Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words:
Publish: 06/23/2020
Summary: Under duress, Naruto and Hinata are married for better, for worse...
Author's Note: Thanks to Hippyredfox who really helped me on this short story.

For more than a week now, the rain was devastating Konoha city scenery. Buildings were disappearing under the brutal succession of drops as big as fists. Violent gusts of wind blew, sweeping away almost everything in its path. Dark clouds, swallowing the light, were accompanied with an exploding storm. The city was wearing its gloomy coat, facing the sky anger. The roofs seemed to be bombarded, making people lock themselves in their house to avoid this deluge.

Laying down alone in his way too big bed, Naruto wasn't making the exception.

His breathing merged perfectly with the melody of the drops of water banging against his window glass. On his right, no feeling of warmth. The empty place was cold, since the beginning of his pitiful married life.

Such an awful weather!

It perfectly matched with his state.

Empty. Cold. Broken.

Despite the orchestra of the thunderstorm, he kept hearing the second hand on his watch ringing in the room. As if it was really empty.

He never thought he would live like that. Live this solitude which was imprisoning him in another world.

But, now, he could see it.

His failure.

Hinata will never fall in love with him. What was wrong with him? Did Deidara had something that he hadn't? What was she seeing in him? He was a ladies man. So flighty. So disrespectful to the values she was raised with. So, why him?

Was he, her husband, really the problem?

Deep down, he knew it was his name. That cursed name which bounded her to him. But, without it, he had nothing to offer to her since she kept breaking his heart again and again. That very same heart which was still beating for her lavender eyes.

They were one of the causes of his insomnia...

For the umpteenth time, he changed position.

One flash of lighting tore the sky, creating a crash that failed to mask his thoughts. They were screaming, threatening to give him a headache. Impossible to get rid of them despite his will when, all he wanted was to sleep. To end this day, once again, disastrous.

Odd enough, he surprised himself dreaming about better days where the sun would be back. Shining, as if it wanted to enlighten his fantasy.

2.28 A.M.

His eyes were wide open.

2.29 A.M.

Counting sheep didn't work. And it's not like it worked on him before. Who was doing this nowaday anyway?

2.30 A.M.

Doing a tour of the villa will remind him of the gloomy atmosphere ruling inside.

2.31 A.M.

The beating of his heart was matching the rhythm of the seconds.

2.32 A.M.

Hinata hadn't come back yet. With that rainy weather, he was worried. Maybe he should ask Ino if his wife was ok.

His wife. It sounded so fake.

2.33 A.M.

Working in his office won't be enough to distract him from his reflexions, which were stepping on his idea he made up about this mariage. Each time he was in this room, his father's words would come back to haunt him. He came back to talk to him. Again. Increasing his tiredness.

Yes, years went by.

And yes, a heir was demanded.

However, this conversation took an unexpected turn. Minato mentioned, once again, Naruto's problem with his couple but, his son said he refused to touch Hinata without her consent.

It's that or nothing! Simple.

Nevermind the pressure of the contact or his statut, he will stand his ground.

Unfortunately, destiny wasn't on his side.

During Kushina's birthday party with the whole family, Konohamaru involuntarily put a spoke in Naruto's wheel. Married to Lemon, he didn't missed to announce a beautiful surprise. The young couple was expecting a baby. And, while everyone was congratulating them, Hinata and Naruto's fake happy facade collapsed.

His mother's blue eyes had struck him. Brief but enough to provoke a sad feeling. Why? Because he wasn't a father. Because he wasn't living happily in this marriage. He was disappointed himself and his mother at the same time. It had to be said, Hinata wasn't happy and he wasn't happy.

The rest of this day wasn't less catastrophic.

3.09 A.M.

Maybe read will distract his mind.

3.18 A.M.

A text from Ino: Hinata wasn't with her.

A new flash of lightning rumbled, shaking the whole house.

Wait a minute.

What did she mean by Hinata wasn't with her?

Anxious, Naruto sat, trying to take deep breaths to not panic. Despite his difficult night, he tried to think of all the different places Hinata could be. Inevitably, Deidara's flat came to his mind.

His conclusion was fast gone by a sound coming from outside his room. Not link with the weather, it caught his curiosity.

Was it Hinata?

He hoped.

Kicking his blanket, he rushed to the door. If it was her, he wanted to be sure she was ok, to know where did she come from. But, he stopped when his hand touched the door handle.

Hesitation. Doubt.

All his emotions froze him.

He heard new noises. Keys, shoes kicked off, tentative footsteps then silence again. Did she went to her room?

Curiosity made him move again. But, when he was about to open the door, the wooden door met his forehead.

A vivid pain made him cursed. Eyes closed, he rubbed his forehead to ease the pain. It's when a soft gasp caught his attention. Behind the door, Hinata, the origin of his pain, had her hands cupping her mouth. Her long dark hair were sprinkled with small drops of rain. As discreet as drewdrops, they were shining in her ebony. Her two eyes were wide open.

Was he dreaming or were they really twinkling?

"Oh my god, Naruto, I'm sorry!"

Pain faded away, leaving space for his surprise when he saw his petite wife come close to him with a real worried face. She emitted a strong smell of alcohol. How many drinks did she had? No time to ask, Hinata took his face between her thin fingers to caress where a future bump will take place.

It was a dream, right?

Yet, he felt her. He saw her.

Without her heels, she was so small and... so close to him!

She was almost touching him, willingly?

Their iris met. A cute pout was tensing her full lips. Her cheeks were so pink. Naruto's heart raced before that level of beauty. Feeling her so soft skin, moist by the rain, after months without touching her, made him faint.

"Naruto, don't pass out. Stay with me."

Of course he'll stay with her.

Still disconnected from reality, he let her drag him to the bed where Hinata made him sit. Then, her moon-coloured eyes disappeared before coming back to him. Her breath was caressing the tip of his nose and that proximity, nearly too intimate, threw Naruto into chaos.

"Hi-Hinata-" he shuttered with stupefaction.

"Shh..."

Her finger was now on his lips. A blush grew on his cheeks. His blood was throbbing in his ears and tingles invaded his temples. With an unsteady breathing, he stared at Hinata play the nurse, sticking her tongue out for concentration. Her hand was teasing his blonde locks which usually fall over his forehead, her thumb slowly making circles.

It was so pleasurable.

Silence was broken now and then by the storm but it didn't disturbed their loud breathing. They were totally sharing the same air and for the first time, he felt relaxed by his wife's presence. His eyelids were suddenly heavy. He would've loved to take her in his arms and to sleep close to her.

However, when she was about to bandage his imagine wound with a plaster, he saw her lips shake. Her eyes weren't tinkling with mischief anymore. It was sadness.

"Hinata? What's wrong?" he worried.

"I-I'm doing everything wrong!"

Her face buried in her hands, she let herself fall next to him, her shoulders suddenly shaking because of her cries.

"What do you mean?-"

"I'm awful, I feel so..." she swallowed, nearly drowning in her tears. "Selfish!"

"What are you talking about?" he insisted as he moved her dark hair away from her face. "Hinata, how many drinks did you have?"

"Three... with shots... A lot of shots..."

She fell apart again, tirelessly repeating the same sentence. 'I'm awful.' Knees against her chest, hands desperately clenching on his black t-shirt, her face was deformed because of her sobbing and sniffing.

It was heartbreaking for him.

"My father's right, I'm an unworthy daughter, a pathetic friend an' an absent wife."

"Hinata." he softly spoke. "When did you talk to your father?"

"Today... phone..." it was hard for her to speak.

No doubt, Minato had laid it on thick.

With a tentative caress on her wet face, he encouraged her to continue. Oddly tactile, he couldn't leave her in that state.

"He said... I was dishonoring the Hyuuga with my behaviour... I wasn't following my commitment towards you, my family, our values... An' y'know what? He's right..."

She paused, she looked at him with affection. Her fragile hand brushed against his cheek. Naruto froze, the air knocked out of his lungs.

"I'm sorry... so sorry I made you live such a nightmare... You don't deserve any of this..."

Still unsteady, she found the strength to sit up and came close to Naruto who lost the ability to talk. Her pupils pierced him, suking his mind and thoughts. Even wet, even blackened by her mascara, they were stunning.

"Hi-Hinata-"

"Why?" she cut him.

That was a question he was asking himself too. He frowned. Her palm, still against his cheek, was bruning him.

"Why're you so nice with me?"

Her forehead met his shoulder. Her hand fell on his neck. Her breath caressed his collar bone.

"I don't deserve all this attention... I don't deserve you, Naruto, because I-I can't..."

Against him, he felt her jaw tensed. She tensed, tightened a bit more his t-shirt she never let go.

"Hinata, you should..."

He didn't had time to finish his sentence. No, it was too fast for him to see it coming. To see her lips catch his. Surprised, his eyes widened. He still couldn't believe what was happening. She was kissing him? Yes. She was kissing him! Clumsily, but oh Lord, it was... indefinable.

It wasn't a fake kiss like they do in public. No, this one came from her. Alone, in his bedroom, no parents, no journalists to be here to capture this moment. Acidify with the alcohol, he felt like he was himself drunk when her tongue met his.

He felt himself being pushed by her hand on his torso. Never leaving each other lips which were getting wetter and wetter by the intensity, he let her lay him down against the mattress. The sheet creased because of their weigh. His wife's pelvis met his. Some locks of her ebony hair tickles his face as well as tears.

Tears, yes.

She was crying.

Because she's drunk?

Naruto broke out of his hypnosis state as he opened his eyes.

"Hinata!" he pushed her.

He cursed his good manners to have stopped such a moment. Moment he had waiting for that he was surprised he managed to stop it. And unexpectedly, she was as shook as him. Yet, she didn't run away. She was waiting for an explication.

"You-You're not yourself, it's better if we don't... Well, I mean... you're drunk."

She tilted her head to the side. Without a smile, she came back close to him. Only a few milimetres were between them. Was he going to submit again?

"I want you Naruto" she sensually whispered.

Oh dear God, have mercy!

Shivers ran on his skin, disturbing for a short moment his lucidity. Moment she disrupted with kisses along his jaw.

"You... You're dunk." he repeated with less conviction as he was once again pushed by his wife's body.

"I want you... now..."

What could he say to that? He had waiting this moment for so long. Maybe he needed time, courage, to know how to react with her.

No, he loved her. Of course he wanted her too.

"I'm not that drunk. I know I want to do it..." she reassured him. " So, go ahead..."

She invited him to put his hands on her hips. Unbelievable. He was losing his mind. His thoughts were torn between his want and his conscience. On the inside, he was battling with himself to stop.

"...touch me." she looked at him behind her long eyelids.

His resistance came tumbling down like a house of cards. Time stopped. The room around them disappeared. All his senses were obsessed by the curves of the beautiful creature he was holding.

In the end, she won, she enchanted him.

And in this heady moment, the rain accompanied them like a symphony.

Dream or reality, that's the question.