp, and he even proudly bragged about it. The new Journeyman had only worked with Hinata a day, and already rumours were flying around like crazy that the two of them were sleeping together. Naruto couldn't tell if it was Deidara himself or someone else on the crew that was spreading the tales, but every time he heard someone talking crap about his girlfriend, it made his blood boil.
He tried to defend her numerous times, saying it wasn't nice to talk about Hinata like that and that everyone should mind their own business, but his words only fell on deaf ears. It always came back with others asking, how did he know it wasn't true? Was he sleeping with Hinata? Was she his girlfriend? Was he jealous that Hinata was sleeping with Deidara instead of him? All of these retorts made him clench his teeth and walk away.
Only a handful of people knew that he and Hinata were an item, and they had agreed to keep it that way until the end of the shift when she would be returning to head office. However, with the way things were going, he was this close to just shouting out to everyone that Hinata was his girlfriend and that they could all go fuck off with their rumours.
And to add icing onto his already raging cake, Hinata was pulling in overtime every day, an extra four hours with Deidara. Every night she would arrive back at camp just past 9 pm to shower before heading off to bed so she could do the exact same thing the next day; the only way she and Deidara could have any supper was Gaara bringing it to them at the office.
Growling in frustration, Naruto slammed the two pieces of strut he was carrying onto the trailer. They bounced loudly before rolling off onto the other side. Rolling his eyes and cursing under his breath, he walked around to pick them up off the ground.
"Easy there, boss! You don't want to damage the goods!" called Konohamaru from the back of the truck, pulling out the ratchet straps they would need to tie their load down.
"Fuck that, as if I could damage this shit!" he snarled, picking the two pieces back up and slamming them down on the trailer again.
Konohamaru flinched, and it looked like he wanted to say something, but when Naruto gave him a glare that clearly told him to zip it, the apprentice only shook his head.
The blonde lead hand continued with his task, back and forth back and forth, until his apprentice joined in, and the two were able to load the flat deck up even faster. He could tell that Konohamaru was worried about him; he too was aware of the rumours being spread and how much it bothered Naruto. Their drive to the stockyard had been creepily quiet, but with so much on his mind, Naruto just had nothing to say to the young electrician.
Once all fifty sticks of strut were loaded, they used the ratchet straps to secure it from falling off before heading back into the warm truck. Naruto made a B-line for the driver's seat but halted when Konohamaru slipped past him and jumped into his usual seat. Before he could argue, the apprentice gave him a stern look and pointed to the passenger seat. "I'm driving this time! With the way you're acting, I'm scared we'll hit the ditch on the way back. So just get in and don't argue!"
Naruto's temper flared, and he opened his mouth to give Konohamaru a piece of his mind, but the way the young man was looking at him halted any words he had to say. Instead, he quietly walked around the running vehicle and slipped into his seat. Pulling off his hard hat, safety glasses, and balaclava, he threw them into the back seat with more extra force than needed, his eyes avoiding Konohamaru to stare out the window. He could practically feel the apprentice's eye-roll at him before shifting the vehicle into drive.
The heat was blasting from the vents, and it only dawned on him now just how cold his body really was. He rested his hands closer to the hot air and let out a frustrated sigh.
As they pulled out of the stockyard, Naruto's mind returned to the only thing he had been thinking about for the last seven days. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that the rumours weren't true. Hinata was his girlfriend, and she would never sleep with anyone that wasn't him. However, the damage was done, and he couldn't get the mental image of the two of them together out of his head. He tried to think back to the Christmas party and even the night he spent at Hinata's apartment, wanting to think of the good memories with her. But that had backlashed on him, and it only made him yearn and miss her company even more.
Texting and phone calls were their only line of communication, and even then, that was limited. Both Kakashi and Gaara warned him not to be a distraction for Hinata. With her working late hours and a certain urgency to get all these tests done, his bosses didn't want him to distract her from the job. Otherwise, he would have stayed up later or gotten his ass out of bed earlier to just at least see her every day. So instead, he listened to his superiors and kept his distance, only texting her at lunch and calling at night for a brief chat.
While it did frustrate him that he couldn't see her, especially with their limited time before he left in January, Naruto was also very concerned for his girlfriend's well-being. She was working long hours and probably not eating or sleeping enough, was working in the bitter cold for hours, and to top it off, her work partner was a dick whom he didn't like. Even though Hinata never really complained about Deidara, he could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't particularly fond of him either.
Probably flirting with her the whole time and trying different tactics of getting into her pants. I hope I know the guy well enough that he wouldn't dare try something outrageous like force himself on her.
That thought alone made his mind go to a very dark place, and he didn't like how his imagination could quickly think up so many different forms of murdering the young man.
Naruto took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.
I don't like being this angry, especially in front of my co-workers. It just pisses me off so much that I can't see or talk to her face to face.
After a few more minutes of silence, Konohamaru finally spoke. "You going to be okay? I've said this before, but you really shouldn't worry about what the guys are saying about her. You know it's not true, and it's only a low-key rumour after all; only our crew is talking about it."
Naruto sighed and turned to look at the third-year apprentice. "So, you're saying you would be totally fine if someone claimed to be screwing Hanabi and all the guys we work with were talking about it?"
Konohamaru was silent for a moment and then shook his head. "Never mind, I would probably be pissed off too."
He smirked at the apprentice's reaction and turned his attention to the snowy road ahead. "But I will apologize for yelling at you back there and my shitty attitude this afternoon. I'm just at my breaking point right now."
Kono nodded understandingly. "Well, the guys who know about you and Hinata completely understand. But, of course, you missed it, but at the basketball game we had the other night, Lee jumped to Hinata's defense when Hiro and Keiji brought it up. And even Gaara admitted last night at supper that he feels bad about separating you two."
Another sigh left his lips. "I understand why they don't want me to see her. I mean, hell, I wouldn't want anyone on my crew distracted while testing live transformers. I just . . . I had a mental image of how this shift would look with her coming back up, and it hasn't gone at all the way I wanted it to. Granted, I mean, I get it we still get extra time off for Christmas, which, don't get me wrong, is nice, but I'm sure she will be spending lots of time with her family. Then I come back up here for my last 9-day shift, alone without her in January, and then two days after that, I'm off with Orochimaru and Kabuto. So I was at least just hoping to spend my evenings with her at supper time."
Once again, he could feel his anger start to take over his emotions, and at this point, he was getting tired of being mad all the time.
"Well . . . look on the bright side. When it comes to the rumours, you've already met her father, so it's not like he's going to find out about your relationship with his daughter via gossip. So at least you've dodged that bullet, and you're having dinner with her family Friday!" Offered Kono.
Naruto groaned. "Frick, don't remind me. And don't think I've forgotten how you threw me under the bus last home day. You could at least have told me that they were going to be there."
Kono laugh. "Where would the fun have been in that? Although, to be fair, I didn't know her father and uncle were coming. Hanabi only told me that she was joining Neiji from picking Hinata up at the airport and was hoping to see me in the process. I only knew about it after our flight had landed, and I was waiting for my luggage when she texted me. However, you were already outside with Hinata when I received the warning."
Naruto rolled his eyes and shifted in his seat. "Are you invited to this dinner too?"
"I was given an invitation by Neiji during the Christmas Party, but I haven't said yes or no yet. Wanted to double-check with you if you wanted me there as well. Personally, I think it's better if we go together, so you're not facing the Hyuuga wolves alone."
"Really? You think it will be that bad with her father?"
Kono bit his lip. "Depends . . . how much has Hinata told you about her family?"
Naruto frowned. "A lot, I suppose. She mentioned that her father pretty much threw her aside after their mom died. Not wanting to have anything to do with her. But, these last two years, their relationship is getting better."
"Well, then you're pretty much up to par then. Hanabi just told me that their father is rather protective of them. And by that, I mean he doesn't even want his daughters moving out of the house. Hinata moved out on her own recently after almost a year of negotiating with her family, and Hanabi said she's hoping to leave next year sometime."
"So . . . the guy has daughter issues?"
"Hmmm, more like I think he just feels guilty that things were bad so long between them, and now that things are getting better, he doesn't want them to leave yet. That's my guess anyways. So, in a nutshell, just so long as you show that you treat Hinata well and show him respect as well, then I know things will be fine. Neji will be there too, and I'm sure he won't let you roast too terribly long if Hiashi backs you into a corner with questions. And if I'm there, even better!"
Naruto sighed. "I guess. Having you there couldn't possibly make it worse."
"And as for your second problem with not being able to spend time with her, maybe this is a good thing? I mean, the walls are paper-thin, so you wouldn't be able to . . ."
"Kono!"
"Ah, sorry sorry! But at least while you're home for the holidays, you will get complete alone time with her. You won't have me or any of the other guys pestering you. Besides, Hanabi said that New Years is their big holiday get-together. So, aside from Christmas day itself, you will have plenty of time to be with her. Unless you've got lots of plans with your family?"
Naruto shrugged. "Mom and Dad won't be home again this year. So it will just be me, alone again."
Just as Kono opened his mouth to say something, Naruto's phone, which was in the cup holder, went off. He glanced down at the name and wondered who would be calling him. Seeing that it was Kakashi and that it was only 4:30 pm threw him for a loop. Today was Monday, meaning Backshift was coming back to camp tonight to start their shift.
"Huh, that's weird. I thought his flight wasn't coming in till 7 pm tonight. I wonder what he's doing back so early?" asked Konohamaru.
Naruto shrugged and briefly debated letting the call go to voice mail. But, at the last minute, he rolled his eyes and answered the phone. "Naruto Uzumaki here."
"Hey there, Naruto!" Kakashi's chipper voice made him cringe. "How has the shift been? Doing alright?"
He fought off the urge to be sarcastic. "More or less, I suppose; what do you need?"
His boss was silent for a moment. Then, "Well, I can tell you're a bit upset with what's going on the last few days."
Naruto sighed in frustration, "I'm not in the mood, Kakashi. Do you need anything from me? You're back way earlier than normal, so I'm assuming this is something important."
It was now his mentor's turn to sigh. "Well, it's the last shift of the year, of course. You guys get to leave on the 20th and aren't back until January 1, but meanwhile, I'm only here until the 24th before we head home for the Christmas holidays. Got a lot to do in only six days! Look, I know you're not happy with what's been going on this shift . . ."
"That is a complete fucking understatement right there." Interrupted Naruto
" . . .But, I do have some good news and some great news. Which would you like first?"
"Kakashi . . ."
"Alright, alright, I get it. So the good news is that Hinata is almost done testing the transformers. I just finished talking to her, and she still has to work late tonight. However, she will have all of them tested by tomorrow afternoon, and the paperwork will be finished. Meaning, not only can you see her tomorrow, but I have great news to follow it up with. Since it will be your last night up here for the shift, I have arranged that you and Hinata can spend the evening at the hotel by the Akatsuki bar. So long as you get all your work done tomorrow, the two of you don't have to return to site until noon on Wednesday. That way, you can still have the morning together and be here on time to catch your flight back home for days off. Sound good?"
Naruto was speechless. He tried to find the words to confirm what Kakashi had just told him, but his throat felt so tight as if someone was choking him. So instead, he grunted in acknowledgment.
"Good. I hope this makes up for all the shenanigans that have been going on this shift. In fact, why don't I sweeten the deal more? You just have to promise me you won't get carried away and won't stay up too late."
His boss's words rubbed Naruto the wrong way, but if it meant he got to see Hinata tomorrow, he was willing to do anything he said.
"Alright, you have my attention. What's this deal you have for me?"
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The sun had set over three hours ago. Most of the workers had returned to camp aside from those working the night shift or overtime. A heavy mist had fallen over Tin Town due to the cold and steam generators running nearby, giving the place an almost ghost town feel. As Naruto pulled into the parking lot, his heart started to race, and it felt like there was a lump in his throat when he stopped in front of the Hyuuga Electric main office trailer. Turning the truck off, he tried to take a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and contemplate what he would say to Hinata.
Blue eyes glanced down at the two take-out containers he had picked up at camp for his girlfriend and Deidara's supper. At first, he wasn't at all pleased that he would have to see and speak to the other electrician, but if it meant he at least got to have a few minutes with Hinata, he would have gladly done anything, even walk on a bed of nails. Right now, he felt like he was a giddy teenager going on their very first date, and he just couldn't seem to shake the uneasy feeling he was having.
Just as he was about to step out of the vehicle, he froze. The trailer door suddenly opened, and he watched as Deidara stepped out and said something to someone behind him before heading off towards the washroom cars. Naruto's eyes widened at his sudden chance of good luck. The moment the other electrician disappeared, he grabbed the two food containers and moved as fast as possible to the trailer door. When he stepped inside, his whole body froze.
There she was.
Her back was to him, and her full attention was on the computer screen ahead of her. Long dark hair was up in a messy ponytail bun. She was wearing a long-sleeved insulated blue shirt and black insulated pants. The heat was cranked in the trailer, not that he blamed her for wanting to keep warm, and even though he couldn't see her face, just from her body language alone, he could tell that she was exhausted.
Letting out a sigh, she slowly turned around to greet him.
"Ah, thank goodness you're here, Gaara. I was able to work on one more transformer this evening, so tomorrow, we will only have four more to go. So what is tonight's . . ." As Hinata's eyes fell on him, they became wide, and her mouth fell open in a silent gasp.
He quickly turned to the door behind him, sliding the deadbolt into place to lock it, and then, without hesitation, Naruto strode forward, placed the food containers on the nearest desk, and then wrapped his arms around the woman before him. "Hinata . . ." he whispered, crushing her against him and pressing his face against the side of her neck.
For a few seconds, she remained completely still, but as the shock wore off, her arms wrapped around him just as tightly. "Naruto! What are you . . . !"
How long they stayed that way, he didn't know. It just felt so good to have her in his arms again. It had only been seven days, but it had felt like an eternity to him. He briefly wondered how on earth he was going to handle being away from her longer when he started his new job, but he quickly brushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on the woman in his grasp. He wanted nothing more than to just pick her up, take her back to camp in his truck and then bring her to his room where he could fall asleep next to her. However, realistically he knew that was impossible . . . at least for tonight. Tomorrow was a completely different story. Burying his face closer to her neck, Naruto inhaled deeply, taking in her natural scent. "I missed you so much." He said softly.
She nodded against him and wrapped her arms even tighter around him if that was even humanly possible. "I missed you too. So much."
It was hard to describe.
All the bitterness and anger that he had felt was suddenly gone. Just hearing her voice, seeing her face, and feeling her arms wrapped around him made those negative thoughts disappear into thin air. A shiver ran down his spine when her fingers started to run over his scalp, and hearing her deep breaths against his ear made him completely relax.
Naruto finally pulled back so that he could see her face. His initial intention was to ask her how she was doing, tell her he had brought food and that he wouldn't be able to stay too terribly long. But, the moment their eyes met, a spark of fire lit up inside him. She said something to him, but it only fell on deaf ears. Before he could stop himself or listen to the reasonable voice inside his head, he leaned down, closed his eyes, and kissed her. She squeaked in surprise, but he only took that as an opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. He had almost forgotten how she tasted . . . how it felt to kiss her . . .
The tiny flame that had started inside him was growing and spreading quickly. His body began to move on its own accord; stepping forward, he gently pushed Hinata against the wall. He broke their kiss momentarily, gasping for air as he regarded the woman he loved. A light blush dusted her cheeks, her eyes were hooded, and the sight of her little pink tongue while she took deep breaths just made his body tingle all over.
"N-Naruto, we have to stop . . . we ca. . ." Hinata stammered.
But he didn't let her finish.
Naruto silenced her with another kiss. His hand moved to cup her cheek while the other one grasped her hip tightly. At first, she made soft sounds of protest against his lips, but her resistance only lasted a few seconds before she completely melted into him and started returning the gesture. Her small hands reached up to grasp the front of his jacket while tilting her head so she could deepen the kiss between them.
The memory of them together was still fresh in his mind. Her hands gently exploring his body, the soft moans that had slipped past her lips, the way her skin felt against his own.
It just made him burn for her.
They forgot where they were, losing themselves entirely over to the passion that they had been holding back all this time. All he could hear right now was her soft mews of pleasure and his heavy breathing. His fingers began to explore her form, moving up and down her rib cage before venturing further up to her chest. Then, just as he was about to cup her breast, a loud bang behind them brought the two lovers out of their passionate daze.
"What the . . . hey, Hinata! What the hell is wrong with the door?! Stupid piece of . . ." Deidara's grumbled angrily. His footsteps left the door he was at and headed to the second entrance on the right.
Naruto pulled away from Hinata. The burning sensation he had been feeling moments ago was now replaced with a cold sweat and fear that they were about to be caught; Hinata had the same expression on her face as well. Moving with accurate speed, Naruto turned around and lunged forward to grab the two food containers, placing them on the desk that Hinata was currently at; meanwhile, Hinata adjusted her shirt and sat back down in front of the computer. He then sat on top of the desk beside hers and pulled out his phone, quickly opening up one of the app games he had on there.
The two quickly exchanged a glance before the other trailer door opened, and in stepped a not amused Deidara.
"What the hell?! Naruto, what the fuck are you doing here?" asked Deidara, looking back and forth between them.
Naruto shrugged, not looking up from his phone. "Lost a bet with Kakashi, and he asked me if I could bring out your supper. He mentioned that you guys have been working late pretty much the whole shift, so I figured I would stay for a few minutes and say hi."
Hinata nodded and gestured to the two food containers on her desk. "I was just going to finish this maintenance sheet, but you can go ahead and start eating, Deidara."
The long-haired blonde Journeyman slowly walked into the trailer, closing the door behind him. "So . . . was it your smartass idea then to lock the door?"
Naruto laughed and winked at him. "Didn't like my joke? Sorry. I would lock both doors, but Hinata didn't think it would be funny with how cold it was outside. But I at least got a chuckle out of it." He stood up, walked over to the locked door, and removed the deadbolt. "I figured with how hard Hinata has been working lately, she could use a laugh."
Deidara wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, his grey eyes were locked on Hinata. He suddenly leaned forward and was less than three feet away from his girlfriend. Naruto bit the inside of his lip and clenched his fist in an attempt to control himself.
"Why is your face so red, Hinata?"
Naruto froze. He cursed Deidara under his breath for being so observant and wracked his brain trying to think of any excuse he could, but thankfully Hinata was the type who could think quickly on her feet.
"Ah, about that." She turned in her chair and motioned at him. "Naruto was teasing me and asking who I was dating on site. Also, he wanted to know if the rumours were true about you and me. So I'm going to tell both of you now that I am dating someone, and it's none of your business! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to wash my hands before digging into my meal here."
Hinata got up and headed outside to use the washroom herself without another word.
A tense silence fell over the two electricians. Naruto tried to ignore Deidara's glare and looked back down at his phone, hoping that the guy would start eating his food and not say a word to him.
"So . . . a little jealous that I get to spend so much time with Hinata?" Taunted Deidara, grabbing his food container and sitting down in one of the chairs.
Naruto shrugged and kept his eyes down. "Me and like half the crew are jealous that you get to work with her. It's her last shift. She's great to work with. I mean, who wouldn't want to be in your place right now I think that is the real question."
Deidara huffed and took a bite of his burger. "Well, just between you and me, I must admit she is an excellent kisser. She kept telling me no the first few days, but after a while, I think my charm started to win her over."
Blood dripped down Naruto's throat as he bit down hard on his tongue. The urge to just punch Deidara in the face was so overwhelming that he was seriously considering doing it, and that the consequences of being fired and banned from site would be totally worth it. He tried to keep still and not let his emotions show, but unfortunately, Deidara must have noticed his sudden mood change.
"Oh? A little angry are we?" He took another bite of his burger. "Were you hoping to maybe start screwing her? She has mentioned a boyfriend back home, but you know what they say, what happens up north, stays up north."
I knew it . . . that son of a bitch was the one spreading the rumours about Hinata . . .
Naruto stood up, put his phone in his pocket, and turned his head to look at Deidara. At first, the other electrician was smirking at him, but then Naruto gave him a knowing smile and let out a laugh. "Is that the best you got? Everyone else might have fallen for your shenanigans, but I can see straight through your bullshit. I'm not sure what you're trying to prove by telling everyone you guys are sleeping together, but as someone who knows Hinata very well, I know she's not that type of woman. And if I were you, I would start to carefully watch what you say and do around Hinata. She may not look it, but she's a red belt in Karate and a black belt in Judo. So just keep that in mind while you trash talk about her."
Deidara scoffed at him. "Really? And why does it bother you so much if what I say isn't true? Being a little overprotective, aren't you? For someone who just claims to only be her friend, you certainly care a lot about what people are saying about her."
Naruto frowned. "Is it so wrong that I'm looking out for someone I care for?"
"Not really. But, as I said, you seem almost too overprotective for someone who is just your friend." Deidara stood up so that the two of them were at eye level. "I've seen the way you look at her, so quit trying to act like you're so high and mighty when you're at the exact same level as me. You want her just as much as any other guy up here does. The only difference is, I get to spend quality time with Hinata while you're stuck out on Pad #12."
His lips pressed tightly together, and he held back on the words he wanted to stay. Naruto knew he was backing himself into a corner, and soon there would be no way out if he kept arguing with Deidara. Rumours and gossip were nothing new to him, he had heard it all, but now it was different since the victim here was the woman he loved; he didn't want anyone talking bad about her.
As if on cue, Hinata came back into the trailer, rubbing her hands together after being out in the cold. "Brrrr. It's freezing out . . . " she paused, taking in the way the two men were glaring at one another. Then, letting out a sigh, she stepped in between them. "Now, now, did you two get into a fight while I was gone for five minutes?"
Naruto shook his head and took a few steps back. "Just a disagreement is all."
Hinata frowned and returned to her desk. "Well, thank you for bringing us our meals, Naruto. I just have one more report to finish, and Deidara, are you almost done with yours?"
He nodded, swallowed the rest of his burger, and pointed at the computer behind Naruto. "I'm almost done mine as well. We should be able to leave in the next fifteen minutes or so."
"You can head back now if you want to, Naruto. I'm sure you're tired from working in the cold all day." Offered Hinata, giving him a warm and caring smile.
It hurt Naruto more than he liked to admit that she was pretty much trying to push him out the door, but he knew that her intentions were not ill-natured. He rubbed the back of his head and smiled back. "Are you sure? I'm sure I would be much better company than this guy over here."
Deidara scowled when Naruto pointed at him, and Hinata even let out a little giggle. "Thanks for your concern, but I will be fine. Have a good night, Naruto."
He wanted to say more to her, try and convince Hinata to let him stay at least until they were done with all their paperwork, but he couldn't think of a good enough excuse. So instead, he wished her a good night and gave Deidara a curt slight nod before heading out the door.
The extreme cold hit his body hard, and it took a few deep breaths before his lungs got used to the freezing air. Naruto started to walk towards his truck with the door shut behind him, but he paused and looked back at the trailer after five steps. A part of him wanted to walk back inside and just reveal the truth that he and Hinata were a couple. However, at the same time, he knew what the consequences would be if he did. He had seen Sasuke and Sakura's struggles while they were in a relationship. His friend always complained about people asking him how Sakura was in bed or spreading rumours that someone else was also sleeping with her. Meanwhile, Sakura had to deal with guys constantly hitting on her, and someone had dared to put a note in her work boots that said 'Slut' on it.
Granted, it is the second last day of the shift. I could just go in there and . . . and . . . ah, but what good would that do? Even if Deidara did believe me that we are a couple, then Hinata has to spend the next day dealing with his probing questions about us. That's not fair to her.
Naruto sighed and started walking again back to his work truck. He climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine, but Naruto grabbed his phone and sent Hinata a quick text message before shifting the vehicle into drive.
Sorry about earlier; I just miss you so much. Please let me know when you're back at camp and safely in your room. Love You.
He almost sounded like a worried parent, but with the extreme cold weather and some of the weirdos at their camp, he always wanted to make sure she was back in her room safely. Not even a minute later, his phone chimed with a reply message from her.
I miss you too, and I love you so much. I'll call you when I'm back safely. Can't wait for tomorrow night. Love you too
Naruto smiled and placed the phone in the cupholder.
That is true. One more night, and then I get to spend quality time with her. We can order a pizza from the bar, take it back to our room and watch TV, and then we can . . . we . . .
A deep blush quickly spread across his cheeks at the memory of kissing her less than fifteen minutes ago. However, his erotic fantasies were suddenly put on the back burner when his phone lit up again with a text from Kakashi asking where the hell he was at and that he had better still not be at the main office trailer.
Naruto groaned in frustration before putting the truck in drive and heading back to camp.
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Pad #12 was crowded with people and machinery from the front and back shifts. There were two large cranes, numerous Boom Lifts, welding trucks, standard trucks, and various types of trades walking around. It was noon, and the sun was shining, but it was still freezing like hell. Not to mention the wind wasn't helping either. While it wasn't snowing, the wind hadn't let up all day and would even bring in a few large gusts that made some stop in their tracks to wait for it to pass before moving again.
Naruto watched from his position on platform one as most of the people on the pad were starting to head in for lunch, aside from him and a few others. With fewer people in the way, it was the perfect opportunity to place the new Heat Trace Control panel by the MCC (Main Control Centre), which was the busiest spot on the pad.
He observed as the crane slowly made its way towards the building. Then, pulling his face cover down, Naruto leaned over to talk into his radio. "Kiba, do you copy?"
There was only a brief moment of silence before he heard the Back Shift Lead Hands voice. "Loud and clear. What's up?"
"The crane is almost at the MCC. Can you meet me there in five minutes?"
"Ten-Four. And I'll call for Konohamaru and Udon while I'm at it."
Naruto walked down the stairs and started to follow after the crane, pulling his face cover back up. Once this Heat Trace Control Panel was in place and bolted down, his tasks were pretty much done for the day, aside from his usual Lead Hand responsibilities. However, he was bound and determined that nothing, absolutely nothing, would stop him from seeing Hinata tonight. Kiba had complained at first about moving the Panel during lunchtime, but when he pointed out how much safer it would be, Shino took his side and approved the permit for the crane work. And while it was true he did want to be safe, his ulterior motive was that it would speed up the process of getting the task done.
As the crane moved into position beside the MCC. Naruto walked past the main control building and over to the grated stand where the Panel would be placed near the end of the CVM. Hundreds of instruments and devices were spread out in this area along the one large pipe coming onto the pad, and then the other large pipe leaving. The instruments gave readings and calibrations of the steam coming onto the well pad, to the emulsion and water leaving for the main plant.
He spotted a small cardboard box sitting nearby where the panel would go that contained bolts, screws, washers, and nuts, which he inspected to make sure they were the right size to bolt the Panel down just as Kiba came around the backside, carrying a large bundle of chains, and joined him.
"Frick me, you guys have been working in this cold shit for 6 days in a row? I'm surprised anything got done while I was away." Grumbled Kiba, his voice muffled by the face-covering he had.
Naruto nodded. "It sure hasn't been fun, but that's why none of the heat traces got done. We didn't want it breaking. Thursday is supposed to get warmer, so you guys should be okay for the rest of your shift."
Kiba glanced over at the crane and then over to the new panel sitting off to the side on a pallet. "I know I didn't like it this morning, but you were right. Much better to get this done now, so we aren't getting in the way of the other trades trying to work in this area."
"And the quicker we get this sucker set up, the faster we can go back into the warm trailer and finish up our paperwork before the end of the day." Added Naruto.
When he had returned to site, Naruto could not deny that he had been slightly worried about his work relationship with Kiba. The guy knew that he and Hinata were dating and could have acted like an asshole to him if he really wanted to. But, Naruto had to give Kiba credit that he still worked professionally around him and never even brought up the topic of their relationship, except for that one time. It almost felt like things were back to normal between them.
"So, how is it that you've managed to keep your cool with Deidara working so closely with Hinata this whole shift?" asked Kiba.
Naruto stiffened and glanced up at Kiba.
"I mean, if I had been in your shoes, rumours be damned, I would have told that guy and the whole crew that Hinata was my girlfriend from day one. Any particular reason you're keeping quiet about your relationship?"
Naruto let out a tired sigh and stood up. "It's none of your business, Kiba. But for the record, I'm more so keeping my mouth shut because I don't want the same thing to happen to Hinata like what happened and is still going on with Sakura. I swear she's still finding notes in her boots at least once a shift."
"You realize that's a completely different situation from the one you're in, right?" Kiba turned so that he was closer and could keep his voice down. "Sasuke is the site heartthrob, so of course, all the girls are going to be jealous of Sakura."
"Okay then, say I did tell everyone we were dating. Do you know how much they would be bugging me and her for details? I could take the harassment, but you know how Deidara can be with his mouth, and Hinata has to work with the guy. I would much rather have him attempting to flirt with her than him quizzing her on how big my dick is."
Kiba laughed. "Isn't that what he asked Sakura like three months ago when he was on this pad? I wasn't around for it, but I heard that's why he got transferred to the crew working in the plant and that Sasuke almost came unglued."
"Sasuke doesn't talk about it, but from the odd comment he's told me, apparently Deidara just kept pestering him all shift and asking him what it was like to nail the safety coordinator. Which knowing Sasuke, he probably didn't react or comment at all, but when Sakura came by later in the shift for a Safety Walk Down, he asked her that in front of the guys working on the tray. Kono said that was the first time he ever heard Sasuke raise his voice and told Deidara to march straight to Shino's office." Naruto glanced behind him to see Konohamaru and Udon making their way toward them. "Regardless, the guy is on thin ice right now. I know Hinata won't complain about his flirting, but I would be lying if I said the rumours he's spreading about them sleeping together isn't pissing me off. And even when I try to defend her, it just makes it look like I'm jealous of him."
Kiba gave him a hard nudge. "Well, you managed to survive the shift, and today is the last day she's working with him. So tonight, if you want, you can brag all you want about Hinata being your girlfriend; just be prepared for what's to come on your last shift in January. Once people hear you're dating the boss's niece, I'm sure that will get even more interesting rumours flying."
Naruto shook his head. "Exactly, so why are you bugging me so much about letting people know that Hinata and I are dating?"
"Because I've only got a limited amount of time to ruffle your feathers, and I'm going to take advantage of every minute I can." Kiba joked, giving Naruto another jab and then waving at Konohamaru and Udon. "There you two are! Let's get this show on the road! I'm starving over here.
Behind his shaded safety glasses, Naruto rolled his eyes before walking over to the crane operator to tell them that they were ready to move the Panel.
After a brief discussion between the four men on their tasks, they finally got to work. Konohamaru slid under the grating so he could slip on the nuts and washers, Udon was prepared with the bolts and lock washers.
Naruto leaned down and grabbed the chains Kiba had brought over but paused when he got a better look at them. "Hey, Kiba, you grabbed the wrong size. These aren't going to be strong enough to carry the control panel."
Kiba rolled his eyes, "They're the only size I could find. I'm not sure where the bigger ones are, but those should be fine to lift the damn thing 30 feet in the air."
Naruto glared at the other lead. "The thing may only be 30ft in the air, but it can kill or seriously hurt us if the damn chains break."
Kiba sighed angrily and stormed over to the crane operator.
"What is he doing?" asked Kono from underneath the grating.
Naruto shrugged as they watched Kiba climb up the few steps on the crane so that he was talking to the crane operator. After a brief discussion, it looked as if the other lead hand grabbed another set of chains from the operator.
"This is the only set he has, the same size as ours. If we use both of them, it should work just fine." Said Kiba with an irritated look on his face.
Naruto sighed and looked down at the chains. The responsible side of him wanted to find the correct size they needed, but that could take hours or longer to hunt them down. On the other hand, if they simply used the ones they had and were quick about the job, the chains should be able to hold.
Going against his better judgement, Naruto hissed out, "Alright, fine. We'll use these, but make sure we double up through the loops on the panel so it can handle the weight."
With the control panel ready to hoist, Kiba signalled to the crane operator that he could start lifting. Then, ever so slowly, the large silver panel was raised into the air. Kiba and Naruto followed it precautiously while Udon and Kono remained where they were.
Just as they reached the highest point the panel had to be lifted, a massive gust of wind came blowing through. Kiba was yelling something, but he couldn't quite hear as the two of them quickly got out of the way, watching as the large, expensive piece of equipment swung back and forth in the air. Naruto held his breath while keeping an eye on the chains. Praying to any god listening that they didn't break.
Back and forth the control panel swung. And as the wind disappeared just as suddenly as it had come in. Patiently all four electricians and the crane operator waited for it to stop swinging before they could continue to move it.
When it finally came to a stop, Naruto and Kiba let out a sigh of relief and immediately motioned for the Crain operator to continue.
"We are never fucking doing that again. I don't care how long it takes us to find the right chains. That could have been disastrous." Growled Naruto as they followed the panel to its final resting place.
"No arguments here." Mumbled Kiba.
Without any more problems, the crane operator lowered the Panel onto the grating with Naruto and Kiba to guide it into place. Once both lead hands were satisfied with its position, they instructed the apprentices to bolt it down quickly. Needless to say, while Naruto was still trying to recover from the intense incident they almost had, he was also quite happy that they were pretty much done for the day and was already starting to think about his plans for the evening.
As Konohamaru was putting on the last nut, a loud wailing sound blared across the entire pad, making all four men freeze. Naruto's face paled, and a chill ran up his spine; he looked over at Kiba, who was just as startled as him. The loud, train horn-like sound was an immediate call for everyone on site to muster to their designated areas. Naruto had heard this alarm before, but only from practice musters in case of an emergency or during orientation.
"Is there supposed to be a drill today?" asked Kiba. "Usually, they give us at least a few day's heads up."
Naruto shook his head. "Your guess is as good as mine. But we better play it safe. Kono, get out from under there now! You and Udon head back to the trailer; it's too cold for us to muster outside!" He then turned to the crane operator, waving his arms. "Hey, buddy! Muster Alarm! Head towards our trailer for a headcount!"
Konohamaru scrambled from out under the grating before he and Udon started speed walking towards their trailer with Kiba hot on their heels. "I'll get the headcount started. You sweep the pad and make sure none of our guys are still working out here!"
Naruto nodded.
With his adrenaline running, he tried to slow down his racing heart and tried to remember the steps of what needed to be done in an emergency. First, he needed to make sure everyone was accounted for and that no one was missing. Naruto quickly walked the pad's perimeter, calling out to anyone who was there that they needed to muster now. Thankfully, due to it being lunch, aside from a pair of welders working at the far end, no one was out on the pad.
Once he was sure everyone was inside, Naruto walked into the electrician's lunchroom trailer. The large crew was crammed inside and sitting at their tables but were all dead silent as Kiba did the roll call. Once the back shift lead hand was finished going through the names, he confirmed that everyone was here and no one was missing. "Everyone stay inside this trailer and do not leave for any reason! If you really need to use the washroom, tell someone and don't waste any time. Also, no talking on the radios! We need to keep the airwaves clear for emergency personnel and the foreman's to use only!"
Kiba motioned Naruto to go outside, and the two of them stepped out of the trailer.
"Shino's on the radio with Gaara and Kakashi right now. I don't think this is a drill, so either we have a false alarm, or there is an emergency somewhere on site." Said Kiba, walking towards their trailer.
As the two walked inside, they were greeted by Sasuke and Shino.
"Talk to me, guys. What's our headcount." Said Shino in a sombre tone.
"We have all forty-five electricians, three lead hands, two welders, two crane operators, and you, Shino. Everyone with us is accounted for. "
Their foreman let out a sigh of relief before grabbing the radio in front of him. "Shino to Gaara, everyone on Pad #12 is present and accounted for."
Gaara's voice immediately sounded over the radio. "Ten-Four Shino, please stand by."
An eerie silence fell over the four men briefly before Kiba started to pull his winter gear and hard hat off. "So what's going on? Have they said anything yet over the emergency channel?"
Channel one on all radios was strictly reserved for emergencies only. Every foreman on site was always given two radios so that they could have one tuned in to their company's channel, Hyuuga Electric for Pad #12 was on channel four while the head office was on channel seven, but the second radio was always on channel one.
Shino shook his head and motioned toward Sasuke. "I didn't hear anything, but he's been listening in on the emergency channel ever since the muster alarm went off. I've been staying on the main office channel, and so far, almost everyone with Hyuuga Electric has been accounted for. The only one I haven't heard call-in is Itachi, confirming that everyone from the main office and plant crew is alright."
A feeling of dread swept over Naruto, making the hairs on the back of his neck stick up.
"Not much has been said here. I got in here only after hearing the alarm, and the only thing I heard was a possible man down in the tank farm. But aside from that, nothing." Sasuke informed them, his dark eyes only staring down at the radio in his hands.
Naruto had known Sasuke for a long time, and his friend was not the type to show any emotion except for those who were really close to him. But the tone of his voice and how it slightly wavered, he could tell that Sasuke was worried. They were in the same boat, waiting to hear if their girlfriends were safe. For all the years they had been working with Konoha Energy, this was the very first time they were involved with an on-site muster emergency. Usually, muster drills were scheduled a week ahead of time, all of the foreman's and lead hands were told what day and time it would happen, and then when the horns went off, everyone would move in an orderly fashion to the muster points. Then, once a headcount was done, everyone would just hang out and wait for the higher-ups to give them the all-clear before going back to work.
As the minutes ticked by and there was still no word from Itachi, Naruto suddenly had the urge to check his phone. Tossing his hard hat and gloves off to the side, he strode over to where his bag was, and his hands dug into his backpack, pulling out the electronic device. Blue eyes widened at the sight of a text from Hinata just a little over two hours ago when she had been in for her coffee break. Biting his lip, he punched in the password to open up and read the message fully, but as he scanned her typed words, all colour left his face, and he suddenly felt light head.
"Gaara do you copy? It's Itachi." Sasuke's older brother's voice blared through the radio into the unnervingly quiet trailer.
"Go for Gaara."
"I have almost everyone in the plant and head office accounted for, except for two! This is a shout-out to anyone listening on this channel! If you have eyes on either Hinata or Deidara, please tell us immediately! I repeat, if you have eyes on Hinata or Deidara, please let us know!"
Time had stopped, and Naruto forgot how to breathe; he couldn't hear or feel anything . . . his eyes could only stare at the phone in his hand.
"Hey, Naruto? You alright?" Kiba tapped him on the shoulder, but his mind was so dazed that he couldn't respond. The only thing he could do was pass the phone to Kiba, who gave him a questioning look, but he took the device anyways, his dark eyes reading the message. Then, just like Naruto, his face suddenly became white. "Ah . . . Shino! We may have a serious problem!"
Before anyone could say anything, a voice came over the emergency channel. "This is Echo Romeo team 1; there are two individuals down on the south side of the tank farm! I repeat, two individuals down!"
All sound had stopped. Kiba was yelling something at Shino, and Sasuke was suddenly in front of him, shaking his shoulders. He could only stare blankly at his friend as his mind suddenly shut down. He was incompetent to process anything that was going on. Suddenly he fell to his knees, unable to stand any longer. A sickly feeling took over, and he was on the verge of throwing up.
The phone he had passed over to Kiba was now on the floor, the screen still opened on the last text Hinata had sent him.
Hope you're having a great day. Just stopping by the office quickly for a bite to eat, we are heading off to the Tank Farm to test out the last two Transformers. There's one on the south end and one on the north end. We will have everything done before the end of the day, and I can't wait to see you tonight. Love you.
To Be Continued . . .