Desperation

Desperation

Chapter 12: In Laws and Exes

Hinata felt slightly dazed as she walked back down from the Hokage Mountain with Naruto. Naruto had decided that they ought to go out to dinner since they had talked about going on a date, and since it was also dinnertime. He said he would treat.

It was a big surprise for her when Naruto led her not to Ichiraku ramen but to another shop for dinner. It was a little dango shop, a shop that Hinata favored.

"How did you know that I liked this place?" Hinata asked, feeling happy when he pulled her chair out so she could sit down. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, and gave her a sheepish look.

"I didn't know. Sakura likes this place, so I thought you might too," Naruto explained.

Hinata nodded, trying not to feel too upset. Being compared to Sakura, and having Naruto think of Sakura made her feel dejected. It was strange for her to go from feeling jealous of Ino to feeling jealous of Sakura – again. She'd always felt a little bit of jealousy toward Sakura since Naruto's intelligent teammate had managed to grab Naruto's attention when she hadn't. And why wouldn't she? She was smart, fairly pretty, and a much better ninja than Hinata was. Ino was also prettier than she was, and a lot prettier.

None of her fantasies where she went out on a date with Naruto included this misery that she currently felt.

Positive, think positive, she tried telling herself. After all, he had chosen this place hoping she would like it.

"They have really good dangos here. Not as good as the homemade stuff you cook, but still pretty good," Naruto said as he looked at the menu. Hinata's head shot up. Naruto wasn't looking at her, still engrossed with the menu. It had been an honest comment, not meant to flatter her, but it had. Naruto had a strange habit of making her feel like the most horrible person and then like the most amazing person.

"Thank you," Hinata murmured, smiling pleasantly to herself.

Dinner was much less awkward than Hinata initially thought it would be. Part of it might have been her lack of talking, but she didn't mind. Naruto was animatedly telling of one of his many (mis-)adventures with Jiraiya. It was amusing and entertaining. It was nice to have an excuse to look at Naruto as he spoke. She smiled and giggled as he told her his tale, and he seemed pleased with her rapt attention.

In fact, besides the initial comment about the dango shop being one of Sakura's favorite places to eat, Hinata found herself enjoying the date just as much as she had always dreamed she would in her fantasies. Naruto kept her entertained, and she had always loved to hear his voice and watch him smile.

"Just ignore them."

Hinata's back went rigid, and a crashing wave of guilt washed over her as she heard Sakura's whispered voice. She turned her head slightly, watching as Ino and Sakura were sitting at a table not too far away from where they were. After a few moments of silence, and a look back toward Naruto, Hinata realized that Naruto had seen them too. His face had turned slightly red, and he looked away off to the side. The dango that he had been swinging wildly around during his tale got placed back on the plate.

Hinata glanced over at Ino and Sakura. Both girls quickly turned away when she looked over at them. Hinata felt her face heat up, and she looked down at her hands, wishing she hadn't eaten so much as she suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

Naruto and Hinata sat there, neither speaking for a moment.

It had been a stupid thing to do, Hinata mused. Seducing Naruto hadn't done anything but hurt him.

Hinata, not able to stand it anymore, quietly excused herself for a moment. Her feet wanted to turn and run to the closest bathroom, but she resolutely walked over toward Ino and Sakura's table. Both girls glanced up at her when she approached, both looking confused, angry, and betrayed. Neither spoke, and Hinata wasn't sure if she'd rather they lay it on her or not.

"H-hi," Hinata finally stuttered out.

"Hi," Sakura murmured back.

"Are you really pregnant?" Ino asked, her eyes wide, more incredulous than angry. Hinata nodded. Ino looked away.

"Congratulations," Sakura said, smiling. A forced smile, but the words had been sincere.

"Thank you," Hinata said, surprised. Now that she thought about it, she supposed most people would congratulate a pregnant woman on her new bundle of joy. It was a little degrading that Sakura had been the first.

"Yeah, congratulations," Ino murmured. Her words were much less sincere: the hurt clear in them. Hinata had assumed with Sakura and Ino's past that the two of them would be angry at her for stealing Naruto away. After all, they had always bickered over Sasuke.

Hinata also knew that Ino had been genuinely hurt when Naruto had broken off their engagement. Sakura had also seemed to have also really been infatuated with Naruto when Ino had started showing her how happy she was with him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't – I mean – "

"Hinata, don't," Sakura said, interrupting her, as she looked at Ino. Ino looked away from the both of them, crossing her arms. Even so, Hinata could see tears in her eyes. "It's, well…I mean…it's okay," Sakura said, looking at Ino. Of course it wasn't okay.

"You liked him. Both of you did," Hinata said. "Both of you still do."

"Just rub it in why don't you? Now that you have him and got pregnant so he's got to stay with you," Ino snapped as she turned back to glare at Hinata. The words stung, and Hinata actually flinched backwards.

She hadn’t gotten pregnant to trap him, but it probably seemed that way.

"You were being manipulative! You were trying to mess with mine and Sasuke's emotions!" Sakura hissed to Ino.

Hinata idly noted that neither of them seemed to blame Naruto for their pain. It made her chest ache. It showed how much they cared for him that they didn't bad mouth him. Then again, from what Naruto had said, he'd gone along with it more than doing any actual plotting.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Ino blurted out, seemingly unable to stop herself.

"Oh come on," Sakura said with a roll of her eyes, answering for Hinata. "Can you see Hinata admitting to having...well, you know what with Naruto?" It seemed hard for Sakura to say have, as though it was hard for her to stomach the idea. Then again it probably was. Hinata knew she cringed at the thought of Naruto liking either of them. She’d be so upset if he ever had sex with them.

Ino almost snorted. "I have to say, you've no idea how surprised I was. You're so timid around him," Ino said, sounding ever so slightly amused. Slightly amused may have been over-exaggerating, but Hinata was trying to be positive.

"It is shocking," Sakura agreed.

"Your loss. You could have jumped him ages ago," Ino said, sounding bitter, directing the jealousy to Sakura rather than Hinata. For once, Hinata could empathize with Ino's sentiments. Sakura scowled.

"Well - " Sakura began, but didn't seem to know where to go with it. Instead she crossed her arms and let out an annoyed huff.

"Hi." Naruto's voice from behind her made Hinata jump, and by Sakura's and Ino's expressions, neither of them had realized he had come up to speak with them either.

"Hi," Ino and Sakura mumbled back.

"We should get going," Naruto said, placing a hand gently on Hinata's shoulders.

It was strange: very strange. She was grateful for the attention, for the warmth of Naruto's hand on her shoulder, but she felt guilty that Naruto was giving her the attention that Sakura and Ino both wanted.

"I'll talk to you both later, okay?" Naruto said to Ino and Sakura, and Hinata saw the pained look on Naruto's face. She hated, no, detested, seeing that look on Naruto's face, especially knowing it was her fault. Because of her, Naruto was having problems with his important people.

Sakura and Ino both nodded at Naruto's statement. With a gentle push, Naruto urged Hinata to leave with him.

"Awkward as hell," Naruto commented as they left, and he grinned at her. It was forced, and Hinata frowned miserably back. His grin faltered and slipped into a half-sad smile.

They walked together, Naruto leading, Hinata following. Neither talked, and Hinata was sad when she found that Naruto had walked her home.

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault! I should never have -" Hinata began, but was silenced when Naruto placed his hands on her shoulders and spoke.

"Hinata, it's my fault too. Not just yours. At least Ino and Sakura didn't start yelling at me though. I was afraid they would."

Hinata was not surprised that they hadn't yelled at him, though she was slightly surprised that they hadn't yelled more at her.

"Listen, I had a nice time tonight before they showed up. I want to do it again."

Hinata smiled, but then Naruto was rambling on again, his cheeks red. "Not do that again! I mean, do it again as in do the date again," Naruto spurted out. Honestly, Hinata hadn't thought about his words "I want to do it again" to mean anything sexual. He was probably just a little flustered with the idea that they'd already had sex...twice. And she was pregnant on top of it because of it. Come to think of it, the idea did seem a bit embarrassing. She blushed thinking about it.

"I thought you had meant the date," Hinata said earnestly.

"Oh." Naruto said.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

Awkward, always awkward anymore.

Though that wasn't quite true. The dinner and the conversation at dinner were both nice.

"I had a nice time at dinner tonight too. I love hearing your stories."

"Really?" Naruto asked, his face lighting up. Hinata smiled at him, feeling happy that she'd made him smile.

"Really." They both stood there, smiling at each other. The awkwardness had vanished.

"Good night Hinata," Naruto said finally, still smiling.

"Good night, Naruto-kun." There was a moment of hesitation before Naruto leaned down to press his lips gently against hers.

Hinata could feel her heart beating wildly at the contact, the familiar warmth of the only pair of lips hers had ever had contact with sending her heart into a tizzy. Hinata couldn't help the slight moan as she slipped her hands behind his neck and pressed herself closer to him. Naruto's lips pulled back slightly, clearly surprised at her actions, but he recovered quickly as he wrapped his arms around her, and pressed his body more firmly against her body.

The warmth of his body pressed so close to hers made Hinata press herself closer to him. A haze seemed to have come over her, and she was only dimly aware of the fact that she had slowly began to rock her hips against his.

Naruto moaned against her. Strong hands moved to her sides, and Hinata gasped as Naruto lifted her up slightly, cradling her body against his torso as he walked a few steps forward, leaning her against the wall outside her house. She wrapped her legs around his waist for support.

Hinata entwined her fingers into Naruto's hair, relishing in the feelings coursing through her body as Naruto began to move against her. She could feel how hard he was as she rocked her hips back against his.

"This is hardly appropriate behavior."

Hinata wanted to die. That was her father's voice.

Hinata's eyes fluttered opened (she hadn't even realized she'd closed them) watching as Naruto turned to look away from her. Gently, Naruto helped her get her footing back as she slid slightly down the wall as her feet were once more on the ground.

Naruto, face as red as a tomato, stepped in front of her slightly, putting himself between Hinata and Hiashi.

Hiashi raised his eyebrow, clearly surprised at the protective way that Naruto had gotten in front of Hinata.

"The young man who got my daughter knocked up, attempting to do so again, right outside my house, I see," Hiashi said, his voice neutral.

Naruto's face blazed a darker shade of red.

"Don't-" Hinata began.

"If you don't mind," Hiashi said, his voice dark as he cut off Hinata’s warning, "I'd like to speak to my daughter inside my house. Alone, and away from horny young men."

"I-" Naruto began angrily.

"I already told you it was my fault!" Hinata said angrily.

"It didn't look like you had to twist his arm very hard to get him to agree," Hiashi said, his voice still maddeningly calm.

Naruto clenched and unclenched his fists together.

"It seems you don't want to talk to me now though, Hinata. So if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with him alone. Unless you don't think you're man enough to handle that Uzumaki?"

Naruto's face was now set in rage, but he hadn't said anything yet. The comment was said in such a way that Hinata knew Naruto wasn't going to refuse her father’s request.

"Fine. Let's talk," Naruto gritted out.

"This way," Hiashi said, gesturing with his hand for where Naruto was to go.

Hinata watched, baffled, as her father led Naruto into the house. Hinata remained there, standing outside her home, stunned.

She was embarrassed beyond all belief that her father had caught her like that with Naruto.

She was even more stunned that Naruto was currently in her house talking with her father.

But beyond embarrassed and stunned, she was angry that her father had interrupted. The date had just started getting good!


Next Chapter: Physical Attraction


Just FYI: updates will be every other Sunday.

I wrote this in a way I’ve never done before: via IM with my fiancé. Let me know what you thought! ~ Jelp