Ch. 15: His Confession
Hiashi sat on the bed after having his talk with Hanabi. The girl cried into her father's chest and clung to his shirt as if her life depended upon it. Hiashi remained stoic, but he was mentally berating himself for messing up so badly when it came to raising his children. He is one of the best leaders Konoha and the Hyuga Clan, but he knew that he failed at being a father. One could not really blame him; he tried his best, but raising children was his wife's forte while his was leading a clan. That had been his excuse for years, but he silently vowed that he would no longer cower under that excuse. As of today, he would be the father that Hatomi, his wonderful late-wife, would be proud of.
I love you, Hiashi, and I am so proud of what you will do. A female voice said. He whipped his head around to find the source of the voice, but it was nowhere to be found. He shrugged it off as him hearing things since he was under such emotional stress, but he the voice sounded so much like Hatomi… "I love you too, Hatomi." Hiashi whispered so low that not even Hanabi who sat next to him heard him. Hiashi then did his first fatherly act, he hugged Hanabi. Hanabi opened her eyes in shock, but welcomed the long desired for hug. They sat like that for few minutes before Hanabi pulled away to look at her father.
"Thank-you, Otou-san, I am going to go see how Hinata's surgery went, and tell her how sorry I am." Hanabi stated as she used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. Hiashi nodded and got up to see the condition of his eldest daughter. All of a sudden, he felt a power spike coming from the operating room. Hiashi, for the first time in a long time, allowed an emotion to show on his usually stoic face. That emotion was fear. He recognized that power anywhere. That is Naruto's power, but why would he be using that unless… Hiashi ran out the room as fast as he had ever ran before. Hanabi ran as well, but was not able to keep up with the worried father. Hinata please be alright!
Delivery Room
"Nobuki is so cute!" Ino cried as she let the new born sleep in her arms. "Don't you think, Choji?" Ino turned to face her Minotaur friend. Choji looked over at Ino and tried to hide his slight blush. Ino looks so adorable holding Nobuki in her arms and Choji took notice of this. He barely noticed that she was talking to him, but he quickly regained himself.
"Yeah he is…not as cute as you though." Choji answered, but mumbled the last part very low. Ino smiled brightly obviously not catching his compliment. When Naruto said to just tell her…he made it sound so much easier than it is. Choji thought. The room was filled with good feelings and of peace until everyone sensed the overwhelming power surging from the direction of the operating room. Everyone bolted out of the room, even Tenten and Nobuki but Neji was carrying them.
Surgery Room
Naruto held Hinata's hand praying that what he did worked. He sat there on her bedside fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. Please let her live…please! His thoughts begged as he tightened his grip on her hand. He closed his eyes in order to hold off his tears. Unbeknownst to Naruto, Hinata's other hand twitched ever so slightly. Soon her eyes fluttered opened. She looked around the room with one thought on her mind, I'm alive? But how? Naruto-kun? Her newly opened lavender eyes searched for the blonde who held her affection. She turned her head slowly to see the blonde holding tightly to her hand; she smiled softly at him. Hinata lifted her other hand so she could touch his face. She traced his whiskers on his face and felt his body tense under her feather-light touch. The fox boy opened his eyes to see Hinata smiling at him…alive!
"Hinata-chan, you are alive!" Naruto cried as he quickly wrapped her into the tightest hug she has ever been in. He nuzzled his face into her shoulder as he allowed the tears to fall from his eyes, but they were the furthest thing from tears of sorrow. Hinata was shocked at first, and then a deep blush came across her face. Naruto then abruptly pulled himself out of the hug, but kept his hands on her shoulders. He looked at her very seriously that it shocked Hinata. "Don't you EVER do anything like that! EVER!" The Anima then pulled the Hyuga into another hug, but it was more loving and sincere than the first one.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata began. I confessed to him…should I ask him what he feels? What if he doesn't feel the same way?
"Yeah, Hinata-chan?" Naruto looked at her with a confused look on his face. Hinata gulped down her nervousness. Her cheeks flushed a bright shade of red, and she could feel her whole body get hot. To say she was nervous would be the understatement of the year, but she had to know how he felt. She could not just leave it like this.
"Do you remember what I told you before I…I…well you know…" Hinata trailed off unable to say the word die. Naruto got on a thoughtful expression as he tried to remember what she said.
"Hinata-chan, why? Why did you take the blow for me? It should be me laying here not you." He said trying to control his voice as it was cracking from fighting back sobs. Hinata smiled faintly as she moved the hand he was not holding to his face. She traced his whiskers and then caressed his cheek.
"Because I love you, Naruto-kun." Hinata answered. Her hand dropped from his face and the hand Naruto was holding went limp. She slowly closed her eyes. Her life had mere seconds left to spare.
Naruto's eyes went wide as he remembered. She felt the same way about him that he felt for her. The blonde could swear his heart was about to burst from happiness. Never in a million years would he have thought that she returned his feelings. He smiled the most genuine smile he had ever given anyone as he opened his mouth to answer her.
"Hinata-chan, I wanted to tell you for a while now that I lov…"
"HINATA-NEE-CHAN!" Hanabi cried as she interrupted Naruto's confession to her sister. Hinata smiled at her sister since this was the first time in a long time that Hanabi showed any concern for her. Hanabi threw herself onto Hinata and began crying. "I am so sorry…sob…Hinata-nee-chan…sob…I was so cruel…sob…to you….sob…could you ever forgive me…sob…?" Hinata hugged her sister back.
"Of course, Hanabi-imouto-chan, I could never stay angry with you." Hinata replied. By this time her father entered the room along with everyone else. They were all thrilled to see Hinata still alive. Hugs were exchanged and tears were shed, but it was a happy occasion. "Neji-niisan, is that…?" Hinata asked when she saw Tenten holding a newborn.
"Yes, it is my son, Nobuki." Neji replied with the pride of a father. Hiashi smiled at his nephew. Naruto sat by Hinata's bedside, and throughout the whole ordeal, he did not leave her side or let go of her hand. Hiashi noticed, but he honestly could not say he was angry. In light of recent events, his view on Animas has changed dramatically. Although he is still wary of them, he knew he could trust the Animas in this room, Gaara, Shikamaru, Temari, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Ino, Choji, and most of all Naruto.
"Wait, Naruto, that power surge I felt earlier…what was that?" Gaara asked the blonde Anima. The fox boy then realized that all the eyes in the room looked at him with the same you-got-some-s'planing-to-do look. Naruto did the perfect impression of a deer caught in front of headlights as his mind worked in overtime in order to explain what exactly he did.
"Hiashi-sama!" a Hyuga yelled as he ran into the room where everyone stood. The Hyuga looked frantic as if he has some bad news to report.
"What is it, Ko?" Hiashi asked with slight annoyance that Naruto's explanation was interrupted. He was quite interested in what the power surge was for.
"Well, reports came in saying that Sasuke-sama is in a battle with some sort of snake Anima…"
"Orochimaru." Naruto snarled. Tsunade put a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder while Hinata squeezed his hand.
"Where are they?" Jiraiya asked.
"Based on our intelligence, I would say that they are about ten kilometers into the forest or so." Ko replied. Jiraiya rubbed his chin in thought, but Tsunade jumped into the leadership lead.
"Jiraiya, you will take Naruto, Gaara, Shikamaru, and Choji to face Orochimaru. Ino and Temari, I need you to go home and tell everyone to begin rebuilding, and to have the Serpent Clan under house arrest until I get there. Lee and Neji, I suggest you stay here and guard Hinata, just in case Orochimaru decides he still needs her for his sick plan. Sakura, look over Hinata to make sure she is stable. Understood?" Tsunade said with authority in her voice.
"Hai!" Everyone yelled in agreement and sped off to do what they needed to do. The whole room cleared out except for Naruto and Hinata. Hiashi left, with Hanabi in tow, talking to Tsunade about drawing up a peace treaty. When he noticed that everyone had left, Naruto leaned over near Hinata's ear to whisper to her.
"I love you too, Hinata-chan, and I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." Naruto whispered as he pulled her closer to him, and gently laid his lips on hers for their first kiss. Hinata smiled under the kiss in complete bliss and so did Naruto. They knew they would have hardships with their love, but right now it did not matter. All that mattered was that they were in love, and that they would always be together always.
Me: I appologize profusely for making all of you wait for a month for the next chapter! I can assure you that was not my intention! Oh I am so sorry!
Sasuke: Hn. Why did it take you so long?
Hinata: Well, she had a massive writers block for this story...and then with school starting soon, she was focusing more on school work than this...
Naruto: Still a whole month! What kind of author are you?
Me: A bad one! GOMEN!
Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata: *sweatdrop*
Sakura: Well, at least she updated.
Ino: Yeah, it's better than just stopping the story all together...
Temari: Yeah, guess we can cut her some slack.
Me: THANK-YOU! Well please review this chapter! It really did not come out the way I wanted it too, but at least Naruto finally got to confess his feelings for Hinata. *sigh* I do not hink this is one of my best works, but at least I got it done. Now on to the questions!
Hanabi: Will we be able to stop Orochimaru?
Naruto: What was that power surge that everyone felt?
Lee: Find out in the next youthful chapter of Anima Trouble! Please exercise the bloom of youth and review!