Secrets of the Kitsune

Chapter 28

Naruto was quiet the entire dinner time. Usually, she'd be talking about what happened during the day but she hasn't said a word since Itachi helped stitch Naruto up. She just kept her head down as she ate her fish and rice.
"What's wrong Naruto?" Sasuke asked softly, nudging her when she was in the kitchen alone. Naruto shook her head, a smile flying back onto her face.
"Nothing's wrong!" Naruto said, washing the dishes. Sasuke frowned at her. Sasuke waited for her to finish before he grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the kitchen bench. "Is it because of that client?" Sasuke asked, looking at her. Naruto looked away, not willing to admit that what happened still affects her. Sasuke grasped her chin gently, tilting her head up. "I love you. I don't care how many times you want me to say it. I will say it for you to hear and I mean every word I utter. I love you so much. I'm so glad that I got to meet you and become your friend." Sasuke muttered, kissing Naruto's cheek. He trailed the kiss down to her lips, feathering the kiss across Naruto's lips teasing her. Then he made his way towards Naruto's neck. He blew a raspberry on her sensitive neck, making her laugh at how ticklish it felt. "Get a room, you two." Itachi said nonchalantly as he entered to get a drink from the fridge before walking back out, not once looking at the couple. Naruto and Sasuke blushed beet red before Naruto nudged at him to move away but Sasuke didn't budge.
"Teme! Itachi saw!" Naruto hissed.
"So? It's fine, Naruto. Aniki doesn't care." Sasuke reassured, watching as Naruto take a deep breath. She looked at him and then back towards where Itachi had left. "Are you sure?" Sasuke nodded at her seriously. Naruto searched his face as if waiting to see if he was lying to her but nothing in his face changed. Naruto... She still isn't used to this. She doesn't dare to show affection even in the comfort of home. Does she consider this place home?

"If we have to escort that little brat back to the spring country, I swear to Kami I will murder someone." Naruto grumbled the next day, walking with Hinata towards one of the training grounds for breakfast. Hinata had prepared food for them both. She knew that Naruto doesn't eat a balanced diet, she has some ideas why the restaurants don't let Naruto in but she doesn't have solid evidence. However, even if her speculations are true, Naruto is still and will forever be Naruto. Hinata giggled at how grumpy Naruto is, about the what happened yesterday in the Hokage's office. "I need to vent~ I need to vent~," Naruto said in a singsong voice.
"We could spar later?"
"Yeah right, and some Hyuuga is going to burst out from behind the tree and try to kill me because I am hurting their precious Hyuuga princess. I'm not saying you're not precious but I'm saying that-" Naruto started to blabber when she thought that Hinata might have taken offence to her tone when calling her a Hyuuga princess. Hinata patted Naruto's arm to calm her down.
"Stop. stop. Its okay, calm down. No one is going to hurt you for sparring with me."
"Yeah but that doesn't stop them from doing so." Naruto muttered sadly, making Hinata frown. They really need to do something about this problem before something bad happens. They sat quietly and ate their breakfast, overlooking the vast forest before them. Naruto let out a soft sigh, "They always do... they hate me, Hinata. I could be walking alone and they'll say I killed someone and then they'll try and kill me. I could be running from you guys like the last time and they'll think you guys are saving the village by getting rid of me and they'll try to help and kill me." Naruto said softly, staring at the clouds. Hinata gasped softly, had that been what happened when Naruto was hospitalised a while ago? "It's really difficult Hinata... I don't really know what to do anymore. I really really like being... being alive and all because I get to be with you, I get to be with my friends, I get to be with Sasuke... I get to be with family. But it's really tiring, Hinata. I'm tired of having to defend myself from attacks 24/7 in my home village. I just... sometimes I feel like..." Naruto trailed off, lost in her own thoughts. Hinata looked at her, waiting patiently for the blond to finish.
"Sometimes I feel like it is best if I was gone." Naruto said softly.
"To where? Suna? I'm sure Gaara-" Naruto shook her head. She looked at Hinata who seem to know what she was talking about but is trying to find other meanings to what has been said. "I know it's not something you would say to your friends." Naruto admitted, "but, you know I've tried to anyway." Naruto said, looking back at the clouds so that she couldn't see Hinata's tears. It hurts to see her friends cry in front of her.
"Please don't leave. I really really need you. You are my best friend, my first friend, my inspiration. You are the one that helped me grow so strong and helped me through the fight with Neji during the first chuunin exams we ever took. You are my strength, you are the strength of a lot of people. We need you, Naruto. We care for you." Hinata said, wiping her tears away furiously. "I know it is difficult but we are here for you! We can help you!"