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Day 01: Blank Period

Prompt: Blank Period

The problem was Hinata.

Well, not her exactly. The problem was Naruto's behavior when Hinata was around. And the worst part was that he couldn't understand it.

He first noticed it while at Ichiraku, devouring his third bowl of miso pork ramen. He saw her figure pass by the entrance curtain, walking calmly down the street. Before he could process it, he was already on his feet and shouting, "Hinata! Hey, Hinata! Want some ramen?".

She stopped, surprised, and turned with a faint blush that never seemed to leave her. "Oh, Naruto-kun. I... I wouldn't want to bother you."

"It's no bother at all! Come on, my treat!" he insisted with a grin from ear to ear.

She accepted with a shy bow and sat next to him. And that's where the problem started. Naruto, who normally would have gulped down the next three bowls without even breathing, suddenly felt... self-conscious. He ate more slowly. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. He even asked her how her day had been!

When they said goodbye, he was left scratching the back of his neck. Why had he done that?

"I'm a kind person," he told himself as he walked home. "I'd invite anyone for ramen. I'd do it for Kiba or Shino, no problem."

But would he? If Kiba had passed by, he probably would have just yelled a greeting. If it had been Shino... well, he probably wouldn't have even noticed he was there. No, he had shot out of his seat specifically for Hinata.

"Well, she's just very polite," he tried to reason. "It would be rude not to invite her. Yeah, that's it. I was just being considerate."

But consideration didn't explain what happened last week on a simple merchant escort mission. A cart sped through a puddle, and Naruto moved on pure instinct, placing himself between Hinata and the wave of mud. She was left impeccable; he ended up soaked and stinking of stagnant water.

Hinata had been frantic, apologizing over and over while trying to dry him with a handkerchief. He just laughed and said it was nothing.

"I'd protect any teammate. It's my duty as a shinobi!" he thought proudly. But an annoying voice in his head asked if he would have thrown himself in front of Sakura to save her from a little mud. Probably not. She would have punched him for being so dramatic and would have dodged the puddle herself.

So why was it different with Hinata? Why did he feel the need to... protect her from silly things? And why did his heart beat a little faster when she looked at him with those pale, worried eyes?

He arrived at his apartment and threw himself on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The feeling he had for her was nothing like the loud, competitive crush he had on Sakura for years. This was... quieter. More confusing.

Did he love her?

The question floated in his mind. He loved his friends. He loved Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei. He loved Grandma Tsunade. The feeling for Hinata fit in there, right? She was a very, very good friend. Someone who had always believed in him.

Yes, that had to be it. It was gratitude. Appreciation. It was a friend being a good friend.

Naruto smiled, satisfied with his conclusion. It felt much simpler. There was nothing weird about his actions. It was just him, being a great guy to a great friend.

He rolled over, settling down to sleep. His last thought before drifting off was: "Tomorrow I should ask her if she wants to help me try out that new dango stand."

Note: I think it's obvious how much I like the Blank Period. I hadn't written in a long time, so it feels strange to be back. This first prompt has been a challenge to get back into the rhythm, and although I know that with more practice something better could have come out, I like to respect the order. I'm confident that the writing will improve with the next texts. In any case, I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it!

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Day 02: Colors

Prompt: Colors

In a world woven from light and emotion, souls were not born blank, but imbued with a color that defined their essence. They were beings of pure pigment, and among them, there existed two who could not be more different.

One was Orange. An uncontrollable burst of energy, the color of the midday sun, of leaves at the peak of autumn, of the crackling fire in a hearth. Orange was a booming laugh, impulsive action, and a warmth that could be overwhelming. He moved through the world like a comet, leaving a bright and chaotic trail. Despite always being surrounded by other colors drawn to his light, Orange often felt a void, a strange loneliness in the midst of his own radiance. And for as long as he could remember, a thin, unbreakable red thread, visible only to him, extended from his heart toward an unknown horizon, gently pulling at him with the promise of something more.

The other was Lavender. She was the calm of twilight, the scent of blooming fields after the rain, the softness of the first light of dawn. Lavender was a kind whisper, a quiet strength, and a gentleness often mistaken for fragility. She moved with the grace of a shadow, observing the world from a safe distance, her glow subtle, deep, and comforting. Despite her reserved nature, Lavender possessed an unwavering determination, and she too saw the same red thread, a scarlet bond that led from her being and guided her with a silent promise.

The thread of fate, indifferent to distance or circumstance, grew shorter day by day. It led Orange through battles of vibrant colors and guided him through his darkest moments. It led Lavender through gardens of doubt and spurred her to find her own voice.

Finally, on a bridge crossing a serene river under a sunset-stained sky, the thread pulled completely taut.

Orange arrived running, as always, loud and full of life, stopping short in the middle of the bridge. Lavender arrived from the other end, walking with her calm and measured pace. Their eyes met, and for the first time, they saw the origin and the end of their connection in the other person.

"You...", Orange said, breathless, pointing to the thread that bound them. "You have it too."

Lavender only nodded, a small smile blooming on her lips as her cheeks colored a deeper shade of violet. "It has always been there," she whispered.

He approached, and for the first time in his life, his energy was not chaotic, but focused. She, in turn, did not shrink back but stood firm, her calm finding an anchor in his intensity. When Orange reached out his hand and his fingers brushed against hers, their colors reacted. It was not a mixture, but a dance. The Orange did not consume the Lavender with its fire, nor did the Lavender extinguish Orange's flame with her serenity. Instead, they swirled around each other, creating a visual harmony the world had never seen. His warmth gave her a bold glow; her tranquility gave him a depth he never knew he lacked.

The red thread that had joined them dissolved in a golden light, its purpose fulfilled. It was no longer a guide, but the foundation of their union.

And from that union, new colors were born, two souls woven from their love.

First came Boruto, a flash of Solar Yellow, bright and sharp. He carried his father's energy, but channeled it into a concentrated sunbeam, full of talent and a touch of rebellion. He was a bold color that sought to forge its own path, but always returned to the warmth of Orange and the calm of Lavender.

Years later, Himawari arrived. She was a soft Sky Blue, the color of the sky on a quiet spring morning. She had her mother's sweetness and gentleness, but within her beat a core of sun, a strength inherited from her father that only showed in flashes. She was a color that promised both the peace of a clear day and the limitless energy of the firmament.

Orange and Lavender would often sit and watch their children play, a whirlwind of Solar Yellow and Sky Blue. They were no longer alone in their uniqueness. They had created a family canvas, a work of art painted by the red thread of fate.

Note: This started as a draft I wrote years ago. I recently decided to dust it off and give it new life with a few changes. I'm not a poet; I was simply inspired by how much I love the colors both of them represent. I hope the idea comes across and that you enjoy it!

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Day 03: Wedding

Prompts: Wedding

The proposal was, for lack of a better word, a monumental disaster, a catastrophe so perfectly "Naruto" that they would still be laughing about it years later.

It all started a week earlier. Naruto, with the engagement ring tucked away in a small wooden box that Iruka-sensei helped him pick out, panicked. How was this done? His first idea was to propose on top of the Hokage Monument, but he realized that would be a terrible cliché. His second idea was during a training session, but the image of proposing while they were both covered in sweat and dirt didn't seem very romantic.

Desperate, he asked Sakura for advice.

"Just be yourself and say it from the heart," she advised, patting him on the back so hard it almost sent him flying. "And please, don't do it at Ichiraku."

Naruto ignored the last part. Ichiraku was his place. It was where he celebrated his victories and drowned his sorrows. It only made sense that the most important moment of his life would happen there.

So he took Hinata to dinner, his heart pounding harder than when he faced Pain. The plan was simple: wait for the right moment, say something incredibly romantic, and then present the ring. But the "right moment" never came. Every time he opened his mouth, only mumbles about the weather or the new ingredient in the ramen came out.

"Naruto-kun? Are you feeling okay? You haven't touched your ramen," Hinata asked, her soft voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine! It's just...!", Naruto shot to his feet, hitting the table and making the chopsticks roll to the floor. "Hinata, uh... For a long time, you've been... well, you know... You've always been there!".

He reached into his pocket to pull out the ring. But his fingers, clumsy with nerves, sent it flying through the air in a perfect arc that ended with a loud PLOP... right into the middle of his miso ramen bowl with extra pork.

There was a dead silence. Ayame and Teuchi froze behind the counter. Naruto looked at the bowl, then at Hinata, absolute panic etched across his face.

"Don't worry! I got it!", he yelled, and without a second thought, he plunged his hands into the hot broth, fumbling for the ring while splashing soup everywhere, staining Hinata's jacket in the process.

Finally, he pulled it out. He knelt on one knee, dripping broth and with bits of green onion stuck to his knuckles, and held out the greasy ring. "Hinata Hyūga... you're the most amazing person I know and... you make me want to be better every day. Will you... uh... marry me?".

Hinata looked at him. She looked at his soup-stained face, the shiny ring in his trembling hand, and the absolute sincerity in his blue eyes. And instead of being horrified, she covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a soft, crystalline laugh that filled the small stand. Then, with tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks, she nodded vigorously.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. Yes, I will."

Now, standing at the altar under the large tree where he used to swing as a child, Naruto thought about that moment and smiled. Kakashi, as the Sixth Hokage, officiated the ceremony with his usual carefree air. He saw all his friends in the front rows: Sakura wiping away a tear, Sai smiling genuinely for once, a stoic Sasuke standing in the distance, watching. He saw Iruka-sensei, openly crying like the proud father he was.

Then he saw her. Hinata was walking towards him on the arm of her father, Hiashi, who for the first time was looking at him with something that resembled respect. She looked ethereal in her white kimono, a vision of calm and beauty that took his breath away.

When it was time for the vows, he took Hinata's hands in his.

"Hinata," he began, his voice surprisingly steady. "For most of my life, I felt alone. It was just me, the weird kid everyone avoided. But even then, when I couldn't see myself, you saw me. When no one else did, you were there, believing in me. You gave me this scarf," he said, touching the red fabric wrapped around his arm, "and you gave me your heart long before I was smart enough to realize it. You taught me that home isn't a place, but a person. I promise to spend the rest of my life making sure you never feel alone. I promise to be your home."

Tears were flowing freely down Hinata's cheeks when it was her turn to speak, but her voice was clear.

"Naruto-kun, for most of my life, I felt invisible," she whispered. "I was shy, weak, and always afraid to fail. But your smile was like the sun, and your indomitable spirit gave me the courage to stand up, to keep trying. You taught me that true strength isn't about never falling, but about getting up stronger each time. I always followed you, hoping to one day walk by your side. Now, I promise to walk with you forever, in the light and in the darkness. I promise to be your unwavering support and to believe in you, even when you doubt yourself."

They exchanged rings, this time with no ramen involved, and Kakashi declared them husband and wife with a lazy, "Well, you can kiss now."

As he leaned in to kiss her, a single, clear, and pure thought filled Naruto's mind, a feeling of peace he had never known before.

After so long, after all the searching... I'm finally home.

And as she kissed him back, feeling the warmth of his hand and the beat of his heart, a dream she had held since she was a child finally came true.

Through all the waiting, through all the hope... I'm finally home.

Note: I was always amused by Naruto's awkward proposals, so it was inevitable that I would write about it. I hope I captured his spirit well.

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Prompt: Love Languages

Acts of Service

The mountain of paperwork on the Hokage's desk seemed to have a life of its own. It grew and multiplied, threatening to swallow Naruto whole. He had been there for hours, head in his hands, his chakra depleted not by battle, but by bureaucracy. The door opened softly. It was Hinata, carrying a tray with hot tea and onigiri.

She said nothing at first. She simply set the tray aside, took a stack of reports, and sat in the chair across from him. Her gaze moved swiftly across the pages, sorting, stamping, and organizing with a quiet efficiency that left Naruto speechless.

"Hinata, you don't have to...", he began, feeling guilty.

"I want to," she replied, not looking up. "The Hokage protects the village. But someone has to protect the Hokage."

Naruto watched her work, and he felt a wave of gratitude and warmth replace his exhaustion. It wasn't just paperwork. It was her, lightening his load without him ever having to ask.

Gifts

It wasn't an expensive or extravagant gift. In fact, most people wouldn't have considered it a gift at all. Naruto came home late that night, after Hinata finally convinced him to leave the office. He tiptoed into their room, where she was already asleep. On the bedside table, he left a single item: a Queen of the Night flower, freshly bloomed and exquisitely fragrant.

The next morning, Hinata saw it. She vaguely remembered mentioning to Naruto weeks ago, while strolling through the Yamanaka greenhouse, that it was her favorite flower, one that only bloomed for a few precious hours at night. He hadn't said anything at the time, but he had listened. He had remembered.

To her, that single flower was worth more than all the jewels in the world, because it wasn't just an object; it was proof that he paid attention, that he treasured her simplest words.

Words of Affirmation

They were at a formal dinner, an event filled with daimyos and dignitaries. Naruto felt out of place in his Hokage robes, missing his comfortable clothes. He overheard two council elders speaking quietly near him.

"The Hokage's wife is... quiet, don't you think? A Hyūga, yes, but more... strength was always expected from the main branch."

Before he could process it, his blood boiled. He took a step forward, a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "Excuse me, I don't think you know her well," he interrupted, his voice resonating with a dangerous calm. "My wife, Hinata, has more strength in her little finger than many shinobis have in their entire bodies. She stood up to Pain to save me. She fought in the war. Her gentleness is not weakness, it's her greatest power. She is the strongest, bravest woman I know, and I'm the luckiest man in the world to have her by my side."

The councilmen were speechless. Across the hall, Hinata heard everything. Her cheeks flushed, but her heart swelled with pride. His words were a shield, a declaration that made her feel invincible.

Quality Time

The party was loud, full of forced conversations and politics. After an hour, Naruto felt like he was suffocating. He leaned in and whispered in Hinata's ear, "Want to get out of here?".

She nodded without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, they used a quick shunshin and appeared on the roof of the Hokage residence. Below, the party continued without them. Above, it was just them and the starry sky. They didn't talk much. They just sat next to each other, sharing the silence, watching the lights of the village they loved so much.

That time, without interruptions, without expectations, without being the Hokage and his wife, just being Naruto and Hinata, was the air they needed to breathe.

Physical Touch

Much later that night, back home, silence enveloped them again. The children were asleep, the village was at peace. Hinata was standing, looking out the window, when she felt Naruto's arms wrap around her from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and sighed. He said nothing, but she felt everything in that embrace: the gratitude for her help, the affection from the memory of the flower, the pride in his words, the peace from their moment on the roof.

"Sometimes I feel like I don't know how to thank you for everything," he murmured against her hair.

Hinata leaned back into his chest, closing her eyes. She took his hand and laced their fingers together. "You don't need to say it, Naruto-kun."

Because their love wasn't spoken in a single language. It was a universal language that flowed between them through an organized desk, a nocturnal flower, a passionate defense, a silent escape, and an embrace that, without needing words, said absolutely everything.

Note: I was fascinated by today's theme. This was one of those cases where I felt that "less is more." I liked how the story turned out so much that I preferred to leave it as is—short but full of feeling. I hope it conveyed that same feeling to you.

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Día 05: Emparejamiento Arreglado y Crimen Organizado

Tema: Emparejamiento o Arreglado/Crimen Organizado

La ciudad de Konoha vivía bajo una paz frágil, una tregua silenciosa sostenida por el miedo mutuo de sus dos potencias dominantes. Al este del río Nakano, gobernaban los Hyūga-gumi, una organización yakuza de linaje antiguo, dirigida con mano de hierro por el patriarca Hiashi Hyūga. Eran precisos, tradicionales y letales, moviéndose en las sombras con la elegancia de depredadores silenciosos. Al oeste, el territorio pertenecía a los Kitsune-kai, liderados por el carismático y temido Minato Namikaze. Eran una fuerza más nueva, pero igualmente poderosa, conocidos por su audacia, su lealtad feroz y la energía caótica de su joven heredero, Naruto.

Las dos familias se odiaban con una pasión que se había forjado a lo largo de décadas de sangre y traición. Cada bando esperaba pacientemente la oportunidad para aniquilar al otro y reclamar el control total de la ciudad.

Esa oportunidad, o eso creyeron ambos, llegó en la forma de una propuesta de matrimonio.

Fue Hiashi Hyūga quien hizo el primer movimiento. En una reunión con los ancianos de su clan, extendió un mapa de la ciudad sobre la mesa. "Los Kitsune-kai se expanden demasiado rápido", dijo, su voz fría como el acero. "Un ataque frontal sería costoso. Pero su fuerza es también su debilidad: su confianza". Trazó un círculo alrededor del santuario sintoísta en el centro de la ciudad, un territorio considerado neutral. "Propondré una tregua. Una unión para sellar la paz. Mi hija, Hinata, se casará con el hijo de Namikaze, Naruto".

Un murmullo de incredulidad recorrió la sala. Su sobrino, Neji, frunció el ceño. "Tío, ¿entregar a Hinata-sama al enemigo? Es un riesgo inaceptable".

"No es un riesgo, es un cebo", replicó Hiashi. "Aceptarán. La arrogancia de Minato no le permitirá rechazar una oferta que lo hace parecer el pacificador. La boda se celebrará en el santuario. En terreno neutral. Allí, cuando bajen la guardia, rodeados por la falsa celebración... atacaremos. Cortaremos la cabeza del zorro y el cuerpo caerá por sí solo".

Mientras tanto, al otro lado de la ciudad, Minato Namikaze leía la carta formal de los Hyūga con una sonrisa divertida. A su lado, su consejero de mayor confianza, un hombre de pelo blanco llamado Jiraiya, se rio a carcajadas.

"¡Una trampa tan obvia que casi es un insulto!", exclamó Jiraiya. "Creen que somos tontos. Quieren reunir a toda nuestra cúpula en un solo lugar para eliminarnos".

"Lo sé", dijo Minato, dejando la carta. "Y es precisamente por eso que aceptaremos". Sus ojos azules, normalmente cálidos, adquirieron un brillo calculador. "Dejaremos que preparen su trampa. Pero el santuario será nuestro. Llenaremos los jardines con nuestros hombres, reemplazaremos a los sacerdotes, controlaremos cada entrada y salida. Mientras ellos esperan para atacar, se darán cuenta de que caminaron directamente hacia la boca del lobo. Usaremos su propio plan para borrarlos del mapa".

A Hinata se lo comunicaron en el dojo de la finca Hyūga. Se arrodilló ante su padre, con la cabeza gacha, esperando sus órdenes.

"Te casarás con Naruto Namikaze en dos semanas", le informó Hiashi, sin rastro de emoción. "Es tu deber para con la familia. No espero que estés feliz, solo que seas obediente".

Hinata levantó la vista, sus ojos pálidos mostrando una máscara de sorpresa y sumisión. "Como ordenes, padre". Pero en su interior, su corazón estalló en una celebración silenciosa que casi la hizo temblar. ¿Casarse con Naruto? Era un sueño imposible, una fantasía secreta que había albergado durante años.

A Naruto se lo dijeron de una forma mucho menos formal. Minato lo encontró entrenando en el gimnasio del complejo Kitsune-kai.

"Vas a casarte con la princesa Hyūga", le dijo sin rodeos.

Naruto dejó caer las pesas con un estruendo. "¿Qué? ¡Estás loco! ¡Casarme con una de ellos! ¡Es una trampa, viejo!". Gritó y protestó durante diez minutos, actuando como el cabeza hueca impulsivo que todos creían que era. Pero era una actuación. Una vez que su padre se fue, se apoyó contra la pared, con una sonrisa lenta extendiéndose por su rostro. La excusa perfecta. El destino le estaba entregando en bandeja de plata lo que más deseaba.

Nadie en las dos familias sabía su secreto.

Se habían conocido hacía un año, por casualidad. Naruto había intervenido en una pelea en un mercado en la zona neutral, defendiendo a un vendedor de las extorsiones de unos matones de bajo nivel. Lo hizo con su estilo habitual: ruidoso, llamativo y abrumadoramente efectivo. Desde un callejón cercano, Hinata lo había observado. No vio al demonio impulsivo del que hablaban las leyendas de la mafia, sino a un chico con un fuerte sentido de la justicia y una sonrisa tan brillante como el sol.

Sus miradas se cruzaron. Y ese fue el principio.

Comenzaron a reunirse en secreto, en apartamentos anónimos, en parques olvidados a altas horas de la noche. Descubrieron que las reputaciones que los precedían eran solo armaduras. Él encontró en ella una calma que aplacaba su tormenta interior, una fuerza silenciosa que lo asombraba. Ella encontró en él una calidez que derretía el hielo de su crianza, una aceptación incondicional que le dio el valor para ser ella misma. Se enamoraron desesperada y peligrosamente, sabiendo que su amor era una sentencia de muerte en el mundo en el que vivían.

La noche antes de la boda, se encontraron por última vez en secreto.

"Mi padre planea matarlos a todos mañana", susurró Hinata, con la urgencia tiñendo su voz. "El santuario será una trampa".

"El mío también", respondió Naruto, tomándola de las manos. "Cree que te está usando a ti para atraerme a mí, pero planea eliminar a toda tu familia. Ambos creen que somos sus peones".

Se miraron el uno al otro, la gravedad de la situación pesando sobre ellos. Pero en sus ojos no había miedo, sino una determinación compartida.

"Entonces no seremos sus peones", dijo Naruto, con una convicción de acero. "Ellos creen que nos están usando, pero nosotros los usaremos a ellos. Mañana no habrá una masacre. Mañana, les daremos una boda de verdad".

El día de la boda llegó con un cielo despejado y una tensión tan espesa que se podía cortar con una katana. El santuario estaba decorado con sedas blancas y flores, pero bajo la superficie, era un polvorín. Los hombres de los Hyūga, vestidos con kimonos formales, ocultaban armas bajo sus ropas. Los miembros de los Kitsune-kai, actuando como camareros y guardias, eran en realidad la élite de sus sicarios.

Hiashi y Minato se saludaron con sonrisas falsas y reverencias cargadas de veneno, cada uno convencido de su inminente victoria.

La ceremonia comenzó. Naruto esperaba en el altar, luciendo un montsuki negro. Cuando Hinata apareció, caminando lentamente por el sendero, el mundo pareció detenerse. Su shiromuku blanco la hacía parecer una figura de otro mundo, hermosa y frágil. Pero Naruto conocía la fuerza que se escondía debajo.

Se encontraron en el altar, y el sacerdote (un agente de Minato) comenzó el ritual. Cuando llegó el momento de los votos, un silencio expectante cayó sobre la multitud. Era la señal. Después de los votos, comenzaría la matanza.

Naruto se giró hacia Hinata. "Prometí protegerte desde el momento en que te conocí de verdad", dijo, su voz resonando en todo el santuario, clara y fuerte. "Hoy, lo prometo ante todos. Eres mi familia ahora. Un ataque contra ti es un ataque contra mí y contra todo lo que represento".

Luego fue el turno de Hinata. Levantó la barbilla, y su voz, aunque suave, no vaciló. "Siempre te admiré desde la distancia", dijo, mirando a los ojos de Naruto. "Hoy, prometo estar a tu lado. Protegeré tu espalda y seré tu refugio. Un ataque contra ti es un ataque contra mí y el honor de mi familia".

Intercambiaron las copas de sake, sellando su unión. Justo cuando Hiashi iba a dar la señal y Minato se tensaba para dar la contraorden, Naruto levantó la mano.

"¡Un momento!", exclamó. "Como símbolo de esta unión, y para poner fin a décadas de derramamiento de sangre sin sentido, los Kitsune-kai cederemos el control del distrito portuario a los Hyūga-gumi, como regalo de bodas para mi esposa".

Un jadeo colectivo recorrió el lado de los Kitsune-kai. ¿Regalar el territorio más lucrativo? Era una locura.

Hiashi se quedó helado. Su plan se basaba en la codicia de Namikaze. Este gesto... no tenía sentido.

Antes de que pudiera reaccionar, Hinata habló de nuevo. "Y en agradecimiento por la generosidad de mi esposo", dijo, girándose para mirar a su padre directamente a los ojos, "los Hyūga-gumi renunciaremos a nuestras reclamaciones sobre las rutas de transporte del norte, como mi regalo para él".

Ahora fue el lado de los Hyūga el que se quedó en shock. Las rutas del norte eran su mayor punto de conflicto con los Kitsune-kai.

Naruto y Hinata se tomaron de la mano, de pie juntos en el altar, un frente unido.

"Este matrimonio no es una tregua", declaró Naruto. "Es el comienzo de una nueva era. La violencia entre nuestras familias se acabó. A partir de hoy, somos una sola. Cualquier ataque contra los Hyūga será respondido por los Kitsune-kai. Y viceversa".

Crearon un punto muerto perfecto. Atacar a uno significaba la guerra con ambos. Los planes de traición se desmoronaron en un instante. Los asesinos escondidos en las sombras no sabían a quién apuntar. Los patriarcas, furiosos y superados en estrategia por sus propios hijos, estaban atrapados. Ordenar el ataque ahora sería un suicidio.

Esa noche, no hubo sangre. Hubo una celebración incómoda y tensa, pero sin violencia.

Mucho más tarde, en la casa que se había preparado para ellos, Naruto y Hinata se quedaron solos por fin.

"¿Crees que funcionará?", susurró ella.

"Será difícil", admitió Naruto, atrayéndola hacia él. "Nuestros padres no se rendirán tan fácilmente. Pero hoy les demostramos algo. Que juntos somos más fuertes".

Se quedaron en silencio, mirando la ciudad iluminada por la luna. Ya no eran solo los herederos de dos clanes en guerra. Eran una tercera potencia, nacida del amor y forjada en un acto de rebelión audaz. El camino hacia una paz real sería largo y lleno de peligros, pero por primera vez, no tenían que caminarlo solos. Su matrimonio arreglado, la trampa definitiva, se había convertido en su mayor fortaleza.

Nota: Tenía la trama de esta historia muy clara desde el principio, ya que es un tema que me apasiona. Curiosamente, la parte más difícil fue la investigación para los detalles, como los nombres de los trajes. Espero que no resulte genérico y que lo hayan disfrutado.

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Day 06: The Last

Prompt: Red Thread/Scarf

The red wool yarn slid through Hinata's fingers with a comforting familiarity. Each stitch was a whisper, each turn of the needle a memory. Sitting by her bedroom window, just three days before her wedding, she wasn't knitting just any scarf. She was knitting their history.

This wasn't the first time she had tried to give this scarf to Naruto. The first, now reduced to ashes and painful memories, had been snatched by fate on the moon. The second, a hurried replacement, she had awkwardly handed to him after they returned, a symbol of a beginning they both craved. But this one, the third, was different. This was the definitive one. In its red fibers, there wasn't just wool; there was gratitude, pain, hope, and a love that had survived gods and monsters.

Her mind traveled back to the beginning, to the root of it all. To the Academy days.

She remembered the cold of the swings in the playground, where a blond, blue-eyed boy sat alone, rejected by a world that didn't understand him. She, hiding behind a tree, felt a strange kinship with him. She was also an outcast in her own way, a failed heiress in the eyes of her own father. But while she shrank under the weight of expectations, he screamed his existence to the world, painting the Hokage faces and proclaiming that one day, he would be up there.

One day, Iruka-sensei asked them a question that chilled her blood: "If the world were to end tomorrow, who would you spend your last day with?" While the other children shouted names of family or friends, Hinata, her heart hammering against her ribs, wrote a single name on her paper: Naruto Uzumaki. It was a shameful, precious secret, the first stitch in the invisible tapestry that connected her soul to his.

He never knew. Back then, he barely knew she existed. To him, she was just the weird, shy girl who fainted whenever he was near. But that was about to change.

The first time Naruto truly saw her was under the bright lights of the Chūnin Exams arena. Her opponent was Neji, her cousin, a genius who had tormented her entire life with words about an inescapable fate. Every blow she took from him, every cruel word he threw at her, resonated with Naruto's own past.

"Give up! You were not born to be a shinobi." Neji's voice was a whip.

From the stands, Naruto felt a rage he didn't understand. He saw Hinata tremble, saw the blood on her lips, but he also saw the fire in her pale eyes, a stubborn flame that refused to be extinguished.

"Don't give up! Don't let a guy like him decide who you are!" Naruto yelled, his voice echoing in the silent arena. "I... I like people like you!"

That sentence, so simple and impulsive, was an earthquake in Hinata's world. The boy she had admired from the shadows, the sun that lit up her world, was cheering for her. He was telling her that he liked her. With that single spark, her inner fire became an inferno. She fought until her body could take no more, until she collapsed in a pool of her own blood, but she did not give up.

Naruto leaped into the arena, the Kyūbi's red chakra swirling around him in fury. He knelt beside her, watching as the medics carried her away, and made a promise to her unconscious form, a promise sealed in blood. "I swear I'll win."

Later, before his own fight with Neji, she found him. Still weak and covered in bandages, she offered him a small medicinal ointment. Her hands trembled as she spoke, but her words were firm.

"Naruto-kun... I always thought you were a proud failure. But... I was wrong. When I watch you, I feel like I have the courage to try... that even I am worth something."

Naruto took the small container, feeling the warmth radiating from it. It wasn't just medicine. It was faith. It was the first time someone, besides Iruka, had looked at him that way, as if his mere existence made the world a better place. In that moment, she stopped being just "the weird girl." She became Hinata. A person he admired.

Years passed. The scarf in her hands grew longer. Their friendship grew in comfortable silences and casual encounters, but the thread connecting them remained invisible to him. Until the sky over Konoha turned orange with fire and pain.

Pain had destroyed the village. Naruto, the only one who could face him, was pinned to the ground, black rods driven through his body, helpless before the self-proclaimed god who had taken his master.

And then, she appeared.

She leaped in front of Pain, taking the Gentle Fist fighting stance. Naruto couldn't believe his eyes.

"Hinata, run! What are you doing? You don't stand a chance against him!" he yelled, panic choking his voice.

She didn't turn around. "I know," she replied, her voice trembling but filled with a steely resolve. "But I am here of my own free will." She held out her hands, ready to protect him. "I've always been chasing you... chasing after your back. But this time... this time I will walk beside you."

"Don't be a fool! Don't throw your life away!"

Finally, she turned to look at him, and on her face was a serene smile, the smile of someone who had accepted her fate and chosen it freely. "I'm not," she said, and the next words changed the course of their lives forever. "I'm here because... I'm not afraid to die if it's to protect you, Naruto-kun. Because... I love you."

Naruto's world shattered. Love? The word hit him harder than any jutsu. He watched her launch herself at Pain, watched her be brutally thrown through the air and stabbed before his eyes. And something inside him broke. The seal, reason, control... it all vanished. The love she confessed, and the pain of watching her sacrifice herself for him, unleashed a fury so primal that the Kyūbi itself seemed fearful.

That night, under a blood-red moon, Naruto Uzumaki learned that love could be as devastating as hate. The image of Hinata, smiling as she faced death for him, was seared into his soul. Though he didn't fully understand it yet, that stitch in their story was the strongest of all, dyed the deepest red.

The Fourth Great Ninja War pushed them both, and the entire world, to the brink. In the midst of chaos and despair, they found themselves fighting side-by-side. And it was there that she saved him again, not from a physical enemy, but from the darkness that threatened to consume him.

Neji died. He died protecting them. The sight of his cousin sacrificing himself, Obito's words about the futility of their efforts, broke Naruto. He let go of his friend's hand, the emptiness flooding him. Why keep fighting if he couldn't protect anyone?

But then, a warm, firm hand rested on his. Hinata's hand.

"Naruto-kun," she said, her voice grounding him to reality. "Your words and your desire to not let your comrades die... those are not lies. Neji-niisan understood that. Your life is not just your own anymore. It is ours, too."

She reminded him of his ninja way, his path. She reminded him that he was not alone. Her words were a balm, her touch an anchor. Naruto lifted his head and looked into her eyes. He saw in them the reflection of all his friends, the entire village, the whole world that depended on him. He took her hand tightly, and for the first time, he was the one who pulled her, bringing her to his side.

"Thank you, Hinata," he said. "You're right."

When he transferred the Kyūbi's chakra to them, the orange cloak enveloped them both. For a moment, they fought as one, their hearts beating to the same rhythm, their wills united. In the midst of the greatest war the world had ever known, they found a strange peace, standing together against the end of the world.

Hinata sighed, her fingers pausing for a moment. The scarf was almost finished. She remembered the blank period after the war. Naruto had become a world hero. Crowds of admirers followed him everywhere. And she, once again, felt distant, a mere spectator. It was then that she decided to knit the first scarf. A desperate attempt to close the gap, to remind him that she was there.

But Toneri Ōtsutsuki intervened. The moon was falling, and the world was again on the brink of the abyss. And it was there, trapped in a genjutsu that wove her memories with his, that Naruto finally understood everything.

It wasn't a sudden revelation, but a cascade of realizations. He saw the little girl who wrote his name on a piece of paper. He saw the girl who gave him encouragement and faith. He saw the woman who confessed her love and faced death. He saw how every thread of his life was connected to her, even when he had been too blind to see it. The red thread of fate from the legends... for him, it had always been a red scarf, woven with the unconditional love of Hinata Hyūga.

When he broke free from the genjutsu, he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. And in the middle of an alien cave, with the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance, he finally said the words she had waited her whole life to hear.

"Hinata... the person I love... is you."

The battle on the moon was more than a fight for the planet. It was Naruto's fight for her. Every blow against Toneri was a declaration. When he finally rescued her, floating in the silence of space, the light of the blue Earth illuminating them, they leaned in towards each other. Their first kiss was not an end, but the true beginning.

Hinata tied the last knot and cut the yarn. The scarf was finished. It was long, warm, and a vibrant red, full of imperfections that made it perfect. Every stitch a memory, every fiber a feeling.

On their wedding day, as she walked towards the altar, she saw Naruto waiting for her. He wasn't wearing the scarf, but had it folded neatly on the ceremonial table beside him. Their eyes met, and in his blue gaze, she saw their entire journey reflected.

When they stood before each other to say their vows, Naruto took the scarf in his hands.

"For a long time, I searched for recognition," he said, his voice thick with emotion as he caressed the wool. "I thought if everyone loved me, I wouldn't be lonely anymore. But it took me too long to realize that one person, your person, believed in me from the very beginning. This scarf..." he lifted it slightly, "...it's not just a thread. It's every time you cheered me on, every time you worried about me, every time you saved me from myself. It's the proof that I was never truly alone. Hinata, I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to be the man you always believed I was."

Tears rolled down Hinata's cheeks as she took the other end of the scarf.

"I just wanted... to walk beside you," she whispered. "I never imagined you would be waiting for me here. This scarf was my way of trying to reach you. Now, I don't need it for that. I promise to always be by your side, not behind you. I promise to be your home, Naruto-kun."

Together, they took the scarf and wrapped it around their clasped hands, tying a symbolic knot. The red thread of fate, invisible and ethereal, had finally become tangible, binding not just their hands, but their pasts, their presents, and all of their tomorrows. The lonely boy on the swing and the shy girl behind the tree were finally home.

Note: For this story, I felt the need to reinterpret the Chunin Exams and give them my own spin. My litmus test is simple: if I made you doubt the canon, then mission accomplished! haha.

On a deeper level, this piece is a tribute to "The Last." I could talk for hours about the impact it had on me, so please consider this a small token of gratitude to that film. Thanks for reading.

Chapter Text

Day 07: RTN NaruHina

Prompt: RTN NaruHina

The Genjutsu world was a strange, twisted nightmare. Naruto walked through a version of Konoha that was both familiar and deeply unsettling. Sasuke was a smiling womanizer, Kiba hated dogs, Shino detested insects, and Sakura... well, her parents were the heroes of the village, and she carried the weight of their legacy, which made her feel alone. Everyone he knew was a distorted reflection, an opposite version of themselves.

Naruto had spent the last few hours trying to process it all, looking for a way out, a clue, anything that would lead him back home. But every corner presented him with a new oddity that left him more confused. As he wandered down a shopping street, trying to keep a low profile, a sharp voice stopped him in his tracks.

"There you are, Menma. Where the hell have you been?".

Naruto turned, and his jaw nearly hit the floor. Standing before him was Hinata Hyūga, or at least, someone who looked like her. But everything about her was... wrong. Her clothes were darker and more revealing, with a short leather jacket and a skirt that left little to the imagination. She wore dark lipstick that accentuated a predatory smirk, and the look in her pale eyes held no trace of shyness. It was a direct, possessive gaze, full of a confidence that bordered on arrogance.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" she said, stepping closer and closing the distance between them with a self-assurance that made him instinctively take a step back. "Or was that pathetic little Sakura bothering you again? I swear, if she lays a finger on you again, I'll rip out those pink hair extensions one by one."

Naruto blinked, completely bewildered. "Hinata...?".

She arched an eyebrow. "'Hinata'?" she repeated mockingly. "Since when are you so formal, you idiot? Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you." Without warning, she grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and pulled him towards her, forcing him to meet her eyes. Her face was inches from his, and he could smell a sweet, spicy perfume. "I've been looking for you. We have business to attend to." Her voice dropped to a dangerous purr.

Naruto's brain short-circuited. This wasn't possible. Hinata, the girl who would blush and poke her fingers together if he even glanced at her, acting this way? Threatening Sakura? Grabbing him like he was a rag doll? It was so absurdly contrary to everything he knew about her that for a moment he thought he was still hallucinating.

"You're not Hinata," he blurted out, more to himself than to her.

Her smirk vanished, replaced by a suspicious glare. She studied him closely, her eyes narrowing. "You're right. You're not Menma," she concluded, her tone turning cold. She let go of his jacket with a shove. "You're the other one, aren't you? The one from the other side." She crossed her arms, looking him up and down with disdain. "What a disappointment. You're much... softer. I don't see what's so special."

Naruto didn't know how to respond. He was caught in the orbit of this alternate Hinata, a version of her that made him strangely uncomfortable. She was bold, yes. Strong, no doubt. But there was something about her strength that felt... empty. It was a shell, an aggressive facade that showed nothing else.

And in that moment, as she looked down on him with contempt, the image of his Hinata flooded his mind with overwhelming clarity.

He remembered her eyes. They weren't cold and challenging, but warm and filled with a soft light, even when they were full of tears. He remembered her voice. It wasn't sharp or mocking, but a whisper that had the power to calm the storm inside him. This Hinata in front of him screamed her presence to the world, demanding attention. His had never done that. His just was, a constant, quiet presence that he, the ultimate idiot, had taken for granted his whole life.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there like a moron or what?" the Hinata of this world snapped, pulling him from his trance.

"Your strength..." Naruto murmured, unable to help himself. "It's so... loud."

She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?".

"My Hinata... she's different," he continued, his thoughts taking the form of words. "She doesn't need to threaten anyone. She doesn't need to shout to be heard. But she's the strongest person I know."

The image of Hinata facing Pain flashed in his memory. Her body was trembling, her voice was breaking, but she stood before a god to protect him. There was no arrogance in her stance, only a love so pure and vast that it gave her the courage to face certain death. That was true strength. It wasn't a display for the world, but a silent sacrifice for the person she loved.

He remembered the war. Neji had died. He was broken, lost in despair, ready to give up. And then, he felt her hand. Her touch wasn't demanding or aggressive. It was an anchor. Her words weren't commands, but a reminder of who he was, of his ninja way. She lifted him from the darkness not with shouts, but with faith.

This Hinata in front of him was like a firework: bright, loud, and quickly fading. His was like the sun: a constant source of warmth and light, there even when the clouds (his own stupidity, most of the time) prevented him from seeing it.

The Genjutsu Hinata looked at him with a mixture of confusion and boredom. "You're crazy. And you're boring. Tell Menma I'll be waiting for him." She turned and sauntered away, not looking back.

Naruto was left alone in the middle of the street, but he no longer felt lost. He felt... grounded. The strange and unpleasant interaction had opened his eyes. He had always seen Hinata as "the shy girl," a kind but blurry figure in the background of his life. He had never stopped to think about the immense strength it took to be so gentle in such a cruel world. He had never truly appreciated the difference between loud confidence and quiet courage.

This Hinata's boldness didn't attract him. It pushed him away. It made him long for the warmth of his Hinata's blush, the sincerity of her hesitant words, the unwavering strength hidden behind her kind eyes.

A small smile formed on his face. "I have to get home," he said to himself, but this time, it wasn't just a wish. It was a need.

He had to get back to his world. He had to get back to her. And maybe, just maybe, when he saw her, he would finally find the words to tell her how much that quiet strength, which had always been watching over him from the shadows, truly meant to him.

Note: While I'm not the biggest fan of Road to Ninja, its Hinata's protective attitude gave me the inspiration for this story. I'm not trying to portray her negatively, but rather to use her as the catalyst for Naruto to understand something fundamental: he doesn't need a clone, he needs a complement. Someone who won't hesitate to keep him in line.

Chapter Text

Day 08: Family Time

Prompt: Family Time

The return wasn't a heroic explosion, but a whisper. A tear in the fabric of spacetime, and suddenly, the air was no longer the static, timeless silence of the Daikokuten dimension, but the familiar scent of wood, damp earth, and the leaves of Konoha. Naruto and Hinata fell to their knees in a forest clearing, disoriented, their hearts pounding in unison from the sudden sensory overload.

"We're... we're home," Naruto gasped, looking at the Hokage Monument in the distance. But something was wrong. He saw the faces of his predecessors, his own... and next to it, Shikamaru's. "Shikamaru? Why...?"

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata's voice was a thread of tension. She had activated her Byakugan. "There are two chakras approaching. They are... incredibly powerful. And familiar."

Before they could prepare themselves, two figures appeared from between the trees. They were no longer children.

The first was a tall young man, dressed in a tattered black cloak that billowed around him. His blond hair was longer, his face sharper, and a scar ran across his right eye. But those eyes... they were the same defiant blue eyes, now laden with the weight of battles Naruto hadn't witnessed. Beside him, a young woman who was no longer a little girl. Himawari had grown tall, her figure that of a trained kunoichi, and the look in her Byakugan eyes was not of childish shyness, but of a calm and determination that reminded Hinata of her own grandfather.

"Boruto...? Hima...?" Hinata whispered, her hand over her mouth.

Time seemed to freeze. The two youths stopped, their expressions, hardened by years of struggle, cracking.

"Dad... Mom..." Boruto's voice was deeper, a rough murmur they barely recognized.

And then, the barriers broke. Hinata stood up and ran, enveloping her children in a hug that contained years of longing. Naruto followed, his arms circling all three of them, forming a ring of warmth against the cold of separation. At first, his children were stiff, their bodies unaccustomed to parental comfort. But slowly, they melted into the embrace. Naruto felt Boruto's shoulders tremble, and he heard a choked sob from Himawari.

They pulled apart, and the questions came like an avalanche.

"How long...?" Naruto asked, looking at his children, truly seeing them. The scar on Boruto's eye, Himawari's calloused knuckles. "What happened? Where's Kawaki?".

The mention of that name erased the joy of the reunion. A shadow crossed his children's faces. They looked at each other, a silent communication that spoke of a shared trauma.

"Dad, Mom... you have to listen," Boruto said, his tone turning serious. "It wasn't just yesterday that we saw you. It's been three years."

Three years. The sentence hit Naruto and Hinata with the force of a Rasengan. Three years of their children's lives, erased. Three years of growth, of pain, of triumphs... lost in a timeless void.

They sat there, in the middle of the forest, as Boruto and Himawari told them the truth. They spoke of Eida's power, Omnipotence. Of how Kawaki's wish had rewritten the consciousness of the entire world, inverting their lives, turning Boruto into the pariah and Kawaki into the beloved son of the Hokage.

Hinata wept silently, tears tracing paths down her face as she listened to the story of her son's exile, of how he was hunted by his own friends, of how he protected the village that hated him from the shadows. She watched Himawari describe her own helplessness, her frustration, and the awakening of her power in a desperate attempt to protect her brother and honor her absent parents.

Naruto said nothing. He listened, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. The Kyūbi's chakra swirled inside him, a boiling fury directed not at an enemy he could punch, but at his own powerlessness. He had spent his life protecting the village, only for his own children to endure the greatest pain while he was sealed away, useless.

"You had to carry all of this... alone," Naruto finally said, his voice cracking. He looked at Boruto, not at the child he remembered, but at the man before him. A shinobi who had survived the world's hatred and emerged with his spirit intact. "I'm sorry, Boruto. Your father... failed you."

"No," Boruto replied, shaking his head. "You didn't fail me. You taught me to never give up. That's what kept me going."

Hinata moved closer to Himawari and caressed her cheek. "My little sunflower," she whispered. "You became such a strong and brave shinobi. I'm so proud of you... of both of you."

That night, they returned to their house. They found it as they remembered it, but covered in a thin layer of dust, a silent shrine to an interrupted life. There was no grand celebration. There were no words to fill the chasm of the lost years. Instead, there was something much more important: time.

They sat in the living room, the four of them together for the first time in three long years. Hinata made tea, her movements a calming balm in the charged atmosphere. Naruto sat on the couch next to Boruto. They didn't speak of battles or strategies. Instead, Naruto simply placed a hand on his shoulder, a gesture heavy with meaning. He felt the taut muscle beneath the cloak, the strength of a man.

Hinata sat with Himawari, who told her quietly about her training, about her control of the Kyūbi's chakra that resided within her. Hinata listened, not just as a mother, but as a fellow kunoichi, seeing the reflection of her own determination in her daughter.

Later, when the children finally retired to their rooms, which seemed too small for them now, Naruto stood with Hinata in the living room, looking at the photos on the mantel. One of them was of their old family: a smiling Boruto and a tiny Himawari on his shoulders.

"We lost them, Hinata," Naruto murmured, his voice thick with a dull ache. "We missed their birthdays. Their graduations. Everything."

Hinata took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "We didn't lose them," she replied, her voice firm as steel. "They waited for us. And they became heroes while they did. Those years are gone, but look at what was returned to us. They returned a man and a woman we can be incredibly proud of."

Naruto looked at his hand intertwined with hers, and then down the hall where his children slept. The anger and regret still burned, but above them, a new emotion bloomed, overwhelming and fierce: a pride so deep it almost hurt. The Uzumaki house had been dark for three years, but that night, for the first time in a long time, the sun had risen again.

Note: This story is my take on a "what if" scenario, inspired by a doujin I translated. I am aware that canon could contradict it tomorrow, but my main goal was to explore the feelings that this situation could generate. I hope I succeeded.

Chapter Text

Day 09: Yearning or Pining

Prompt: Yearning or Pining

The war was over. Konoha was rebuilding with a speed and spirit that could only be born from newly won peace. Naruto Uzumaki was the center of that new world, the hero, the sun around which everyone orbited. He was loved, respected, and never alone again. And yet, he sighed.

They weren't sighs of sadness, exactly. They were long, deep exhales that escaped him at the most unexpected moments. They escaped him as he watched the sunset from the Hokage Monument. They escaped him in the middle of a bowl of ramen at Ichiraku, his gaze lost in the distance. They escaped him while training, letting a Rasengan dissipate in his hand without throwing it.

His friends noticed.

"He's exhausted," Choji would say, his mouth full of chips. "Saving the world must be tiring."

"It's nostalgia," Ino would suggest. "Now that everything's calm, he misses the thrill of battle."

But Shikamaru Nara, leaning against a wall with his eyes half-closed, knew they were wrong. He had been watching him for weeks. Naruto didn't sigh randomly. He sighed when he saw a family walking down the street together. He sighed when he passed the Hyūga compound. He sighed, with an almost comical regularity, whenever Hinata Hyūga was nearby or when someone mentioned her in conversation. It was a pattern so obvious it gave him a headache just thinking about it.

The breaking point came one afternoon at training ground seven. Shikamaru was trying to explain a new team formation strategy to Naruto, but it was like talking to a brick wall. Naruto was nodding, but his gaze was fixed on the far end of the field, where Hinata was practicing her katas with a fluid, deadly grace. And then, it happened. A long, melancholic sigh escaped the lips of the hero of the ninja world.

Shikamaru snapped his scroll shut. "That's it. This is too troublesome."

Naruto blinked, snapping out of his trance. "Huh? What is?"

"You. Your sighs. Your stupid-looking face every time you see her," Shikamaru said, gesturing with his chin in Hinata's direction. "You can't go on like this. You're the strongest shinobi in the world, but you're a walking disaster. It's affecting your focus."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Naruto defended, frowning. "I was just... thinking."

"Right, 'thinking'," Shikamaru scoffed. He rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture that betrayed his exasperation. "Naruto, I'm going to be blunt because subtlety is clearly lost on you. Are you aware that Hinata has been in love with you since we were kids?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "What? No... She's... she's my friend. She's nice to everyone."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes so hard he could almost see his own brain. "Being nice to everyone is not the same as standing up to a guy who just leveled the entire village to protect you. Or did you already forget the Pain invasion?"

Shikamaru's words were like a key unlocking a sealed door in Naruto's mind. Suddenly, the memory of that day hit him with a clarity he'd never had before.

He was pinned, helpless. And she appeared. He remembered his own confusion, his panic at seeing her step in. He remembered screaming at her to run. And he remembered her words, words that his brain, saturated with adrenaline and rage, had filed away as an act of a comrade's loyalty.

"I'm not afraid to die if it's to protect you, Naruto-kun. Because... I love you."

I love you.

The phrase echoed in his head, but this time, without the chaos of battle, without the roar of the Kyūbi. Just the words. Pure and terrifying in their sincerity. The surge of power he felt afterward, the transformation... had it been just for a fallen friend? Or had it been for the confessed love and sacrifice of the woman who had just been struck down before his eyes?

"She... she did say that," Naruto murmured, more to himself than to Shikamaru.

"Of course she did," Shikamaru continued, relentless. "And in the war, when Neji died and you were about to give up, who pulled you back up? Who took your hand and reminded you who you were? It wasn't Sakura. It wasn't me. It was her."

Another memory. Her hand on his. Her voice, anchoring him. The warmth of her palm, the only foothold in a sea of despair.

"Naruto, you're a genius on the battlefield. You understand complex strategies and can read your opponents in seconds. But you are the biggest idiot I have ever met when it comes to what's right in front of you. You've been sighing for months because you feel a void. And that void isn't because the war is over. It's because of her. So do something about it, because watching you like this is a real drag."

Shikamaru turned and walked away, leaving him alone with the weight of a revelation that was reconfiguring his entire life.

Naruto stood there, stunned. Every casual encounter, every blush, every time she looked down... it all took on a new meaning. It wasn't just shyness. It was a deep, constant love that had been by his side the whole time, and he had been too blind to see it.

He felt like the world's biggest fool. How had he not noticed? The girl who had always believed in him, even when he didn't believe in himself. The one who saw him as a hero long before he ever was one.

A new feeling, one that was neither gratitude nor friendship, began to bloom in his chest. It was warm, a little scary, and overwhelmingly powerful. And suddenly, he understood his sighs. They weren't from sadness. They were from yearning. Yearning for something he didn't know he was missing, but now realized he had always needed.

Without a second thought, he walked over to where she was. Hinata had just finished her routine and was wiping sweat from her brow with a towel. When she saw him approaching, with such a serious and determined expression, she became visibly nervous.

"N-Naruto-kun," she stuttered, fiddling with the edge of her towel. "Do you need something?"

Naruto stopped in front of her. For the first time in his life, he didn't know what to say. How did you even start a conversation like this?

"I... uh..." he scratched the back of his neck, his usual eloquence gone. "Shikamaru told me something."

Hinata tensed, her face paling. "Oh..."

"He told me I'm an idiot," Naruto continued, deciding honesty was the only way. "And he's right. I am an idiot. A first-class one." He looked her directly in the eye, and this time, she didn't look away. "It took me way too long to realize... a lot of things, Hinata. About you. About me."

Hinata's heart was beating so fast she was sure he could hear it.

"I don't really know how to do this," he admitted, with a sincerity that disarmed her. "I'm not good at this stuff. But... I was wondering if... if you'd like to go get some ramen with me. Not as friends. I mean, yes as friends, but... as something more. Like a date." The last word came out as a clumsy whisper.

Hinata was silent for a moment, processing his words. Then, a slow, radiant smile, one Naruto had never seen before, lit up her face. There was no trace of shyness in it, only pure happiness.

"I would love that, Naruto-kun."

That night, at Ichiraku, everything was different. They didn't sit like comrades celebrating a mission. They sat across from each other, in a slightly awkward silence at first, which gradually filled with questions. He asked her about her training, about her clan, about her dreams. She asked him about his plans, about how it felt to be the hero of the world. He listened, truly listened, and discovered an entire universe in the girl who had always been by his side.

After ramen, they walked through the village under the moonlight. And at one point, without thinking, Naruto took her hand. Her fingers were soft and fit perfectly with his. Hinata blushed, but she didn't pull her hand away. She squeezed his gently.

As they walked in that comfortable silence, Naruto realized something. He hadn't sighed once all evening. The yearning was gone. The void was filled. And all he had needed to do was stop looking at the horizon and realize that the person he was meant to spend his life with was already walking right beside him.

Note: I'm not going to lie, this was basically a self-insert. I needed to release some stress, and what better way than using Shikamaru to remind Naruto how incredibly slow he was. Consider this my personal intervention in the matter, haha.

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Day 10: The Silence After the Moon

Prompt: After the Moon Mission

The moon, now whole and safe in the night sky, was no longer a threat. It was a silent reminder. To the rest of the world, it was a symbol of a catastrophe averted. For Naruto Uzumaki, it was the beacon that had finally illuminated the blindest corner of his own heart. And that, strangely, was more terrifying than any enemy he had ever faced.

Three days had passed since their return. Three days in which Konoha had welcomed them as heroes. There were reports, meetings with the Hokage, medical check-ups, and pats on the back from their friends. Everything was loud, chaotic, and familiar. But in the quiet moments, a new kind of silence settled between him and Hinata. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but a dense one, heavy with unsaid words and a truth so new and fragile that they both seemed afraid to breathe too loudly lest it break.

They had said "I love you." They had kissed. They had, literally, saved the world together. But they hadn't talked.

That restlessness was what drove Naruto to seek her out that afternoon. He found her in the Hyūga clan's training grounds, practicing her katas. He watched her from a distance for a moment. He no longer saw just the shy girl who hid behind her bangs. He saw the kunoichi who had fought by his side on the moon, whose strength was as elegant as it was lethal. He saw the woman who had prepared to marry a monster to save her sister and the world.

He took a deep breath and approached.

"Hinata."

She stopped mid-motion, turning to him. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but her eyes did not look away. "Naruto-kun? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just... I..." he scratched the back of his neck, the clumsy gesture an anchor in a sea of unknown emotions. "I was wondering if... if we could meet later. At sunset. At training ground seven. There's something... that I need for us to talk about."

The invitation hung in the air. It wasn't an order, not a casual request. It was a plea. Hinata saw the seriousness in his eyes, a depth that went beyond his usual solar energy, and she nodded softly. "I'll be there."

When they met hours later, the setting sun bathed the training ground in shades of orange and violet. It was a place steeped in history for him: the birthplace of Team 7, the stage for reunions and farewells. The atmosphere between them was a strange mixture of happiness and an almost palpable tension. There was a new awareness of their personal space. Naruto wanted to take her hand as they walked to the center of the field, but his fingers only twitched in the air before falling back to his side. They sat on the grass, at a distance that felt both too great and too small.

The silence stretched, broken only by the chirping of cicadas. It was Naruto, with his characteristic clumsiness but with a seriousness that made Hinata's heart ache, who finally broke it.

"Thanks for coming," he said, looking at his own hands. "I feel like... if we don't talk about this now, I'm going to go crazy." He paused, searching for the words. "I need to talk about... everything."

Hinata waited, giving him the space he needed.

"The first thing is..." he sighed, and looked her in the eye. "The first thing is that I was an idiot. A complete and utter idiot. And I'm not saying that as an excuse. It's just... the truth." He made a vague gesture with his hand. "My whole life... it's been so loud. In my head, I mean. I was always thinking about getting stronger, about bringing Sasuke back, about getting people to acknowledge me. I was so focused on filling that void of being alone that... I never learned to see what was right in front of me. I never learned to understand... this." He pointed to the space between them. "An affection that doesn't scream, that doesn't demand. One that just... is."

He stopped, swallowing hard. "When Toneri trapped me in that genjutsu... it was like someone had given me a sense I never knew I was missing. It wasn't just seeing memories, Hinata. It was... feeling them. I felt the cold of that swing at the academy, but I also felt your gaze, the warmth you felt for me even then. I relived the Chūnin Exams, and I didn't just hear my own words of encouragement, I felt the determination they gave you. And… I relived the Pain invasion."

His voice cracked for an instant. "I always remembered your sacrifice. But I remembered it as the act of a brave comrade. In the genjutsu... I felt your love. It was so pure, so overwhelming... and I realized that the fury I felt, the one that unleashed Kurama, wasn't just from losing a friend. It was for you. For what you had just told me."

He ran a hand through his blond hair, frustrated with himself. "I saw all those moments. Your constant faith. And I realized that my entire life, every important step, you were somehow there, supporting me from the shadows. I was so blind."

He looked at her again, his expression desperately sincere. "But I want you to know something. My feelings now... what I feel for you... it's not gratitude. It's not a debt for everything you've done. It was born on the moon. It was born watching you stand tall, ready to fight, watching you protect Hanabi. It was born from realizing what an incredible kunoichi and amazing person you are. It's admiration. It's... it's an affection so big it scares me a little. It's a real desire to be by your side and make sure no one ever erases that smile of yours. What I said in the cave... the 'I like you'... it doesn't feel like enough anymore. I want... I want to build something with you, Hinata. If you still want to."

The monologue left him breathless, as if he'd run ten laps around the village. He had laid his heart on the table, vulnerable and exposed.

Hinata had listened to him with almost divine patience. Tears glistened in her eyes, but they were not of sadness. They were of understanding. When he finished, she didn't rush to answer. She took a soft breath, gathering her own thoughts.

"Naruto-kun," she began, her voice a firm whisper. "I never needed you to apologize for not noticing."

He looked at her, confused.

"A part of me," she continued, "was afraid. Afraid that all of this was a product of the moment. Of the crisis, of the adrenaline. I was afraid that when we returned to the calm of Konoha, you would realize you'd made a mistake." She paused, her eyes meeting his. "But my love for you was never based on the expectation of you loving me back. It was born from admiration. I admired your spirit, your ability to never give up, your smile that could light up the darkest day. For me, seeing you happy and achieving your dreams... was always enough. I never loved you so that you would love me back."

The maturity of her words left him speechless. Any lingering guilt he felt dissolved before her incredible grace.

"But now..." she said, and a hint of her new confidence shone in her gaze, "...now that you've shown me you feel the same, things have changed. I no longer want to be just a distant admirer. I want to be your partner. I want to stand by your side, as equals. I want to build that relationship you're talking about, based on trust and mutual support. I want to know the Naruto who hides behind the hero."

The tension, the doubt, the clumsiness... it all evaporated into the evening air. It was replaced by a certainty so solid and real that Naruto could feel it in his bones. She wasn't just the girl who had loved him in secret. She was the woman who understood him completely.

Slowly, as if afraid to break the sacred moment, Naruto reached out his hand. This time, he didn't hesitate. He took her hand, and their fingers intertwined as if they had been made to fit that way. The contact sent a current of warmth through them both.

"The past doesn't matter anymore," he said, his voice now calm and certain. "My whole life I've been looking back, trying to fix things. But now... I just want to look forward. With you."

He leaned toward her, and she leaned in to meet him. Their first truly conscious and calm kiss was a thousand times more powerful than the desperate one on the moon. There was no chaos, no world to save. Just the soft pressure of their lips, a taste of mint and salty tears, and the silent promise of countless tomorrows to come. It was a slow, tender kiss, a kiss that said, "I am here. I choose this. I choose you."

When they pulled apart, the last ray of sun disappeared behind the horizon, leaving the world in a peaceful twilight. They stayed like that, hands clasped, foreheads almost touching, breathing the same air. The silence had returned, but now it was different. It was light, comfortable, and filled with a shared future.

After a long moment, Naruto stood up, gently pulling her up with him. He didn't let go of her hand.

"Hey, Hinata..." he said, a trace of his old goofy smile returning to his face.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?"

"I'm hungry. Want to get some ramen?"

Hinata laughed, a crystalline sound that was like music to him. "I'd love that."

They walked back to the village, hand in hand this time for real. The lights of Konoha were beginning to flicker on, promising warmth and life. The foundation of their love hadn't been a cosmic event or a celestial battle. It had been forged over years of silent admiration and finally sealed in the promise of sharing sunsets and simple conversations. They had found their normal. And it was perfect.

Note: To be honest with you all, this day was an all-out battle for me. I have so many visions for this era that I restarted the story about four times. I tried a casual tone, then a serious one, then a mix... and nothing felt right. This is what I ended up with, and although I still have my doubts about Naruto being out of character, I felt it was the only way to express his feelings with the poetic weight I was looking for. I hope you enjoyed it more than I suffered writing it! haha.

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Day 11: The Moment It All Exploded

Prompt: College AU/Confessions

Naruto Uzumaki's university life was built on three fundamental pillars: the soccer team, discount coupons for Ichiraku Ramen, and Hinata Hyūga. The first two were negotiable. The third was not.

They were sprawled on the campus lawn, right in the middle of the main quad, enjoying a rare two-hour gap between classes. The afternoon sun was warm, and the air smelled of freshly cut grass. Naruto was lying on his back, using his backpack as a pillow, rambling on about the disastrous weekend game.

"I swear, Hina, it was a massacre. Kiba tripped over his own feet and passed the ball to the opposing forward. The opposing forward! Sometimes I think he plays for the other team," he complained, gesturing at the sky. "If I had been playing instead of being benched for that stupid yellow card..."

Hinata was sitting beside him, hugging her knees, listening to him with that patient, amused smile she reserved just for him. She had a book open on her lap, but she hadn't looked at it for the last twenty minutes. "Well, at least you scored the consolation goal," she said, her soft voice a perfect counterpoint to his chaotic energy.

"A consolation goal is useless! It's like putting a band-aid on a beheading!" Naruto sat up abruptly, frowning. "What I need right now is a giant bowl of miso pork ramen to forget my sorrows."

"I figured you'd say that," she replied, pulling a folded flyer from her bag. "There's a two-for-one deal downtown. I thought we could go after your last class."

Naruto looked at her, and a feeling of pure, simple comfort washed over him. It was that easy with her. Hinata was always one step ahead of his needs, anticipating his ramen cravings, reminding him he had to study for exams, or just listening to his complaints without judgment. He didn't have to pretend or try hard. With Hinata, everything just flowed. She was his best friend. The best, period.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he said, giving her a gentle nudge on the shoulder. "We're definitely going."

Just as he was about to lie back down, a shadow fell over them.

"Excuse me, Hinata. I hope I'm not interrupting."

Naruto squinted. Standing next to them was a guy who looked like he'd stepped out of a fashion catalog. Tall, with perfectly styled silver hair and a serene smile that Naruto found irritatingly fake. He was wearing a pristine shirt and pants that probably cost more than Naruto's entire tuition. Naruto's chaotic, vibrant energy instantly clashed with the calm, elegant aura the newcomer exuded.

"Toneri-san," Hinata said, and Naruto noticed a faint blush on her cheeks that caused a strange pang in his stomach. "No, don't worry. How are you?"

"Very well, thank you," replied the guy named Toneri, his eyes fixed exclusively on her, completely ignoring Naruto's existence. "I was just coming to confirm for tonight. Ready for our dinner? Your father recommended a French place downtown that he says is exceptional."

Naruto froze. His brain, which a second ago was happily planning an afternoon of noodles, was now working at full speed, trying to process the information. Our dinner? Your father? French? None of those words made sense in the same sentence as "Hinata." Hinata ate ramen. Hinata studied in the library. Hinata did not go to "exceptional dinners" with guys who looked like cologne models.

"Oh, yes," she replied, with a politeness that struck Naruto as forced. "I'm looking forward to it."

As Hinata spoke politely with Toneri about the time and place, Naruto zoned out. He retreated deep into his own head, and what he found there was absolute panic.

Okay, what is happening here? Since when does Hinata go out with guys like this? And why the hell didn't she tell me anything?

He felt a horrible physical sensation in his stomach, an ugly, twisting knot, as if he'd drunk a carton of spoiled milk. It was jealousy, a pure, toxic form of it, but his brain didn't label it as such. To him, it was just an intense annoyance, an irritation that itched under his skin. Who did this guy think he was, showing up out of nowhere and taking her away?

His treacherous mind began to project images. He saw Hinata sitting across from Toneri at a table with a white tablecloth and candles. He saw Toneri saying something witty, and Hinata laughing, that soft laugh he thought was his alone. He saw Hinata blushing, not from shyness, but from interest. Each image was a small stab to his ego, to his heart, to that safe place he had always taken for granted.

And then, like a lightning bolt on a clear day, the epiphany hit him.

The reason this scene was killing him wasn't because a stranger was "stealing" his best friend. It was because that stranger was taking his place.

I should be the one taking her to dinner. I want to be the one who makes her laugh like that. I want to see her blush because of something I said. Wait... do I want...?

The question didn't even need an answer. The visceral fear that followed confirmed everything. The fear of losing her, not as a friend, but as... something more. The opportunity was slipping through his fingers like sand, and he hadn't even realized he was holding it. He had been an idiot. A monumental idiot.

"Well, Naruto-kun, I have to go," Hinata's voice pulled him from his panic spiral. She was already on her feet, saying goodbye with a small smile. "See you tomorrow."

She turned to leave with Toneri. That was the trigger.

Rational thought left Naruto's body. He acted on pure instinct, a desperate, clumsy impulse. He shot to his feet and, before he could stop himself, grabbed her by the wrist.

"Wait!" his voice sounded harsher than he intended. "Don't go."

Toneri turned, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Naruto completely ignored him, his eyes locked on Hinata, his grip firm but trembling. "You can't go! Not with him!"

Hinata looked at him, completely in shock, her face shifting from surprise to confusion. "Naruto-kun, what are you doing? What's gotten into you?"

And then, the dam broke. The frustration, the panic, the jealousy, and the revelation of the last five minutes exploded in an outburst of raw, unfiltered sincerity.

"What I'm doing is that I like you, dammit!" he yelled, the sound drawing the stares of several nearby students. "I like you! And not as a friend! So no, you are not going to dinner with him!"

The silence that followed was deafening. Naruto was panting, his face completely red, belatedly realizing he had just screamed a confession in the middle of the main campus quad. The entire world seemed to shrink down to his hand still on Hinata's wrist and the echo of his own stupid words.

Toneri observed the scene: Hinata's shocked face, the terrified panic on Naruto's. A small, understanding smile played on his lips. He took a step back, a gesture of elegant surrender. "It seems you two are busy," he said, his calm voice cutting through the tension. "We'll talk later, Hinata."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving the two of them alone in the center of their own emotional wreckage.

Naruto was still holding onto Hinata, too scared to let go, too ashamed to look her in the eye. He waited for the blow. He waited for the confusion, the rejection, the laughter. He waited for her to tell him he was crazy and leave.

But instead, he felt her fingers move, turning in his grasp until they laced with his. Slowly, he looked up.

The shock on Hinata's face had vanished, replaced by an emotion he couldn't quite decipher at first. And then, a slow, absolutely radiant smile broke through, lighting up her entire face.

She looked at him, her eyes shining with a mixture of amusement and something much deeper.

"You're an idiot, Naruto," she whispered, and her voice was filled with a relief that sounded like years of waiting. "I've been waiting for years for you to figure that out."

Note: I wanted to take the opportunity to write a classic-style story. The challenge of writing this consistently is new to me, so I'm enjoying exploring these familiar themes. I may not be inventing anything, but I'm learning a lot, and for me, this experience feels completely novel. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Chapter Text

Day 12: The Case of the Perfect Bento

Prompt: Coworkers AU/Crush or Secret Admirer

The office floor of "Konoha Solutions" was divided by an undeclared cold war, an invisible line separating two completely opposite ecosystems. On one side was the "Sales Pit," a madhouse of ringing phones, victorious shouts, and a chaotic energy that emanated primarily from its star, Naruto Uzumaki. His desk was a legend, a monument to disaster crowned by a tower of instant ramen cups and energy drink cans.

On the other side, separated by a hallway and a cultural chasm, was the "Zen Zone," the Data Analysis department. It was an oasis of silence, order, and minimalism, where the only sound was the rhythmic tapping of keyboards. And at the heart of that calm, with the most immaculate desk of all, sat Hinata Hyūga.

From her spot, Hinata had a direct, albeit discreet, view of the Pit. And more specifically, of Naruto. She watched him close deals with a charisma that could sell sand to a desert, and then celebrate as if he'd won the world championship. She also watched him at lunchtime.

It was Monday, one in the afternoon. While most of the office went out for food, Naruto stretched, yawned loudly, and uncovered his lunch: a cup of pork-flavored instant ramen.

"Dude, that can't be healthy!" yelled Kiba Inuzuka from the next desk, dodging a paper ball Naruto threw at him. "You're going to turn into a giant noodle."

Sakura Haruno, the Human Resources manager whose desk was dangerously close to the epicenter of the chaos, looked up in exasperation. "Naruto, the tower of cups on your desk is already taller than the Hokage Monument. One of these days it's going to collapse and kill us all."

"I don't have time to eat properly!" Naruto defended, slurping his noodles loudly. "Success doesn't take lunch breaks, dattebayo!"

In the Zen Zone, Hinata sighed. She watched the scene with a genuine pang of concern. He worked so hard, always full of an energy that seemed inexhaustible. But she knew that even the sun needed fuel to keep shining. And that fuel couldn't just be hot water and sodium.

That night, she made a decision.

The next day, Naruto arrived at his desk, whistling an off-key tune, and stopped in his tracks. There, in the only clear space amidst his disaster, was an elegant, two-tiered bento box. He opened it curiously. Inside, the food was arranged like a work of art: perfect tamagoyaki rolls, a piece of grilled salmon, rice molded into cute panda shapes, and broccoli cut like little flowers. Next to the box was a simple note, with typewritten font to remain anonymous.

"It's important to eat well to have energy."

"Kiba, come check this out," Naruto said, his voice full of amazement.

Kiba came over, looked at the bento, and let out a low whistle. "No way! You've got a secret admirer!" His eyes gleamed with the thrill of gossip. "Naruto the walking disaster has a lunch angel!"

Naruto, ignoring the insult, tried a piece of salmon. His eyes widened. "Kiba... this... is the best food I've ever had in my life!" He devoured the rest in less than five minutes, feeling a warmth in his stomach that had nothing to do with instant broth.

From the Zen Zone, Hinata watched it all, her heart beating so fast she feared her colleagues could hear it. A small smile touched her lips. It had worked.

On Tuesday, another bento appeared, this time with chicken teriyaki. On Wednesday, with tonkatsu. Every day, a culinary masterpiece appeared on Naruto's desk, and the mystery of the "Lunch Angel" became the talk of the office.

"It has to be Ino from Marketing," Kiba theorized loudly, for the entire floor to hear. "She's always checking you out in meetings."

"Don't be an idiot," Sakura retorted, joining the impromptu investigation. "Ino doesn't have the patience to make panda-shaped rice. My money's on Tenten from Accounting. She's quiet, organized... fits the profile of a meticulous chef."

Naruto, for his part, was on cloud nine. He felt like a detective in his own romantic movie. He greeted every woman in the office with a weird smile and an intense stare, trying to catch a sign, a blush, anything that would give away his admirer. Obviously, it didn't work. He only managed to get several colleagues to request a transfer to another floor.

Meanwhile, in the Zen Zone, Hinata was in a constant state of panic. She was glad he was eating better, but she hadn't anticipated the office-wide investigation. Her routine had turned into a spy operation. She would wake up at five in the morning to cook. Then, at the office, she would wait with her heart in her throat for 9:15 AM sharp. That was the time for the Sales team's daily stand-up meeting, a meeting that Naruto, with his restless energy, never missed. As soon as the Pit was empty, she would grab the bento box and run to Naruto's desk, leaving it with trembling hands before fleeing back to the safety of her quiet department.

But on Thursday, her plan almost fell apart.

Kiba and Sakura, frustrated by the lack of clues, decided to set up a stakeout. "She's not getting away today," Kiba whispered to Sakura, hiding behind a potted plant.

Hinata, oblivious to this, waited for 9:15. She saw Naruto and Kiba head to the meeting room. It was her chance. She left the Zen Zone, bento in hand, and headed for the desk. Just as she was about to put it down, she heard footsteps.

"Damn it, I forgot my lucky pen!" It was Kiba's voice.

Panic seized Hinata. She couldn't go back to her desk; he would see her. The only possible hiding spot was a massive photocopier humming beside her. She ducked behind it, clutching the bento to her chest, her heart hammering a mile a minute. She heard Kiba rustle through the papers on his desk, curse a little, and finally find his pen.

"Got it! Now to solve this mystery!" he said before heading back to the meeting.

Hinata waited for the sound of his footsteps to fade, let out the breath she didn't know she was holding, placed the bento, and ran back to her desk, feeling like she had aged ten years.

It was Friday. The last bento of the week. Hinata was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but she was determined to complete her mission. She had confirmed on the company calendar that Naruto had an important client meeting at nine, one that would last at least an hour. It was the perfect, safe opportunity.

She waited for him to leave, looking radiant in his "important client" suit. Once she was sure the Pit was quiet, she slipped over to his desk. She placed the box, which today contained her signature dish, homemade ramen with a broth slow-cooked for hours, and smiled in relief. Mission accomplished.

She turned to return to her sanctuary, her Zen Zone. And walked straight into a firm chest.

The world stopped.

She looked up slowly and met the most surprised blue eyes she had ever seen. It was Naruto. The meeting had ended half an hour early.

They froze, inches apart. Hinata's brain completely shut down; all she could do was feel the heat rising up her neck to her face, painting it a deep red.

Naruto's gaze dropped from her terrified face, to the cloth bag she always used to carry her own lunch (which she was now holding empty in her hand), and finally, to the identical bento box resting on the tower of papers on his desk.

Naruto's mental processor, usually slow for these things, began to connect the dots with an audible whir. The concern she always showed. The way she sometimes looked at him from her desk. The incredibly good food. The anonymous note. The empty bag in her hand.

"Hinata..." he said, his voice a murmur of disbelief. "...the bento?".

Caught, with no possible escape, Hinata could only nod, wishing the earth would swallow her whole. "I... I saw you never ate well..." she stammered, her voice barely audible. "...and I just wanted to make sure you had energy... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Naruto stared at her for a long moment. Hinata braced herself for the mockery, for him to laugh at her. But he didn't laugh. Instead, a slow, genuine smile spread across his face, one that held none of his usual chaos. It was a warm smile, full of something that looked like... awe.

"So you're my lunch angel!" he finally said, his voice full of sincere joy.

He opened that day's bento, the aroma of homemade ramen filling the air. "Well..." he said, looking at the delicious food and then at her. "...this is too good to eat alone."

He looked her directly in the eye, and the world around them seemed to fade away. "Hinata, would you mind if... I took you to dinner tonight? I promise it'll be at a place that serves real food. And this time, it's my treat."

Hinata, still in shock, could only nod again, a small, trembling smile appearing on her lips.

"Yes, Naruto-kun. I'd love that."

In the distance, hiding behind the potted plant, Kiba and Sakura's jaws were on the floor. The case of the perfect bento was officially closed. And a much more interesting one had just begun.

Note: This is a glimpse into a story I imagined years ago, but which never saw the light of day because I ended up dedicating myself to translating. It's one of those "what could have been" projects. I don't think I'll ever return to it, but I'm incredibly glad to have been able to bring the core idea to life, even if it's just in a few words.

Chapter Text

Day 13: The Echo of the Kumo Incident

Prompt: Different Villages AU

The atmosphere in the Hokage's office was tighter than a bowstring about to be fired. Tsunade's knuckles were white from clenching her fists on her desk, while the ambassadors from Kumogakure, led by a stoic Darui, regarded her with a calmness that was almost insolent. The peace between the two great nations hung by a thread, threatened by border disputes and old wounds that refused to heal.

"The only solution is the summit in the Land of Iron," Tsunade said, her voice booming in the room. "A neutral dignitary will mediate the negotiations. Their security is paramount. Therefore, it will be a joint escort."

"We accept," Darui replied in his usual languid tone, which contradicted the seriousness of the situation. "Our team is already here."

The door opened, and to the absolute shock of Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi, who stood as the Hokage's guard, two Kumo kunoichi entered. One was Karui, with her red hair and combative expression. The other... the other was Hinata Hyūga.

This was not the Hinata that Naruto vaguely remembered from the Academy. This woman was tall, her posture that of a hardened soldier, and she wore the white and gray tactical uniform of a Kumo jōnin. Her long, dark hair was tied back in a high, practical ponytail, and the look in her pale Byakugan eyes was cold, analytical, and completely devoid of the shyness he associated with her name. She wore her Kumo headband with a quiet pride.

The air left Naruto's lungs. A Hyūga. A Kumo Hyūga. It was a walking insult.

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto snapped, stepping forward, unable to contain himself. The hostility in his voice made everyone tense up. "Putting a Kumo Hyūga in charge of security? This has to be a joke! What's next, an Iwa Uchiha?"

Hiashi Hyūga, present at the meeting as the head of one of the most important clans, didn't even flinch. His icy gaze passed over his daughter as if she were a stranger, a ghost in the room. Hinata, in turn, did not react. Her face remained impassive, a mask of professionalism.

"Uzumaki, shut your mouth," Tsunade ordered. "Kumo's team selection is none of your business." She turned to Darui. "The team will be small to avoid attracting attention. Konoha will send Hatake Kakashi as the tactical leader and Naruto as the main offensive power."

Darui nodded. "Kumo will send Hinata-sama as our primary sensor and tracker. Her Byakugan is unparalleled. I will accompany her."

The irony was so thick you could taste it. The dōjutsu that Kumo had tried to steal years ago was now their main asset in a joint mission with Konoha. The tension in the room was unbearable. For Naruto, it wasn't just political. It was personal. He was the son of Minato Namikaze, the Hokage who had fought to protect the village's secrets. He saw this woman not just as a Kumo-nin, but as the embodiment of a betrayal, a Hyūga who had defected or been corrupted by the enemy.

The journey began in a frigid silence. Kakashi and Darui tried to maintain a professional conversation, but the animosity radiating from Naruto was like a wall of ice. He deliberately ignored Hinata. He walked ahead of her, "accidentally" bumping her shoulder, and questioned her every observation.

On the second day, as they passed through a dense forest, Hinata suddenly stopped. "Halt," she said, her voice clear and emotionless. "I detect multiple hostile chakra signatures, three kilometers to the northeast, moving to intercept us. I suggest we take the southern route through the gorge."

Naruto snorted. "They're probably just farmers. You're trying to waste our time and take us on a longer path."

"My Byakugan does not make mistakes, Uzumaki-san," she replied, her formal tone a slap in the face.

"Naruto, trust her judgment," Kakashi intervened with his usual calm.

But before they could decide, the attack came. Kunai with explosive tags rained down from the trees. They were rogue ninja, mercenaries hired to sabotage the peace summit. The battle was chaotic. Kakashi and Darui engaged the main group, while Naruto and Hinata were forced to protect the dignitary, a frail-looking old man who trembled behind them.

They were separated from the rest, fighting back-to-back. Their styles were like oil and water. Naruto was a whirlwind of shadow clones and Rasengans, a force of mass destruction. Hinata was precise, almost surgical. She moved with the aggressive speed characteristic of Kumo ninja, but her attacks were the Hyūga's Gentle Fist strikes, each aimed at a chakra point, each movement a calculated defense.

An enemy lunged at the dignitary from Naruto's blind spot. Before he could react, Hinata spun. "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!" she shouted. A dome of blue chakra erupted around her, repelling the attacker and three others who were closing in.

The synergy was clumsy, uncoordinated, but somehow, effective. He was her hammer, she was her shield. When they finally repelled the attackers, the silence that remained between them was charged with a new, strange tension.

That night, as they camped in a hidden cave, the tension finally boiled over. Kakashi and Darui were on watch outside, leaving the sleeping dignitary and the two youths alone in the dim firelight.

"I don't get how you can wear that uniform," Naruto spat in a low voice, his frustration simmering. "I don't get how you can serve them. How could you turn your back on your clan, your village, everything you're supposed to represent?"

Hinata, who had been methodically cleaning a kunai, stopped. She set the weapon aside and looked up. The firelight danced in her pale eyes, and for the first time, Naruto saw something beyond the soldier's mask: an ancient, profound pain.

"'Turn my back'?" she repeated, her voice a frosty whisper, sharper than any shout.

She stood and walked over to him, forcing him to look at her. "You think you know what happened, don't you? You think I 'chose' Kumo. You think I'm a traitor." She paused, her calmness terrifying. "Let me tell you a story, Uzumaki-san. The story of the 'Kumo Incident' that isn't in Konoha's history books."

"Ten years ago, a Kumo ninja tried to kidnap me to steal the secret of the Byakugan. Your father, the Fourth Hokage, stopped him and killed him. Kumo, instead of admitting their crime, demanded retribution, threatening a war that Konoha, weakened by the Kyūbi's attack, could not afford."

Naruto listened, petrified by the intensity of her story.

"Kumo demanded a price for peace. A guarantee. Not the head of my uncle Hizashi, as the legend whispered in your village says. They demanded something far crueler. They demanded a member of the Hyūga main branch. A political hostage to be raised in Kumo, under the watchful eye of the Raikage, to ensure Konoha would never interfere in their affairs again. A Byakugan of their own, legally handed over."

The truth hit him with the force of a punch to the gut.

"I had no choice," Hinata continued, her voice never wavering. "I was ten years old. My father took me to the border and handed me over to the Kumo ambassadors as if I were a scroll. I was the price of peace. I was the sacrifice that my village, your village, made to save itself. Kumo did not steal me. Konoha gave me away."

She leaned in, her face inches from his. "You speak of loyalty to a village that celebrates you as a hero. I was the bargaining chip in a humiliating negotiation. So you tell me, Uzumaki-san, who am I supposed to be loyal to?"

Naruto didn't sleep that night. Hinata's words replayed in his head over and over. He, who had been an outcast, who knew the pain of being rejected by his own people, realized that her solitude was infinitely more tragic. He had been ignored. She had been sacrificed.

The rest of the journey was different. Naruto's hostility vanished, replaced by a quiet curiosity and a growing sense of shame. He started to truly watch her. He saw the way she moved, always alert. He saw the fleeting sadness in her eyes when she thought no one was looking. He saw the professionalism with which she treated Darui, and the way he, in turn, treated her with a brotherly respect. He began to see Hinata.

The final attack came a day before they reached the Land of Iron. This time, the enemy was stronger, led by a rogue jōnin with a dangerous Kekkei Genkai.

"I'll handle it!" Naruto yelled, creating dozens of clones.

"Wait!" Hinata commanded, her Byakugan already active. "The leader is hiding in the rear, channeling his chakra through his subordinates. Attacking the soldiers is pointless."

This time, Naruto listened. "So, what's the plan?"

"I need an opening. Three seconds. That's all," she said.

Naruto grinned for the first time in days. "Three seconds. You got it."

He launched an all-out offensive with his clones, a chaos of Rasengans and shouts that forced every enemy, including the leader, to focus on him. In the midst of that massive distraction, Hinata moved. She vanished from sight, a swift shadow. With her Byakugan, she traced the flow of chakra to its source, appeared behind the rogue leader, and with a single, precise strike to the base of his neck, sealed his chakra flow. The man collapsed, unconscious, and his subordinates, deprived of their power, were easily neutralized.

They fought in unison. Perfectly.

They arrived in the Land of Iron without further incident. The mission was a success. As the dignitary was received by the samurai, the Konoha and Kumo teams prepared to part ways. There was a tense moment of silence between Naruto and Hinata.

"Hinata..." he began, scratching the back of his neck. "About what I said... I didn't know."

She nodded, not looking at him directly. Her gaze was fixed on the samurai fortress. "No one knows. It's better that way for the peace."

"That 'peace' sucks," Naruto retorted with a fierce conviction that surprised her. "When this summit is over... I'm coming to Kumo. And I'm treating you to ramen. The ramen there must be terrible."

For the first time, Hinata's soldier's mask cracked. She finally looked at him, and in her pale eyes, Naruto saw a glimpse of the little girl Konoha had abandoned. A tiny, genuine smile touched her lips.

"It is terrible," she confirmed. "It's a deal."

They turned and walked in opposite directions, toward their respective delegations. But something had changed. A new thread, forged in truth and mutual respect, now bound them. It was an alliance far stronger than the fragile treaty between their villages.

Note: This day was particularly challenging. I tried to rework the main idea several times, but the inspiration just wasn't there. Unlike other times, I couldn't find an alternative route that convinced me. It's one of those chapters you struggle with until the very end. I hope that, despite everything, it's still an enjoyable read.

Chapter Text

Day 14: Chronicles of the Festival: Two Summers of Liquid Honesty

Prompt: Drunk or Alcohol/Fireworks

Part 01: Festival One - The Audacity of Hyūga

Naruto Uzumaki was sweating. It wasn't from the summer heat, which was considerable, but from a type of nervousness he hadn't felt since he faced Kaguya. This was, officially, his first big public date with Hinata Hyūga. His girlfriend. The word still short-circuited his brain.

The Konoha festival was in full swing. The air smelled of grilled squid and caramelized sugar. Red paper lanterns swayed above their heads, and the sound of taiko drums rumbled in his chest. Beside him, Hinata looked incredible in a lavender yukata with white flowers. Every time he looked at her, he felt like he forgot how to breathe.

"Are you having fun?" he asked for the fifth time in ten minutes.

Hinata laughed, a soft sound that was like music amidst the hustle and bustle. "Yes, Naruto-kun. Very much. Thank you for inviting me."

"Of course! That's what boyfriends are for!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly. He blushed instantly. "I mean... yeah, well."

They met up with the rest of the gang near the game stalls. Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Ino, Sai, Choji... everyone was there, and the teasing began almost immediately.

"Well, well! So you finally made it official!" Kiba barked, slapping Naruto on the back so hard he almost fell flat on his face. "It's about time, blockhead! I thought you'd figure it out when you were Hokage and eighty years old!"

"Shut up, Kiba!" Naruto retorted, red to the tips of his ears, while Hinata shyly hid behind his arm.

It was Kiba, of course, who led them to the sake stall. "A round for everyone!" he announced. "We have to celebrate Konoha's newest couple!"

Naruto, wanting to look cool, accepted a cup. Hinata, however, hesitated. She had never been much of a drinker. But then she saw Naruto's expectant look, the smiles of her friends. She was in a new stage of her life. She was no longer the shy girl who fainted. She was Naruto Uzumaki's girlfriend. With a determination that surprised everyone, she took a cup of amazake, a sweet variety of sake.

"To us," she said softly, clinking her cup against Naruto's.

The problem was, the festival's amazake, despite its sweetness, was much stronger than it seemed. And Hinata, determined to participate fully, drank the first one, and then a second one that Ino offered her. And that's when Naruto's world turned upside down.

The transformation was subtle at first. He noticed that Hinata's grip on his arm became firmer, less hesitant. Then, she rested her head on his shoulder, a gesture so natural and confident it took his breath away.

"Naruto-kun," she murmured against his sleeve, her voice lacking its usual tremor. "You look very handsome tonight. More handsome than everyone else here."

Naruto froze. He looked around. Kiba's jaw was open. Sakura looked like she was about to explode with laughter. "Uh... thanks, Hinata. You look... really pretty, too."

But she wasn't finished. She turned to the group. "Sakura-san, your forehead is very pretty. It's big and bright," she said with crushing sincerity. Sakura blinked, unsure whether to be flattered or offended. "And Kiba-kun," she continued, narrowing her eyes. "Akamaru smells better than you do."

Kiba let out a choked cry of indignation, as the rest of the group burst into laughter. Naruto could feel his face burning. This was Hinata? His sweet, gentle Hinata? It was as if the alcohol had deactivated her shyness filter, leaving only a torrent of pure honesty.

"I'm hungry," she announced, pulling on his arm. "Can we get takoyaki?" "Sure! Anything you want!" he replied, too stunned to say anything else. While they waited in line, she leaned into him. "Can you hold my hand? Mine feels a little lonely."

Naruto, his heart hammering, laced his fingers with hers. Her hand was warm and soft. It felt... perfect. "And now," she whispered, bringing her face close to his, her pale eyes shining under the lantern light, "I want to kiss you."

stopped working. He was used to being the bold one, the impulsive one, the one who took the lead. Now, he felt like a nervous schoolboy, completely at the mercy of this fascinating and terrifying version of his girlfriend. He stammered something unintelligible, red as a tomato, while Ino and Sakura cheered them on from a distance.

"Hey! Knock it off!" he yelled at his friends. "We're going to find a better spot to watch the fireworks!" He grabbed Hinata's hand and practically dragged her away from there, climbing up the village rooftops until they found a quiet spot with a perfect view of the night sky.

Just as they arrived, the first firework exploded overhead, a giant golden peony that lit up their faces. "Wow..." Naruto breathed, amazed.

But Hinata wasn't looking at the sky. She was looking at him. "Naruto-kun."

He turned to look at her, and before he could say anything, she grabbed him by the front of his yukata, pulled him in, and kissed him.

It wasn't like their other kisses. This one wasn't shy or hesitant. It was a kiss full of confidence and passion, a kiss that claimed him, that left him breathless and weak in the knees. When they finally pulled apart, she laughed, a happy, free sound.

"I love you," she murmured, resting her forehead against his chest.

Naruto wrapped his arms around her, holding her as the fireworks exploded above them in a symphony of color. He looked at the sky, then at the woman laughing softly in his arms. He realized, with a certainty that hit him like a Rasengan, that he was totally, absolutely, and irrevocably lost for this woman. For all facets of her. The shy one, the brave one, and especially, the bold one.

Part 02: Festival Two - The Sentimentality of Uzumaki

A year later, the summer festival felt different. From Hinata's perspective, it was better. The nervousness of the previous year had been replaced by a comfortable familiarity. Holding Naruto's hand as they walked through the crowd was no longer a terrifying dream, but her reality, one that felt as natural as breathing.

They met up with their friends, but this time, after the initial greetings and jokes, Naruto leaned into her. "Hey, do you mind if we slip away for a bit? Just the two of us."

Hinata smiled. "I'd love to."

Tonight, Naruto was in an especially good mood. He had just successfully completed an A-rank mission, the festival was in full swing, and most importantly, he was there with her. His happiness was palpable, a golden energy that enveloped her.

When they passed the sake stall, he was the one who insisted. "Come on, Hina! A cup to celebrate!" he said, beaming. "This is the best night of my life!"

Hinata laughed, remembering last year's incident. "Alright, but take it easy, okay?"

Naruto did not take it easy. He drank the first cup with gusto. And the second, while telling an exaggerated story from his mission. And the third, just because. Hinata watched the transformation with a mixture of amusement and tenderness. If alcohol turned Hinata into a bold force of nature, it turned Naruto into a giant, sentimental kitten.

First, he got clingy. He refused to let go of her hand, and every few steps he would stop to wrap his arms around her waist, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. "You smell like flowers," he mumbled against her skin. "You always smell so good."

Hinata felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Naruto-kun, people are watching."

"I don't care," he replied, holding her tighter. "I want everyone to know you're the best."

Then, the level-100 honesty began. Naruto's internal monologue, normally a chaos of ramen and training plans, turned into a verbal torrent of affection that left her speechless.

"Hinata..." he said, stopping to look at her with glassy eyes full of overwhelming sincerity. "You're so amazing... How are you even real? Sometimes I think I'm dreaming, and I'm going to wake up in my old apartment all alone."

"You're not dreaming," she assured him, stroking his cheek.

"I love you so much it hurts sometimes, you know?" he continued, his voice cracking a little. "Right here. In my chest. It's like my heart is gonna explode." He brought her hand to his chest to let her feel the frantic beat. "And don't tell anyone I'm crying a little," he whispered, wiping away a stray tear. "It's just... I'm so happy."

Hinata felt her own heart swell with love. To see the hero of Konoha, her personal sun, reduced to this ball of pure, vulnerable affection, a feeling he reserved only for her, was the most precious gift she could imagine. Calmly, she took on the role of caretaker. She bought a bottle of water and made sure he drank. She guided him gently through the crowd, shielding him from being jostled, enjoying his continuous murmurs about how pretty she was and how lucky he felt.

"I know a good place to see the fireworks," she said finally.

She led him to the same quiet rooftop from the year before. They sat, and he immediately leaned against her, his head on her lap, looking up at the sky. He was quieter now, an occasional soft hiccup escaping him. When the grand finale began, lighting up the night with dozens of simultaneous explosions, he sat up.

He turned, looked at her with a seriousness that cut through the haze of the alcohol, and took her face in both his hands. His thumbs stroked her cheeks.

"Hinata..." his voice was a rough whisper, but every word was heavy with weight and promise. "I'm going to make you the happiest woman in the world. Happier than anyone. That's a promise of a lifetime, you understand?"

Tears now welled up in Hinata's own eyes, but they were of pure happiness. She leaned in and kissed him softly, a kiss that tasted of sake and forever promises.

"You already do, Naruto-kun," she whispered against his lips. "You already do."

They held each other, the lights of the fireworks reflecting in their eyes, two summers, two festivals, and a liquid honesty that had only served to confirm what their hearts already knew. They were exactly where they were supposed to be.

Note: This chapter gave me a ton of inspiration. The idea of seeing them drunk gave me so much to work with that I had to separate it into two parts. And I'll admit it: I think Hinata's joke about Akamaru is brilliant, haha! I hope the streak of ideas continues over the next few days.

Chapter Text

Day 15: Fox and Moon - Behind the Scenes

Prompt: Music Video

The film set was a glorious chaos. Thick cables snaked across the floor like serpents, technicians shouted orders over the hum of generators, and the smell of hairspray and burnt coffee hung in the air. In a corner, feeling incredibly small and out of place, was Hinata Hyūga. She watched with wide eyes as Naruto Uzumaki, or as the rest of the world knew him, "Naru-K," the frontman of Japan's biggest J-Rock band, "Akatsuki Rising," held court.

Right now, he was the personification of his public image. He was laughing loudly with the lighting crew, his blond hair defying gravity, and the leather jacket with a nine-tailed fox painted on the back looked like a second skin. He was magnetic, rebellious, and absolutely terrifying. Hinata clutched the skirt of her costume, wondering for the thousandth time how she had agreed to this.

"Alright, people, quiet on set!" shouted the director, a silver-haired man named Kakashi, who seemed oddly relaxed amidst the madness. "Scene 3B, take one. Rain, neon, and angst. Action!"

Instantly, an artificial rain began to fall, drenching the fake alleyway. Neon lights flickered, painting everything in red and blue. The scene was intense: Naruto was supposed to corner Hinata against a brick wall, his eyes pleading with her not to leave him.

The moment Kakashi yelled "Action!", Naruto transformed. The loud, boisterous guy vanished, replaced by the "Fox" from the song. His gaze turned fierce and desperate. He moved on her, not roughly, but with an energy that took her breath away, and pressed her back against the wall. The chemistry was electric. His blue eyes devoured her, and she, being the professional she was, responded. Her own panic morphed into the "Moon's" compassion, her eyes filling with a fearful empathy.

"And... cut!" Kakashi yelled. "Perfect! That's gold, kids!"

The illusion shattered as quickly as it had formed. The instant they heard the word "cut," Naruto jumped back as if he'd been burned. His face, which seconds ago was a mask of torment, turned a deep shade of red.

"S-Sorry! Did I grab you too hard? Are you okay?" he asked, his voice losing all its rock-star gravel. "Is the rain too cold? We should get you a towel! Great job, Hyūga-san, you were amazing!"

Hinata, equally flushed, shook her head as an assistant draped a towel over her. "N-no, it was perfect, Uzumaki-san. You too. It was... very convincing."

The awkwardness between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The crew, used to these transitions, simply continued their work around them.

The day progressed in a series of these strange cycles of passion and panic. For a slow-motion shot, they sat back-to-back on the damp ground. The script said Naruto was to reach for her hand and slowly intertwine their fingers. On camera, the gesture was intimate and full of longing. It looked like their very souls were touching.

"Cut!"

They both snatched their hands back instantly, as if they'd received an electric shock. "Sorry!" they said in unison, before looking away, blushing.

During a fifteen-minute break, Hinata hid in a quieter corner to go over her scenes. It was then that she heard Naruto's voice, coming from the other side of a set panel. He was talking to his manager, a kind man named Iruka. Hinata braced herself to hear talk of parties, tours, or groupies.

"...and then in that movie, 'The Silent Garden,' the way she conveyed all that grief without saying a single word! It was brilliant, Iruka-sensei! The cinematography was a bit pretentious, but her performance was next-level."

Hinata froze. She realized two things simultaneously. First: Naru-K's "bad boy" image was the biggest sham in music history. Second: the most famous idol in Japan, Naruto Uzumaki, had not only seen her obscure, melancholic indie drama, but he'd liked it. This, somehow, made her even more nervous, but in a different way, one that felt strangely warm.

Later, during the lunch break, the truth solidified. While the crew enjoyed fancy catering with sushi and salads, Hinata couldn't find Naruto anywhere. Finally, she spotted him. He was hidden behind a production truck, hunched over and happily slurping from a cup of instant ramen.

When he looked up and saw her, he choked on his noodles and turned bright red. "Ah! Hyūga-san!" he coughed, trying to hide the cup behind his back. "I... it's to warm up! It's been a damp day!"

Hinata couldn't help it. A small, shy smile touched her lips. "It looks delicious, Uzumaki-san."

Finally, it was time for the last scene of the day. The climax of the video. The kiss. The set was tense and quiet. Kakashi approached them. "Alright, kids. This is the end. The Fox and the Moon finally connect. It's their only moment of peace in the storm. I want it to be desperate, but tender. A kiss that feels like a safe harbor."

Naruto and Hinata stood opposite each other under a soft spotlight, mortally nervous. This wasn't like holding a hand or pinning someone against a wall. This was different.

"And... action!" Kakashi whispered.

The rock ballad began to play softly on set, filling the space with its melancholic notes. Naruto raised a trembling hand, just as they'd rehearsed, and brushed it against Hinata's cheek. Her skin was impossibly soft. She closed her eyes, her breath hitching. He leaned in, his heart pounding so hard he was sure the boom mics were picking it up.

The kiss started as a performance. It was slow, professional, a soft meeting of lips. But then, something changed. The accumulated off-camera awkwardness and the repressed on-camera passion converged at that single point of contact. The kiss became real.

Naruto instinctively deepened it, and Hinata, instead of pulling back, responded. Her hands came up to frame his face. They were no longer the Fox and the Moon. It was Naruto kissing the girl he secretly admired, and Hinata kissing the boy who had turned out to be so much more than she ever imagined. The kiss grew longer, deeper, and more genuinely desperate than any director could have asked for.

They got lost in each other, forgetting the cameras, the crew, the fake rain. It was just the two of them, in their own silent universe.

"...And... cut!" Kakashi rasped, letting the moment stretch a few seconds longer than necessary. "Perfect, kids! We got our shot!"

The spell was broken. The crew burst into applause. The shoot was over. Naruto and Hinata slowly pulled apart, both trembling, completely flushed, and unable to look each other in the eye.

After a silence that seemed to last an eternity, Naruto scratched the back of his neck, his genuine, signature gesture, not the idol's studied one.

"Hey... Hinata-chan..." he said, testing the name in a low voice. "Can I call you Hinata-chan?"

She nodded shyly, still not daring to look at him.

"Well... about that last take..." he continued, his voice a nervous murmur. "Uh... do you think we could... rehearse it again? But without the cameras. Maybe... over some ramen? The real kind, this time."

Hinata finally looked up. She saw the real Naruto, clumsy, blushing, and hopeful. And a small, genuine, crystalline laugh escaped her lips.

She nodded again. And that was the best take of the whole day.

Note: I was very happy with how this one turned out. The problem is, I liked it too much. I always debate whether to leave these ideas open-ended or develop them, but getting attached to a plot is dangerous. It's not for a lack of desire to write more, it's for a lack of hours in the day! Haha.