Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words: 1 939
Publish:
Summary: The final fight
Instinctively, Tendo wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck. So he pushed on his feet to roll him over. He sent his knee in his nose then he elbowed his chest. At the same moment, he took a punch in his side. It made him let go of his opponent.
Facing each other, the two men dodged each other's attacks. Only their loud breathing and their punches ripping through the air could be heard.
Hinata had found Menma impressive but compared to Tendo, he was nothing. His legwork was never the same and as soon as one of his attacks broke Naruto's defence, it was efficient, weakening him a bit more.
Her husband was having a hard time. She could clearly see it every time he wiped the blood dripping from his brow bone to his eye.
Once again, he had the disadvantage to have fought before coming.
And she was still handcuffed, she reminded herself when she didn't move away from the bed.
Naruto sent his opponent on the ground with a kick in the legs. But he stood up right away to meet him. He then gathered speed and hit with all his strength, fuelling with rage. Tendo's head spined. He let out a grunt as his calf was crushed, forcing him to kneel again.
Unfortunately, he was at the perfect height for his next attack. Taking out a knife from his belt, he stabbed Naruto's thigh and cut his skin to his calf.
It was so fast that Hinata only saw it once it was done.
Hissing from the pain, Naruto lost balance and had to lean against the wall. His sweaty face tensed every time he tried to put foot on the ground while blocking Tendo's blade. It was his turn to be on his knees, pushing the ginger's arms to prevent the blade from driving in his shoulder.
A second blade then appeared at the bottom of the knife and it pierced Naruto's hand, pinning it against the wall.
His yell froze Hinata on the bed.
Nothing else mattered now. All she saw was blood.
So much blood.
Too much blood.
Before she could realise what she was doing, her fingers wrapped themselves around her left thumb and pulled until dislocating it.
The crack caught the attention of both fighters.
In a few seconds, Tendo understood she was escaping and he escaped Naruto's grip, too weak to hold him back.
Hinata's eyes left the scene while her hand was sliding out of its prison. She dug in her hair and unclipped a hairpin, seeing the clone coming closer to her. She fiddled in the lock with it until it set her right wrist free.
Seeing Naruto on the verge of fainting, she felt her whole body take control and act on its own. Spectator of her own survival and protective instincts, she watched the scene.
She pushed the bed with all her strength towards Tendo who stopped it with ease. However, he should've looked at her. She was now at a good distance to touch him while being protected behind her makeshift shield.
The punch was so unexpected it froze the two men. "I won't let you hurt my family." She succeeded in articulating with confidence.
Looking at her, Tendo caught her wrist and squeezed. The pressure on her bruises made her grimace. But she didn't look away. She wasn't afraid.
Naruto was here.
Thanks to her distraction, he had time to gather strength and to pull himself together. He grabbed Tendo who had to let go of her to not drag her with him and Naruto kicked him away.
Hinata watched him tighten the bandage he put around his hand with his teeth. Still handicaped with his leg, he re-entered the fray anyway.
Brows narrowed with concentration, he wasn't shaking anymore. Each of his punches and kicks seemed to gather in intensity. His hands blocked Tendo's attack and he landed a headbutt on him, giving Naruto a few seconds to catch his breath.
Just in time, he jumped backwards to avoid an attack meant to cut him again. Unfortunately, he found himself stuck against the desk. His hands searched for something, anything, that could be used as a defensive weapon.
When his fist rose, Hinata saw a pen. Alarmed, she gained back control on her body, gave up her idea of wrapping her thumb and looked for something to help Naruto. She knew he was strong but, in his state, his makeshift weapon was useless.
It's at that moment she noticed the gun. How was it possible she forgot about it?
She pushed the mattress which fell on the floor and took the gun. Looking up, she met Naruto's eyes and without a word, they understood each other.
He had to bend on his knees to avoid a move then jumped back in the dance.
After several tries, he succeeded at sinking the pen in Tendo's hand. In pain, he let go of his blade. Seeing an opening, Naruto punched him straight in his jaw. The enemy tumbled onto the desk and then fell on the other side.
Seeing that as a signal, Hinata walked towards Naruto. Weakened at his hand, he failed to KO'd him. So, he was on his guard when she gave him the gun.
For a few seconds, their fingers brushed against each other.
They were warm.
Because they were still alive.
That was enough to make her feel better.
"You are the anomaly, Kyubi. We know it."
Their gazes and the gun were aimed at Tendo. Even after a fight, he was still emotionless. Standing, his eyes met Naruto's.
"You will not shoot, Kyubi. We know you can not finish a mission. That is why you have been removed from the organisation."
Naruto wasn't a killer by choice. Hinata knew it. But when she saw the dangerous glimmer in his eyes, her body shivered. And even though she was afraid, she was ready to let him press the trigger if he wanted to.
She then held his hand. As a sign of support. For him? For her? She didn't know.
"I killed the other clones. Why would I spare you?"
"All human boys dream, one day, to be the hero of their other half."
He was wrong. He was speaking with the assassin right now.
"There's the thing, I'm not a hero. I'm the bad guy of your story because you fucking touched the apple of my eye." His eyes hardened, "See you in Hell."
Without any soul-searching, Naruto took Tendo's last breath.
The sound of the gunshot remained in Hinata's ears even though everything was finally over. Still, she waited. She felt strange. She didn't know why no emotions overwhelmed her.
However, when she felt Naruto slide away from her to collapse heavily on the ground, she looked away from the corpse before her.
"Naruto!"
"I'm just sitting for a while" he tried to smile.
But he wasn't at all sitting. Half laying down, his face was pale and twisted because of the pain. She kneeled and looked closely at his leg. No doubt, several muscles and quite a few nerves had been severed nastily. And his blood still dropping wasn't a good sign.
To think that it didn't stop him. That primitive instinct made her tremble.
"I'm going to put in stitches here first. Then, I'll do your hand."
She was about to stand up but his fingers held her back and pulled her against him. Her jaw clenched when they brushed against her bruised wrist. Then, they slid on her dislocated thumb.
Without warning, Naruto put it back in place. She let out a whine anyway.
"So reckless." He groaned. "It's the last time I teach you something like that." He wanted to be mad but his voice was weak. "Please, don't put yourself in front of the danger like that... I don't know what would've happened if-"
She caressed his cheek "Everything's ok Naruto. I'm here." She smiled.
She saw tears appear at the corner of his blue eyes as he cupped her face and brought her lips close to his. Too weak to move. But breathing enough to breathe in her perfume.
His thumbs wiped the salted tears hurtling down her cheeks. She hadn't even noticed when she had started crying.
But she didn't have time to be demoralised.
As she glanced at him from time to time, Hinata searched the lab, looking for all she needed to use to be able to keep him alive.
Her brain was working so fast.
The wound was so long.
There was so much blood.
She didn't know what to do.
Yes, she knew the theory like the back of her hand. But was she capable of putting it into practice?
She tried to slow down her thinking by whispering what to do with her two hands. But, between her pounding heart and the blood, they started to shake as she was just disinfecting his leg.
Naruto then asked her to tell him everything she learnt.
Being focused on two things helped her keep her cool. At each move of the needle, she looked at him but he would remain indifferent to it, listening to her without interrupting her.
She helped him lay down on the mattress and it's only when she was done with everything that she felt sick.
"Hey Hina", he called for her to look into his eyes. "You did great. And you know what?" His smile was weak but genuine, "You're so cool that our baby's going to love you more than me."
His bandaged hand caressed her belly. It was as if the human warmth he had left went through her t-shirt to reach their child. She hardened his touch by pressing his fingers.
"Thanks for protecting our child, Hinata."
Wiping new tears, she nodded then laid down next to him. She felt weird to be back on the mattress but she needed his arms around her so badly. Letting her fingers caress his torso, she listened to his breathing. Just in case. She too checked his bandages from time to time.
But overall, she felt safe.
It's at the pressure Naruto's fingers exerced on her shoulder that she woke up.
"Someone's coming."
Breathing heavily, she stood up as a group of the Secret Services appeared on the doorstep. Standing between their weapons and her husband, she noticed their surprise. Their eyes kept looking at her and Naruto until a voice ordered them to check the area.
Yamato seemed relieved to see them. Hands up, he stepped closer to them and asked Naruto how he was feeling. The raising of a blond eyebrow was his only answer. Clearing his throat, he then informed them of the situation.
During their escape at Naple, he had personally questioned Menma. Asking a clone the right questions, you got the right answers. And Yamato learnt Kakashi's betrayal. He informed his superiors who promoted him to head of the Japan national security. He then arrested his predecessor and organised a raid in Konoha, knowing well that Naruto was back there.
"I also wanted to personally give you my humblest apologies. I doubted you even though you always helped us", he looked at their bandages and bloody clothes. "And if I can be useful-"
"There's something you can do for us." Naruto stopped him as he sat.
It not only surprised Yamato. Hinata watched his profile. His face regained some colour and a smile stretched his lips. Despites her protests, he stood up, holding her bandaged hand in his.
"My wife and I would love a ride home."
There's the thing...
I really want to write a epilogue! Tell you a bit of what happens for them years after. But! My life is mess right now with uni, work and everything else so it might take a little while.
So, my question is, is this chapter enough for you all? Or do you want more?