The moon hung heavy over Konoha's hidden grove, its silver light filtering through the tangled branches to cast a pale glow on the forest floor. Naruto stood frozen, his hand still tingling from where he'd touched Hinata's arm, her trembling question—"Why did you lie to me?"—echoing in his skull like a tolling bell. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, but all he could feel was the weight of her tears, glistening like shards of glass under the night sky. His wife's words cut deeper than any blade, sharper than Jiraiya's reprimands or Tsunade's fury—because with Hinata, he had no shield, no excuses.
"I'm sorry," he said after a long, suffocating silence, his voice rough with regret. "I didn't mean to hurt you." He didn't run this time—didn't teleport away to escape the ache in her eyes. He faced her, raw and unguarded, knowing she deserved that much.
Hinata drew a shaky breath, lifting her gaze to meet his. The black-and-red Akatsuki cloak draped over him caught the moonlight, and her breath hitched, eyes widening in horror. She yanked her arm free, stumbling back from the log she'd been sitting on, her footing faltering as she nearly fell. Naruto lunged to steady her, but she waved him off, her hand trembling. "Naruto-kun," she whispered, tears spilling anew, "you… you really betrayed Konoha? You joined Akatsuki?"
Naruto pressed a hand to his forehead, a groan escaping him. These damn clothes. The cloak's infamy was a curse—he'd meant to change it, to reforge Heaven's image, but now it branded him a traitor in her eyes. "No, Hinata," he said, urgency threading his tone. "Remember what I told you that day at your gate? Three things—believe me, no matter what. I'm still Uzumaki Naruto, still aiming for Hokage. That hasn't changed."
Her sobs quieted, her chest heaving as she processed his words, clinging to the lifeline of his promise. "Then why…" She pointed at the cloak, voice breaking. "Why are you wearing that?"
"I didn't think it through," he admitted, wincing. "It's Akatsuki's old gear—I only realized today it's gotta go. If you hate it, I'll ditch it right now." He shrugged the cloak off in one swift motion, letting it fall to the dirt, revealing the familiar orange jacket beneath. "Better?"
He stepped toward her, arms opening for an embrace, but she flinched back, her voice a sharp plea. "Don't!"
"Okay, okay," he said quickly, retreating to a safe distance, hands raised in surrender. "I'm staying put."
Hinata wiped her eyes with her sleeve, sniffling as she steadied herself. Her voice trembled with hurt as she pressed on. "Why didn't you come to Ichiraku that night? Why lie about it?"
Naruto's shoulders slumped, the weight of that broken promise dragging at him. "I didn't warn you—I should've. That day, I made my move—Danzo, the Hokage office. After that, I couldn't show my face in the village. I didn't plan it to hurt you."
Her eyes flashed with anger, rare and fierce. "You could've told me first—face-to-face! Why didn't you?"
"If I had," he said, voice low, "you'd have stopped me. I know you, Hinata—you'd have begged me to stay, and I couldn't risk that. I had to act."
She turned away, arms wrapping around herself, her back a wall of frustration. "And all those times I poured chakra into the mark—desperate for you to come—why didn't you show up? Explain that!"
He sighed, the sound heavy with guilt. "I wanted to. Every time I felt it, I nearly did. But seeing you… I didn't know how to face you, how to make you understand without breaking you more."
Her silence stretched, and he caught the shift in her posture—shoulders softening, head tilting as she peeked back at him. Under the moonlight, his figure stood stark and solitary, the orange of his jacket a faint echo of the boy she'd loved, now cloaked in melancholy. Her heart wavered, the days of worry and longing crashing over her like a tide. She couldn't hold back—her feet moved before her mind caught up, and she threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
"Naruto-kun," she cried, voice muffled against him, "they opcode=they said you betrayed Konoha—I didn't believe it, but now… Tell me what happened—why did you do this?"
He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his cheek to her hair, her warmth a lifeline in the storm of his choices. "I'm sorry, Hinata," he murmured, voice soft but firm. "I've got reasons—hard ones. Trust me, like I asked. Everything I'm doing—it's for the ninja world's future."
She pulled back, eyes shining with hope and fear. "Take me with you, Naruto-kun. Let me face it with you—I won't slow you down."
He cupped her face, thumb brushing her cheek, his gaze tender but resolute. "I can't. It's too dangerous—not yet. I need you safe."
Her brow furrowed, worry deepening. "The village—they've put out a warrant for you."
"Yeah," he said, nodding. "I figured. Don't worry about me—just take care of yourself, okay? And stop flooding that mark with chakra like it's a lifeline—you'll hurt yourself."
She pouted, a flicker of defiance. "You lied to me—I had to try."
He chuckled, pulling her close again. "Fair. Look—I'll be busy, chasing things I can't dodge. But if you miss me, or need me, hit the mark. I'll come when I can. If I don't, something's up, but I'll get to you. Promise."
She nodded against him, her grip tightening, as if she could anchor him there. The future stretched uncertain before them, each meeting a fleeting gift, but for now, she held him, and he held her back, the hardest love to protect.
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