All Of Me

Chapter Seventeen

"Sasuke is..fine..umm, he's off doing something for me." Naruto's blond brows were raised in question. "So, anyway, I needed to talk to you about going home and I knew I couldn't talk to you about it in front of Sasuke. I gave him some busy work.."

"We don't have time for this, we need to head to the next town before we're detected.."

"You mean you don't have time for this. Look...Hinata.. no one is after Sasuke, they are after you." Hinata's brows furrowed, "What are you getting at? I'm not going home, Naruto."

"You're a burden, Hinata, Sasuke just doesn't have the heart to tell you."

"A burden? Doesn't have the heart?? Are we talking about the same Sasuke here, because I promise you he has said much much worse to me than that."

"He doesn't want to say it. Hinata. But honestly, think about it for a minute. Your adding pressure to this group when they have enough to worry about. Sasuke has told you by now that he's working under the table with me, for the good of the leaf.  No one in Konoha knows about this project, it's top secret. Hiashi keeps sending people after you and jeopardizing the integrity of his mission. You're being a burden." Naruto explained coldly.  "So just come home already and stop running from your problems. You're causing problems for everyone else."

Some people might be surprised at the cold way he was speaking to her, but not Hinata. She was used to it by now. It was one of the reasons she completely fell out of love with him to begin with. He even spoke so warmly and fondly to random people around him, people he barely even knew,  and to the people he considered his friends. But, somewhere along the way he lost those same fond feelings toward her. Hinata was fairly certain Naruto would leave her to the wolves if given the opportunity. 

"If I'm a burden, Sasuke would have told me by now. He told me I'm an asset to this team and you're wasting your time here. You have dealings with Sasuke, that doesn't mean you have to speak to me at all. Actually, I prefer you didn't, because there is nothing I need nor want to hear you say. "

"Hinata!" Naruto ran a hand through his crazy blond hair. "You infuriate me! You never listen!"

"I have listened and the answer is no."

"You're so selfish, you don't care if his mission is a success or not, do you? Even if it is for the good of the Leaf! You know your father is adamant about you coming home and you've seen that he's willing to use force."

"Then why don't you go home and convince him to get off my back if you're that concerned about Sasuke and this mission?"

"You know he wont listen! Not only that, but you are dangerously close to being labeled a rogue ninja!"

"And?"

"You'll be placed in the bingo book."

"And?"

"People will come after you!"

"They already are!!"

"Tch." Naruto took a step back and groaned dramatically before calming himself and his tone. He leaned over so that he was nose to nose with her. "Hinata, go home." With that being said he walked off, roughly ramming his shoulder into hers as he passed by.

~~~

The group gathered in the woods and it didn't take long for Sasuke to join them, eager to head out.  Hinata was quieter the usual and very compliant with orders. What Naruto had said was starting to weigh on her mind heavily.  What if Sasuke just didn't want to tell her she was a burden? What he said made sense in a way, to her at least. She felt bad, so out of guilt she stayed quiet and out of the way.