Waiting and Feeling (Naruto X Hinata)
Chapter 8: With Him

Hinata wiped her tears. He even still sobbed while breathing deeply - in order to calm himself.

"Get it."

Hinata was really surprised. There was a hint of panic as he turned his head back.

Hinata did not expect there would be a tall, yellow-haired man extending a handkerchief to her.

"Na.. Nanaime-sama!! What are you doing here?."

Naruto smiled faintly "Company you, meet her."

Hinata followed Naruto's line of sight to Hyuga Neji's headstone before receiving the handkerchief.

Hinata rubbed her face until she felt quite clean, then she wiped her nose wet with snot that came out with her tears.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Hinata folded the orange handkerchief. Then put it in her waist bag. "I'll return it soon."

Naruto grunting.

To be honest Naruto is not used to the respectful attitude directed at him. But he tried to accept, even though it felt obstructive if the attitude of respect came from people closest to him.

But I don't know, he really hates Hinata being too formal with him. Hate is hard to resist.

Naruto hated Hinata's respectful attitude when they were in the middle of the work environment, especially if they were just the two of them like this.

Naruto felt alien and far from the sense of comfort that was usually always present among them.

"Hinata, let's go home."

Naruto stretched out his hand and Hinata turned her head to look at him.

Their eyes looked at each other, It was Hinate who cut him off by receiving the man's helping hand. But who would have thought, Naruto pulled it fast. Bringing the tiny body into his arms.

"Yeahappa...!!" Hinata gave a small shriek as her body collided with Naruto's body.

"Ho-Hokage alike!!. Wh-why? Why you.."

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan." Naruto cut off Hinata's nervousness.

Naruto tightened his embrace. Her trembling voice made Hinata realize that this man before her fell once again at the same regret.

"Sorry for what?"

"For everything, for everything that hurts you. Because I can't protect you very well. Because I we lost Neji and because up to now I haven't been able to do anything to change Hyuga like I promised you."

Hinata remained silent. His heart was beating fast without his control. He was even afraid that Naruto could hear the gurgle, which seemed to be struggling to get out of his chest cavity.

"Hokage-sama, please don't say that."

Hinata broke their embrace. The girl looked into Naruto's eyes. Dive into his blue eyes that are as shade as the ocean.

There were tears welling up there, trying to hold on not to fall. Hinata smiled faintly, trying to comfort the sorrow of the man before her. Although actually his own eyes also began to heat up again.

"I appreciate Neji-nii's decision to die to protect us. Even though, I never thought that Hokage-sama was the cause of all my grief."

Naruto summarized Hinata's face with both palms, removing a drop of tear that fell on the girl's cheek with his thumb.

"Neji-niisan always reminds me, that no matter how hard we try, there will always be times when we cannot achieve a dream even if it is only a very simple thing. About Hyuga, I have not succeeded in making it happen. But I haven't given up, and don't get sad about it "

"Hokage-sama has promised not to blame himself for the departure of Neji-niisan. So, please no longer apologize, Hokage-sama."

Naruto smiled, but his tears fell along with that smile. Hinata clasped both of Naruto's wrists. Remove it from the face of the girl.

"Arigato, Hinata."

Hinata did not reply, she smiled as she occasionally wiped away her falling tears with her right hand. In the meantime he let Naruto grip his left hand tightly.

a warm feeling between the two.

brought their memories to 10 years ago. At the death of Neji and when the girl confirmed her heart that collapsed amid the cruelty of war.

***

Hinata stepped slowly. His gaze could not be separated from his left hand which was still held tightly by Naruto.

He just looked at the two hands that were interlocked.

'We-sama, can I continue like this?. To be by his side and hold his hand. Can I have a happy ending with him?'

Tapps...

"Sorry."

"Hinata, are you okay?"

"Uunn.." he nodded his head.

"Really?. Is anyone sick."

"D-no!" Hinata met with embarrassment "it's not sick at all"

"That's not what I mean" Of course the impact couldn't have hurt.

"I've been talking to you since, but it seems like you're daydreaming. Did something happen?"

"Sorry." Hinata looked down again. "There are only a few things I'm thinking about. But it's not a big deal."

"Really?"

"Un..."

"You know, no, you can at any time ask for my help if you're having a hard time."

"Of course, don't worry too much. I will definitely rely on Naruto-kun."

Naruto smiled as he ruffled Hinata's thick bangs. "Good"

Naruto grabbed Hinata's fingers again then continued on his way. "So how's ttebayo?"

"Huh? What's the way, Naruto-kun?"

"Neee... So I was really talking to myself, right?" Naruto chuckled and Hinata looked down embarrassed.

"Do you want to have dinner with me?" Naruto repeated it "An hour I'll be back in the office, there are some things to be done. I might be home late again. So I thought I should have dinner earlier if I didn't want to miss it."

"Can't!" Hinata answered him quickly "Naruto-kun has to eat regularly so as not to get sick."

Hinata knows enough. Naruto often skipped meals since he was busy with his work as Hokage. Shikamaru did not even expect Naruto to be very active in working considering his behavior when he was young.

"Does Naruto-kun want to go to my Ichiraku?"

"Un... I haven't eaten Ramen in a long time."

"Me too, the last time might have been 3 months ago. So I can't wait, Naruto-kun!."

Naruto laughed and started to speed up his pace.

Naruto first took Hinata to Ichiraku, the main reason being that he did not have enough money to go to YakiniQ, Chouji's favorite restaurant.

But Naruto really did not think that Hinata would like him very much. Now, the girl had even become a ramen lover like her.

***

Hii.. Hii...

How is Minna-san...?

It is great to continue this fanfic.

Maybe some of you already know that the Waiting and Feeling I first wrote on ffn.

This fanfic has been around for 5 years, since I got married and I apologize for it.

The waiting and feeling did not end at ffn, and I rewrote this fanfic at nt, hoping to end it at nt as well.

why at nt? because writing here is so easy. Simple, not complicated. Much easier than writing on ffn.

For the content, there may be many changes. I'm trying to improve the Waiting and Feeling to deserve to be your favorite fanfic.

Those of you who have stopped by to read it on ffn must know, Waiting and Feeling are quite crowded support there.

Although it is very quiet here, I am happy when I see many readers stopping by through statistical data.

I understand to get a silent reader, because of course there are many parties who are disappointed in ffn first.

Thank you for liking, commenting, favoritism and voting.

Thank you very much to the readers who have come again to read this fanfic again.

I'm still looking forward to your support, criticism and advice 'Dattebayoooo...' ;)