Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Finally Found ❯ Jealousy ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: No… don't own Naruto… peace…

Chapter 8 - Jealousy

“He's dead?” Tsunade slammed her fists on the desk. “What do you mean he's dead?”

Jiraya was sitting in the chair across from the Hokage's desk. “But Tsuande, he wasn't looking for his son…” He told Tsunaded with the story of Matsu and Marashin, and how he was forced to kill Matsu.

Tsunade had calmed down during the story and was sitting behind her desk, her hands folded under her chin. “I guess it couldn't be helped. Well it's not a complete failure, but it's not a success either Jiraya.” The anger that had subsided resurged inside her. “You were gone three days and you accomplished nothing!”

“No… we accomplished something…” Jiraya smiled at his angry friend. “I have begun teaching both Hinata and Naruto the Shield Jutsu.”

Tsunade's anger faded quickly, “The… the Sheild Justu. But why, Jiraya?” Her face saddened as she remember the day, long ago, where the Third had first taught them the Jutsu. “Are you going to…”

“Yes Tsunade…” he interrupted. “I believe that they have the requirements to learn the second level as well. The Shelter Jutsu.” Tsunade's face lost all traces of anger or sadness.

“Do you really think that they can learn it?” A look of joy spread over her face, but that was quickly wiped away. “You know Hiashi is upset?” She looked back at him with a sullen look.

“I would think so.” He knew Hiashi Hyuuga would be upset at Hinata going on a mission against his wishes. “What has he planned to do?”

“You let me work on that.” The smile returned to her face, not a normal smile but a sly, cunning one. “This changes everything Jiraya, if they can learn that Jutsu then there's no way we can separate them.”

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“But father…”

“You have brought shame to me, to this clan, and to yourself.” Hiashi had woken early and cornered Hinata before she could leave the complex. She was shaking but still holding the tray of tea for her father and Neji in her hands. He walked past Hinata into the courtyard. The sound of shattered glass could be heard as Hinata dropped the tray and started crying. She cleaned the mess and went to wait at the gates.

Naruto couldn't wait to see Hinata, but when he arrived and she had tears in her eyes he was heartbroken. “Hinata,” he rushed to her as soon as he saw her face. “What's wrong?” He could see the tears landing on the floor.

“Oh,” she looked up at him, “it's… it's nothing… Naruto-kun…” She was so happy he was there. He was the only person that could make her forget how bad she felt. “Are you ready?”

“Um… yeah… Let's go Hinata.” They walked to the training ground together. Naruto wanted to make sure she was ok, but he decided that instead of asking her he would wait until she was ready to tell him.

“Hinata,” he kept his eyes forward but she turned to look at him. “You know if you… if you need to talk to someone… or anything…” this had been harder than he thought, “I'll be here for you.”

“Thank you Naruto-kun…” Her heart almost burst from her chest. Her tears stopped almost instantly and her face was a bright smile. They walked to training where Jiraya was waiting.

“Naruto, Hinata, today we will resume our training. Hinata,” he pointed to a tree where he had already set up the marked scroll for her. “Naruto,” he pointed into the clearing in the distance, “and this time I want YOU there.” Naruto looked at his feet and laughed.

Hinata started to walk to the hanging scroll to begin her training and Jiraya and Naruto started off to the clearing. Naruto turned his head back to Hinata, he didn't want to leave here alone. Jiraya noticed this. He leaned down and whispered something into Naruto's ear.

POOF! Hearing the noise that only meant one thing, Hinata looked at the source of the noise. One Naruto started running towards her as another walked with Jiraya into the clearing.

Hinata could feel her confidence rise as she noticed the clone Naruto was goning to be with her again, but she couldn't help but wonder; Jiraya had the same thought. “This is the real you Naruto, right?” He looked down at him as they reached the clearing.

Naruto looked up at him and smiled. He nodded and formed hand signs. “SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!” Fifty Naruto appeared in a giant cloud of smoke and began flying at Jiraya.

“Oh, you don't wanna waste any time huh? Good…” Jiraya jumped back and countered the first two clones that attacked, both disappearing.” The fighting went on for about four hours before Naruto's chakra started depleting. When the five hour mark hit, however, there were still 7 Narutos standing there.

“Ok Naruto. That's enough.” Six Narutos disappeared into thin air and the real Naruto stood there panting. He fell onto his face but didn't disappear. “Come on Naruto, let's go check on Hinata.”

They walked out of the clearing and over to Hinata who was sitting down on the floor inbetween the large pile of leaves and the shadow clone. They both had large smiles on their faces and Hinata was laughing. When the shadow clone saw Naruto and Jiraya he leaned in close to Hinata and whispered something in her ear before disappearing. Hinata's laughing face turned pink as she noticed the two walking towards her.

Jiraya looked to the real Naruto, whose face had turned bright red and was facing the ground as they walked. He knew that whatever the clones knew Naruto would learn when they disappeared, so whatever the clone had said Naruto would be aware of. “What did you tell her?” he whispered to Naruto.

“Um…” he looked up. “Nothing…” They both knew that was a lie.

“Hinata,” he looked at her and tried to look stern. “I expect you to finish this exercise faster tomorrow and even faster after that. When you finish, you will come and train to improve your chakra levels with us. Understood?”

“OH!” She looked down at the ground, “I'm sorry Jiraya-sama. I finished the training just minutes ago and I was going to go into the clearing, but Naruto asked me to stay here with him.” Her eyes went to Naruto and the smile returned to her face.

“Is that so?” Jiraya's stern look disappeared and he looked down the still red Naruto.

“Wha…? Ero-sennin, you can't be mad at me because my shadow clone did something wrong!” He was yelling at Jiraya who just started laughing.

“Calm down Naruto…” he was still laughing. He stopped and turned to Hinata, “Hinata, you are to listen to me and only me when we are training or on missions. Is that understood?”

She nodded, “Yes!”

“Ok then, our morning practice is over. Be back here in four hours and we can train the Sheild Jutsu.” He turned around and started walking away. The two stood there for a second.

“Come on Hinata, let's go to Ichiraku and get some ramen.” Naruto started running towards his favorite restaurant leaving Hinata standing there alone. She had spent time with Naruto alone but this was more like a date than a walk home.

“Umm…”

He stopped and turned, “Come on Hinata…” She looked at him and smiled. She caught up to him and they started walking together. They were talking about their last mission when they ran into some familiar faces.

“HINATA!” She looked towards the source of the voice. A giant white dog was running right at her, followed by a boy their age with untidy black hair and crimson fangs on his cheek. “HEY HINATA!”

The dog ran right up to her and reared back on his hind legs. His paws lay on her shoulders and Hinata laughed happily as she petted the dog's head, “Hello, Akamaru.”

”Hey Hinata, Hey Naruto!” Kiba had finally reached them. Akamaru dropped down to all fours.

“Kiba-kun…” Hinata threw her arms around her old teammate.

“Hin…a…ta…” Kiba was caught off guard, confused. Hinata was like a sister to him, but she had never hugged him before. He stood there with his arms down his sides as Naruto angry eyes burned a whole into his head.

“Oh!” Hinata jumped back as the same thought that was in Kiba's head went through her own. “I'm sorry… I'm just so happy to see you.” She blushed a little.

Kiba's confused face smiled back. “It's ok, you've just never…” He turned his head and noticed the look on Naruto's face. “Hey Naruto, you ok?”

“I'm…fine…” Naruto knew his face looked angry, but he couldn't help it. He was jealous and he knew it inside. He tried to force a smile, but failed.

Kiba started walking with the two and Hinata invited him along to lunch. He wasn't hungry at all, but decided to join anyways. As the three walked, Hinata in between the two guys, Naruto's jealousy grew.

Kiba had gotten back late the night before and told them all about the mission he was on. Hinata listened intently and Naruto, who was trying his hardest to ignore Kiba, couldn't help but be interested. Before Kiba could finish his story, however, they ran into another familiar face. “Hey Naruto, Hinata. Hey Kiba, did you just get back?” Sakura walked over to the group.

Kiba simply nodded and Hinata responded with a shy, “Hello.” They feeling that she had when she last saw Sakura with Naruto returned instantly. She, like Naruto, knew what the feeling was, but, unlike Naruto, she was very good at hiding it; being forced to for years already.

“Hey Sakura-chan…” Naruto quickly glanced at Kiba, “do you wanna go to Ichiraku's with us?”

She had noticed the glance but didn't understand and thought nothing of it. “Sure, I'm starving! I might even be able to eat as much as you Naruto.”

“Ha ha!” Naurto laughed, his jealousy subsiding for a brief moment. Hinata cringed inside but faked a convincing smile. After a very short walk they reached Ichiraku's and sat down. They were seated the same way they had walked, with Naruto and Hinata in the center and Sakura and Kiba on their sides.

After they ordered both Naruto and Hinata turned to their old teammate and recounted their last mission. Sakura noticed that Naruot's eyes would occasionally flicker towards Hinata. When he did this he would almost always pause or lose his place in the story. The last time his eyes went to Hinata, Sakura leaned in close and interrupted his paused story, “Naruto, is there something you're not telling me? About Hinata…” She smiled and leaned back.

“Wha…” His eyes grew wide and he shot another quick glance at Hinata who had not heard and was still talking to Kiba. He leaned in and whipered, “no… well…”

“Hinata, Kiba. Can I have a word?” A calm, monotone voice interrupted their lunch.

“Shino-kun! Of course…” Hinata turned to face her old teammate. Shino's eyes scanned over Naruto and Sakura behind his dark glasses. He turned and left the restaurant, followed by Kiba. Hinata shot a hesitant look at Naruto and followed.

Naruto's head turned from where Hinata had left to face Sakura. She was smiling at him, “So?”

He had forgotten what they had been talking about, wondering only what Shino was telling Hinata. “Huh?”

“It's so obvious that you like her Naruto.” Naruto almost jumped out of his seat.

“WHAT? No… I…” Sakura, smiling even wider, waved her hand to silence him.

“Have you told her yet?” Naruto couldn't hide it. He lowered his head and looked down at the space between their seats.

“No…” he said in a defeated voice. “What if she doesn't feel the same?” Sakura, like everyone else, knew that Hinata was madly in love with Naruto.

“Well,” she cupped his chin in her hand and raised his head so that she could look into his eyes. “If you never tell her how you feel you'll never know what could happen.”

A thankful smile filled Naruto's face. Sakura let go of his chin and they both stood up. “Besides,” she thought he need a little more of a push. She looked back at him with a smile as she was heading out of the restaurant, “…how could she not feel the same?”

She left Naruto alone in the restaurant hoping her words would make him act. He sat there thinking about what he should do until Hinata returned.

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“I'm sorry… Naruto-kun.” She didn't know why she had said it but she felt she should.

They had been walking to training in silence, Naruto still lost in his thoughts. He walked staring at the floor but looked at Hinata whose words broke his daze. “Huh?”

She explained to him that the Hokage had informed Shino that they would not be a team any longer and why. They had understood and weren't mad at her. Both of them would be put on `special mission' status until the Fifth could find them a suitable team.

When she had finished explaining everything Shino had said they had already reached the training field. “Well it's about time.” Jiraya loved not being late. “Ok you two, our evening training will be to improve the Sheild Jutsu.”

The next five hours were spent creating the shield and testing it with their free hands. In the end, neither had improved at all. “What am I doing wrong?” Naruto screamed after his last try of the night. Hinata too looked disappointed at her lack of improvement.

“Calm down Naruto. This is not like the spinning, rotating chakra you use for the Rasengan. You have to concentrate and make the chakra,” Jiraya formed the Sheild Jutsu and held his palm up, “as dense as possible so that nothing can get through it.” He slammed his other fist down on the shield where it stopped on contact. “That's enough for tonight. I will see you two tomorrow.” He turned and headed off towards the Hokage's office.

“Hinata,” they were alone and Naruto's eyes were on the floor. “…do you want me to walk you home?” Hinata looked at him. His eyes were not on the floor out of embarrassment but because he was still thinking of what Sakura had said.

“Yes Naruto-kun… I would like that.” They headed off towards the Hyuuga complex. They didn't talk much during their walk, neither knowing what to say. When they reached the gates Naruto turned to walk to his apartment.

“Well, good night Hinata,” his back to her.

Naruot-kun…” she was scared. Things had been so awkward today. “Can you…” Naruto turned to face her.

“… can you… hug me again?” She wanted it so bad and her face showed it, but she didn't care. She wanted him to know.

Naruot walked to Hinata, an expression similar to hers was etched on his face. He wanted to hold her. He stood before her for a moment before wrapping his arms around her. As they stood there holding each other everything disappeared. There was no complex or gates, no training or missions, no one else. Only the two of them, bodies pressed against each other.

“Thank you…” she whispered in his ear as she let go. Everything returned. Naruto didn't want to let go, but he knew he had to. “Good night Naruto-kun…”

Hinata turned and headed towards her room as Naruto headed home.

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Three months progressed in much the same way as the two got closer and closer. Naruto would meet Hinata at the Hyuuga complex and they would walk to training. Hinata would train her byakugon with the scroll and Naruto would improve his chakra levels while fighting Jiraya.

After two month Hinata could finish the scroll in less than an hour. After three months it was considered a warm-up and she had learned to see and pinpoint the chakra points on the body. She would spend the rest of the morning's training session fighting Naruto and increasing her own chakra through extensive byakugon use.

After three months, Naruto had increased his chakra to the point where he could fight both Jiraya and Hinata with 100 clones each for the full five hours. The first day Hinata was told she was to fight the Naruto clones, she stood in the center of the 100 clones and smiled, “Naruto-kun…”

100 voices spoke as one, “Yes?”

Hinata stood in her Jukken stance, byakugon activated, “I do not want you to hold back… if you respect me at all you will come at me with everything you have and nothing less.”

The sea of Naruto's parted and one of the 100 walked towards her, a smile on his face. The real Naruto stood in front of her, “Of course, Hinata.”

Hinata's objective wasn't to just make the clones disappear. Jiraya informed her that she could not attack a clone, instead she had to completely stop its chakra and it would vanish. Although Naruto promised to not go easy on her, he never really tried to hit her. It wasn't until Hinata was finishing his clones off at an alarming rate that he kicked it into full gear. After the three months of this fighting, Jiraya informed Hinata that her byakugon was an even match with Neji's.

They spent the break between training together everyday. They would usually go to the top of the Hokage Monument and eat whatever Hinata had prepared while looking over the village. Naruto had started eating Hinata's food because of how he felt about her, but he soon developed an intense craving for her cooking; a craving that Hinata was more than happy to satisfy.

The evening training session, surprisingly, had progressed just well as the morning session. Jiraya had intensified their training by forcing them to use Kunai instead of their fist to break the shield. By the end of the three months, both Naruto and Hinata could block a basic attack no matter how strong; Hinata had even learned how to block and absorb a weak chakra attack.

Each night for the past three months had ended the same way. The two would walk to the Hyuuga complex together, talking about anything that was on their mind. When they reached the gates there would be a momentary silence and someone would be forced to act. One of them would reach out and grab the other. They would be locked into each other, neither wanting to let go but neither willing to say so. Over the months the hugs would get longer and more loving, but when they let go said good night it was over.

Naruto's feeling for Hinata had grown intensily. He couldn't get her out of his head, and if he wasn't with her he yearned to. He knew he had to tell her soon. He knew he couldn't risk losing her.

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“All right! Did you hear that Hinata!” Naruto was excited. He hadn't been out of the village in months.

“Yeah!” Hinata was excited about going on the mission too, but she was worried about what her father would say.

“Quiet! Tomorrow morning we head out to the village of Jusho on the border of the country. It is reported that a group of rouge ninja have been robbing merchants that enter and leave the city. We are to “dispose” of these ninja.” Both Naruto and Hinata cringed at the word `dispose' as they knew they might have to kill the ninjas. “We leave early, now get some sleep.”

Naruto and Hinata started heading to the Hyuuga complex. Naruto couldn't stop talking about the mission and before they knew it they were standing at the gates.

Hinata reached out for Naruto and they wrapped their arms around each other. It was like every other night, until Hinata turned her head. She whispered, “Good night Naruto-kun, “into his ear and kissed his cheek.

Hinata had planned this, but really didn't know what to do after. She pulled away with a pink face and looked him in the eyes. He looked confused and was touching the cheek she had kissed. She turned away and walked towards her room.

Naruto remained in the same position for a few moments. He had wanted to feel her lips for so long and it had finally happened. He was so happy. He walked to his apartment, reliving the scene in his head again and again.