Harmless Attraction

Silent Night

⚠️*Warning* Trigger warnings * Talk about drug abuse and suicide* I know my stories are all walking warnings but I feel as though some of the stuff in this chapter is pretty rough so if you need a hug I'm here for you. None of this stuff should be taken lightly.⚠️

Twenty minutes had gone by and there still wasn't any news. Around this time Hinata arrived, she looked more put together than Temari but Naruto could see she was far from okay. He wanted to hug her as Shikamaru had done to his girlfriend, but that was something he didn't have the luxury of doing.

Ironically- it was Sakura and Ino who had got up to comfort her and speed her up on what was happening. The women talked together as they sat down, but soon it was quiet once again.

Time felt like it was crawling as they waited for what felt like forever. Small chatter popping up here and there only to diminish like tiny ripples in a pond. No one wanted to disturb the dark hour, but everyone tried to keep a light attitude as best as they could. It was... tough... not knowing if Gaara was going to be okay or not was haunting.

'It'll be fine.'

'He's going to be alright.'

'Gaara is a fighter!'

Yet even though they said those hopeful words there was that despair deep within. That he may not be okay. That he may not wake.

Naruto noticed Hinata's orbs seeming to lose its gloss as if she weren't looking at anything. As if she wasn't present. She was probably checking out mentally right about now. Naruto found his leg bouncing rapidly as he felt the need to desperately run to her side and hold her tight. He eyed her as he spoke to Sasuke.

She kept her posture tall and her words were spoken with grace but within his eyes he saw a woman that only wanted to curl into herself and hide.

He needed to walk.

He couldn't stand to see her this way, and not be able to do anything.

"Naruto...where are you going?" Ino spoke up softly as he walked by without another glance. Ino sighed sitting back within her seat.

Hinata eyed him for a fleeting moment, trying to not watch for too long. She saw pink hair flip back and forth as Sakura shook her head at her best friend, "You shouldn't have spoken poorly about his girlfriend Ino. You know how he gets."

Hinata looked over to the girls, Ino sitting between her and Sakura. The blonde shrugged, " I'm just saying... if she truly cares about him she would be here at his time of need. Why did she go home?"

Hinata's jaw clenched not liking how ugly this made Honoka seem. Ino's eyes drifted to her lavender orbs as the she perked up in fake confusion. "What's wrong?"

"We met Naruto's... girlfriend..." Ino murmured leaning over to her side. She didn't want the others to hear her gossip. "And she didn't even come with him, like he talks about marrying this girl right, so" Ino gave a quick glance around and with a bit attitude shrugged. "Where is she?"

Right here.

"Oh..." Hinata began nodding her head as if greatly intrigued by this conversation about herself.

Sakura leaned over to add in her piece, "He said she wasn't feeling well, maybe she drank too much Ino." The pinkette side eyed her friend as if to tell her to keep her mouth shut.

'Thanks Sakura...'

Ino rolled her eyes, "You don't have to try to take her side Hinata knows the truth, how I like Naruto... And how he..." Ino drifted off with a shrug. "You know..."