Still Falling for You [NH year 2020]

June - Honor/Sacrifice

Manga/Anime: Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto/Studio Pierrot
Words:
Publish: 06/23/2020
Summary: Under duress, Naruto and Hinata are married for better, for worse...
Author's Note: Thanks to Hippyredfox who really helped me on this short story.

For more than a week now, the rain was devastating Konoha city scenery. Buildings were disappearing under the brutal succession of drops as big as fists. Violent gusts of wind blew, sweeping away almost everything in its path. Dark clouds, swallowing the light, were accompanied with an exploding storm. The city was wearing its gloomy coat, facing the sky anger. The roofs seemed to be bombarded, making people lock themselves in their house to avoid this deluge.

Laying down alone in his way too big bed, Naruto wasn't making the exception.

His breathing merged perfectly with the melody of the drops of water banging against his window glass. On his right, no feeling of warmth. The empty place was cold, since the beginning of his pitiful married life.

Such an awful weather!

It perfectly matched with his state.

Empty. Cold. Broken.

Despite the orchestra of the thunderstorm, he kept hearing the second hand on his watch ringing in the room. As if it was really empty.

He never thought he would live like that. Live this solitude which was imprisoning him in another world.

But, now, he could see it.

His failure.

Hinata will never fall in love with him. What was wrong with him? Did Deidara had something that he hadn't? What was she seeing in him? He was a ladies man. So flighty. So disrespectful to the values she was raised with. So, why him?

Was he, her husband, really the problem?

Deep down, he knew it was his name. That cursed name which bounded her to him. But, without it, he had nothing to offer to her since she kept breaking his heart again and again. That very same heart which was still beating for her lavender eyes.

They were one of the causes of his insomnia...

For the umpteenth time, he changed position.

One flash of lighting tore the sky, creating a crash that failed to mask his thoughts. They were screaming, threatening to give him a headache. Impossible to get rid of them despite his will when, all he wanted was to sleep. To end this day, once again, disastrous.

Odd enough, he surprised himself dreaming about better days where the sun would be back. Shining, as if it wanted to enlighten his fantasy.

2.28 A.M.

His eyes were wide open.

2.29 A.M.

Counting sheep didn't work. And it's not like it worked on him before. Who was doing this nowaday anyway?