Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Paper Hearts ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
“Hinata I said not now! Can’t you see I’m busy?” Hiashi lashed out trying to finish some paper work. He sighed feeling twinges of guilt as his daughter started bowing out of the room. “I’m sorry I can’t help you right now...perhaps Neji can aid you with your Valentine?”

Hinata nodded smiling weakly she slid the office door shut and gazed at the empty heart shaped paper in her hand. She didn’t know how to express her feelings to Naruto in person let alone on paper. She thought her father could have helped her knowing he ended up finally wooing her mother with a Valentine years ago. Now she was left with... Neji? What did Neji know about love? He was cold and heartless a boy where such warm loving feelings couldn’t dwell.

Yet, as she wandered around the Hyuuga compound she found herself outside of his door in the branch family quarters. Why would her father suggest such a thing if he didn’t think it would be worth while? She held her hand inches from the door debating whether or not to knock. Even if he did have some twisted advice there was no way he would share it with her. He would just laugh and probably make fun of her for the next few weeks especially if he found out she liked Naruto...he’d never shut up.

Pressing her paper her against her chest she made her way back to the main house, but before she was two steps away Neji’s door opened. Peeking his head out sideways he glared at the trembling girl. Of course he had probably sensed her and looked through the damn door how stupid she felt for just lingering there.

“Do you need something?” he asked with a creepy smirk playing across his face.

“Uh...nno...I juust uh...” She was caught and now she would be forced to tell him about the Valentine and Naruto because she couldn’t lie to Neji if her life depended on it. “I need help...”
Before she could finish one of the servants walks up behind her bowing respectively.

“Excuse me Miss Hinata you have a guest.”

She leapt with joy inside of course thanking whoever it was for saving her a terrible embarrassment. She smiled at the woman and nodded rushing down the hall leaving a bewildered Neji scratching his chin.

A reassuring bark met her in the sitting room as Akamaru ran up to her his paws on her knee. She scratched his ears hitting the perfect spot like she always did. Kiba smiled at her running a hand through his messy brown mop of hair. He seemed different nervous maybe sitting all stiff-like on the floor which just seemed a bit weird it’s not like this was his first time here. Him and Hinata always hung out at her house thinking up battle strategies or just talking about all kinds of things.

“So...tomorrow’s Valentines day...huh?”

“Yeah I know it came so fast.” Hinata laughed as Akamaru jumped in her lap the instant she sat across from Kiba. “I haven’t even started any Valentines.”

“Me either...but I guess we have to I mean we did make a pact.”

Hinata looked up at Kiba the memories of last Valentines Day running through her mind. After being alone yet another year they had gone up on Mt. Hokage despite her pleas regarding her fear of heights and made a Valentines pact. This year they would have to go to the person they truly cared about and confess their feelings. How could she have forgotten yet another important thing today? This holiday was really getting on her nerves.

She bit her lip petting Akamaru affectionately. Now she had to confess to Naruto maybe it was time anyway after all they had become better friends after he got back with Sasuke. They had even spent days just walking around Konoha talking well she sort of listened more than talked but there was definite words being exchanged.

“Who are you going to confess to?”

Kiba chocked a bit on the tea one of Hinata’s servants had brought him while she was daydreaming as he even noticed Akamaru’s eyes peer up from Hinata’s lap.

“I haven’t decided yet there are just too many pretty girls to choose from.” He smiled nervously.

Damn he hated himself right now. They had made that stupid pack last year and he should have just told her right there that she was the only girl that he had ever really liked but no he was just too pathetic. The only reason why he came over here today was to confess but he had lost his nerve the second she looked at him with those pale eyes filled with trust and admiration for him one of her best friends. He didn’t want to ruin their relationship but how could he just sit by and watch her fawn over that baka Naruto when he was right here already in love with her? This was so unlike him but when it came to her he was anything but himself.

“Yeah...I’m trying to build up the nerve to talk to Naruto.” She pulled out her paper heart resting it on the floor in between her and Kiba. “I just can’t find the words to describe how I feel about him. Kiba winced her words cutting deep into his heart.

“Of course you are...”

“Well I’m sorry it isn’t easy for me to tell people how I feel.”

“It isn’t easy for anyone! Have you even stopped to think about that? All you talk about is Naruto this and Naruto that! Damn it I don’t want to hear about stupid fucking Naruto!”

Kiba quickly jumped to his feet snapping his fingers so Akamaru would come. Hinata just stared at him she felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. How could Kiba feel this way? He was the only person she could truly confide in and as he walked out and heard the door slam shut tears slipped down her cheeks. She did talk about Naruto all the time and he always seemed to listen and he...just didn’t seem to mind. How could she be so stupid all the freaking time? Maybe she did only care about herself...well that wasn’t true she cared about Naruto but that’s what got her here in the first place. This just wasn’t her fault Kiba was the one who walked out on her and he should be supportive about her relationships. Kiba was the one to blame. He was the selfish one. She repeated the words over and over as she tried to get to her room without anyone to witness her tears, but this was just not her day as she crashed into Hanabi.

“Geese Hinata watch were your...are you alright?” She whispered to her older sister her hand reaching for the girls cheek but Hinata swatted it away and ran to her bedroom locking the door.

All she wanted was to be alone to write Naruto’s Valentine and maybe even get a similar heart with his feelings. Feelings that she longed for him to possess for her so they could finally be together after long years of waiting in the shadows. Though deep down she knew it was probably hopeless the one thing she had learned from Naruto was to never give up.

A light knock fell upon the door breaking the girl out of her thoughts. She wiped her tears away incase it was her father doors didn’t mean anything in this damn house. Couldn’t she get even a little privacy?

“Hanabi said you were crying...” A familiar voice started still jiggling the hand as if it would somehow unlock by itself.

“Neji?”

“Unlock the door. I want to talk to you.”

“About what?!”

“Just open the door Hinata!” His voice straining to remain civil slithered through the cracks compelling the lost girl to obey. Nothing could make today any worse. She unlocked the door leaping back onto her bed her head buried in her pillow. She heard the door slide open and close instantly causing her to flinch. Did everyone have to slam doors today? She felt her cousins weight on her bed and peeked an eye out to see him staring at her with veiny pale eyes.

“I heard what happened...” He begun his gaze falling upon the posters covering her walls. She realized this was the first time Neji had ever been in her room let alone seen it well from the inside that is.

“I don’t want to talk about! Why do you care anyway?”

“Well tomorrow’s Valentine’s day...and I think everyone should be happy on Valentine’s day.”

“Oh yeah...coming from you that’s surprising.”

“Alright I didn’t come in here to be snapped at because you’re a little more depressed than usual.”

“Then why did you come?” She questioned rising so she was practically eye level with him.
“I heard you had trouble writing a Valentine...”

“Seriously how do you know these things?”

“Come on Hinata...the walls here are paper thin..heh actually they are made of paper huh..” He poked her wall oddly entranced by the lame subject. “Anyway, I can help you with your Valentine if you still want help that is...you know where I’ll be.” Before she could say anything he walked out of the room leaving her staring at the small heart shaped piece of paper that just seemed so innocent but had caused so much trouble. Now that she had hit rock bottom she had no choice but to turn to Neji for help. Tomorrow she would go see him and endure whatever torture he put her through. She would do whatever it took to confess to Naruto even if it mean...Neji.

“I hate Valentines Day.”Converting /tmp/phpxLDbsc to /dev/stdout