It's 2am and soda cans are scattered on the floor.

Stridulous noises repeatedly stamp the room's walls, sharp gun shots and broken breaths leaking through the TV's speakers. Bursting their ears.

Naruto and Kiba are both sat down, cross legged, on the very used sofa of Kiba's living room. Controllers in hand, they play those games that basically consist of killing and dying. Of guns, riffles, ammo and grenades. Of tactics, strategy, runs and sharp eyes.

It's 2am and Naruto can feel colors exploding in his brain.

The room's sole source of light is the TV screen. Showcasing cold hues, values barely alternating, the game's tones do not complement the boys' skin-tones very well. Warm and tan, hot and loud. While the game was indeed loud, it was nothing next to warm and hot. Cold bodies and the will to survive – to win, and perhaps to kill – were predominant.

They've been playing for hours now. After Naruto got out the bathroom, gray sweatpants on, Kiba suggested eating a quick thing before eventually sleeping. So, as they were talking, trying to make up for the time they had spent away from each other, Kiba put something on the fire. Boiling water, in which he would then drop some stiff spaghetti.

"You like spicy things? Or you're a coward?" said Kiba, hot sauce secured in his left hand. Eyes daring.

"Yeah, why? Wanna go on a contest? See, I'm not childish enough to–"

"Don't care. Didn't ask. Plus I would win anyway. Just gonna pour some into the spaghetti 'cuz in no way am I eating bland white pasta with ketchup just 'cuz your ass can't handle spicy stuff." he says, as he shoves a spoon in the hot sauce bottle.

Naruto squirts his eyes. "If you don't care about my answer anyway, then why ask?"

"Well, because then I'd just make a spicy portion for myself and you'd just have to deal with whatever the fuck reminds. Instead of, y'know, mixing all the shit together – which is easier to do."

Meh, fair I guess.

So they ate. The thing was indeed spicy, but legit that was the only way food was really supposed to be. Have some flavor, for real. Season your goddamn dishes.

There's not enough space for a table in Kiba's kitchen – it's too cramped. Compressed. The eating space is basically wherever you want to eat – at least it's this way for Kiba. He doesn't want anyone to consume anything on his bed, in his room. But y'know, from the way the house looked when they first entered it – bags of potato chips and shit on the floor like a goddamn carpet –, Naruto would bet 85 dollars that the boy didn't give a damn about the cleanliness (is that a word?) of his apartment.

There's this folding table in the living room, set behind the used couches. Very close to the wall – could lean on it while eating. That's what he did. They put their plate on it and settled on the creaking chairs.

Kiba points his fork to Naruto's face. "In what kinda uni' you in again? Mh?"

Naruto stabs the pasta with his own stained fork. As it dances in the warm spaghetti, twirling and twirling, he mumbles an answer. "Doing programming, shit for games and all. It's cool."

"Mh." He scrutinizes his features, munching, tongue tasting. "Never asked you this before but, where you got the money for uni'?"

"It's a public one. Living off scholarships though. And the job at Teuchi's." The fork's aluminum squeaks on the white plate.

"How you got in there though? Don't remember you being a perfect student when we were in high school." He says, slightly smirking. Doubtful of Naruto's capacities? What?

"Hey, don't remember you being a perfect student either." Naruto's eyebrows furrow.

"Yeah, but at least I tried." Kiba growls back, suddenly defensive. "These kinda schools you in require good ass grades. Only smart, four eyed people really be understanding these kinda things."

Yeah, definitely doubtful of his capacities. He thought he was a scam or sum'?

"Hey, I'm not dumb okay. I might have been turbulent as shit, but I wasn't dumb." Naruto interjects, frustration growing. He wasn't a fool. Just because he got into fights and was – somehow – always in some adult's office in his school days didn't mean shit. "This informatics stuff I understand, 'cuz I've always been into it. Also, you've got no right to judge, because you didn't really care about what others did anyway. You were either working in the garage with the bulky guy, delivering pizzas, studying aimlessly at the library, or seducing chicks."

"Keh." Kiba doesn't answer. He just shoves a considerable amount of spaghetti in his mouth and keeps it shut.

Little silence sequence.

Naruto reads the dialogue sheet again.

"It's Iruka." Naruto puts his fork down, laying it in the puddle of mingled spaghetti. He turns and positions himself just right to let his back rest on the wall. It wasn't such a bad idea to put the table right next to the wall. Cool. "He's the one who forced me to take school seriously and stuff. Remember when we used to do crazy shit in physics class? Thought that was funny and all – still kinda is – but the thing is dangerous. And like, I know that nobody gon' hire a guy like me without a sufficient file y'know. Gotta back up my case, you know I don't look presentable in the professional fashion."

Kiba clicks the soda can's cap open, gaz escaping and filtering the air like a corrupt miasma. He sips it like a desperate alcoholic gulping down liquor. More, more, until the body gives up. "You doing fine? Yo' grades and all." His eyes sharpen. Triangular. More like angular.

"Yeah. I'm kinda failing in the stuff I don't enjoy, like GUIs and algorithms are fine and all but the–"

"Ok, ok mister I-know-it-all. I deliver pizzas, repair vehicles and play guitar in my free time, so all your technical stuff can be kept to your fucked up mind – not mine." Kiba snarls, tongue sharp.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto sighs, picking up his fork yet again. Millionth time. "Basically mainly failing but barely keeping it up." His throat feels like muddy water.

"Meh. Fuck school basically."

Yeah. Fuck school.

Naruto's mouth is muddy. Muddy water.

He breathes in.

"Why you askin' so many questions though?" The question leaves Naruto's mouth with ease, yet it tears something apart in Kiba's eyes. His ears feel a distortion in the air. The kind of distortion that leaves you feeling mashed up. "You've never been this interested in my professional path – career? I don't know – so why bother now?" Naruto truly wanted to know. Why now? It's been now close to a year and a half since he joined that uni. Why did his interrogations arise only now?

Kiba takes the plate, its border in hand. Firm grip. He stands up. "Just curiosity. Never had the opportunity to ask you, 'cuz like, never cared enough before, and when we meet up with the guys it's always to fuck something up or have fun."

He buries his stare in Naruto's eyes. Strong. Or defensive.

Bracing up.

"I don't care anyway." He says then, leaving.

Or, 'I don't have no ulterior motive so don't question my weird upbringings.' That's what his lips really said. While his eyes built walls between them, Naruto knew that there always was a creek in the wall. No construction work is perfectly secure.

Nothing is perfectly opaque.

As Kiba heads to the kitchen, Naruto says "Just say you wish you were in uni' and go bro." He smirks.

Here he comes.

"I don't want to go to uni'! I have my money, my flat, I can sleep late. Who wants to have a fucking education in something they don't give a fuck about." Defensive. He can hear him through the kitchen's thin walls.

"Yeah yeah. Well, I love what I do and it's a good ass education. You're just mad imma have a degree, qualifications and shit while you be working in that garage forever with that bulky guy." Naruto stands up, laugh tickling his throat, plate in hand. He follows Kiba's path to the kitchen.

"Don't care. Didn't ask. Plus I have more money than you so I win anyway." Kiba snarls back at him, plates clinking in the dirty sink.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto cackles.

That's how it went down.

The plates' borders, clean of dirt, hot sauce and grease, contrast with the cacophony of red hues staining their centers. A crime scene. A murder. Like organs scattered on a floor, remaining single spaghettis similar to shattered limbs sprinkled all over a carpet.

Disgust arises.

But the red – it's warmth – mingles with the colors spurting in Naruto's mind.

And somehow.

The mess feels good.

Now the mind runs aimlessly in the shooting game.

Now they run, shooting the virtual bodies down.

Naruto's ear drums catch the beat his character's shoes create. The floor – sharp sand – dusty. Acute. Cuts his ears.

He loves the feeling.

They're sitting in those used couches. They feel comfy somehow. New and fancy doesn't mean comfy anyway, right?

It's 2am and soda cans are scattered on the floor.

The soda cans. Are scattered. They are scattered.

The sounds. They scatter too. Of the TV, you know.

They're separating. But they still are so loud. So loud.

It's 2am and Naruto can feel colors exploding in his brain.

And he doesn't know why. But fuck.

He likes loud.

He likes scattered. Stuff.

He likes messy.

He can't go to fucking sleep.

His jaw – it fucking hurts.

Like, the back of his mouth. The big ass teeth – the ones that grow when you're old enough to fuck up and be held accountable for your shitty actions.

His tongue sits so weirdly in his mouth. It feels so cramped in there. It's so uncomfortable. He feels like his tongue is so thick, so much so that it's pushing his teeth from the inside.

It hurts.

It's uncomfortable.

He can't stop clenching his jaw. Like, what the fuck. And his mind – it's like it won't shut up. It's so loud. Like, he can't close his eyes without seeing wild shit.

He likes loud – but fuck this is too loud.

The screams – the colors and concepts and shit – are too loud.

Everything goes so fast.

He just wants to fucking sleep.

His eyes are burning.

It's 4:27.

The shuttlecock flies above the heads.

Her opponent sends it back full force to her, and she's unable to respond.

It crashes at her feet.

"Hinata!" The coach shouts in her direction. There's annoyance in her voice – she can feel it – and it makes her flinch. The tiny woman, brown ponytail and gray tracksuit on, skitters to her side. "Your strikes are not strong enough. See," She takes her arm by the elbow, opening it large.

Her fingers touch the material of her cloth, bodies pressing on bodies. She feels it. It's close.

"You have to open your body more. You're too hunched up on yourself."

Hinata gulps down. She nods.

All she can do is nod. Because she's right, and she knows it.

She feels naked.

Opening up.

"You see, if you open your arm wide when striking, the shuttlecock will go straight to your opponent with much more vivacity. That's why she can read you so easily, because when you strike, it takes too much time to reach her. So she has time to react. Understood? Now, look–"

Her directions disappear in the distance. It's as if her words get all mushed up, not reaching her ears. Hinata can only see her mouth move in confusing gibberish.

Her hand is still on her elbow, giving instructions, opening her limbs wide.

Hinata cannot perceive her words. She can only feel her skin brushing against hers. Her hands on her body, reaching for something. Hinata doesn't feel comfortable.

Hinata feels naked.

"Okay?" The coach's stare. It's strong. It's on her body. Face? "You understood all that?"

She takes a breath in. "Y-Yes…" Hinata grips the racket harder, bringing it closer to her torso. Closing her body. Again. Like always.

"Okay, I count on you!" She gives her a quick smile before scampering to the other side of the gymnasium, meeting other students to help and evaluate.

Hinata is left all alone, her opponent waiting on the other side of the net. She feels trapped.

She gets ready to start the set, shuttlecock adjusted on top of the racket. She breathes in, breathes out.

But she feels so so bad.

Hinata straightens up. She walks to her opponent's side, steps quick, eyes apologetic.

"I'm- I'm sorry but, I- I want to go to the toilet." Her voice is quivering, the stammer killing her thread of speech. She bows slightly. Perhaps overly apologetic.

Maybe not.

"Ah, it's okay, don't worry." She takes the shuttlecock from Hinata's hands. "I'll find another partner in the meanwhile." She smiles.

"T-Thank you."

She walks away, looking for a partner to spar with.

Hinata feels bad. She probably annoyed her. Not only is she weak and bad at badminton, but on top of that, she leaves her partner all alone. She just made her lose time. She's sure she dislikes her now. She acted like it was nothing, but Hinata was sure that she was annoyed. She was sure. It was sure.

She can feel eyes on her. Multiple.

She feels like a huge sack of raw meat in a sea of wolf.

She feels so bad.

So so bad.

They're staring. She was sure.

It was sure.

Hinata walks hurriedly to the bathroom.

The bathroom is – thankfully – not very far away from the main room of the gymnasium. A couple speedy steps away from the entrance's door.

And boom. Already arrived in the tiled room.

She closes the door behind her.

Here, the walls are close relatives aching for contact, and as every second passes, Hinata feels like they get closer and closer to her body. Toilets are framed by those dirty enclosures they add in order to give a semblance of privacy. Even though the fluids escaping their bodies make embarrassing sounds upon meeting the used water. Even though the gossips told in whispers resonate on the cold tiles, repeated in echos to the ears behind the doors.

There is no privacy.

Hinata walks up to the toilet bowl, flipping the lid up. Mouth open. Ready.

She feels like vomiting.

She feels like vomiting but nothing comes out of her mouth.

Nothing comes out of her mouth but her skin is crawling.

Her skin is crawling and she feels terrible.

She holds her hair in her shaky right hand, a few strands escaping from her fragile grip. Man, she felt like her stomach was pulling tricks on her. Twisting and turning. As silly as it may sound, she really wanted to let it all out. She knew that once it was done – she knew that once the hurt spilled from her quivering lips, escaping her ridicule body, it would be over. It would feel better. Her body.

But she couldn't. She couldn't bring herself to lash out. To spill.

It was like the hurt was stuck in the back of her throat. Buried, not ready to meet the harsh reality of the world. Not ready to meet the cold and livid toilet bowl.

It was always like that. It was always stuck. It was always bothering her to no end.

Hinata gags and gags, but nothing comes out. Just overall disgust. The taste of rotten roasted chicken spreading on her tongue.

She loosens her grip on her hair, strands of indigo spilling on her shoulders like an autumn downpour. She finally lets herself relax on the filthy tiles beneath her. Melting.

Fleshed out. She is.

"This is ridiculous..." She manages to say– to whisper. She gulps down. Tries to make the gruesome taste fade out.

Pushing the floor, keeping it away from her, she manages to stand up. Wobbly legs, still, but up, at least. Her hands were now twinning with the darkness of the floor. It had stained her, but she already felt stained, so who really cared.

The toilet's door closes behind her as she walks to the sink in an attempt to get the dirt off her hands. She doesn't even dare glance up. She knew the reflection on the mirror would make her feel beyond horrible. She could feel her bangs sticking to her forehead, and she knew that the hair on top of her head was frizzy.

Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Sike. Say sike right now please. What kind of situation was this? She puts her hands on either part of the sink and sighs. The desperate sigh is sucked up by the hole in its center, that hole that sucks up anything, really. Hinata would pity herself if she saw her own body from an external point of view.

Thursday and Friday turn out to be horrible days because of what happened that evening, so she ends up sleeping very little, which means she also ends up waking up late, which also means that she pays little to no attention to her morning classes. What a horrible way to end a week. And, on top of that, she ends up running away from her badminton class to hide in the bathroom because she feels like vomiting. No, not just feeling like it, but wanting it.

It's almost laugh inducing at this point.

She really wish she didn't go that family meeting.

Let's leave. Staying in here won't do much other than tempting her to look at her own saddening reflection.

She leaves the bathroom with uncertain steps, still hiding behind the curtain of her hair. Walking to the locker room, she is surprised to see several girls changing their clothes. Did she spend so much time in the bathroom that the class had ended without her even realizing it? One of them, skinny with short brown hair, looks at her as she pulls her jeans up her slender legs.

"Ah! Hinata! You're finally back." She smiles at her. She buttons her jean, closing the zipper. "The teacher was wondering where you'd went."

"Oh." That's right, the teacher. "I was just in the bathroom. I had a... belly ache, all of the sudden..." Hinata had just realized it now, but she did flee out of the gymnasium's main room hurriedly. She didn't even notice the teacher about it. "Maybe I should tell her and apologize..." Hinata mutters, already feeling pretty guilty.

"Ah, don't worry about it!" Hinata looks at the voice's beholder. It was the classmate that was sparring with her earlier. "I told the teacher you went to the bathroom. Sorry though, I did it just now when she was asking about you. Was too entranced by the match I was in." She laughs nervously, scratching the back of her neck in an embarras Oh my, that is one motion that looks way too cute on a certain boy… Hinata can't help herself but see the resemblance between the both of them. Maybe she saw glimpses of Naruto everywhere way too much for it to be considered healthy. Aah, now she felt embarrassed.

"I was the one who was careless about it, I should've told her myself before storming out. S-Sorry." Hinata slightly bows, apologetic.

"Eeeh, don't worry about it! It's nothing, for real." The girl waves her hands left and right in a hectic pattern, that 'really, really, I don't mind' look plastered on her face.

A tall girl with tanned skin and dark hair smiles in their direction as she picks up her bag, ready to leave. "We all know how much of a cutie Hinata is. She apologies way too much," she says, approaching her. "You're too kind for this world."

A few girls agree with her, beaming at each other, while the others are too busy putting on their bra or tidying up their hair to notice the sweet exchange. Hinata is way too embarrassed to answer, her 'thank you's getting scrambled up in her mouth. This girl really was intimidating – but in a good way. Hinata's petite and fragile figure was no match against her toned and tall one. Maybe she had a thing for these kind of girls.

Come to think of it, several girls in the room had such pretty bodies. Hinata doesn't really like to prey on people, but she can't help herself but to steal a few glances at them. Light eyes shy behind her bangs, she notices the flat bellies, the elegant curves and the slender legs. The envy she feels cannot be stopped from growing in her. She hugs her own body in response.

What is she doing? She should leave instead of acting in such a creepy way.

As the locker room continues to empty itself, voices resonating more and more on the walls, Hinata picks up her own bag, not bothering to change her clothes, leaving. She could just shower in her own house when she'd arrive there. It was kind of windy outside, and if she showered here, she'd surely catch a cold once past the entrance door. And it's not like she did sweat a lot. She didn't really give her all in PE generally, and today was so obviously out of the question. Hinata just hoped she'd have the resolve and the strength to shower. Because, you know…

Sometimes even daily tasks get too hard to be completed with ease.

And it's not like the gymnasium's shower were the cleanliest.

When the students finally walk out the stern building, wind is blowing. It is the cold days of a closing autumn. November's nose peaks through the layers of time, and Hinata can already tell harsh winter months are coming for them. She clutches her coat, bringing it closer to her body. Okay, maybe she should've wore her jeans and big sweater after all. While this ample burgundy tracksuit was comfortable, it did let wind penetrate the material very easily, cold air wrapping her body effortlessly. And you know, that was not very welcomed in such chilling weather.

Hinata, as usual, shoves her earphones in her ears. Music clogs the mind and keeps the thoughts away, it is thus essential to any journey, no matter how short it may be. She could be just walking down the street to get to the local bakery, she'd always have some kind of music accompanying her. She felt lonely and everything seemed all too quiet without music. So it was indeed a must.

Some fellow classmates wait at the bus stop with her, but she doesn't interact with them. She just keeps quiet, sometimes overhearing their conversations but not paying much attention to them. Not only is she too caught up in the slow music playing in her ears to care, but the topics of their discussions usually revolve around either personal things, homework or future projects. Hinata did not want to start freaking out about homework in the middle of the street when she was already too stressed out about… personal problems.

To avoid such thing, Hinata created a playlist of relaxing and melancholic songs to listen to in order to slacken her anxious thought process. A guy that went with the name of Haruno uploaded pretty songs on YouTube. She had found him a couple of months ago, and it always felt nice to listen to him from time to time. The slow, sad notes fitted her current state of mind pretty well too.

The bus arrived a little bit late, but who really was surprised? It was rather empty at this hour. 4PM. It's usually packed around 5 to 7PM, when every working individual leaves their work place to find comfort in their houses. Public transports in general were chaotic around these hours anyway.

When they climb in, half a dozen seats are available, thus each person finds a home for their behind to rest. And after an energy consuming session of badminton, it sure is welcomed.

Happy to find it empty, Hinata sits at her usual spot at the front of the bus. She steals a couple glances outside the thick window of the vehicle, before taking her phone out of her pocket.

As she looks for the upcoming song she's going to play, she receives a text message.

hey hinata! you ready for tomorrow?

From Naruto at 4:31PM

Wait. What?

Eh?

Naruto?!

First Hanabi, now Naruto? W-What did they all have with sending crazy texts while she was in the bus?! Oh my… and a pic is attached to the text! Now that was certainly making her heart beat a million times faster! W-Wait… Should she answer right away? Or wait a bit? Will she seem a bit silly if she replies now? But it's like– Why was she worrying about that anyway? Just open the thing Hinata!

So she taps the notification.

Albeit with a shaky hand.

Turns out the pic is a selfie of Naruto surrounded by cooking utensils and an overall messy kitchen. He is doing the V sign with his right hand – which is held near his face, grin wide and eyes nothing but crescents. She notices how is hand is very covered in flour, and how the white apron he is wearing is stained with red and yellowish spots.

Her heart is beating fast.

He was…

Cute.

Hinata hides her face behind one hand. She is blushing. And for what exactly? It's just a picture. It's just a picture.

Right?

But still, she can't help but to be enamored with his smile.

With him.

Ok, Hinata… Now what? What do you answer?

'Oh sir, your smile is so captivating it has led my heart to beat a million times faster!'

No, no. Certainly not.

Think, think… If it was Ino, Hanabi or Sakura that texted you, sending a similar pic, what would you say?

Mmmh…

She ponders the question for a bit, before typing out her answer, unable to suppress the smile spreading on her face.

Hello Naruto. Yes, I am ready for tomorrow. My house may not be though, haha. I perhaps need to tidy it up a bit. 4:33PM

You seem to be still working? After all, you did tell me last time that you'd be busy all day.

Also, I didn't know you were the one cooking? I thought you'd suit the role of a server better for some reason. 4:34PM

Sent.

She smiles. Well, she was already smiling, but it's even bigger now. She can't help but go back to that pic to look at it a bit more. Just a bit more.

Naruto's got such handsome features… Even though the lighting is clearly cool toned, he seems to be radiating with his very own warm lighting. He is a sun. He is the sun.

Hinata giggles. He really is cute, mh.

Her phone buzzes a few times. He already answered? She scrolls back down, checking the new bubbles following her own.

It's a voice message. Well, multiple. Each of short length and sent right after the other. Geez, she was going to hear his voice. She gulps down, regulating the volume of blasting in her ears before opening the voice message.

Naruto's cheerful and somewhat raspy voice inhabit her earbuds.

'What do you mean your house may not be ready? You're so organized Hinata, I highly doubt your house is ever messy!' He laughs. So cheerful. Hinata's smile is so big it's starting to make her cheeks ache. 'And y'know, it can't be as messy as my own room, it's probably suuuper clean compared to mine. So I don't think I'll even notice, haha! Plus, as long as we can play and all, who cares?'

Well, he's got a point. All she wanted to do was play games with him and have a good time. It's true that after everything that happened Wednesday… well, she wanted to forget.

'Also, yeah, I'm the one cooking! Well, I'm just prepping the dough and making balls with it and shit so that Teuchi can use them tomorrow. He doesn't really trust me with anything else, haha. Last time I tried to help him with the ingredients and the pizzas and all, and uh… it didn't really go as expected to say the least. But hey! I'm doing a great job with the dough. It's like, making them as round as possible and then putting them in those boxes so that they can inflate and all.'

Hinata can notice an air of pride in Naruto's voice, which amuses her. He seemed to really be enjoying himself. 'But like, I'm doing this for now 'cause there's not much clientele in the pizzeria in daytime y'know. Usually it's in the evening or at night that it starts to get super busy. So Teuchi gives me the orders and I deliver them. I've been doing this for ages really so I'm used to it, it's kinda like breathing at this point–'

Suddenly, an angry, deep voice arises from the background, making it to the microphone of Naruto's phone. Was it complaints that she could faintly hear? 'Oh shit, I rambled on for too long! 'Am coming Teuchi wait–'

And just like that, the voice message was over.

Well, all the voice messages.

'W-Wait, how am I supposed to answer to all of this?' Hinata thinks, both hands holding her phone firmly. She enjoyed hearing his voice and the little stories he had to say about him and his workplace but, um– where could she start?

Should she just send a 'Work hard! Do your best!' type of text? Or should she say something about herself, like, maybe related to a similar environment – here being a workplace? Ah, well, um… She was working with Iruka – which was Naruto's godfather, so he already knew everything about him, which meant that she didn't really have any interesting anecdote to share, and um...

She really didn't know how to answer!

As Hinata tortures her mind with her unnecessarily complicated scenarios, the bus ceases to move to collect the people at the bus stop. All of them were eagerly waiting for the vehicle to arrive, as its interiors were three times warmer than the chilling air outside. Those who get off the bus bury their hands in their pockets and drown their noses in their collars, cursing the short length of their journey inside it.

The bus' doors finally close, the cold air not able to infiltrate sneakily anymore.

Hinata can hear the footsteps of the new passengers, some seeming to walk to the back of the bus in the misleading hope to find a seat, some halting very quickly, probably just choosing to hold the pole grips (Why would anyone willingly do that?).

But that did not matter– what exactly should she say to Naruto? Ahh, what could she write back–

Some halt right next to her.

"Hinata?"

Hinata?

"Ehh, Ino?!"

What was Ino even doing here– Well, it was a public space, but– still!

"What are you doing here?" Hinata says out loud, genuinely surprised by her presence.

"Girl, this is a public bus. Why are you surprised that I bumped into you?"

Ino is, well, Ino. She is wearing a long leather coat falling just under her knees, those tiny black sunglasses you can find on the Aesthetic part of Instagram, and her purse is of a bright, bright red. Oh my, and with that platinum blond hair of hers, she could only stand out.

And Hinata was head over heels for her.

"Anyway, Hinata, it's been such a long time since we saw each other! And before we continue this conversation will you please squeeze yourself a bit more to the window? These heels are killing me."

"A-Ah, yes."

Hinata makes herself even smaller in that seat of hers, Ino following closely. Finding enough space for her behind to rest, she lets out a loud sigh of content.

"Thank God you were here Hinata. I needed to sit down, even for two seconds. Well, no, two seconds definitely are not enough. I won't sink that low. Two minutes are just enough."

Ino's legs are spread in front of her, Hinata's ones looking ridiculously small next to hers.

"But what are you doing here anyway? We're Saturday, it's, like, what? 4PM? And you're in a track suit? I think you should know better Hinata." Ino says, eyeing her from her pointy sunglasses.

"Ah, w-well, my PE classes are always on Saturdays, so… I can't really help it." Hinata says, smiling slightly.

Well, Ino is outraged.

"PE? On Saturdays?! Gosh Hinata I'm so sorry for you, this is a tragedy!"

"Eh, well I don't really mind–"

"Oh gosh, how can you even plan things? Like, can you even go out on Saturdays? Hasn't anyone talked with the head manager or some similar fuck to tell them how shitty of an idea this it?"

"Like I said I don't really mind, but..." Hinata studies Ino's quite remarkably bewildered features, before laughing lightly, amused by her over-the-top reaction – at least to her. "And you? What are you doing here?"

"I was headed to the post office. Completely forgot I had to return these jeans I ordered online. They fitted me well but were way too short. Long legs struggle I guess." The kind of struggle Hinata will never experience, she thought to herself. Ino takes off her glasses, putting them away in her purse, before crossing her legs. She was way too elegant for Hinata to handle. "So, were are you going?"

"Back home." Hinata tucks a few hair strands behind her ear. "I need to take a shower. Even if I didn't really give my all during this badminton class..." Hinata laughs slightly, making fun of her own self. You got to engage in some self-deprecation from time to time, you know.

"Wrong answer."

"Eh?" Hinata blinks, eyeing Ino suspiciously. "W-What do you mean wrong answer?"

Ino crosses her arms, chest puffed up proudly. "Wrong answer, because you're obviously going back home with me." She crooks one of brows, smirking slightly. This girl…

Intimidating.

"B-But I have to take a shower–"

"And what about it, exactly? You can take a shower at my place anyway. And we haven't spent much time together for like, what, weeks, months? Too long!"

She wasn't wrong, though. She hadn't seen her in what felt like ages, and she didn't really want to go back home just to… depress over past events.

Being with Ino was just so… great. She was just so much fun. So…

"W-Well, I guess it can't be helped then..."

"See, see? I told you! You can't not succumb to my charm!" Ino says smugly, lifting her chin, high ponytail sitting so proudly on top of her head. Okay, Hinata did not regret her choice.

The bus stops, and as the doors open, Ino grabs Hinata's hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Come on, we're getting off this hell of a vehicle." She sits up, already walking off, purse in the crook of her arm.

"A-Already?" Ino doesn't answer, because why would she? Of course already. She practically drags Hinata, the tinier young woman making her steps a bit quicker to match the blond's pace. Long legs huh.

When they get off the bus, the pile of metal and petroleum scented rubber disappearing in the distance, Ino says to Hinata, "You know, even if you were not ready to get off the bus, I would've dragged you off of it, since I only had to sit in that thing for two stations."

"And what if I had a very important meeting to attend?" Hinata answers, her hand wrapped tightly around Ino's.

"Which meeting is more important than spending time with me anyway?" Ino says, laughing. "And dressed like that? Come on Hinata, I know that this is a very comfortable tracksuit you're wearing right now, but you just can't fool me when it comes to clothes."

Hinata giggles, hand hiding her little mouth. "You're right, you're right. My bad."

Hinata looks at her with those eyes full of love, those eyes that just scream 'I love you, cherish me back'. Everything just felt so warm and cozy. It was freezing cold, but gosh, with their fingers intertwined and Ino proudly walking by her side, she didn't even feel the cold anymore. And she was laughing, having a good time, so who really cared about the weather anyway? Not her. Not Ino too, apparently.

However, she seemed to care about the heels she was wearing.

"Aangh, Hinataa~ These hurt too much! Take them off~!"

"But we're in the middle of the street!" Hinata laughed at her.

"I don't caaare! Take them off~!"

In the end, Hinata answered Naruto with a reserved, but quite cute text.

I hope you're working hard to help your boss, but don't overwork yourself either! You need to have quite a bit of energy to beat me at Mario Party, right?

I think that even if you were full of it, I'd beat you easily.

Don't you think?

Hinata

"Aaaah! Finally home!" Ino says loudly, a sigh of content escaping her lips.

Passing a hand through her long ponytail, she puts her handbag on top of the commode at the right of the entrance's door, before taking off her shoes. "Man, these boots may be fancy, they sure are a pain to wear." Hinata notices the heels attached to the sole; they were the obvious reason to this pain. She eyes Ino as she stretches her body, a happy moan of relief translating the feeling of relaxed muscles.

"Well, those are quite big, so you shouldn't be surprised that they're difficult to walk in." Hinata says, smiling playfully while pointing to the quite imposing heels.

"I know, I knooow~… Man, I what I would do to have painless heels! Why does it have to be this way! Don't you think it's unfair Hinata? It's unfair!" Hinata only giggles to her complaints. "But oh well, a diva must suffer for beauty I guess." She checks her reflection in the mirror right above the dark commode, adjusting rebellious hair strands here and there, smiling to herself.

Hinata takes off her own shoes, which are the sneakers she was wearing for PE. Reminds her that she should take a shower. Coat off and hair out of her once tightly knitted scarf, she follows Ino to where she is headed.

The kitchen apparently.

"Come to think of it Hinata, I never saw you wear heels before. You don't like them?" Ino picks up reading glasses from the kitchen counters and unfolds them, setting them on her nose. Gosh, she looked gorgeous, even with glasses on. Hinata may have a bit of a crush.

Come to think of it, she looked kind of ridiculous with her burgundy track suit next to the astonishing Ino.

"Ah, well, I never really had the occasion to wear them." She halts her movements, putting a finger in front of her pouting mouth. Thinking. "I don't think I own anything above five centimeters… I guess?" Was it really five? She didn't know exactly, but her ankle boots' heels weren't even high enough to be considered heels – to Ino's standard at least.

"Mmh, funny though. You're so tiny, people would expect you to wear heels every day to compensate for your height." Ino blinks a few times, before opening her fridge and diving her head in it. "Want anything?"

Ah, yes. That was true. Hinata was tiny. And Ino was tall. Hinata could easily rest her head on her breasts and hug her, without even bending or slightly curving her neck down. Hinata was that tiny and squishy.

"Ah, no. I will just hop directly in the shower. I feel quite dirty now." She lets a giggle of embarrassment reach Ino, scratching her cheek.

"You're right! I completely forgot about that." The blonde stands up from her crouch, the folds once creasing her jean now flattening. "You'll let me take care of your hair once your done?" She smirks, looking forward to it apparently.

Hinata slightly blushes. "A-ah well, if you want to. Plus, I-I like it when you style my hair, since I don't do anything fancy to it..." Oh my, look at Hinata melting into a puddle of blushes and side glances while she pokes her own fingers in embarrassment.

"Yes! Finally!" Ino jumps up. "It's been so long since I did your hair! You're always either locked into your own house or busy with the stuff for your art school. Now," She approaches her, smirking, before slightly ruffling the top of her hair. "I'm going to take care of you juuust~ right."

"O-okay." Hinata smiles back at her.

It felt nice to be taken care of.

Especially after the passing of a storm. A band-aid to the heart's scrapes was always an easy but efficient way to make the aching pain cool down.

Even if it was just getting her hair styled by Ino. It felt very nice. She couldn't help but to smile fondly at her, pink dust staining her cheeks.

Suddenly, Ino turns her around, pushing her back. "Okaaay lady! Now go take a shower before I shove you with force into the shower stall!"

"Y-Yes!"

Okay, in the gymnasium, she did say that she didn't really feel like taking a shower. And that she didn't have the energy for it. Nor the mental strength. But now…

That was the most refreshing thing ever.

Especially when she knew that Ino was going to take care of her hair right after that.

Although taking a shower in someone's place always felt kind of intrusive, it surely pushed you to be faster and more efficient. Didn't want to waste water and make the numbers on the bills double, or anything like that.

Dead skin rolling up under the layers of shampoo and harsh washcloth, she washes it off with a rather cold splash of water on the whole of her body. As she runs a light conditioner through her wet hair, she runs her eyes on the walls of the shower stall. Right here, in the corner, are dozens of body and hair products all squeezed next to each other on a white caddy. They are in no way organized in any order whatsoever, conditioners and hair masks all mixed up with body creams and gels. Red, pink, yellow and blue bottles each with different shapes and caps. And different fragrances added. Wait, was this one called erotic passion?

Oh my… Did she really use all of this? Or did they just all lay here for months waiting to get picked by Ino? That was a lot of things to put on your body next to the products Hinata owned. She couldn't really make the difference between most things here but um… Maybe she should try to read into it. Yes, she try to learn!

Okay, now Hinata was determined to learn more about hair products.

… And for what exactly? She had straight, thick black hair. It couldn't get more bland than that. She didn't really have to take care of it. She just had to wash it and… that was all really.

Hinata, don't get too ahead of yourself.

But, at least she could learn to try to be more helpful and understanding to Ino!… in some way!

After Hinata got rid of any dirt build up under her breasts and in the most peculiar angles of her body, she proceeded to hop off the shower, body dripping with water. Hot steam coats the bathroom's mirror with a thick layer, making Hinata's silhouette blurry and barely recognizable.

It was… better this way.

She makes an effort to not look into the mirror, glancing left and right, looking for clothes to bury herself in.

Scattered on top of Ino's washing machine were her garments. She picks her bra, clasps it on firmly, before slipping into her panties. She does the same for her jeans, looking out for the wet spots around her. She didn't want to stain her clothes, because even though it did dry, the thick materials she was wearing took an absurd amount of time to evaporate the water.

Hinata drowns herself in her big camel toned sweater, picks her socks and dirty burgundy tracksuit before opening the door, leaving.

Gosh, the air was definitely chillier out there. Did Ino open a window?

She walks up to the blond's living room, directly welcomed by a stretched out Ino on top of a leather couch. She's wrapped up comfy blankets, and Hinata notices that she has taken her jeans off, switching the rather limiting material with the stretchy fabric of her pajama pants.

"Hinata! You're finally out!" She stands up, setting the remote control she was lazily holding on top of the small coffee table. "I was waiting like crazy. The show I was watching didn't help it."

"It wasn't entertaining?" Hinata approaches her, sitting down at the foot of the couch, cross legged.

"Absolutely not. You can't even call yourself a show if you're not one bit entertaining– and if you're not entertaining, you should at least make time faster!" Ino bends down, grabbing the blow dryer from the top of the coffee table. It was already plugged in. Well, she sure as hell looked forward to styling her hair.

"You're right." Hinata giggles back, amused by Ino's saying. But she was right, though. Always take Ino's words seriously when it comes to the entertainment industry, whatever branch of it she was talking about, she seemed to always be right.

"Hinata, your hair could fool many, for real." Ino says as she runs her fingers through the still damp strands.

"Mh?" Hinata looks up at her, eyeing the blond from the very corner of her eyes as she turns the blow dryer on. Low heat.

"Straight hair is supposed to dry faster but gosh you've got so much hair it's crazy. Plus, it's so thick. No wonder it's a pain in the ass to style it in any way."

"Y-Yeah." It was true though. Once in a while, Hinata did get the sudden want to make her hair a bit more curly. Well, she sometimes scrolled through Pinterest and saw pictures of cute girls with a loose curl pattern, probably close to a 2C or 3A. And she really, really wanted to see how it'd look on her. But oh well, she struggled a bunch just to keep her bangs slightly curved all throughout the day, so obviously she'd never reach that level of curly. And she didn't really want to have heat damage or anything of the like, so she never used a curler or a straightener. She never did own one. It was always the girls that lent her theirs.

"S-So, Ino, what are you going to do with my hair?" She trusted Ino, but at least she wanted to imagine what exactly she was going to look like.

"Pigtails!"

"P-Pigtails? Are you sure? W-Won't that look a bit childish?" Oh my, she wasn't really feeling this one.

"Trust me Hinata, you're going to look gorgeous. Well, cute at least." What do you mean 'at least'? "I'll start from here," Ino pokes at her temples, just where her bangs stopped. "I'll do two thin braids that'll cross paths at the back of your head, and then they'll just flow in the two little pigtails at the bottom of your head."

Ino gets closer to her face, breath fanning over Hinata's lips. "Sounds magnificent, right?"

"A-Ah, well, y-yes."

Ino laughs, poking fun at the flustered Hinata. "Gosh Hinata, you're so cute! Really, if you had a boyfriend he'd be a puddle of joy right now. Well, he'd better be!"

Hinata hums back at her, somewhat agreeing to what she was saying. Okay, her cheeks may be a bit red right now. Ino was really close here, and she wasn't really used to having anyone in her personal space. Other than the pillow she hugged at night.

A boyfriend huh…

A very loud and very blond guy is what she can perceive in her mind.

Naruto as a boyfriend is… a sweet thought.

She wondered if she'd ever get to touch his hair just like Ino is touching hers right now.

It was kind of an intimate gesture, come to think of it. She also wondered if his hair was soft to the touch, and if his hair straightened out with the heaviness of water, and...

Hinata! Get your act together! You literally can't start day dreaming about… him!

"Hey Hinata, can you grab my phone and play some music please?"

"Ah, y-yes!" Of course she was going to! It was going to make those embarrassing thoughts go away too, so she was definitely going to do so.

She can hear the blow dryer's fan work, buzzing rather loudly next to her ear. A weak, chilling wind leaves her hair flying in all kinds of directions, the only thing holding it in place being Ino's lean fingers. The blond gives her a few titles to play, Hinata complying to her choices, typing the song titles in the YouTube search bar. When the notes started playing, coating the blow dryer's buzzing with a thick layer of melody, Hinata's voice joined the music.

"I was wondering, Ino..." Hinata begins. She's hugging her knees, closing her eyes while the blond's hands work on her scalp.

"Mh?"

"Do you have any news about Sakura? I know that she is quite busy since she is in medic school and all… I haven't really been able to talk to her much beside quick texts here and there."

"Sakura, mh..." Ino quietly hums, starting to braid the very beginning on Hinata's hair. "Well you know, it's the usual. This girl, ugh, she overworks herself like crazy and acts surprised when I go out on my own. For real, what would be the point of dragging her along in malls? You either completely down or you're not. Simple."

Hinata could hear very obvious annoyance in Ino's bold voice, but she could also catch the hint of worry. She knew Ino and Sakura were very close to each other. It's just that they were just, well, very bold with each other. They were always bickering about anything and everything, but they also always laughed so loud when next to one another, and there also always was that glitter in their eyes when they were both playful. Hinata admired their friendship.

They were just so… them.

"She's smart, yet she works herself to death. Last time she was down all weekend in her bed trying to make up for all the sleep she skipped because of work. For real, what an idiot." Ino sighs, exasperated. "That will teach her to be more careful. She studies medicine but can't take care of herself for shit. Isn't that ironic, Hinata? Because it sure is."

At this point, Ino was just blasting all the sharp complaints she had in her mind. The movements on top of Hinata's hands were getting bolder and stronger, making the stinging at her scalp just a tiny bit more painful.

But after a bit of time, after the burn of words disappeared off Ino's tongue, her fingers relaxed on her hair, the rhythm of her braiding dying down slowly.

"But you know, I'm kind of… worried for her. I feel like she's going to pull up another of her episode if she doesn't get a hold of herself soon. I know she's super hardworking and would do anything to achieve her goal but you know, at some point, fuck that shit. You gotta take care of yourself once in a while. And I know that she knows. I just know that she knows how important it is but, ugh! This girl, for god's sake." Ino is fuming above Hinata.

Her small frame is tucked between Ino's spread legs, the hair once acting as a curtain to her face now tucked behind her ears. The large moons of her cheeks exposed, Hinata feels kind of embarrassed.

"I… I've been quite worried about her too." She pauses, and Ino, knowing well she wasn't finished talking, waits for her to continue, ears ready while her hands work smoothly.

"Y-You know, Sakura likes styling her hair too and acting pretty, but lately she hasn't been taking care of herself much s-so… I was thinking maybe we should meet up at her flat soon to just, um, you know, make her feel… good?" Hinata doesn't dare look up or turn her head around to look at Ino's face, fearing that she might ruin the hairstyle. Plus, she was kind of blushing and poking her fingers in slight embarrassment so… yeah.

Ino laughs in that clear voice of hers. "You're way too cute Hinata, I could eat you." Eat her? "But, you know, I already had that idea, however I wasn't even going to ask your opinion because I already knew how great of an idea it was. And you know, I was just planning on kidnapping you to drop you at Sakura's place, but oh well, if you're willing to come on your own, I won't force you or anything."

Hinata only laughed back at her.

That Ino, she had so much confidence, it was crazy.

How great did it feel to just be with friends.

Families were most of the time fragile and deranged. Romantic relationships were one hell of a headache to deal with. Because of the intoxication of love, of course.

But friendship. Friendship felt different. At least to Hinata.

It just felt so real. It just felt so light and so honest.

She just felt so happy and relaxed around Ino.

Yes, they were polar opposites, but that didn't mean anything really.

She'd never trade her friends. Not for anything.

Once Ino finished braiding Hinata's hair, and once the thick drapes of indigo were tightly secured in ponytails, Ino let out a squeak of happiness.

"Gosh, Hinata you look so cute!" She clasps her hands together, smile as broad as it could be. "Look at my skillful hands, gosh, I'm so good."

Hinata hesitantly touches the beginning of the braids at her temples, feeling the strands of hair curling and twisting around in a repetitive pattern.

"What are you doing? Go look at yourself! I didn't do all that work to be the only one celebrating it." Ino says, hands now on her hips, towering over Hinata's small frame. Perhaps a bit intimidating, but in a good way. Somehow. You could understand the feeling, right?

"O-Oh, yes."

So she stands up in a hurry, scampering hastily to the mirror at the entrance.

And as she puts her hands flatly on the commode, tip toeing a little bit to catch her reflection, she finds herself blushing at her appearance.

Now, she felt overly conscious of her physiognomy– but in a good way?

In a good way. Yes.

"So, how do you look?" She can hear Ino shout from the couch.

Hinata slowly walks up to her, hands hugging the base of her pigtails lightly.

"I-I look… cute."

"Hahaha! See? I told you!" Ino scampers by her side, smug look plastered over her face. She takes her hands in hers, and gets undeniably close to her. "Now, how about we add little ribbons and cute hair clips?"

"A-Are you treating me like a little girl, Ino?"

"Mmh, maybe~"