Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words: 2 000
Publish: 07/15/2020
Summary: Naruto and Hinata are on the verge of knowing the truth. It's the beginning of the end.

Konoha, Japan

Hinata was indeed skilled at something. It was observation.

Originally, analyse her environment while staying still and without talking helped her escape her permanent anxiety and overthinking.

But, at her tenth birthday, her family noticed her gift. She was a genius able to memorise a ton of informations in no time at all.

Without asking her opinion, they withdrew her from school, separated her from her sister and her one and only task was to serve her family interests with her gift.

Hyuuga needed her, was Hiashi's mantra.

Did her father tried to brainwash her? Hinata was still wondering about that today.

She knew she had been manipulated. But, at that time, she wanted to make her family proud.

In doing so, she lost sight of who she really was. She didn't have a purpose anymore to go on with her life. She refused to be worshiped by others. She was just Hinata, right? Yet, they kept looking at her like she was an object that was worth millions.

She was feeling out of place. She would always think about it too much, smprovoking powerful panic attacks to the point of vomiting and falling asleep because she was tired to cry more tears. Laking of affection, she was unstable, grew thinner, perished day after day. And no one was by her side to help her understand.

Until the day she got hurt.

Damaged retina, had said the doctor.

She was in so much pain that she couldn't even cry anymore.

It's only when she was healed that she left the Hyuuga. She couldn't live like that anymore, she refused to keep going like that. To be used until she broke. She had to take care of herself if no one would do it for her.

She fled Kagoshime-shi, entered college and worked relentlessly to be able to never deal with her family ever again.

Unfortunately, despite her will to free herself from her heavy chains, she still didn't have a purpose. For the first time in her life, she had the knowledge but couldn't see the problem to solve.

Couldn't see a future for her.

Couldn't see freedom.

Couldn't see happy days.

Couldn't see the end of that suffocating pain.

Until she met Naruto.

His will to gain justice for himself by doing what was right, made her realise what was wrong. Yet, fear to feel pain again was eating her alive.

Shouldn't she just hide behind this new protector? Everything would be easier. As when she was still with her father.

But, Naruto...

His eyes...

His so blue pupils would look at her with so much pain and sadness yet, with intensity and curiosity as well.

Saying that she did have the right to remain quiet by his side if it was what she wanted. He would talk for two. He had stay quiet for so long.

That he wouldn't judge her. No need to panic, he too had demons, regrets.

That he would wait to see her true self. Only if she wanted to show it to him, of course. No rush, he too was looking for his.

But above all, he was saying that she wasn't an object. He knew what she was feeling. He knew the feeling of trahison. The one which made you feel betrayed. The one which made you feel like you matter where in fact you didn't.

Yet, never had Hinata seen a more genuine, brighter smile than Naruto's. Especially when he would compliment her to the point that he could make her blush to the roots of her hair.

They were both complementary and opposite.

It's so intriguing!

So unexpected!

So real!

With him, she was Hinata. And nothing else.

So, was she allowed to be selfish? To want to keep him for her? Just for her?

"Hinata..."

Naruto's hand on her tight shook her softly. She blinked her memories of the past and the sleepiness she was feeling away. She stretched on the passenger seat, cursing herself once again because she didn't slept much in the plane.

"Babe, I don't want to startle you but, we're been followed."

Instinctively, she sat up. Her lavender eyes laid on the left wing mirror. Frowning, she observed the queue of cars behind their mini-Jeep.

Konoha wasn't a large island but the population living here was so dense that it could hide the dark schemes of many dishonest people. Such as the Akatsuki. Poverty was one of the first curses as well. Killing dozen of people every day. And knowing Naruto grow up here, laking of everything, made Hinata's heart ache.

Unfortunately, her husband was trying to cut all the bonds he had with his past. And the best way in doing so, was to come back where everything started.

She hoped that they first stopped at the Secret Services' headquarters in Tokyo. But, Naruto said to her that it was like walk blindly into the lion's den. He had no doubts that, even if Kakashi wasn't there already, he had gave directives to follow in case employees would see a blonde lock or a lavender gaze in the headquarters.

So, the Uzumakis left the airport, went to the port and, without any problems, reached Konoha. Under one of Naruto's identities, they rented a car, hoping no one would notice them.

Except that the sight of a shining black car at a few meters behind them, made Hinata understand that they had been found. Her throat dried.

"D'you think I can reach them?"

His question rang in her ears but she couldn't say a word. The situation was worse than at the embassy. By car, she knew it was impossible to control everything. With the speed, the other cars around, it was easy to cause an accident...

The air in the passenger compartment became rare. The feeling of being trapped shook her. Her nails pierced her palms-

"Babe, breath." She did. "Take you time and when you're ready, tell me if I can reach them."

"I-I... Yes, you can..." she turned towards him. "W-What can I do?"

"We switch."

Relieved to have something to distract her mind, Hinata untied her seat belt. With her hands now steadier, she caught the steering wheel while Naruto inclined the back of his seat at the maximum. As soon as he bent his knees and towed himself out of the way, she sat on the driver seat, feet next to the pedals.

"Go straight ahead."

Now next to her, he straightened the back of the seat up of her then opened the glove compartment. No need to look down to know there's a gun in it. The noise of the cartridges inserted in the chamber. The click of the safety catch off. She knew them already.

Hinata forced herself to stay focus on the road. For now, they weren't under attack. Just followed. Shivers crawled between her nerves, her hair stood on end.

"Naruto, I'll have to stop."

In the distance, a traffic lights were threatening them to turn orange. Stopping the car seemed to be a very bad idea.

"Turn left when you can."

"But we'll be away from the traffic."

"We'll catch it later."

A glance in both mirrors, she cut up a vehicle on the line next to her. At the horn expressing displeasure, she sped up in the one-way street. Failing to give way for the other cars, she went straight ahead.

"Those bastards aren't following us."

"Their car is grander than ours." She looked into the rear-view mirror.

Suddenly, a noise on her right caught her attention. She frowned but Naruto was already bringing her head towards him before she could understand what it was.

"Get down!"

Bended, she couldn't see much but at least, they dodged the bullet. When they straightened, she readjusted the Jeep's direction. They then saw the car following them in the street parallel with their. Their pursuers would shot every time they appeared at a crossroads.

Understand it made Hinata nervous.

At each crossroads, she would have to get down? That wasn't good. Not good at all. She couldn't look away from the road for too long with all the vulnerable pedestrians around them.

The next crossroads was coming but, before she could say something, she saw Naruto come close to her. His arms wrapped around her, his breath became continuous and, as soon as the opposite car entered his field of vision, he shot.

A bullet, an instantly death. She knew how it was with him.

The bullet lodged itself in the head of one of the men across the street. And when the other wanted to respond, Hinata slammed on the brakes after she had checked no other car was behind her.

The bullet for Naruto passed through the air before them.

Selecting first, she pressed the accelerator pedal, ready to get out of this difficult situation as soon as possible.

"When you get out, you'll see the bridge. We have to cross it. On the other side, there's an underground car park. If we didn't shake them off before, we'll do it over there."

For only answer, Hinata sped up. She didn't trust her voice struck in her throat. Anyway, her only task was to not lose control of the vehicle, preventing them to be killed. Naruto was taking care of the rest.

When she got out of the street, she was still tensed. Yet, they were back in the traffic. And as he said, a bridge entered her vision. She recognised it right away. She had seen it on the map Naruto had given her in the plane. She had memorised all roads possible to access it.

Turning the steering wheel, she overtook a car.

Suddenly, the rear windscreen exploded. She jumped, unexpecting loud noises, but Naruto was already on her to protect her from the fragments. Instantly, the wind drove into the car, piercing their ears and tousling their hair.

The black car was already behind the Jeep.

Grunting, Naruto shot again and Hinata didn't lose a second to swing across the road, protecting him from the opposite shooters.

Maybe... If she was zigzagging enough, she would shake them off. Right?

She bit her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. No need to panic, Naruto was still behind her.

"Lookout!"

She stopped the car, stretching her arm to prevent Naruto to tip over and fall but he was already holding on the handle on the ceiling. A delivery lorry was blocking half of the road. Hinata's body shivered.

Were they trapped?

"We have to reverse, babe. Quickly."

Go into reverse.

Arm on the passenger seat.

Hinata twisted her body to have a better view and in doing so, to mind the other cars coming before them.

Among them, the black car. Naruto shot, not as much as before because of the other drivers. They panicked when they heard the exchange of gunfire.

"Go right, Hina."

Hand on the gear stick.

Selecting first.

Turning the steering wheel, she penetrated a new street. The bridge was still before her. Her eyes were coming and going between the rear-view mirror and the road but no car appeared. Still, Naruto was on the lookout.

She sped up.

The bridge was getting closer.

Still no car.

Were they only two pursuers?

She licked her dry lips. Her heart was throbbing a wild rythme. Naruto met her gaze. His hand landed on her shoulder.

So, Naruto killed them both?

They crossed the bridge without any problem. There was less and less life around them. Hinata found the underground car park and, without thinking twice, she got in. The darkness was comforting. Naruto sat back next to her, glancing behind them a few times.

Then, when she couldn't bear to drive anymore, she parked behind a corner and let her head fall on her hands still on the steering wheel. Silence was quickly broken by Naruto who slid her on his lap. She buried her face in his torso.

They made it.

My automobile vocabulary is so poor. I'm so sorry. I hope this chapter makes sense.