Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words: 2 256
Publish: 10/31/2020
Summary: When despair turns into a feeling of love so intense that obsession is the only thing that can help you protect the one you love.
Quietly, Hinata eats her sandwich. She doesn't listen to Kiba and Shino's conversation. She's looking at the seconds on her phone going by. She's afraid afraid to blink.
Then, time comes.
It's like a release.
Innocently, she asks her friends if they want to drink something. She takes their coins, not paying attention to what Kiba is saying. It's always like that. It's not like she doesn't want to be part of the conversation, it's just that her goal is something else.
At the end of the hall, before the vending machines, Naruto is there, giving her his back. His bandaged hand scratches his blonde mane of hair. As always, he hesitates on his choice of drinks. But after a few seconds of thinking, she knows he'll take orange juice. He hates milk. Especially since he got sick because of an expired carton.
Hinata's breathing is a mess. She clenches her fists to give herself motivation.
Today is the day she's going to talk to him!
Usually, she's not able to approach him before he leaves with Sasuke. But right now, he's alone and she's determined to not fail like previous days.
Without making a sound, she reaches the vending machine next to his. His eyes are on his phone, but she's really attentive to every one of his moves. She stiffly slides the coins in the small gap.
Now is a good time to talk to him, to thank him.
Her eyes slowly slide towards him. He's still in bad shape. It's more serious than the other days. Plaster on his nose, cut at his lip, scratches over his birthmarks on his cheeks, he seems tired. He sighs and rubs the back of his head again before putting his phone back in his pocket. He looks lonely.
Distracted, he takes his carton of orange juice.
Is it because Sakura hasn't come to school for a few days?
Her heart clenches. Shyly, she opens her mouth. Come on, you can do it.
Suddenly, his azure gaze collides with hers. Her words leave her lips and she tenses, her breathing stuck in her lungs.
His ocean blue eyes are the cause of the acceleration of her heart and the blush on her cheeks.
"Oh? ...Hi Hinata." He greets her tentatively.
His voice is like a caress. She shivers in an instant. Her blood reaches her head so fast that she feels dizzy. Her brain and intentions melt under the warmth his body is spreading. As she's pressing on the button to select the drinks, she catches herself to the vending machine, preventing herself from fainting. Her heart's beating so fast she feels like it wants to escape.
With his carton straw between his teeth, Naruto's smile, even as shy as it's now, is to die for. No matter what the time of the day, he keeps shining.
Since Hinata is doing nothing with her fingers, they start bumping into each other. However, it doesn't ease her.
"G-Gooda-afternoon Na-Naruto-kun..."
He's so close, she can smell his spicy perfume. It reminds her of the other day in her classroom. If she leans towards him, the sleeve of their shirts could touch each other. Thinking about that brings a small smile to her lips and a deeper blush on her cheeks.
"H-How're doing since...? Well, you ok?" he asks.
The edges of her lips turn down. Hinata's now looking to the side. "I-I haven't completely recovered. It's taxing... And I-I'm still having strange dreams, but my f-father-"
"I understand. What you experienced... It's tough."
"A-A little bit..."
A sympathetic smile draws itself on his lips, stretching his whiskered cheeks. He's really talking to her right now. Is she dreaming? No, it's better than a dream.
"I'm sure you're gonna get back on your feet. You seem to be strong, Hinata."
This encouragement has the effect of fireworks. Her name with his voice is so right that she wants him to repeat it again and again. She trembles so much because of that intense feeling of joy that the drinks in her arms are ready to fall. Unfortunately, she's not fast enough to catch them.
Naruto doesn't even offer her his help. He acts. A tanned hand - the one that's not wounded - holds her wrists to help her carry her load. He laughs as he prevents the can from meeting the ground with his other hand.
Hinata quivers with pleasure at the contact of his fingers.
And... is he blushing? He definitely felt their connection.
They're closer than earlier.
Her complexion turns crimson.
She feels herself fall for him all over again. Her tongue knots, her mouth dries. She feels like her heart is beating on the back of her throat.
But she's ready. She'll tell him. Even if it's a simple 'thank you'
Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for your help.
Thank you for that night.
Thank you for being born.
She wants him to know, no matter what her father's going to say after.
Unfortunately, sounds of chatters are coming from the opposite direction of the vending machines. Naruto turns his head, not understanding the sudden agitation. Hinata takes advantage of the opportunity to realise that they're really close. She can see the small stain of dark red on the collar of his shirt, the strong angle of his clenched jaw.
Reluctantly, she also turns her head to see what suddenly made him tense.
Toneri is facing them. His silver hair is in every direction. A big bump deforms his nose usually straight. His left eye is swollen and a yellowish colour stains his smooth skin. It seems like his muscles are sore because he doesn't hold himself very upright as he normally does.
He maybe wants to buy himself a drink. However, he's surrounded by students, curious to know the reason why his face is like this.
No emotions seize Hinata when she meets Toneri's gaze. He's pitiful. But hesitation crosses his pale blue eyes. He frowns, giving Naruto a glare. The blonde is also threatening him with his iris, fists clenching until his fingers turn white, his veins on his arm poping out.
Dubious, Hinata's then wondering why this exchange of menacing looks is taking place.
Did something happen between them?
***
"Otsutsuki Toneri dead. First body found since the beginning of the case."
***
He gets out of the shower. He seems to be in a good mood. There's at least one happy person on my birthday, she tells herself. Even if Naruto is in his flat across the street, his joie de vivre comes warm her heart up.
Her hand tight on the orange t-shirt she stole from him brings it to her nose. She inhales the smell of its previous owner once again. She wishes she could be with him right now.
Her thoughts are interrompt by his manly hands drying off his well built body. Her lavender eyes devour him, slide on each muscle, follow the dripping drops, linger on the line of blonde hair on his lower abdomen, admire his-
Sounds of steps are coming closer to her bedroom. Hinata quickly closes hre curtains and hides her binoculars. Keys resound in her door lock. She puts her box of treasures away and goes under her sheets. All the while, Ko appears at the door frame, a first-aid kit in hand.
She only notices the dry blood on her skin when her nurse cleans it. She spoke with her father today. He knows she saw Naruto. Her new wounds are the consequence of his anger.
"Toneri had the presence of mind to inform me that this no-mark spoke to you! What have I told you concerning that vermin from the southside, Hinata?"
And what's better than a glass sent at her face to accompany her father's booming monologue?
Glass he couldn't help but broke on her skin already delicate. It replaces the tender gestures from a real father, the lovely words that are supposed to protect her.
Isn't that the point of having a child? Isn't he supposed to support her? Comfort her?
No, she's never hugged.
She's used to it.
Happy birthday, Hinata. Do you like your birthday present? she asks herself as she's looking at Ko putting a plaster at every corner of her face.
It's Christmas holidays, anyway. She won't see anybody. No questions on her appearance will be asked. And between now and the end of the holidays, everything would be gone.
And so would she.
She's made her decision. The only thing she's waiting for was her majority. Now that she reaches eighteen, she doesn't need her father anymore. It's out of the question that she stays here.
She wants to be able to fully live her romance with Naruto.
It's with this will that she goes to bed as Ko is getting out of her bedroom, without having exchanged a single word with her. Her hand slides under her pillow and gets out the orange t-shirt from earlier.
The smell makes her dream.
But a muffled noise makes her jump out of her magical dream.
The flat normally as quiet as a cemetery is suddenly shoke with wood cracks. Alert, she sits up on her bed. An abnormal sound resonates from downstairs. A bloodcurdling scream echoes against the walls. Everything turns into the House of Haunted Hill.
A dark and familiar laugh pulls her out of her bed. Without having second thoughts, Hinata decides to venture into her flat's halls. Her floor is completely dark whereas the ground floor is lit. Barefoot, she goes down the stairs, a hand on the guardrail.
Blood.
It's the first thing she sees. Ruby liquid dripping on the white walls, staining the marbles pillars, gathering in thick puddles in the entrance hall.
It's there she sees Ko's body. His hand hangs loose and his neck is strangely twisted.
Hinata raises a brow and slightly tilts her head to the side, looking at her nurse. A small smile draws itself on her lips.
Poor Ko.
Dancing, she follows the footprints on the floor. The kitchen is a hideous mess. The maides' bodies catch her attention. She kneels to examine the scene. Their faces are beyond recognition because of the cuts.
White feathers form the sofa pillows fly in the sitting room. It gives the impression that a wild animal has unleashed its fury against the inhabitants and her flat.
The spongy noise of her footsteps in the blood strains is the only sound she can hear. Until she approaches her father's office. The laugh echoes again behind the door.
Yes, she knows that laugh.
Two, three fragile objects break on the floor. A dozen of books follow. There's a smell of burning plastic tickling her nose when she pushes the door open.
Her white nightdress stained with bloody red spins around her like the curtains. The fresh air drives inside the room. That winter caress cools her body off.
Before her, the mahogany desk is broken in half. At its center lies a dead body. Arms loose, head upside down, his eyes are glassy and blood is brimming over his lips.
Father?
She narrows her eyes and steps forwards. However, she stops when the shadow in the corner of the room gasps "That bastard..."
Attracted by this presence, her eyes turn to meet two azure iris hidden under his hood. Those haunting eyes of his.
Naruto-kun.
She doesn't have the time to say something that Naruto is before her, caressing the plasters on her face after he pushed his hood off his head.
Is she dreaming?
Frozen before him, she doesn't know how to react. Her pearly eyes wander on the dry blood darkening his face. He's different. His hair is dishevelled. His eyes are wild. Gritting his teeth, he's frowning. A murderous aura is emanating from his body.
Naruto's grip tightened on her frail, nacked arm to pull her towards him.
She's never been so close to him.
She feels so small...
All her disturbing thoughts gradually leave her as he frees her from her sticky platers. Each kiss on her still fresh wounds are exhilarating. Her legs tremble, her knees knock together. But she doesn't give out, enjoying it. With his tongue, he marks her with an indelible burning sensation. Warmth overwhelms her body bending under his touch.
"Oh bunny, he hurt you again, didn't he?" His words pierce her, penetrating her mind like a sweet lullaby. "Don't worry. It's over now, he won't touch you anymore." He pushes her against the wall.
The beast has caught his prey now in his claws. She's his. She let herself be trapped between his sharp fangs because she's never been the lioness. She let herself be bitten like the small and cute bunny she is.
The fox is content. At last his ruse's bearing fruit.
"You're all mine now. No one will ever be between us. They're all gone." He chuckles.
Her body feels alive in his strong hands again. Her legs make room for him between her thighs. Light-headed under the man she yearns for, she moans. His breathing collides with her temple, then her ear which he allows himself to bite. He mutes his hoarse groan when he licks his lips.
Naruto's bloody hand tucks one of her short locks behind her ear. A smile breaks his enchanting face and he whispers something she'll never forget.
"Tell me Hinata, do you like your birthday present?"
***
"The police found no survivors at the Hyuuga's residence."
Happy Halloween!