NaruHina: Postscripts

Forty-six

Hi! I hope you're still doing drabble requests. If it's ok, could I request for a NaruHina story (I think this can be a companion piece to the nursing hurt fic) where Naruto sort of followed Jiraiya's example of sharing a twin popsicle and he did it with Hinata? Idk, maybe they do this while they're visiting Jiraiya's memorial site or Naruto was reminiscing his early years while training with the old sage. I was kinda thinking that this can be some sort of tribute too for Father's day since it's almost June. Thanks.

The bells clanged a somber rhythm, steady until they slowly faded. Silence fell upon the crowd.

Kakashi, dressed in black, stepped forward and said, "Mokutou."

As one, all the attending shinobi bowed their heads and offered a moment of silence to remember their fallen comrades on this first anniversary of the end of the war.

The line in front was unbroken as the young shinobi held each other's hands. Naruto tightened his grip over Hinata's hand while on the opposite side, his left hand held Shikamaru's, who had his other hand clasped in Ino's.

The Konoha Eleven were there to represent the past and the hope for the future, their hands forming a chain as they faced the Hokage, who was now lifting his head as the moment of silence was coming to an end.

The shinobi's hands finally left each other—except for the two clinging to each other because Naruto couldn't find the strength to let go of hers.

Hinata swallowed her surprise but didn't say anything.

She knew that he was still remembering the one fallen hero who had perished before the war but still a victim of the cycle of hate, the lone figure whose body was never recovered, and who was thus apart from all the graves gathered here at the Konoha cemetery.

He sighed, his head still bowed. A sparkle from his face caught her attention, and Hinata knew those tears were being held on tightly behind those closed lids.

She pressed his hand more securely. It's okay. Take your time, Naruto, was her silent message. I'll stay with you until you're ready to leave.

Everyone gradually left their side. For some reason, people seemed to understand and nobody said anything aloud to anyone. Kiba and Shino nodded at her as they passed by. Ino pressed a hand on her arm as she observed Naruto's bowed head. Sakura and Sai came and gave Naruto a hug, but he only nodded and stayed by Hinata's side.

Tenten and Lee smiled at her as they turned around and headed for Neji's grave. Hinata inwardly thanked the two as she saw the flowers Tenten held in her arms. When they got to Neji's grave, she hoped that the two would leave their flowers next to the bouquet she'd already placed there earlier this morning.

Shikamaru and Chouji were silently standing behind Ino. They were also waiting for her before they all headed to the Nara and the Yamanaka gravesites.

Hinata met Shikamaru's eyes, and she remembered again the story he'd told her, the one Naruto had shared about Jiraiya. She nodded at him. Shikamaru's mouth formed a brief smile and then Ino joined her team so they could pay their respects to their fathers.

Still, Naruto was silent and uncharacteristically solemn as he kept his head bowed.

Still, Hinata held his hand until he finally looked up and shook himself.

He looked at her and blinked when he realized that they were alone. Then he glanced down and also understood that he'd held her hand the entire time he'd been lost in his thoughts.

"Sorry, Hinata!" he gasped, embarrassment on his face.

"It's fine, Naruto," she said reassuringly and with a smile on her face.

He was about to let go, but she held on to his hand and only squeezed his fingers gently.

"You wanna go?" he asked and she nodded in response.

They left the cemetery and wandered around aimlessly. But really, because Naruto was still caught up in his grief, she led him to a bench and told him to wait for her.

He only looked at her in surprise but nodded.

When she came back, she was holding a popsicle. She handed it to him and smiled.

Naruto smiled back and chuckled, watching as the ice cream melted and slid down one of the sticks. He took it from her and split it in half, handing her the other.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"Shikamaru told me."

Naruto sighed, letting go of the feelings of loss. He breathed in the fresh air and was filled with joy as he remembered his mentor, the Ero-sennin who had guided him and had helped him be the man he was today.

He looked at Hinata, who was still smiling at him and was holding a now-dripping half of a popsicle stick.

"We better eat this before it completely disappears," he said with a grin. He bit into his and quickly finished it a few seconds later.

She ate hers more slowly and savored it. "Orange."

"His favorite flavor," Naruto added as he looked up into the sky. "I think he's watching over me right now."

Hinata followed his lead and turned her gaze upward, too. "Yeah. For sure."

. . . . .

Notes:

Mokutou 黙祷 （もくとう）A moment of silence. A silent prayer.