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The day after the moon mission felt like the longest day of Naruto's life. He had barely slept the day before, something rare for him, who was very fond of his resting time. But his mind couldn't stop buzzing, his body hot and restless.
Everything felt like a lifetime ago. As if he wandered in a dream and was dropped back on reality. He didn't know how many times he rolled in bed, between laughs and long breaths, feeling silly in a way he never did before.
He woke up still feeling energized. He got ready and flew out of his apartment with his heart thundering, not even thinking properly of his destination.
When he greeted the day outside, it was like the whole village was all smiles. People waved at him like they usually did, but with a knowing smile on their faces that made him blush.
He hadn’t considered that they all had their eyes on the moon the day before. Probably anticipating the worst, and being greeted with the silhouettes of two kissing people instead.
He slowed down his pace, suddenly feeling dizzy again.
He had kissed Hinata. His hand trembled with the memory of her face between his hands, her lips against his. She was cold but soft all over. When he carried her she was light, but her skin was smooth and delicate and he felt the need to press her closer to his body. He didn't, but she did. She buried her face on his chest and he felt like something was growing and expanding inside of him.
He walked until he was standing outside of her house, bouncing on his feet like a child. He wasn't really thinking, just moving.
He suddenly felt shy.
Yes, he told her he loved her. She didn't say it back though.
She did say it first, all those years ago.
But was it just the same?
She had kissed him back. It felt amazing for him, as if he was breathing for the first time, his blood flowing fast, his mind higher than the moon beside them.
But what if it just wasn't the same? What if she didn't feel the same love anymore? Did it mature, did it change back to something lighter, maybe different, while his feeling only grew?
He couldn't blame her. He was an ass.
He was suddenly anxious, his hands clenching into fists.
He did not deserve her. What was he thinking? Save her sister, stop her wedding with the alien creep, kiss her on the moon and boom? You win her love?
When she had done do much more for him. Held so much inside her heart. Saved those feelings forever, knitting that scarf and wanting to give it to him despite his silence and confusion and lack of reciprocity.
She just loved him.
The first person who ever did, after his parents.
The thought was making his head spin. It was too much. He felt it too, that weight in his chest, that need for her that was suffocating.
The world almost ended for him when she left. Did she feel that, all the time? When he was inconsiderate, when he would call her a friend and comrade, when he flirted with Sakura, when he walked away from her at the end of a mission or encounter?
He was the cruelest man in the world. Regardless of intention, he couldn't swallow his shame. He felt like shit.
"Naruto Uzumaki." A voice called his attention; his eyes looking up to catch the sight of a tall man with the characteristic long pitch black Hyuga hair falling down his back. His eyes shone white against the sun. He looked as ethereal as most Hyugas did. But so different from Hinata.
She was angelic, but substantial. She belonged to this Earth, she carried the warmth he knew in others, but with much more grace than everyone else.
No one was like Hinata.
"It's good to see you, finally." The man offered a small nod. "Lady Hinata has been anxious to see you."
His mouth went dry.
"H-Has she?" He sounded pathetic to his own ears. Too eager, too hopeful.
The man offered him a small smile, his eyes softening the way Iruka's eyes did when Naruto would jump around enthusiastically after he invited him for ramen.
"I will call her." The man turned around, but stopped short and turn back to Naruto. "I'm Kō Hyuga, by the way."
"Oh! Nice to meet you!" Naruto responded with a big smile, feeling his confidence building back in with the confirmation of Hinata's keenness.
"I've been looking after her since she was a little girl." He went on, his eyes growing a little sad, a linger of sorrowful memories. "I had to act in ways that protected her first. That I — we thought was best. But know that she always wanted to reach out for you."
There was a small silence after that. Naruto stood with his mouth open, but no words coming out.
He knew that already.
She had tried, he could remember. She reached out with her small trembling hands, offering him her healing ointment. She had whispered in her tiny voice, asking him to look at her test. She had crawled with blood under her nails to reach him.
He knew her better than he thought.
She always longed for him.
He breathed hard, while Kō pressed his lips together before entering the compound with no more words or mourning eyes.
The anticipation made the wait be long and torturous as if she took forever to walk through the gates.
When she did, he could've cried as if it was his first day alive.
Hinata as Hinata, the same as always, the girl he knew since Academy days.
Pale, small, all neutral colors, cold as winter, beautiful in ways you couldn't find words to describe. He doesn't know how he spend so long with his eyes away from her.
There was so much to see.
Her big, lilac eyes were sparkling. She had a tiny smile on her face as she walked to him, hands pressed together, small uncertain steps.
She wore a long skirt that flowed with the wind; just like her hair. She was all lavender, all beautiful.
When she was close enough he could smell the soap on her skin, he lifted his hand — just as she crashed her body against him, making him lose his balance just a little. He put his left foot back, adjusting his posture so he could hold her. Her hands were circling his waist, her face burying on his chest like she had done on the moon. With more layers of clothes, it felt softer. He tightened the hug, not fighting the huge grin on his face.
"I missed you." Her voice was muffled against his jacket.
She missed him.
It had been last than a day.
"I missed you more." He replied, kissing the top of her head. His nose against her hair, smelling her. His hands going up and down her back.
He felt her fingers dug into him. They were swaying a little.
"I missed you my whole life." This time, he heard her clearly. He realized she was shaking a little. He wasn't sure if it was from the cold.
He pulled back just enough to look at her face.
Her cheeks and ears were burning red. Her eyelashes fluttering. Her eyes though, they were glimmering, looking directly at his, luring him into her. He felt his face moving until his forehead rested against hers.
He couldn't feel her skin but the weight of her. Her warmth. He wasn't deserving of any of it, but he craved it. He couldn't let go.
He wouldn't.
"I will make it up to you." He promised.
He noticed the way she inhaled, her chest growing against his, her eyes searching for something in his face.
He couldn't tell her exactly what he knew.
But he got closer, pressed his lips against her, pushing their bodies until her hips were touching his. His hands went up to her arms, her shoulders, grabbing her neck gently and angling her mouth against him so he could kiss her deeper than yesterday. His mouth opening hers, his tongue against her tongue and he could shallow her gasp when she sucked on her lips.
He didn't know exactly what he was doing but it was as if he had been doing it forever too. And he wanted it to be. He wanted more than everything to be there, to live in an endless loop of that moment.
When they pulled back, it was her pushing against his chest, after a long moment of just pecking each other's lips. Not even bothering with the fact they where at the entry of her entire clan's household.
She once again fit herself in his arms, holding him to her and closing her eyes while he played with the strands of her hair.
He loved her.
It was all-consuming. He wanted to scream to the world. She provably would be extremely embarrassed though, so he was happy to just hold her whole smiling like the biggest idiot in the world. Which he was, too.
"Hinata." He called, whispering, his stupid grin glued to his face.
She looked up with her chin on his chest, adoring eyes and a tiny smile on her face.
"I love you."
Her smile grew bigger, as did his heart it seemed.
"I love you too."
He closed his eyes, a little dramatically.
"Thank God."
She laughed.
"You knew that already, Naruto-kun." She teased, shaking his head.
"Maybe you realized you didn't. I don't know. That Toneri guy had a castle." He shrugged, but the mention of Toneri made him feel like he was shallowing razors. He regretted mentioning him.
"He was rude." That was too kind of a word, he was sure. "You don't just stop loving people. I don't think I would ever stop loving you, even if you didn't love me back."
He lowered his eyes, frowning.
"That makes me feel like an asshole. I'm sorry I didn't...I should've noticed before." He said it lamely.
"It's not you fault. You had a lot going on and...I don't think I was really ready to receive an answer back then." She bit her lip and he had to hang strongly to her words because boy, was it distracting. "I didn't like myself very much, as a kid. Or as a teenager. I needed to get better before I could handle your rejection or your love."
It made his heart sink, and his hands pressed her body against his tighter. How much lighter, better, kinder would both their childhoods be if they were closer? Was his lack of reciprocity another reason for her self depreciating ways back then? Did he add to anything bad?
"Can...Can you now? Can you handle how I feel about you?" He asked instead, because he was tired of hurting. He needed her. He would've beg if needed. Crawl the earth. Slice the moon. Whatever she needed. He could be what she could handle.
"Hmmm." She was smiling again, a little mischievous this time. "We'll see."
"Hinataaaa." He whined. "Don't be mean to me. I cried for you for three days."
She reached for his face, holding him gently in her hands.
"Silly." She kissed his nose.
Naruto caught her hand before she could pull away, turning it over to press a kiss to her palm.
"So...what happens now?" he asked, his thumb tracing circles on her wrist.
Hinata tilted her head, considering. "Well...I was thinking about getting some tea. You could join me?"
"Tea?" He made a face before catching himself. "I mean—yeah! Tea's great. The best."
She laughed at his terrible attempt at enthusiasm.
"Or we could get ramen," she offered, eyes sparkling with amusement.
Naruto's face lit up. "Now you're speaking my language!" He hesitated, suddenly serious. "But...this is real, right? You and me?"
Hinata stepped closer, smoothing the wrinkles from his jacket. "I've waited this long," she said softly. "I'm not going anywhere."
The tension left his shoulders all at once. "Good," he breathed, catching her hand again. "Because I think I'd follow you to the moon and back."
"You already did," she reminded him, smiling.
"Yeah, well..." He rubbed his neck, grinning. "Worth it."
As they walked toward the village, their fingers intertwined, Naruto realized something surprising—for once, he wasn't thinking about the future. Right here, right now, with Hinata's hand warm in his, was exactly where he needed to be.