☁️⛅🌤️

"No. Way." The pinkette gasped before taking a drink of her iced coffee. "You're seeing a girl?"

"That's not what I said," Naruto blushed at her misinterpreting his words. "I said I'm spending time with a girl, not that we're seeing each other."

A little over a week had passed since Naruto and Hinata began to look for the mystery man. They'd gone searching five more times because Naruto had been busy the other days.

"Still!" Sakura liked his whiskered cheek. "You barely ever talk to girls that aren't me, Tenten, Temari, or Ino!" She says as if it's the most obvious thing. "A milestone for your dating life, really."

"I don't even know her that well, we've only known each other for like two weeks."

Sakura raised a brow at him. "Your point? There's a thing called friends with benefits."

"That's horrible."

"Just say you hate dating and go."

He rolled his eyes and sipped his lemon tea. Sakura had an afternoon off and invited Naruto to get some coffee. Lucky for Naruto he also had an afternoon free of classes, as long as he was at the forest by the evening everything would be fine.

"Oh shut up," he laughed. "Where's Sasuke anyways?"

"Can I not spend time with my best friend instead of my boyfriend without it being an issue?" Sakura asked, feigning offence. Naruto just stared at her. "Sasuke-kun is busy with classes. Plus I hadn't seen you in weeks, I missed you."

Against his will; Naruto's heart fluttered.

He wished he could stop liking her. The crush was nothing but a nuisance these days anyways. He didn't allow himself to think about Sakura's kisses or how soft her skin felt. That was wrong.

She and Sasuke had been dating for nearly three years now. Sasuke happened to be a close friend, despite his initial hate towards the man, and was genuinely happy for them.

But his heart didn't cooperate.

"I've missed you too, Sakura-chan," he replied softly. "You've been so busy with medical school."

"I know," she sighed. "But when I get my doctorate and work in the hospital as an official doctor, you get free health care!"

Naruto laughed. "I get free bandaids from you anyways."

They chatted for a bit longer about the future and careers, more jokes, before Sakura steered the conversation back to the other girl.

"So is she pretty?"

"Who?"

"The girl you're seeing."

"Sakura-chan," he said, exasperated. "We're not seeing each other."

She waved him off. "Whatever, don't avoid the question. Is she pretty?"

Naruto didn't really know what to say. Hinata was obviously attractive, he's not blind. One of his first observations of said girl was just how... voluptuous her body is. Her eyes were so unique and breathtakingly beautiful. In fact... She was breathtaking in all aspects.

"I mean I guess she's pretty. She's definitely not difficult to look at."

Sakura let out a snort. "Oh, so she's..." The pinkette held her hands out in front of her chest in a cupped position.

He flushed a shade of pink. "I-I guess you could say that."

"Pervert."

"Shut up!" They both continued to laugh and she teased him a bit more before Naruto remembered something he needed to ask.

"Hey, Sakura," she hummed in response while sipping her drink. "She doesn't have a lot of clothes since she just moved here and didn't really bring anything with her. I was wondering if you happened to have some old clothes or know where I—" he stopped himself, not wanting Sakura to know just how... Odd Hinata was. "I mean she could buy some clothes for cheap?"

Sakura thought for a moment. She did have some old clothes she was just going to donate but might as well see if they would fit the girl. "I have a few things she could have, yeah. And I don't mind taking her shopping."

"Oh, um, sh-she wouldn't... She's kind of nervous around new people." Naruto tried to explain without sounding weird.

"Then I gotta meet her!"

"Or you could just give me—"

"Naruto," she deadpanned. "C'mooon. I wanna meet her. She can meet Sasuke-kun, too. It'll be a double date!" She squealed excitedly. "Please, just ask her? If she's totally uncomfortable I'll back off, deal?"

Naruto chewed his lip while thinking. Hinata was a bit odd and he barely knew anything about her and she rarely ever acted... Normal. But he had a soft spot for her, an inexplicable want to protect her.

"I'll ask."

☁️⛅🌤️

Hinata walked on the edge of the curb with her arms outstretched, trying to keep her balance. She, of course, was holding onto Naruto while walking.

The blond noticed that anytime they were out, she needed to be touching him or his coat in any sort of way. He didn't mind it.

"Hinata?" He called out once she hopped off the curb and onto the sidewalk.

"Yes?"

"How would you feel about meeting... Other people?"

As soon as those words leave his lips, she turned to him with a big pout on her lips. "You..." Hinata pulled her hand away from him with an accusatory expression. "You do not wish to help me any longer?"

"What? Hinata, that's not-" he let out a bit of shaky laughter. "That's not what I meant—"

"Please do not leave, Naruto Uzumaki Naruto," she reached forward and grabbed his palm in her much smaller hand, her previous anger disappearing. "You have been helpful and-and kind and I wish that—"

"Hinata," he said a little harshly to efficiently cut her off. "Listen to me. What I meant to say is; would like to spend time with a few friends of mine? I would obviously be there."

She relaxed, visibly so. Naruto didn't really understand her but just let out an uncomfortable laugh. The girl then nodded and hugged his arm against her chest. "That is good. Let us go meet friends!"

Naruto let a smile grace his lips at the excited expression the girl displayed. He felt a bit nervous at the thought of Hinata becoming a part of his life. Though he suspects that she was worming her way in anyways.

☁️⛅🌤️

"Friends!" Hinata smiled once Naruto arrived at the edge of the forest. He smiled and reached his arm out for her to grab onto (which she did with no hesitation) and they turned to his car.

"You're excited?" He asked once he buckled her in, leaning against the open car door.

"Nervous. I have not met any other persons than you!" She exclaimed and patted her lap. "But you already know them so I am less scared than facing them by myself. Naruto Uzumaki Naruto is with me."

Naruto nodded and walked around to his side, hiding his blushing cheeks from the girl. He played some Queen on the way to the restaurant (Hinata seemed to like Queen more than any other artist) where they were meeting Sakura and Sasuke.

It wasn't anything too fancy, just a small burger joint where he figured Hinata wouldn't have too hard of a time ordering for herself. They parked and Naruto walked back around the car to help Hinata.

They entered the restaurant and sat at a table for four. The blond sent Sakura a quick text saying "we here yo" and then slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Hello," a waitress with curly black hair came up to the table with a smile on her pretty pink lips. "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

Naruto looked at Hinata for a moment, trying to get her to order, but she just blinked at the girl and then at Naruto. "Oh!" She clapped. Then with a complete serious expression, "Chocolate."

The waitress smiled awkwardly and looked to Naruto who was blushing on Hinata's behalf. "Sh-she means a chocolate milkshake. And I'll have a Sprite. We're also waiting on two more people."

"No problem," she smiled. "I'll be right back."

Hinata looked at the menu and tried to decide what seemed the most appetizing. Naruto and her had gone to eat once before and he showed her how to order and ask for things politely.

"Oh look," Naruto stood and waved at the door. "Those are my friends, Hinata. Sakura! Sasuke!"

Hinata turned her gaze from Naruto to the couple standing at the entrance of the restaurant.

The girl had odd hair, that was Hinata's first impression. But pink was pretty and so was the girl in general. She then waved back at Naruto and tugged the man next to her in their direction.

She then looked at the man and sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes and hair both shades of ebony, skin just as pale as Hinata's.

He was smiling, looked so... Happy?

But then they locked eyes and time seemed to freeze. It was clash of onyx and lavender from across the room and Hinata stood up. He visibly flinched and just shook his head at Hinata.

Sasuke leaned down and whispered something into the pink haired girl's ear. He then pressed a quick kiss to her temple and turned out of the restaurant.

Hinata reached her hand out but then felt Naruto's hand wrap around her other. She looked to him and felt at ease. "Don't be nervous," he smiled and squeezed her hand. "it'll be okay."

Oh, how she wanted to believe that.

Sakura walked over to the table and introduced herself, apologizing about Sasuke and claiming he had a school deadline he forgot about.

Hinata resisted her instincts to run after Sasuke. But instead stayed and tried to focus on acting her own brand of normal. It was important to Naruto for her to meet this so called Sakura. So she stayed for him.

It felt odd. To go against her truest instincts for a... human. Someone she knew less than a month and didn't even know.

But one thing was for sure.

She found him.

👀👀 thoughts?
sorry if it's a little rushed but yanno school started on the 19th :(

the next chapter will be for fun bc y'all deserve more fluffy hinata and protective naruto! ✊🏼💛