NaruHina: The Funeral

The Funeral

It was a beautiful midsummer day. That seemed wrong considering the occasion, but for an outdoor event maybe it was for the best. Today was the day of the mass funeral for all those lost during the war and Naruto's head was full of all the thought's he'd been avoiding thinking about for the last few weeks. 1000's had died, from the leaf village and from all the hidden villages, all trying to protect him. Yet his mind only lingered on one man in particular, the one he'd known the best, and the one who'd died right in his arms, Neji Hyūga.

He felt selfish, like he owed his thoughts to all those other people, but they were strangers to him. Neji was his friend, his comrade, someone he'd come to rely on. He would always keep his cool no matter the situation and present a firm but fair assessment. Always with that stern and disapproving look on his face, But Naruto knew that underneath he was a true friend...And in a flash, he was gone forever. Killed by Obito at the height of his despair just to try and prove a point.

There wasn't time to mourn then, it was one battle to the next, Hinata had helped him see that. But now with the war over, and the world seemingly at peace, there was nothing but time. There must've been at least 1000 people out to attend the ceremony, Ninja and their families all dressed in black, but Naruto was right at the front of the crowd, as the war's big hero he had such honours, but there was only one place he wanted to be, standing next to the person he knew was there for the exact same reason.

The two of them hadn't exchanged any words, but he'd instinctively stood next to her. He knew that for all the sorrow and pain he was feeling, Hinata must be feeling it double. After all, Neji was his friend, but he was her family, and it was her that Neji had died to protect. As Tsunade gave her speech the two of them had clasped hands. It hadn't even been a decision on Naruto's part, it just felt like the natural thing to do. Luckily he was standing to the side which he still had a hand with which to hold. She'd taken it without comment, but she was clasping it tightly as she cried, with no intention of letting go anytime soon.

Back when he'd taken her hand during the battle, he'd felt a surge of strength like nothing he'd ever felt before. Like with her at his side he could accomplish anything, that even facing down a monster like the 10-tails was nothing, and he felt as if he needed that strength again. But he didn't feel strong today, he felt weak. Like the sea of graves in front of him was his own personal failure. Like Hinata's tears were his fault, if he'd just been faster and stronger, then none of this would've happened and Neji would still be here with them.

He didn't catch a word of Tsunade's speech, too lost in his own thoughts and emotions to even notice the passage of time, only vaguely aware of some supportive pats on his shoulder as people turned and left after the event had ended. An hour passed, at least, the sun was starting to be obscured by the buildings on the horizon, and Naruto hadn't moved an inch, he was still standing, staring at the monument in front of him.

"Naruto...?"

The call of his name brought him back to reality, and he looked around, taking in his surroundings. Everyone was gone, the place was quiet except for the wind brushing through the leaves of the forest that surrounded the cemetery. Everyone was gone except for Hinata, still standing by his side.

"Hinata? Where did everyone go?"

"They all left...a while ago actually...the ceremony ended about 30 minutes ago..."

"Oh...I see...then...why are you still here?"

She held up their hands, still clasped tightly together, and smiled a delicate smile, the best she could manage given the circumstances. Quick as a flash Naruto released his hand and pulled it away.

"Crap! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to trap you here! I guess I just spaced out there for a while, you know?"

Quietly she responded "it's okay..." and as she did so she reached for his pulled away hand and brought it back to her, holding it firmly as before.

"I wasn't ready to leave yet anyway..."

Her tears had dried up since the time he'd zoned out, there was only so long someone could keep crying after all, and her face looked tired. But Naruto felt thankful that she didn't want to leave, he didn't want her to leave either. Although his body had now caught back up to the present and was quite upset at him for having stood still for so long.

"Ahh...maybe we should...take a seat or something..."

She nodded in agreement, and the two of them walked to a nearby bench that overlooked the graveyard proper. The sky was still clear, and it was looking to be a sunset for the ages which this bench would give them a fine view of. They weren't totally alone, there were still a few mourners dotting the field in front of them, but nobody Naruto recognised.

Together, hands still clasped, they sat quietly for a while. But now that he was back in the present Naruto was never all that comfortable with silence.

"Kinda crazy huh? That after the Chūnin exams we'd both be so upset...I mean he almost killed you back then!"

"It's not that crazy...I cried for him back then too..."

"Huh? You mean you weren't mad at him? I sure as hell was!"

"That wasn't the real Neji...he was lost, consumed by darkness because of what happened to his father, and the fate of the Hyūga clan...but that wasn't who he really was..."

She paused for a moment to reflect.

"I know he always said that you changed him...but what you really did was bring back the old Neji... the Neji who was kind, and patient...and always there when I needed him..."

She let go of his hand as tears started to well in her eyes again.

"Damn it! Why did he have to do it! I was ready! I...it should've been me!"

"No! No! Don't ever say that! It shouldn't have been you, it shouldn't have been anyone! But he made his choice...and he chose you! And I!...I! I wouldn't take that back because if it had been you I!...I couldn't...I wouldn't..."

His words were failing him, he didn't know what he was saying or what he was trying to say he just knew that she was still here, and still alive, and that in this moment he couldn't even imagine a world without her in it. He knew that if she hadn't been there that day he wouldn't have had the strength to keep fighting. His mind was flashing all the way back to Pain, when he'd thought she was killed in front of him, and void of despair that thought had brought with it. No. if that had happened then, then there would be no world.

His outburst momentarily stopped her tears as she stared at him in shock, but quickly they came back, stronger than before, like a great dam had burst and any chance of holding them back were gone. She threw herself into his chest and started weeping openly, a cry of pure and open despair. He could feel her tears soaking into his shirt, and he couldn't hold back his own any longer either. The sight of her in such agony was too much, he put his arm around her and held her as close as he could as his own tears burst forth.

Together they sat crying for a few minutes, before eventually Hinata regained her composure and pulled away from him. She spotted the damp patch she'd left in the middle of his shirt and a rush of red appeared on her face.

"I'm sorry...that was inappropriate..."

"Inappropriate? What!? Hinata...I...look. You said Neji was always there for you, right? Well if he's gone now then...then that means I have to take his place! So from this point forward I'll always be there for you Hinata! You have my word! And you know I-"

"-you never go back on your word...I know..."

She looked over to him to meet his eyes, then reached her hand over to his face, gently holding it while using her thumb to wipe away a tear that was stuck to his cheek.

"I'll...always be there for you too...Naruto..."

With that, she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder, and together they quietly watched the sunset.