Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ mischief's cracktastic shorts ❯ Choices ( Chapter 2 )

Genre: angst
Word count: 524
Pairings: NaruHina, implied NaruSaku

Choices

"What is it, Naruto?" He turned toward her, the confusion apparent on his face as he tried to figure out what she meant. "What is it about her that allows you to just forget about me?"

Shit. Her voice was quiet as usual, but the words were laced with anger and hurt. Clutched in her fist was a forehead protector, the same one that was no where to be found during the mad dash to get clothed and get a certain someone out of the apartment when Hinata came home from her mission earlier today instead of tomorrow as planned. For a fleeting moment, he actually wondered where she managed to find the thing.

"What is it?!" she demanded once again, this time a bit more forcefully, and Naruto sighed, wishing he knew the answer to that question himself.

"Hinata," he began but didn't really know what to say. What could he say that would lessen the blow? There was nothing, he realized as he raked his hand through his hair in aggravation. His lack of response upset her even more, and she dropped the evidence of his betrayal and went back into the bedroom. He wasn't surprised to find her packing when he followed her, but it pained him just as well. So many times he had wished for it to be her, for her to be the one who completed him, her to be the one to make him smile like that. Why couldn't it have been her? She loved him!

Hinata picked up her bag from the bed and looked at him once again. The anguish on her face made his insides twist. He never wanted to hurt her, but that's exactly what he was doing, wasn't it? Throwing away what he had for a chance at the impossible, a fantasy.

He knew things with Sakura would most likely not end up how he wished. For as long as he'd known her, she'd been in love with Sasuke, just as he loved her and Hinata loved him. Life was fucked up like that. His teammate might've only wanted a physical relationship with him, but he couldn't just pass up the opportunity that just maybe it might develope into something more. Because the fact remained that even though he couldn't say why he loved her in ways that he couldn't love Hinata, he did, and if given a choice, he'd always choose Sakura even if it only ended in pain.

Hinata paused as her hand encircled the doorknob and turned back to Naruto one last time.

"I hope you find what you're looking for." The words were strained but sincere, not that he would have expected anything less from her. 'Why couldn't it have been her?' his mind asked once again. Their eyes met, and he somehow managed a sad little smile before she walked out, closing the door of the apartment and the life they shared behind her. The tears escaped her eyes as soon as her feet began descending the steps.

Naruto sighed and allowed himself to fall backwards into the couch. He had never meant to hurt her.