The Boy and the Cat
Rated: PG
Summary: Hinata had seen the boy around the village before. He had bright blue eyes and yellow hair and a t-shirt with a spiral on it. He was usually smiling, but right now he wasn't.
Word count: 564

Hinata had seen the boy around the village before. He had bright blue eyes and yellow hair and a t-shirt with a spiral on it. He was usually smiling, but right now he wasn't.

Several boys, older than the one with yellow hair, chased a scared, haggard tabby cat down an alley and threw rocks at it. Hinata wanted to stop them, but they were older and there were so many of them and her dad told her stay put while he went into the shop to buy weapons.

But the boy with yellow hair ran after them, his voice loud over the wails of the cat as he yelled at them. Hinata inched from her spot to see down the alley. The boys had moved on from the cat and began yelling at the boy with yellow hair instead. He yelled back and picked up one of the rocks and threw it back at them. It hit their leader square in the forehead. He landed on his butt with a yelp and rubbed at the wound. A few seconds later, the boy with yellow hair chased them out of the alley and they took off down the road.

The boy was brave and Hinata found herself wanting to be more like him.

The boy with yellow hair turned around, and Hinata saw him approach the cat still backed up to a wall. He cat hissed but the boy waited. He set the bag he had in his hand down and rifled through it until he found what he was looking for. Hinata thought it looked like a take-out container, and saw him open it, placing it on the ground. The boy with yellow hair backed off some to give the cat space. Cautiously, the cat inched forward toward the take-out, keeping its eyes on the boy.

Once it didn't perceive the boy as a threat, the cat began to heartily eat. Slowly, the boy walked toward the cat and petted the top of its head. The cat looked up at him for a moment, but went back to its dinner.

The boy began petting down the cats back, scratching around its ears and under its chin. Hinata smiled as she looked at the boy and the cat.

When the cat was done eating, it crawled in the boys lap and laid down. The boy picked up the container, put the lid back on, and slipped it back into the bag. Carefully, he picked up the cat in his arms, grabbed his bag, and took off back down the alley. Hinata saw that the cat seemed content and didn't struggle in the boy's arms at all.

The boy saw Hinata looking at him and he smiled at her. She felt her face flame. "Cats like ramen. Did you know that?" She shook her head, and he laughed, walking down the street.

Years later, the first time Hinata visited Naruto's apartment after they began dating, after the war was over, she was greeted by a cacophonous yowling as she entered the apartment. She was surprised to see that it was the same cat. Bending down, she petted the cat.

"I thought you might remember him," Naruto said, grinning at her. She stood up and he leaned forward to kiss her.

When they pulled apart, her face flushed, Hinata said, "Of course, Naruto. I remember everything."