Love Knows No Bounds

Chapter 9

Naruto's pov~

yikes. I never really enjoyed it when Itachi was back in town and I know I wasn't the only one to feel that way. He left me restless and uneasy so I wandered to the kitchen instead of going to sleep.

On my way down the stairs, I noticed somebody on the couch and I descended the steps more slowly and more quietly. When I noticed the girl completely absorbed in her book, I smiled and crept quietly into the kitchen so I wouldn't disturb her.

I decided that I would make her some tea, and some for me too. I made myself a little snack while I waited and poured the tea when it was ready. I added some honey and a little bit of sugar to make it sweet before heading back into the living room.

I sat down next to Hinata on the couch, "Couldn't sleep either?" I asked her. She startled and I laughed, apologizing through my chuckles.

"N-no," she replied softly, putting a thumb in her book.

"Yeah me either. Here," I say, handing her the tea that I made. "Two sugars and spoonful of honey right?"

She nodded shyly, "T-thanks."

In all the years that I've known her, Hinata has always been shy and very quiet but it was always nice to be in her company. I consider her to be one of my closest friends, especially after Sakura left, she was always there for me.

She never pressures you to say anything and instead will sit with you quietly. She'll listen to anything you have to say and though she doesn't often reply, you always know that she is paying attention and that she cares deeply. Being around her has always made me feel better.

When we were young it was cute because talking to people used to make her so nervous that she passed out. For a minute it was really hard for us to talk because she often passed out when I started to talk to her. I smiled at the memory.

"W-what are you th-thinking about?"

I looked at her and smiled as I took a sip of my tea.

"I was just reminiscing about the time you used to faint when we first met,"

"That was so embarrassing,"

"I thought it was cute,"

I watched as her cheeks turned a little pink and she tried to hide it by taking a sip of her tea.

"My cousin said that I-I was a nuisance," she said quietly but it sounded like a pout.

I laughed again, "I could never see you as being a nuisance Hinata, but that sounds like Neji believe it!"

When I turned to look at her, I found her staring up at me with these big dough eyes that quickly silenced my laughter.

Ba-dump

For reasons that I can't explain, I felt my cheeks grow oddly warm. I've always thought Hinata was cute, in that way you think of innocent little animals. But since we've grown older, cute might have been an understatement. Hinata will always be cute but she is also undeniably pretty.

"uh, I-I, heh heh," God, now I was the one stuttering. "I don't think I tell you enough how awesome you are,"I sat my mug onto the table and slumped into the couch and sighed. "you're so nice and wonderful and just purely amazing. I have no idea how I got a friend like you but I'm glad I did."

I looked at her, only to find her blushing profusely and trying to hide as much as she can behind her hair and mug. I reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear and delighted in that fact that her cheeks became pinker.

"Y-y'know, you're pretty g-great yourself, N-naruto," she murmured, almost too quiet to hear. "T-thanks for a-always looking out for me." She gave him a little smiled that warmed his insides and made his chest hurt.

We both picked up our tea again and then laughed to break the silence.

I managed to get her to talk for awhile longer and the more she talked with me the more comfortable she seemed to become. She stuttered less often the more we talked too. I don't think I have ever just sat down and had a conversation with her. She is low key a very person and you don't ever expect the quiet ones, but there are the most savage.

At some point we were laughing about both of our hate towards our biology teacher when a thought crossed my mind.

"Hey Hinata?"

"Hmm?" she hummed.

"I know we are going as a group this year to the winter dance but. . . would you consider going as my unofficial date? Save me a few dances and what not?"

The tint was back in her cheeks and she was about to respond when I held up a finger stop her.

"Wait wait wait! don't answer yet!" I looked around frantically for anything that I could give her. Most people ask someone out properly with well thought our posters and flowers or candy or whatever.

I jumped off the couch and ran into the kitchen, remembering there were some flowers in a vase on the counter. They were a little wilted and dried out, but they would do.

I quickly snatched them out of the vase, made sure to dry the stems on my shirt so water wasn't dripping anywhere and ran back into the living room. I got down on a knee, held out the flowers and gave her the biggest and goofiest grin that I had at my disposal.

"Okay now you can answer."

She tilted her head back and laughed. It was a moment so pure and precious. I soaked in the sound of her silky laugh and admired her as my heart started to thump widely in my chest. She seemed to be surrounded by a soft golden glow and it was like I had an aha! moment. I think that was the moment that I knew.

She looked at me, a big smile on her face and nodded.

I jumped up and swept her in a hug. She giggled as I thrust the flowers into her hands. She smelled them as if they were fresh, even though I'm sure they didn't have much of a scent left.

"Will you please p-put these in vase for me," she asked.

I gave a big mock bow, sweeping my arm across the floor and then across my chest, "anything you wish my lady."

I took the flowers from and returned them to their rightful place in the kitchen. When I came back, I reclaimed my spot on the couch and plopped down next to Hinata. I couldn't stop grinning at her no matter what I did.

"What are you reading?" I ask her, pointing the the book she had set down on the table next to her empty tea mug.

She picked it up for me to read the title.

"The Count of Monte Cristo. Oh aren't we supposed to be reading that for language arts?"

She nodded.

"Will you read it to me?"

She smiled and nodded again.

As she started to read, I laid against her shoulder and got comfortable using her as a pillow. She stuttered with the words for a little bit but then found her rhythm. I've never really read the books for English so I found easy to fall asleep to the sound of her voice.