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Love's Misconstruities	By : Idleflame Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1431 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
- 19
Love�s Misconstruities

Chapter 17

�� It was a three-day
journey to Suna but Hinata didn�t bother pacing herself.� Her heart raced but still she pushed on,
unable to get there fast enough.� Every
hour dragged on for what seemed like an eternity.� The only way she was able to keep somewhat
focused was by practicing what to say when she saw the object of her
affection.�

�� She wondered what he
would look like, act like�what he would think of her�� Would he even accept her apology?� What if her feelings were one-sided?� Perhaps he was involved with someone
else.� The thought pained her, but she
knew that just because he wasn�t with Sakura like she had thought didn�t mean
he was still single.� She was afraid of
those possibilities, but she knew that she would never be able to live with
herself if she didn�t at least try.

�� I will set things
straight between us.� I have to.�

�� When she reached the
giant canyon entrance it was already nightfall of the second day of her trip,
putting her half a day ahead of schedule.�
Upon identifying herself and stating her purpose, she was allowed
entrance.� By the time she�d made the
long journey through the canyon, once she was inside the outskirts of the village,
she was met by a young genin.

�� You�re here to
deliver a message from Konoha?� she asked.

�� Hai,� Hinata replied
breathily, eyeing the girl.� There was
something familiar about her, Hinata thought.

�� I can take it,� the
sand-nin informed, extending a hand.

�� Oh, uh�� I need to make sure it�s delivered to the
Kazekage.�

�� I�ll make sure he
gets it,� the Suna kunoichi assured.

�� Hinata unconsciously
clutched the small pouch which contained the scroll.� �No, uh�� she began, but stopped as she finally
remembered where she knew this girl from.�
�You were a student of Gaara-san�s, weren�t you?�

�� Uh�.yes.� I was his first student at the Academy.�

�� Your name is
Matsuri-san, isn�t it?� You were
kidnapped several years ago.�

�� Yeah�� How did you know that?�

�� I was one of the
Konoha reinforcements sent to help on that mission.� My name is Hyuuga Hinata.�

�� Hyuuga Hinata�� the
younger girl repeated.

�� I�I was once a
student of Gaara-san�s as well.� �I�� I�d really like to deliver this personally,
Matsuri-san.� Onegaishimasu�� she
requested, bowing demurely.

�� Hinata-san�� Matsuri
repeated once more before her eyes grew wide.�
�Gaara-sama�s student from Konoha!� Yes, he mentioned you once.�

�� He did?� Hinata
eagerly replied.� �Wh-What
did he say?�

�� Mm�well, Gaara-sama
isn�t one for long speeches usually, but this was one of the rare times when he
actually said more than a few words.� If
I recall, I believe it was when I told him how proud I was that I had been his
first student.� He told me that I wasn�t
exactly his first student�that he�d briefly trained someone else - you -
in Konoha.� He said that everyone had
strength inside of them, but sometimes it just takes someone special to help
bring it out and make them realize it.�
He said he was grateful that he�d had the opportunity to draw it out of
you and me.�

�� He�he really said all
that?�

�� Well, not word for
word, but�something like that.��

�� Hinata felt a familiar
heat in her cheeks.�

�� Matsuri seemed deep in
thought for a moment before she broke out into a smile.� �Since Gaara-sama�s return, he�s actually
been able to sleep through the night so you�ll have to wait until morning to
deliver the message.� I�ll take you to
one of the guest�s quarters.�

�� H-hai!� Arigatou gozaimasu!�

�� By the time they�d
gotten her set up it was quite late, but while she should have been exhausted,
Hinata found herself wide awake.� She was far too nervous to even think about
dozing off, but she did at least try.

* * *

�� The next morning,
despite lack of sleep, Hinata was up early and ready to go.� She psyched herself up before she left, but
as she headed toward the Kazekage�s office, she found that her bravery seeped
out of her with every step she took.� Her
legs began to turn to jelly yet still managed to be heavy as lead at the same
time.� Her stomach seemed to have a swarm
of Shino�s kikaichuu bugs in it and her head felt ready to float off her
neck.� She was ready to pass out and she
knew it, but she fought it with all her might, finally making her way to his
office, scroll clutched tightly in her sweaty hands.� The door was wide open and, after a moment,
she worked up the courage to poke her head inside.

�� P-p-pardon me!� she
squeaked.� She was both relieved and
disappointed to see the room empty.� She
breathed a sigh of relief and disappointment and turned around, pressing her back
to the wall outside the door�only to look up and see two groggy green eyes
staring at her from down the hall.�

�� Ugh�� It figures that the first time I oversleep
I�d have someone waiting outside�my��
Wait.� Those clothes,
that posture�those eyes�� It can�t
be��

�� G-G-G-G-Gaara-san��
the girl sputtered before collapsing.

�� The boy, still
stunned, watched as she slid limply against the wall to the floor.� It took him yet another moment to finally go
to her.� Hesitantly, he scooped her limp
body into his arms and took her to the hospital.

* * *
��
�� Hinata�s eyes slowly
opened.� It took her a moment to realize
that the ceiling above was not a familiar one.�
Alarmed, she sat up, her heart racing.�

�� Finally awake, are
we?� an older-looking woman called from across the small room where she was
tidying up a spare bed.

�� Uh, h-hai!...� ...Excuse
me�� Where am I?�

�� The woman stared at
her for a brief second before politely smiling and making her way toward her
patient�s bed.� �You
poor thing.� You must�ve been so
exhausted.� You slept all morning!� It�s no wonder you�re confused,� she prattled
on.� �This is the Suna hospital.�

�� How�� How did I end up here?�

�� Kazekage-sama brought
you in himself.� Said
you collapsed right outside his office, of all places!�

�� Hinata felt her entire
face redden as the memory returned.� �Gaara-san��
she fondly whispered.� �Excuse me, but do
you know where the Kazekage would be?� I
have to deliver a-�!� the girl stopped, gasping and looking around the room
frantically.

�� What is it,
child?� Are you in pain?�

�� No!� The scroll-� I had a scroll when I-�

�� Oh, that?� the homely
nurse chuckled.� �You had one clasped
tightly in your hand when you were brought in here.� Kazekage-sama took it since it was addressed
to him.�

�� He did?!�

�� You were delivering
it to him, were you not?�

�� Yes, but-�

�� Then your mission was
successful!� Once you�re feeling better,
you can start on your way home,� she cheerfully declared.

�� Hinata felt her heart
sink.� �I came all the way here.� All this way, and I blew my chance.� All I could do was faint!� I haven�t changed at all�� she internally berated herself.� On the outside, she asked, �Did�did the Kazekage�� Did
he say anything�?�

�� Hm?� About what?�

�� When he�brought
me�� Did he say anything?�

�� No,
not particularly.� Probably
wouldn�t have said anything at all had I not asked him what happened to
you.� He always was a quiet one.�� Hinata�s features sagged as any hope she�d
had began to vanish.� �But,� the older
woman began again, salvaging a shred.�
�He did stare at you for a long while before he left.�

�� Eh?�

�� Yes�� Quite intensely, if I might
say so.� Quite peculiar for him,�
she noted, deep in contemplation.� Hinata
began to have hope again but the nurse soon smiled
again and shrugged.� �He almost seemed
angry, but I can�t image what you would�ve done.� Probably something in that scroll you
delivered.�

�� The scroll was
regarding the Chuunin Exams�� There�s no
reason that could make him angry.�
No�� No, he�s upset with me.� �It would make sense, after all.� He has every right to be�� I did greatly insult him during the exams the
last time we met.� Perhaps�� Perhaps I should just return home?�� The very thought brought tears to her
eyes.� �No, I will not cry
anymore!� I�I hate being this weak.� I hate it!�

~*~*~

�� ~~~�He said that everyone
had strength inside them, but sometimes it just takes someone special to
help them realize it.� �he was grateful
that he�d had the opportunity to draw it out of you��~~~

�� ~~~�Don�t be ashamed
to look others in the eye.� You are
strong.� Never forget that.�~~~

�� ~~~�I won�t go
back on my words.� That is also my way of
the ninja!�~~~

~*~*~

�� The words of Matsuri,
Gaara, and even her own rang through her head suddenly, forcing her tears away.�

�� That�s right�� I can be stronger than this�� Gaara-san and Naruto-kun both showed me that
long ago.� I can�t give up yet�� I have to make things right.� I can�t leave until I�ve completed my
mission,� she resolved.� �Arigatou,
obaa-san!� she said, springing from the bed and dashing off, leaving the
stunned old woman behind.

�� Oh, uh, you�re
welcome...� What a strange child...�

* * *

�� Hinata spent the rest
of the afternoon frantically searching the large foreign city as she tried to
locate her target�who was proving
to be quite the difficult person to find, even with her Byakugan.� The city was far too busy a place to pinpoint
one particular person so she�d have to look the old fashioned way.� But he wasn�t at his office, nor the Academy, nor anywhere else she would imagine the
head of a village might be.� Indeed, he
was a busy man as she discovered upon beginning to ask around.� As soon as she�d found someone who said
they�d seen him somewhere not long ago, by the time she arrived where they�d
said, he�d have already left and was long gone.�
After an hour or so more of this, she found the desert heat beginning to
effect her.�
Removing her coat, she stopped inside a small restaurant for a quick
dinner and a chance to cool off.� As it
happened, she was finally in the right place at the right time.� Hinata was finishing up her meal when a young
shinobi brushed past her.� The kunoichi
rushed up to the counter as if it were a matter of great urgency.

�� Sumimasen!� she
shouted, and Hinata couldn�t help but watch.

�� Yeah, yeah�what�s the
problem?� a short middle-aged man called as he came out from the kitchen.

�� Please, I need a rush
order, Izuma-san!�

�� What? �I�m busy here.�
You expect me to drop everything just �cause
you�re in a hurry?�

�� It�s not for me, it�s for Kazekage-sama.�
He�d like �his usual.�� He said
you�d know what he meant.�

�� The
Kazekage, huh?� You know, I never
expected him to risk his life like that for the village.� Not that kid.� Heh.� Sure surprised me.� Ah, if it�s for him I�ll get right on it.�

�� Thank you!�

�� Yeah, yeah�� Least I could do,� the man acknowledged,
turning his back and disappearing into the kitchen.

�� Matsuri-san?�
Hinata called to the anxious girl as she waited.

�� Hinata-san,
hey!� How are you?� Did you deliver that scroll yet?�

�� Uh�well, yes�I
suppose.�

�� Did you get to talk
long with Gaara-sama?�

�� Eh?� Uh�no, not at all.�

�� Really?� Hm�well, he has been busy today.� Hey, maybe that�s why he�s in a bad
mood!� He didn�t get to talk to you
earlier!�

�� No, I don�t think-�

�� I know!� I�m going to be taking him his dinner after
this.� Why don�t you come with me?� He�s in a council meeting right now but he
said he would be done shortly.� I�m sure
he�ll cheer up once he sees you...and once he gets food in his belly.�

�� Eh�uh�� Hinata was nervous but realized that this
could be her big chance.� �Yes,
please.� Thank you, Matsuri-san.�

�� Don�t mention it!�

�� When the order was
ready the two girls hurried over to the conference room where the council was
just adjourning their meeting.� Gaara was
the first to exit and Matsuri was quick to catch him at the door, bag of
take-out in hand.�

�� Gaara-sama, here you
go.� It should still be hot.� Make sure to eat it soon.� Oh, and the chef sends his regards.�

�� Thank you, Matsuri,� came his simple reply.�
He turned toward her to take it, and as he did he noticed another
familiar face lurking further down the hall.�
He stopped suddenly, hand half-way extended toward his food as he took
in the sight.� True, he had seen her only
hours before, but she�d had her coat on then.�
Indeed, her hair wasn�t the only thing that had grown since the last
time he�d seen her.

�� Catching the look on
her leader�s face, Matsuri grinned and said, �I�ll leave you two to catch up on
things,� as she handed her awe-struck leader his food and dashed off.

�� Another councilman
exited then, accidentally bumping into Gaara.�

�� Oh, excuse me,
Kazekage-sama,� he apologized, bowing and continuing on.�

�� This snapped Gaara
back into reality, however, and a frown replaced the surprise on his face.� �She�s doing that on purpose, isn�t
she?� Trying to bait me, just like all
the other girls�� How foolish.� She�s just like the rest of them��

�� G-Gaara-san,� Hinata
finally stuttered, still maintaining her distance.� �I�I�m sorry�for the trouble I caused you
earlier.� It�it�s just that�I was�� I�ve just been�� Hinata paused, searching for
the right words, her blush readily turning darker.� Still, she pressed forward, giving it her
best and forced herself to look him in the eye.�
�I...I missed you�Gaara��

�� His eyes grew wide
with surprise but were quickly replaced with anger.� �I am Sunagakure�s Kazekage.� You have no right to address me so informally,�
he declared.� �You came to deliver that
scroll, did you not?�� Hinata, having
been rendered speechless, merely nodded her head, her eyes wide with shock.� �Then your business here is done.� Return to Konoha immediately.� You are no longer welcome here.��

�� His words may as well
have been daggers, for they pierced her heart all the same.� He glared at her a second longer, then turned
to leave, hoping the crowd of his peers who stood staring would soon do the
same.�

�� He�he couldn�t
have really meant that�� I know he�s
upset, but that wasn�t the Gaara that I know.�
Maybe� �Maybe he�s acting that way
because those other people are around.�
That must be it, right?� �It�It
has to be.� I won�t give up yet!� �I just can�t��

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Love's Misconstruities