ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ [🧡 ᑎᗩᖇᑌᕼIᑎᗩ 💜] [Ɱҽէąʍօɾքհօʂìʂ] Bσσƙ Oɳҽ

Love At Last

Chapter Seven

Love At Last

June 14, 2008

Her apartment was decorated in light lavender and blue. It was a bit smaller than his, but cozy. He'd only been in it once but that brief glance had been before the furniture was brought in.

She gestured to the blue couch.

"H-have a seat, Naruto-kun..."

He sat down, heart hammering. She flipped the lights on before taking a seat on the couch as well, an arms length of space between them.

The silence was uncomfortable.

He swallowed, mouth dry as cotton. He raked his brain for the right words to say. He knew what he wanted to say more or less, how he went about that without making things worse was the greatest source of his anxiety.

Her quiet voice shattering the quiet made him jump.

"You...cut you hair." she murmured "...It looks really good on you."

His smile was strained as he let loose an awkward chuckle. He pulled his headband off and ran his fingers through his short locks.

"Ah, yeah. I got my new mission gear and thought maybe a haircut would suit me. I kinda looked goofy with this outfit and long hair."

She lowered her eyes, looking off to the side.

"It looks good...."

He pouted a bit, shoulders sinking.

Great, another thing he'd ruined. He had envisioned her lilac eyes widening and brightening with astonishment and appreciation at his new look, but now the surprise felt more like an after thought, idle chatter to break the awkward atmosphere.

A real let down.

They lapsed into silence again. Minutes ticked by.

'Come on, 'ttebayo! Get it together! Talk to her!'

He gulped, sneaking a peek at her face. Her hands were in her lap, fiddling against each other. Her eyes were turned away from him, shifting over the wall and TV. She looked as nervous and worried as he felt.

He took a breath, heart pounding against his rib cage.

This was it.

His chance to make up with her and hopefully become more than just friends. Everything was riding on what he said next. He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

He clenched his teeth, frustrated.

The ball was in his court. She had already expressed her feelings. Was waiting for his reply. Now was not the time to get cold feet. He had come here with a purpose, not as a boy, ignorant of her feelings and of his own, but as a man that knew what he felt and what he wanted.

'Man up!'

"Hi-Hinata," he burst out suddenly.

"Y-yes, Naruto-kun?"

"I......."

Damn.

Where should he start? Should he apologize first? Confess his love for her?

He didn't know what he was doing. What he was supposed to say first, second and last.

Cleaning up his mess first seemed logical to him in this situation.