Say it.

*_*_*


“Oh god!” Naruto muttered moving back as Hinata’s overprotective ‘brothers’ came ever closer “Neji, guys this is not what it looks like!!”

Stunned at the complete stupidity of his statement Neji, Shino and Kiba paused even Hinata turned to face him one eyebrow raised.

“Ok stupid thing to say” Naruto shook his head “But c‘mon you don‘t want to kill me do you?”

“That depends” Neji hissed icily “Where have you two been all night?”

“Um…” Naruto began to shiver moving fearfully behind Hinata. “Nowhere…?”

Sighing Hinata held up a hand in a placating gesture “Guys there‘s no need to freak out” the three of them stood patiently ready to hear her side of the story “You three have got to stop being so overprotective of me. Really guys it‘s totally up to me who I sleep with…” Hinata spoke severely as she tried to reason with her cousin and friends.

“WHAT?!?” Neji and Kiba both reacted angrily and all three men began their advance again.

“You’re sleeping with him?” Shino hissed his bugs flying up around him.

“Oh I guess you guys didn‘t think that we‘d done that yet…” Hinata muttered quickly, turning to face Naruto she smiled sheepishly “Um... run?”

“Damn!!” Turning Naruto sprinted down the street. Hinata merely stood watching him go as her cousin and team mates took off after her boyfriend in a rush of air.

Naruto didn’t know where he was running, all he knew was that he needed to get away from Neji, Kiba and Shino… truth be told he was surprised that Shino was so pissed. He was a calm man and as far as he was concerned… Naruto’s musings were cut off as a stream of bugs surrounded his legs like a trip wire and sent him flying.

He fell sprawling down to the ground rolling as he went, sitting up he was just in time to see Neji’s angry face before a fist blocked it from his view.

Neji smirked as Naruto’s head snapped back, he’d got the first hit in and he wasn’t going to stop there. Naruto managed to stay lucid after that first very direct hit and as Neji moved back to throw another punch he managed to roll away causing the Hyuga’s right fist to connect painfully with the ground.

Before Naruto could twist away again Neji’s left fist flew towards him just managing to clip him on the arm. Throwing the Hyuga away from him Naruto managed to jump to his feet just in time to dodge the double attack headed his way. With swift movements he avoided Akamaru as the canine landed exactly where he had just been, raising his arm he deflected the angry Kiba’s punch neatly. Kiba’s body flew back into a nearby tree just as Shino arrived on the scene, his bugs began to fill the air making it hard to see or breath without an insect getting in the way, soon the chakra devouring bugs began to cover Naruto weakening him. Choking on an unfortunate bug Naruto sprinted away heading for the nearest river, he was slower as the bugs bothered him but he managed to get to the lake before either Kiba or Neji became lucid enough to begin attacking again. Plunging into the water Naruto was immediately grateful to Hinata for her advice on what to when facing Shino, water was one of the bugs few weaknesses so as long as he stayed either near or in water Shino would have to resort to his weakest form, Tai-Jutsu. Technically that was one enemy down, with two… three to go.

A figure dove into the water above him, looking up Naruto was only just able to avoid the twin whirlpools headed in his direction. Landing one to his left and one to his right Kiba and Akamaru hit the riverbed in a crouch and glared at Naruto, as far as Naruto knew Kiba could hold his breath for exactly two minutes and ten seconds. Personally Naruto had the amazing ability to hold his breath for five minutes and twenty nine seconds, as long as it was just he and Kiba down here he had the breath to beat him at least twice, of course Neji or Shino could join him down here and if he was punched in the gut he’d lose his air.

Angrier than he could ever remember being before Kiba glared at his old school mate. He and Naruto had been good friends for a long time, at school they had skipped class together, he had witnessed and once or twice been a part of Naruto’s pranks, they had fought together, had saved each others lives on many occasions, they had gone out ‘on the pull’ together, had rated and boasted about girls, had lied to them occasionally to get them into bed. He had seen the good and the bad sides to Naruto, he knew the loyal comrade but he also knew the cruel bastard who had bedded girls without a thought.

There was no way he’d let Hinata be in a relationship where she could get hurt, he had scared off too many unsuitable men to let Naruto slip in and ruin her life. Hinata was like a little sister to him, for most of his life he had regarded her as one of the few good and pure people in the world and he would not stand by to see her corrupted.

Snarling Kiba re-launched himself at Naruto, Akamaru was not far behind, the two of them ran at him charging full force. Dropping into a defensive stance Naruto judged it carefully and just at the right second soared upwards through the water, Kiba and Akamaru were only just able to veer to the side before they ran full pelt into each other. Following Kiba’s route Naruto plunged down onto his friend, he didn’t want to hurt Kiba but he couldn’t afford to let the others just beat him up.

He refused to just let Hinata go, he needed her, loved her.

He wouldn’t back down.

Grabbing Kiba, he planned to knock him out before taking him to the surface where he could revive himself in safety before facing Akamaru (he had no idea how he was going to handle Kiba’s partner). He grasped hold of Kiba’s collar ready to land a punch when an arm snaked it’s way around his neck and wrenched him back. Seeing this Kiba stood smirking his expression only showing a slight problem with holding his breath for so long. Choking the air out of his lungs Naruto twisted around to find Neji holding him and ready to start fighting. Neji stood formidable as his hair floated around him making him look almost like an octopus, ducking Naruto was just in time to miss another resounding punch from Neji. Unfortunately for both Neji and Kiba Naruto’s duck resulted in Neji’s fist connecting with Kiba’s face knocking him out, Neji himself, thrown by the wrong hit fell forwards. Seeing his chance Naruto thumped his fist down on the back of Neji’s head causing instant unconsciousness.

Relieved but still struggling from lack of oxygen Naruto grabbed Neji by the collar and was about to grab Kiba as well when Akamaru padded over and picked up his master. Pushing up from the river bed they both ascended to the surface of the water and gasping in air pulled their unconscious friend’s to the riverside.

The bugs had left the water surface but upon seeing Naruto Shino set them to buzzing around his head, it was only when he realised that Naruto was trying to help Neji that the insects were called off.

Luckily enough both Neji and Kiba started to come around so Naruto (very thankfully) didn’t see that he was going to have to be giving them mouth to mouth at any point. He was just turning from the awakening duo when a fist hit his jaw with such force that he was sent hurtling through the air and to the ground a few yards from his original position.

“Not again” Naruto muttered angrily “There’s only so much of this that I can take!!”

“Nice one” Kiba complimented Shino’s handiwork sitting up as Neji looked on approvingly.

“Why are you so mad at this?” Naruto asked as Shino advanced towards him, he had nothing left to fight with… well nothing that might not destroy the entire town and he really didn’t want to bring that out against friend’s “You’re meant to be the calm rational one!”

“How can I be calm when Hinata is your… fuck buddy” Shino said the phrase distastefully and with real anger “She would never have considered that with anyone but you. You made her into something she is not.”

“What…? No!” Now Naruto understood most of the anger, Damn Kiba and his bug mouth!!

“For you I know it will just be about sex but, Hinata is good, and pure, she believes in love, not casual sex.”

“This is not just about the sex!” Naruto yelled at Shino getting the entire group’s attention “I just said that to stop Kiba asking questions, I care about her, I want to…. I want to spend the rest of my life with her”

Stunned silence hit everyone including Naruto, had he really just said that? Did he really mean it as much as he thought he did?

Damn, he did.


*_*_*


“You did not return home last night”

“No, I stayed at a friends”

“Which friend?”

“Naruto Uzumaki”

“I do not believe that man to be a desirable friend for the Hyuga heiress”

“Then I shall never again be his friend”

“Good”

“I am however going to remain his girlfriend.”

“I forbid it!”

It was as much of a surprise to Hinata as it was to Hiashi that she was not stuttering as she answered his questions but it shocked her a lot that as he towered over her a quivering mass of Hyuga rage she didn’t back down. Instead she felt a rise of rebellion in her chest and standing up straight she stared defiantly into her fathers eyes.

Naruto didn’t thing her weak, he said she was amazing, strong, beautiful, he may not have told her he loved her but the love was there. He loved her, which was all she needed.

“Well I may try to upgrade from mere girlfriend one day. Look Father… I‘m an adult and if I want to be in a relationship with Naruto Uzumaki then… I will be.”

“You are sexually active?” Hiashi asked despite already knowing the answer

Trembling Hinata stared at her feet, this was going to anger him the most “Yes, we are.”

“Shinji, Shogo” Hiashi’s voice was loud but not overpowering as two men Hinata knew very well entered the room. He gave them a nod before turning to face his daughter “Hinata you will go with them and then you will leave here.”

“Father please, let me explain” Hinata moved forward but two hands clamped down on her shoulders preventing her from moving.

“Leave” Hiashi hissed turning away from her “get out of here, take nothing that we have given you with you and don‘t come back”

“Father” Hinata moved towards him but Hiashi held up a hand to stop her.

“Come no closer, you have dishonoured our name. You shame me. You shame yourself.”

Hinata knew there was nothing she could do to change his mind. He had made his decision and all she could do now was walk away hoping that one day he could forgive her for what she had done. “I love you father but… I regret nothing.” Hinata whispered before turning and leaving his office under the guard of the two council members… at least now Neji would never have a reason to hate her again.


*_*_*


“You really mean that?” Shino asked staring down at his victim, he really wanted to disbelieve Naruto and continue attacking him but he looked so honest right now.

“Yeah... I do, I really do.”

“Well I guess” Kiba sighed as he looked over the roughed up Naruto “I guess…, look just promise you‘ll never hurt her.”

“Shino, Kiba, Neji…” Naruto smiled as he pushed himself up into a sitting position “I‘m crazy about her,” he looked over at Kiba and up at Shino before he spoke “I‘m going to spend the rest of my life with her… if she‘ll have me. I know I‘m nowhere near good enough for her but… I’ll never give her up. I can‘t live without her.”

“So that whole Fuck Buddy thing?” Shino asked still suspicious "What was that about?"

“I just let you think that to keep Kiba off the scent (A/N lol again) she‘s only just got ready to tell everyone about us. Until now she was terrified about what her father would think and…”

“Oh Damn” Neji jumped to his feet, for a split second he wobbled unsteadily trying to regain his balance before he weaved his way towards Naruto and Shino

“What’s wrong?”

“Hiashi‘s going to ask Hinata about where she went last night!”

“And?” Naruto asked staring up at him

“And… if like you said Hinata is ready to tell everyone about it then she‘s going to tell him. He is going to be furious.”


*_*


Tears streaming down her face Hinata left the Hyuga compound, really she had nothing, she had changed so that the clothes she currently wore were her own, she brought them for training by herself and the only other items in the Hyuga compound that the Hyuga had no claim over were her books and some jewelry and other gifts from various friends over the years. She was in pain for so many reasons right now.

Of course it was her head that hurt the most, there was a reason why the seal was usually done on the young. Older people receiving the caged bird seal often suffered from mental damage, the neural pathways could be pressured by the new seal’s restrictions.

As she left her home she walked past Sasuke who was still standing waiting for Naruto and the others to come back. He was obviously of the opinion that Naruto wasn’t about to be killed for deflowering the Hyuga heiress.

“You Ok Hyuga?” Sasuke asked moving forwards, Hinata shook her head, the books she was holding fell to floor and she just stood crying. “Um… hey” Sasuke moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder patting it awkwardly “there, there, it‘s…all ok?”

Hinata couldn’t help but chuckle, Sasuke really was useless when it came to comforting people. “Thanks” Hinata smiled wiping her tears “Are they still not back yet?”

“No”

“Do you think they’ve killed Naruto?”

“No… what’s with the books?”

“I‘ve been chucked out, father is furious”

“Because of you and Naruto?”

“Yeah… he wouldn‘t even look at me.” Hinata raised a trembling hand to her forehead “I f-feel kind of...” before she could say more Hinata’s vision blurred and the world went black.


*_*_*


This feels kind of rushed to me but I have had to slip it in between revision and visiting my editor in hospital, she has a chest infection and refused to see a doctor because it would interfere with her exams and now she’s really sick!! Idiot!!

She’s read this through and says it’s fine but she’s doped up on antibiotics and other right now and she’s made mistakes before!!

R&R