Silence Silences

NOTE: Please check out the original version in my One Shots Collection!

I tried to free myself from the grip of my friend, Tenten as she draged me to a dingy looking place that reeked of alcohol. It was dark and only a single yellow bulb was switched on over our heads.

"Now you sit here and talk." Tenten pushed me down on the wooden seat and exclaimed. I knew she was frustrated by asking me over and over again but even if I wished to speak, my heart wouldn't allow it. All I could do was rub my face time and again to dry the tears that were continuously making their way out of my now swollen eyes.

I looked at Tenten with blurry eyes and that made me cry even more frantically. I swished the big glass of brown liquid that was kept in front of her and gulped it down in one go.

"Its...Its" I wiped my face with my purple sleeves once again and gathered all my courage to tell her my problem, "Its about...N-Naruto kun."

✫✫✫

It's been 2 years since the Great Ninja War ended. Several people stood up against the power they knew they couldn't defeat. Many of them had their lives taken off from their palm of hands. This also holds true for my brother, Neji san.

I was half standing, half sitting in front of his grave. I didn't mind my tears rolling down my face uncontrollably, but I didn't make a sound. My face was lit up with a smile 'cuz I knew that brother won't want me to cry over his death. It wasn't that he died in vein, he died protecting me and...Naruto.

I straightened my back and put the flowers down and bowed. "Neji san, I am now as strong as you or maybe even stronger but umn... not as strong as the legendry team." I whispered, lowering my eyes.

After the war ended, everyone was overjoyed. Naruto saved everyone from the calamity that might have followed.

He lay on the ground smiling and with overjoyed expression of happiness and content. The euphoric aura around him was nothing as compared to what I was feeling back then.

But I was like a worthless person standing there, at the back of the crowd, gazing 'down' at someone who should be looked 'upon'.

Sasuke was there too, but I clearly remember Sakura chan, tending to Naruto and crying over his numb body as he nonchalantly said to not to worry.

"You idiot, don't try to be a hero ever again. I don't want to lose a precious friend!" I remember Sakura chan's words.

At that very moment, I clutched my heart and tried to suppress the unwelcomed feeling of being defeated.

That was when I decided, that I could not face Naruto. A lowly figure like me, who couldn't gain his appreciation and love even after confessing, should never even think of standing beside him.

"And after that day, brother, I haven't seen him." I said, opening my eyes and wiping off the tears intending to flow out. " I - uh- I am still afraid of seeing him! I bet, he wouldn't even re-reme-mber that I hold *sob* some feeli -sob- feelin-ngs towards him. B-but, I guess it would be better that way. At least, we could be friends again, right Neji san?"

I placed the lighted incense sticks near the flowers and made my way back to my house, slowly, counting my steps, trying to divert my mind.

The streets were pretty much empty except for the people going back home and the patrolling unit.

I don't know what I was thinking but I guess it was like; I shall meet him right now and end it over with. I can't keep thinking about this all the time.

So, I made a detour and ended up standing in front of the shabby door with the half tilted name plate, "Uzumaki".

I was almost about to knock, gathering all my courage, but I heard something from inside and my heart shattered.

"Naruto, let's do it! It will be a secret, though! We can't let he-..."

I couldn't care less, I ran from there at my top speed.

✫✫✫

"Hahahaha! And then you know what --?" It wasn't like me to get drunk. But, after trying it for the first time, I could say that it really worked. I was feeling light hearted.

But something was still wrong. Even though, on the outside I was laughing, my eyes were swollen and red. The tears won't stop coming out.

Th-this pain is too deep. I blabbered every ounce of my feeling to the bartender, of my life up until now, how I came to love Naruto, how he gave me hope to live, to fight, to enjoy and how everything shattered in just a moment.

I didn't realize that Tsunade sama was sitting right beside me and hearing me out until I heard her laughing at me. Tenten was looking at me with sad eyes.

Yea, I know I am a worthless trash! You don't need to tell me! I wanted to yell, but instead I got up and left.

I suppressed my feelings and put on a happy face as I reached home. But I was still juggling my way through.

I opened the door to my house and entered. After removing my shoe and stumbling upon here and there in the dark, I found myself falling. Oh just great.

"Eep.Ow.Ow." I said rubbing my head.

Suddenly the lights flickered on and I saw Naruto.

"Hinata chan! Are you all right?" his voice sounded worried. Oh great, now I have started seeing things. Sake. Sake. Sake.

I shook my head and stood up. The figure in front me held out his hands but I didn't take it of course, I didn't want to fall again.

I waved my hand and made my way to the living room. "Oh, so Sakura is here too!" I said out loud smiling. "I guess, even God wants to torment me." Haha.

Oh well. If not in reality, why not to the hallucinations.

"Oh Sakura, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at Naruto's discussing something in secret? " I staggered upon my words because of the hiccups.

"Uh yea, so you really did hear us..." she blushed. Wow. Just wow.

"Hinata, we have been waiting for you too long. You left without telling us anything!" Naruto's phantom arms embraced me from behind. Chuckle.

It was heart breaking. I wanted to embrace him too but, "Hey- hey Naruto. Your girlfriend is looking. You shouldn't be holding me." I smirked.

"What?!" he seemed shocked, "Hinata, you are drunk!"

"So can I not?" I snapped back, "Go back home and finish the unfinished business you two had. I don't need you here." I said but even so he was just my imagination, tears came strolling down my cheeks.

"But we were just planning to give you a surprise!" Sakura butted in.

"Shut up!" I cried. "I saw you! I saw you that day when you clinged to him, crying. You left Sasuke alone but cried for him. And what else would Naruto want? The girl he loved since childhood now loves him back. Isn't it just great?" I lost control. I was crying, shouting and yelling things that I could never imagine I would have done in my right mind. It was so unlike me, so unlike me.

The silent figures just stared at me as I crouched down and cried.

Sakura left, no, she disappeared. But why didn't Naruto?!

He crouched in front of me and took hold of both of my hands. "Look at me."

"Go away!"

"Look at me Hinata!"

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at his face. His clear blue eyes were boring into mine.

"Isn't it the truth that you have loved me ever since we were 3?"

"----" He is going to hurt me even more. Why is he talking about this?

"I - I couldn't talk to you amongst all the war and stuff and when finally the war ended, you vanished into thin air? And now this!"

"But Sakura-"

"BUT WHAT Sakura!?" He yelled at me. I was taken aback. My eyes widened at his angered voice. "What about her huh? She is just my friend. And. She loves Sasuke. They have been living together now. How can you say something so rash to someone when you don't even know what's going on here? You weren't even in the village!" he paused and sighed. "That day, that day as well, when the war ended, I was freaking out looking for you..."

I had a serious breakdown at that moment. I started to tremble. Was I wrong? What did I do? Where did I go wrong?

I started crying like a baby. I cried out loud relieving myself of all the pain I had stored up until now. Naruto didn't stop me. He just stayed there hugging me.

And when finally I calmed down, I suddenly found myself engaged in a passionate kiss. I couldn't break free. Even if... even if it wasn't real; I didn't want to stop.

"You didn't even wait for my answer after you protected me from Pein." He whispered in my ears and I found myself collapsing. I guess this day was a bit too much for me. I smiled. "Am sorry." I said before fainting.

✫✫✫

I opened my eyes as the first ray of sunshine hit my face. My head still hurt and felt heavy. I rubbed my forehead and tried to sit on my bed.

But something was blocking me.

"Huh?" A lot of question marks popped over my head as I saw him snuggled beside me.

He stirred and everything came flashing back in my mind.

"Umh.. Oh, Hinata chan, you are awake!" he exclaimed.

I became all red and my head started spinning. "I-it was a-all re-real!" I squeaked.

And I guess, I fainted again because all I could remember was Naruto calling out my name again and again.

THE END