Heartbroken? Open to all but heroscomeback)

[twinlionfists]

Naruto-kun had been in Michi no Sato for a few days now, and while after their first talk they'd shared many more, it still felt awkward and painful to be around him.

No matter that he'd said, and she understood, that he needed time to adjust to being away from the fighting and other things that had occurred back home, her heart was still heavy.

She didn't know how to talk to anyone about it. Would it be proper? Who would understand? Could she do it?

Lost in thought, she sat down in the dojo of Mikoto-san's house with the intent to meditate and clear her head, but it wasn't really working after an hour.

Comments

[twinlionfists]

She took the crayon from him and began to draw leaves and a flower stem for the purple blob. "Yes, I think that will work," she replied. "You didn't answer my earlier question, Sasuke-kun. Who taught you Bunshin no jutsu?"

[one_without_wings]

He forgot her question!? He must have been way too happy to see her. "Ah~ It was Kakashi-sensei! He's awesome!" he handed her the purple crayon. "Here! You draw a flower now!"

[twinlionfists]

She nodded and proceeded to try and draw a violet, the type of flower that Ino-san's father always referred to her as. It was a little amateurish in Hinata's opinion, but it was clear what kind of flower it was. "Yes, Kakashi-sensei is nice. He taught Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan alongside your older self. He protected me once as well."

[one_without_wings]

"Pretty flower" the boy gave a light chirp, drawing a long stem and three leaves upon it.

The two then switched pens so he could draw a tulip. "Aahha~ kakashi-sensei is greaaat! I hope he can teach me something else next time~ I gotta practice lots!"

[twinlionfists]

"Thank you," she said softly. "What all do you know? I think Neji-nii-san said that he taught you from time to time as well."

[one_without_wings]

"Neji..niisan? Ha! That's right! He's got those eyes too!" he brightened. "Neji-sensei's really good with showin ways to control chakra. He says I gotta focus more... sometimes I just forget stuff he says.."

He drew another set of stems and leaves to her flower. "I know the katon gokakyu, bunshin, and i can walk up trees and walls and things~ Chakra walk, cause Neji-sensei'd tell me m'namin it wrong again."

[twinlionfists]

She smiled a bit before activating her Byakugan to examine the boy's potential. It was encouraging. "I can see that you will be dangerous once you learn better control." She relaxed her face and the veins near her eyes went back to residing under her skin. "You need to practice more. I am sure that my cousin has told you this many times already."

[one_without_wings]

"Eh? dangerous?" he blinked. "Niichan said I'd be the greatest shinobi once I grow up~" or something to that effect. "That's kinda like it?" he gave the widest of smiles.

[twinlionfists]

Images of just how dangerous Sasuke would become flashed before her eyes, making her smile drop nearly immediately. "Yes, something like that, Sasuke-kun."

[one_without_wings]

He gave a laugh and then poked her gently. "Neesan! It's your turn!" the drawing...

[twinlionfists]

Hinata startled and then looked down at the pile of flower pictures they had drawn. "After this, shall we go visit Ino-san?" she asked as she finished drawing the leaves, taking care to make them appear to be moving in the wind.

[one_without_wings]

"Right! That's enough flowers~" he chirped happily, storing the crayons back where he took them, humming joyfully.

[twinlionfists]

It was impossible to be upset around this young child, so Hinata just smiled as he cleaned up there mess. "I spoke with Mikoto-san after breakfast, and she told me that Ino-san's shop is across the plaza of the village. You will have to stay very close while we are going through, since it is so busy, yes?"

[one_without_wings]

"riiiight!" he rose a hand. "I promise!
Then the hand came forward to grab into hers. "We can go like this~ You won't lose me!"

[twinlionfists]

She was a little shocked that the boy was touching her, his grip tighter than she'd expected. "O-okay," she said, leading the way out of the house.

[one_without_wings]

Drawing in one hand, neesan's in the other, the boy was happier than a drifting cloud as he followed. "Yaaaay~ we're gonna go see Ino-neesan!"

[twinlionfists]

Really, why couldn't her own sister have been this cute? Why hadn't Hinata herself realised how unhappy the Sasuke-kun of her time had been before now? No, she'd noticed him, but always as the polar opposite of Naruto, seemingly his complement.

But this child, holding her hand with such trust, happiness and innocence was a stranger to her, but a stranger that lifted her spirits with almost no effort. Even being around Neji-nii-san had become painful once more, ruining the rapport they'd worked so hard to build up.

As they walked through the village, Hinata made a point of cataloging all of the important sights she'd missed during her previous trips. Before she knew it, they were in front of Ino-san's shop.

[one_without_wings]

"Yaaaay~ We're here!" he started running once the shop was in sight. "Come on, neesan!" as if somehow the shop would just vanish if he did not hurry...

"Ino-neesan!" he cried out as they reached the door. He'd have to either let go of the drawing or his neesan's hand to open the door, and he wanted to do neither.

[twinlionfists]

She smiled yet again at the child's exuberance. It was nearly contagious, almost like being with Naruto-kun sometimes. "Ino-san," she called out, trying the knob but finding the door locked. "Ino-san," she said louder, despite the blush rising to her cheeks. "Are you home?"

[one_without_wings]

"Oh, lemee try.." he took in a deep breath and "..oh yeah, plug your ears." he warned, waited two seconds..and then:

"Ino-neeeeeeeesan!
See? This is how you call someone.

[twinlionfists]

When he'd inhaled like that and warned her, Hinata stepped back a bit and covered her ears. However, she still wasn't quite ready for the bellow that came out of the tiny body.

[perfectcosmos]

And out popped a sleepy Yamanaka, who blinked down from her window before closing it again and hurrying to open the door for them, still in her pajamas. "Sorry, had an emergency with one of the Udon shop's kids' last night. Come on in."

[one_without_wings]

"Look, look Ino-neesan! Look who I brought!" and in zoomed an overly happy Sasuke, pulling Hinata in the shop. "We have a present too!" he held up the drawing with a big wide smile.

[twinlionfists]

"Ah, Ino-san, I'm so sorry to awaken you," Hinata said with a large blush. "Sasuke-kun said that you were...here, and I wished to see you."

[perfectcosmos]

"Well, I have to say this is a much happier day than last time someone woke me up with a Hinata." She gave the boy a smile, then leaned down to take the picture with solemn care, trying to identify what it was of.

Though, she did glance to Hinata. "I'm happy to see you too."