Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ A Gift ❯ Chap 4 ( Chapter 4 )

I don't own Naruto or any of its characters

 

Chap 4

 

Konoha lay silent after the departure of its mighty protector. Rumors spread like the winter winds, chilling and stirring the masses. Few besides those that witnessed it actually knew what had taken place and even those memories were fogged by emotion.

 

In the darkness of night a young woman walked along the wet paved path to her home, her head swimming with thoughts. She wanted answers to what she had heard and she would find them in her father.

 

Hyuuga Hinata walked to the door of her father's rooms when the sound of his angry voice alarmed her. Quietly she slipped to the side, deciding not to bother him and trying not to hear what he was yelling about but she froze when she did hear.

 

“You said you would kill him! He's still out there, alive!”

 

“No Hiashi-sama. I said I could get rid of him and no more.”

 

“I was the one who stole the scroll and you talk to me like this? That-That demon would still be here if not for me!”

 

“That is true Hyuuga-sama. But without me he would never have left.”

 

A growl sounded in the room. “Damn it! There needs to be some way I can kill him! Damn that Uzumaki Naruto!”

 

Hinata realized she was shaking and tears were trickling down her pale cheeks. `He can't be gone! He can't be!' Her hands unconsciously worked their way to cover her face as tears came down. A hand grasped onto her shoulder and she would have let out a scream except for the man who it belonged to.

 

Neji quietly led her away from the door and calmly reassured her with his actions. Hinata let herself be led into an empty room and he cast his serious eyes at her. Hinata knew he had heard her father and his cool demeanor told her that he knew more. A few years of being in an Anbu squad had given him a deadly presence and he radiated that death now.

 

She saw that he was waiting, waiting for her to stop sobbing. Quickly she forced herself to calm and was able to stop those sobs.

 

“Hinata. What you heard in there. It was true.” She would have collapsed had it not been for Neji holing her up. There was still so much to tell him even if she could not compare to that woman she had seen. Hinata looked up to Neji, her yes glistening with water.

 

“Neji-san. Are you sure?” Neji simply nodded and Hinata willed herself to calm her shaking voice.

 

“Do-Do you know where he is?”

 

Neji shook his head and Hinata remained silently brooding. She knew what she wanted, what her heart told her to do, but logic still stood in her way. She pushed away any logic that remained, she would abandon it for him, and she forced everything that had stood for something in her life.

 

A gleaming image of her beloved appeared in her mind and hot tears came streaming down her cheeks. Hinata turned, wiping away the tears as she began to slowly move to the distant door. “Hinata-sama.” She turned her head, looking back at the shaking, furious man. His voice was calm and soothing but he seemed to be on the brink. “I'll go with you.”

 

XXXXXXXXXX

 

Ino shuffled around in her family flower shop, busying herself so she would not be able to think. Rumors flew like a swarm of locus, invading everyone's minds. Hundreds of would-be truths plagued her. “Did you hear? He was killed.” “I heard he was exiled.” “No it's just some little ploy they're playing. There's no way He's gone.”

 

So many women had passed by her shop, each with a more dramatic story than the last. Ino's hand recoiled and she cursed the little flower, sucking the coppery blood from her finger.

 

She didn't want to believe any of those rumors that Uzumaki Naruto had left the Hidden Leaf. He would never do that and anyone foolish enough to think that he would die was a moron.

 

Something had come over her after he had drooped by a few days ago. He had come so suddenly and out of nowhere that her mind had worked out why he did it. He had nowhere that he could go, no one he could spend time with and she felt a pang of hurt when she thought of that.

 

He was always doing crazy things, proclaiming that he would protect everyone even if he died; he even seemed to live up to that. She had seen him get beaten to a pulp, only to rise time and time again, calling out that he would protect the leaf with his life. He was an idiot, doing that just to protect her and Sakura from harm during an attack.

 

She realized that she admired that great determination, that unwavering spirit that he carried with him. Before she knew it her mind had told her she loved him, and her heart had taken to a deep longing to be with him.

 

Was it just because she was stupid that she liked him? Her mind worked in funny ways, heck she had been with the laziest man in the village. But somehow this was different. What she felt for Naruto; it was something she never had with Shikamaru. If love was blind then Ino was blind, deaf and mute.

 

Ino yelled out in frustration. Why was she thinking about this? Why was He always in her mind? Ino found that she was sitting behind the counter, everything done with. She threw up her hands in frustration and went to take out the trash.

 

The cool breeze hit her and she quickly decided to take a walk. Ino locked the doors and went to enjoy the clean air. She thought would help to clear her head but the noise of all the people around her only added to the clutter.

 

Muttering about the people talking too loudly Ino strolled to the forest where the harmony of the birds soothed her. Putting her hands behind her head Ino tired to focus on the coloring forest but like a persisting fly her thoughts irritated her to no end.

 

Ino walked away from the road, trying to exclude herself from the main path. The dense forest surrounded her and she could no longer see the towering expanse of the city. Ino pleasantly hummed to herself, being drawn into the coloring leaves of the trees.

 

Through the thick mass of growth she heard the distinct sounds of voices. Her curiosity peaked; Ino darted off to the source, hoping for some juicy gossip to take her away from those troubling thoughts.

 

The voices became clearer as she neared and Ino realized that she was in luck. The annoying voice of her one time companion screeched through the trees and would surely have something interesting. Quietly she crept up on them, listening intently.

 

“You did a good job but why do you want to meet me out here?”

 

“I want to know.” Ino froze at the sound of the lazy voice and her hands began to tremble from fright.

 

“Know what Shikamaru?”

 

“I want to know why you wanted Naruto to leave. Why you sent him away. He was a troublesome guy but why did you want him gone so bad.”

 

“That-That thing did things to me you wouldn't understand! He's hurt me more than anyone could ever have!”

 

“I see. So you hurt him because he did it to you?”

 

“He took Sasuke-kun from me!”

 

“I can feel your pain Sakura. I detest the man. No the Demon. He must suffer more for trying to do what he did.” Shikamaru let out an eerie laugh never heard before and Ino felt fearful of the man.

 

Trying to make sense of the matter Ino quickly left. Somehow she knew that it was true because her insides seemed twist in knowing he was gone.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

 

Naruto leaned against the large tree, gingerly setting himself on the damp ground of that day's rain. A roaring fire went on blazing before him while Temari cleaned herself after their dinner. Naruto let the fire take his blank and staring eyes while the memories of Konoha rushed up at him. His face slackened a little, thinking of how he had lived in the Leaf, how he had happily protected it, until he saw Temari in front of him. Immediately he grew more concentrated. He had to be strong for her, to protect her from all those destructions of the world.

 

Naruto looked at her as she walked over to him, gently sitting in front of him and taking his head in her hands. Naruto looked into her beady dark eyes and fell into the depths of her life.

 

Temari knew there was something he was holding inside of him, something he didn't want to show her but she had to force it out. She didn't like him this way, sad and so burdened. She stroked his hair, finding him softening under her touch and scrutiny. She smiled at him, that all knowing smile that she had reserved only for him.

 

“Naruto.” She said softly, running her hand along his temple.

 

“Naruto. You can let it out. You don't need to carry it by yourself. I'll help you.”

 

Naruto looked up at her, surprised. “What?” he flashed a smile but it couldn't fool her, she had gotten through that smile of his.

 

She brought both hands around his head and pulled him to her chest like a mother comforting a child, no like a wife with her husband. “Naruto-kun. It's ok to cry. I-I'll help you Naruto. I'll help you with your pains and ease your sadness, because-because I will become your wife. I love you.”

 

Tears were already running down his face when she spoke her loving him. Temari could feel his tears soaking through her. She rubbed her fingers through his hair and felt a pang of sadness when she remembered she could have done it before.

 

XXXXX

 

“I'll protect those precious to me!” Naruto panted, clutching his broken arm and glaring daggers at the silver haired man. Temari lay behind him, sweat and fatigue overcoming her body. It was a wonder that Naruto could even stand. He had fought against the sannin Orochimaru and now he stood there trying to protect her and the other kunoichi with his battered body.

 

“Just lay down and die Naruto-kun!”

 

“I won't give up! I'll die killing you if I need to Kabuto!”

 

“Don't make me laugh. You can hardly stand.”

 

The man was right, Naruto seemed to waver every so often but she knew his eyes still had that burning fire that would hold out until the end. Kabuto wasted no more time. He ran right at Naruto, forgetting his techniques and just using his fist to brutally knock him down.

 

With a deafening impact Temari could hear Naruto groan in pain. Kabuto approached them, laughing wildly at the weakness of women, and sent her, Sakura and Hinata flying into a tree with a single blow. Pain seared through her back and she threatened to loose consciousness, which would have meant death. Dark spots appeared and blurred her vision and when she closed her eyes a brilliant ball of light roared through the air.

 

Before she knew it she was in the hospital with no serious injuries but it bothered her that she had gotten there. The medic nins had told her Naruto had brought them in, but how? It was true that he was a demon but he had already used up most of it with Orochimaru. Why did he fight so hard? How could he do it? Why did he not care for himself? She would have run. She knew the chances would have led to death more likely than not but he stayed there and protected her. No he protected them. There were others there but still. Why would he waste his life for something so meaningless?

 

She threw up her hands in frustration and angrily marched out of the hospital only to realize it was night. Sighing Temari started to a hotel when an annoying voice lured her to an alley. “What the hell is he thinking? This means nothing! I hate him! Naruto! He's such an idiot! I hate him!” Called a familiar voice.

 

Temari clutched her hands in anger. What the hell was she saying! He saved her life! Temari was about to crush the woman when Naruto's face appeared, desperately protecting the girl with all his might. She would have beat her to make her realize that he had saved her if not for the fact He almost died saving Her and it would be a waste for her to die.

 

Angrily she stormed off, unable to think. Temari went to cool her head in the woods of Konoha, glad to have a warm night compared to the desert and hear the mysteries of the forest. A strange thumping sound took her from her path, curious of what the woods held she went off to it. The beating of what seemed to be wood and the cracking of it brought her to a large clearing in the middle of a thick mass of trees.

 

Grunts could be heard from it now and Temari poked her head in, spotting two bodies down there. Temari went rigid. Naruto faced off with his clone, both had their clothes in taters. Blood and sweat ran down both as though they had taken a shower in it. Temari realized the thump she had heard before was Naruto being pounded against a tree. Naruto stood, string at himself in disgust as his clone disappeared after he had successfully attacked him. He looked down to his hand, focusing on in. Lines erupted from it, thick lines on chakra. They swirled and swirled, forming into a ball. Naruto let out a mad scream, seemingly defying all limits of muscles as he ran at a tree.

 

Temari looked horror stuck. What was he doing? Just the other day he had been beaten to an inch of his life, his arm broken and his muscles exhausted but now he was going all out on his own? She couldn't understand. A sudden impact of a body on the ground took her eyes to him, lying there on his stomach moving up and down as he laboriously tried to breathe.

 

Temari gripped the tree harder, she didn't even know she had gripped it, when Naruto let out a yell. “Damn IT! I'M WEAK! DAMN!” His fist pounded the ground. Temari shivered as she held the tree. He was not weak. He was strong, the strongest man she had met. That's what she wanted to tell him, to hold him and tell him to stop and rest but she couldn't. She was the weak one, the one who could do nothing but hide. Temari turned, trying to escape the man who had captured her heart.

 

XXXXX

 

Temari's hands ran through Naruto's hair. How much pain did he go through before she had finally accepted what her heart felt. Too much. She knew the answer and she told herself she would take those pains away. She would be there for him from now on. “I'm here Naruto. I'll take care of you.”

 

XXXXX

 

Hinata pulled her hair from her face with her hand looking at the woman next to her with a pack on as well, smiling. Her heart skipped a beat as they walked through the gates of Konoha with a steady determination. She had decided this herself and was glad to have friends with her.

 

Ino's hand stung where she had struck him. He had no right to do what he did and now he would forever be without her. Ino looked at the rising sun, walking beside Hinata and smiling, her heart seemed to calm a little, knowing it was moving towards where it would be able to drink him in.