Prompt: Imagine Person A remembers he/she has their laundry out and there is a storm outside and then Person B sees and goes to help.
Pairing: Naruhina
Rating: K
Words: 3,917
Info: I saw this prompt somewhere and honestly I cannot remember for the life of me where I saw it, so if you have a link please let me know! I thought I saved it in my likes but apparently not D: (PSA: The ending was much better in my head than on paper oops). Editing along the way as usual! happy reading x
Hinata loved days like this. The sound of the raindrops hitting her bedroom window was one of the most soothing sounds to her, and the darkening clouds with all their shades of grey gave the most peaceful feeling after a day of work. The wind whistled beautifully against the windowpane, and she could even hear the small footsteps of giggling children, who jumped along puddles outside her home in the streets of Konoha. A small smile graced her lips as she took in the sounds of laughing children, and she took the time to put her novel down to watch them play beyond her front garden. She could not help but laugh as the mother joined in, with her pink raincoat starting to get coated with dirt as the kids hopped into unsuspecting mud puddles. Not that the mother seemed to mind. Looking beyond the loving family, she could see people waiting at the crowded bus stop, and she grinned even more at the sight of strangers covering one another with umbrellas, newspapers and whatever else they could come up with. Though she admitted some of the people looked grim, the ones that laughed along with each other seemed to shine the brightest on greyer days. Hinata found the rain could bring people together, whether among family, friends or even strangers. And that's what she loved about this weather – that and the fact it gave her a chance to rest her tired feet and sip her hot cocoa. It really was blissful.
Naruto hated days like this. The rain pelting down made a horrible noise to him, and the water spoiled the flowers he had been working so hard to grow on his windowpane. The pinks of his dwarf fuchsias and the purple of his perennial salvias were dulled by the uninspiring weather, and worst of all, the excess water was starting to leak from the bottom. Frowning at this, he looked outside the window, watching at the cheerless individuals at the bus stop waiting endlessly for the next ride home. He desperately had hoped the weather forecast would have been wrong like it usually was, but alas it seemed his azaleas in the front garden would endure a gracious beating by the heavy raindrops. Sighing at this, he could not help but find that the weather truly did alter ones mood – it was not long ago where he was enjoying the rather beautiful sunshine, with its rays falling onto the orange tulips near his porch steps. It was not just the defilement of his much loved flowers he hated about the weather, but that plans with his friends had also been altered due to it. It just made his day lonelier. He hated it. No friends, no gardening, no relaxing sun, what else could make the day worse?
"This really sucks," Naruto mumbled to himself, before growling in frustration at his predicament, "Stupid rain, stupid dark clouds, stupid laundry that still needs folding,"
Wait…clothes that still needed folding? Naruto sprung up from his seat at this thought, and in his haste, he had knocked it over onto the tiled floor with a loud thump bellowing into his house. Quickly rushing to the front window, he could see his white boxers, numerous orange shirts and black shorts hanging on the washing line that he had put up in the morning to dry in the sun's rays only to be greeted later with driving rain hitting the clothing.
"Shit!" he shouted, and before he could even think about putting his orange, toad slippers on, he swiftly thrust his front door open.
Hinata had not usually taken interest in looking at her surroundings when she divulged herself into a good book. She found that if she let her mind wonder for even a second, it would ruin her thoughts and pacing of the story in front of her, something of which someone had taken the time and effort to write. It was not very often she could sit on her window seat with her legs free of her usual work skirt to relax, as well as having to read her usual school reports. Instead, she donned a pair of light jean shorts and a loose lavender top which sometimes slipped from its usual place and showed her bare right shoulder. Not that she minded. However, today the book was not as enticing as it usually was, and her mind preferred to admire the weather outside and relish the taste of sweet cocoa on her tongue. While thinking of this, a loud thud and shout came roaring outside of her window, and quickly her head turned to the front garden. Or rather her neighbour's front garden.
"What on earth," Hinata whispered to herself while laying her novel on the wooden side table she had placed shortly before. Though the raindrops slightly obscured her vision of the scene in front of her, she could slightly see a blonde blob frantically running with sometimes funnily shaped white and orange spots being tossed around.
Getting onto her knees on the cushioned seat, she laid her left hand on the window handle, turned it up from its vertical position and with a forceful push she swung the window open. She was instantly greeted with the cascading rain droplets upon her face, and her hair was feeling much heavier. The clearer scene in front of her was much more amusing than she thought it would have been, and after figuring out exactly what the blonde haired man was trying to do, a small smile crept upon her pink lips. She watched as the young, blonde haired man chaotically ran from end to end, and she could only assume he was confused at what to do about his ever soaking clothes which were being assaulted by the weather. Hinata could see the washing line starting to droop and sway side to side as the shades of orange and whites that hung from it were becoming heavier from soaking in the large and heavy raindrops, and it seemed that at any moment the line would start to unravel from the sides. She could even see the slight mud stains that were forming in some of the clothing due to the splashes he made when he erratically stepped into the mud puddles. He seemed to have noticed this himself, and started yanking at the clothing in all hopes to stop the stains from spreading, only for the line to start sinking lower and lower to the ground. Her giggling ceased to a halt as soon as she looked at the man's defeated face, and at that moment she honestly could send her heart out to him. It was like watching a bull in a china shop, everything was getting worse for him. So that's when it was decided. A determined expression graced Hinata's face and she sped off to her front porch door, forgetting the raincoat that hung on her bannister and instead opting for her black wellington boots.
"For Kami's sake!" Naruto cried out, as he watched his washing line depress to the ground, with his boxers and trousers stained from the soiled puddles which had started to mold into the ground, "this bloody rain, this bloody wind," he spat out in disgust as he started to gather his now ruined clothes in his left arms, while his right took at the pegs before letting them drop to the floor.
The rain just would not end, if anything, he found that it was starting to become much, much heavier. He growled in frustration at this, and soon he felt like just dropping his clothes to the floor and leaving it be. Everything was ruined. Everything.
"E-excuse me?" he heard a soft and delicate voice penetrating the loud, collective rain drops and harsh winds.
He turned to his front gates, where a young, petite woman stood with her hands holding her now drenching hair up and a black hair band in her mouth. While she tied her long, midnight blue locks up into a messy bun, he took the time to study her. She had lavender tinted eyes, and the most delicate of lips to her with a shade of light pink. Her lavender sleeved top looked about a size or two big for her as it absorbed the thunderous volume of rain, and he could just about see the black strap of what he assumed to be her bra. Her jean shorts stuck to her thighs as they also became sodden, and if it was not for the wellington boots she wore, he would have thought she had just come back home from earlier in the day when the sun was still shining.
A beautiful smile adorned her refined lips, and it was the only time he was thankful for the heavy rain as it covered his blushing cheeks. She was so petite, almost like a doll - a very elegant one at that. The very thought made his heart suddenly beat a little faster, and he had never wished so hard in his life to have seen her sooner in the day, just to make it a little brighter.
"Would you like some help there?" she called out, and it was only then he had registered the concerned but soft tone in her voice, "I saw from my window that you were having a bit of trouble," she looked up to the skies at this, letting the rain drops hits her pale but reddening cheeks, "typical for the weather to turn into this, huh?"
"Yeah, so typical!" he responded at her small talk, wondering if she had realized how agile she looked in the rain, "um, I should be fine, thank you though!"
As he said the latter words, he could see from the corner of his eye that the line was at its last stand, and he worriedly looked at the pegs on the ground. He let out an angry cry, rubbing his fists into his soaking wet hair while jumping up and down like he was having a childhood tantrum.
Hinata could only sympathize with the young man and his predicament. She knew how frustrating it was, and she had wished she had come sooner to help. Once opening the wooden gates, she cautiously advanced to the man and put her hand on his shoulder. Instantly, the man turned his head around to lock eyes with her, and for a few seconds she was caught in a gaze. She was caught in a bubble of her own, speechless at the man's beautiful navy coloured eyes, which were filled with such brightness and wonder. She could swim in them, and never want to come out. His whisker marks on his cheeks were the cutest things, and blonde hair, though drenched and plastered on to his forehead, were still carrying such a vibrant colour to it. Even the dark skies could not have shaded his brilliance. She was blindsided by his handsome features.
At the mere distance between him and the pearl eyed wonder, he gulped, transfixed on her small, pink lips, "Um, if you don't mind, I'd love your help,"
Her lips were slightly agape at this, completely blindsided by the distance between them, before shaking it off and focusing her mind on the task at hand, "B-but of course, t-that's why I'm here after all," she turned to the clothes on the wire, "let's just carry as many clothes as we can before the line snaps – it really looks like it is on its last bearings,"
"Ah! Just one more thing I'll have to fix later," Naruto yelled, smacking his left hand to his head in despair at the mess the weather was making for him, "Okay, you start from one end and I'll start collecting from another."
"Sounds like a plan," she agreed, before rushing to the furthest side of the line and quickly getting to work on the pegs.
Naruto did the same from his side of the line, though he carelessly decided to keep dropping the colourful pegs to the ground while Hinata had started to clip them to her own shirt in order to save them from their muddy doom. Sometimes, they both glanced at one another, studying each others movements and even their expressions sometimes. Hinata could only blush as she started to notice that the white shirt the blonde haired man was wearing was starting to become transparent with his toned chest showing, and she could see the pout he put on as he tugged at the stubborn t-shirts which had become so heavy that he needed to force them off the line. His blonde hair was completely sopping, and stuck to his forehead, with some strands covering his beautiful, blue eyes – and she could not help but think of how…sexy it looked. At this thought she instantly blushed, and thought best maybe to focus on the task at hand.
Naruto noticed how nimble the lavender-eyed girl's movements were in comparison to her own, and her small smile made his heart flutter slightly. He could feel a small rush of heat dashing to his cheeks, and found it was very odd considering the harsh winds and cold raindrops striking at his bare skin. He could even feel his hands going slightly numb at the coldness of the rain, and goosebumps were starting to show on his skin. Unlike him, she looked much more at home in the rain, and a smile emerged on his lips whenever he caught her looking at the sky and breathing deeply in the damp air. As the raindrops hit her softly, she almost looked like she was encased in a beautiful barrier of water from the small splashes. She looked so…graceful.
Both were once again inescapably caught in their thoughts during the comfortable silence, wondering how and why they had never met each other before? Had she always passed his house? Had he always been next door? What was his/her name? Unspoken questions were left unanswered for that time, as none had the courage to speak to one another, for fear that their tongues would slip out words that did not correspond with what they were feeling.
The trails of thought were soon interrupted, as the gust of winds picked up causing havoc to the clothes on the lines. Both Naruto and Hinata stared at the clothes, which sprung up despite being in such a low position and violently swung in all different positions at the mercy of the gales. In a matter of seconds, the white bed sheet on the near side of Naruto leaped upwards and enveloped him.
"What the hell!" were the only words the young man could fathom as sheets continued to wrap around his head and torso, and it took everything in Hinata's being not to laugh at the wild and panicked movements of him as he stumbled over his own feet just to catch himself again.
Yet her best was not enough, and an erupt sound of laughter filled the air as she watched Naruto battle with the white, large sheets. At her cries of laughter, the wind picked up, almost as if giving punishment for Hinata's lack of compassion, and soon her own hair enveloped her as it danced with the wind. Her hands flung up to her face where she tried to push her hair away from her eyes to only find it flying back at her once again. The howling of the wind sent shivers down her spine, and in her mind it was as if the gales were mocking her and the blonde boy's dilemma. Suddenly, Hinata's footing was lost on the mucky ground, with her left heel catching a slippery patch, sending her plummeting to the ground and on her bottom. The large splash that came from the impact instantly had her covered in mud, and she could only groan at the sight of her jeans being stained down and her boots losing their black shine.
Naruto's footing also started to wonder, and he found himself going ever closer to the other end of the wire as he continued to try unravel himself from the clutches of his rather evil bed sheet. Though of course, he had failed to take of the young maiden's own situation, and soon his feet found themselves tripping over one another again.
"W-wait! Don't come closer! You'll f-," he heard the girl scream.
It was all in vain, as the end of the sentence never came as he caught his mucky feet onto the girl's bent knees and started to fall backwards. In a vain effort, his hands tried to grab for anything they could, only for his fierce motions to catch onto the line, and send himself as well as the clothes tumbling down into the soft, mucky ground. As the wind died down, both took the opportunity to unravel themselves from their respective offenders, and looked up to find a rather amusing, but also embarrassing sight.
His knees were bent over her own, with his whole body horizontal to her own as both used their hands to keep them upright. Naruto could not hold back the grin escaping as he looked at her now messy locks going in all direction, and strands of grass now embedded themselves within her hair. Nearly every bit of her was coated with the mud, and the patch on her right cheek particularly amused him. The puzzled expression on her face as well as her reddening cheeks (whether from embarrassment or the cold) made her look unbearably adorable.
As soon as Hinata saw the smile appear on his face, and a slight chuckle seep from his lips, she had swung her palms up to her face, not wanting him to see the utter humiliation she felt in her expression. She felt like a fool, as well as dirty. Very, very dirty at that.
"I'm so so sorry!" she shrieked, though it only came out as a muffled sound to Naruto,
"It's okay! Honestly - dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, unfazed by the series of unfortunate events.
In fact, the events that had led him up to this point he truthfully felt thankful for, as they had all directed him to the young woman and her beautiful nature. Her frazzled state was adorable, and even though she was covered in mud she still looked like a beauty who belonged to nature itself. He got up slowly, hoping not to stir the young lady further and then knelt down next to her, before carefully gripping onto her arms and pulling them away from her. Her eyes bolted to the man's eyes, and mud stained forehead and blonde locks, which only made her more flustered.
"You look really funny," he said, sending her a cheeky smile, while taking out a piece of grass from her defiled hair, which had looked so soft and pristine.
Hinata only pouted playfully at the young man, and despite her awkwardness, she replied, "You look even funnier," her finger gently poked at his brown blemished cheeks, before taking her thumb and rubbing the stain off, allowing his whisker-like birthmarks to show, "in fact you look better with mud on your face," she boldly stated.
"Oh yeah?" Naruto questioned, a smirk playing on his lips with his right hand sneaking into the saturated ground below him, "well, I think we should see if that is the case for you!"
With a quick flick of the wrist, he sent the clump of sludge spiraling to her right cheek and her eyes closed instantly at the impact. Naruto laughed at her shocked expression – she looked like a deer in headlights. Well, a very messy, muddy deer whose right side of her cheek was covered by filth, "Yup, you definitely look better!"
Hinata lightheartedly gasped at Naruto, and while he chuckled in amusement she plowed her hands into the puddle at her side and revealed it's contents to Naruto, "Y-your turn!" She squealed with delight, and smirked wickedly as his laughter died down,
"N-now, wait a second!" but it was too late, and her muck filled hands made contact with his face, and to make sure she got him extra good, she rubbed her hands against his forehead and cheeks.
Naruto took in the damp aroma of his now tainted skin and humorously sulked at his companions laughter, "No fair,"
Giggling at one another, they both concluded that they were looking equally ridiculous. Naruto got off of his knees and stood tall above Hinata, and she had wondered why she had never noticed his height before. Scratching the back of his stained hair, he held his free hand out and Hinata gracefully took it with no hesitation. Both now on their feet, they started to chuckle at one another again, commenting on all their mud stained patches and even went to collect the sullied clothes while describing how laughable their efforts had truly been.
At the sudden change of the wind becoming a breeze, dark blue and pearl-like eyes looked up to the skies simultaneously, being greeted with nothing but the white clouds and a light drizzle of rain softly hitting their skin. Rays of light started filtering through, and both Hinata and Naruto stared in awe at the appearance of a light purple and orange shaded sky that had been greedily hidden. It was almost as if the clouds did not want to show such beauty to those below, and selfishly kept the beautiful sky to itself.
Naruto looked away from the skies, and gazed at the young woman who was being cloaked in a beautiful sunlight, and her eyes reflected the breathtaking sight above her. He was in awe of her peaceful nature and remembered her kindness. He wished hard that this would not be their last meeting. He was breathless at her. He'd fallen deep into her spell – and she did not even know it
She gazed at him too, staring as his now cerulean eyes reflected her own, and noted how his shades of blue changed depending on both the light and maybe even his mood. This one spoke to her on many levels, as it exuded both joy and contentment at the moment they were in. She smiled at him, and decided that this shade was her favourite.
"Would you like to come in for a drink, it's the least I could do." he asked as he felt the prickle of water drops on his skin starting to disappear completely.
Startled out of her gaze, she pondered on the question with another colour of pink dusting her cheeks. Hinata could feel the tingle of hot cocoa on her tongue, and an intense desire to be able to look into those bright eyes more drove her on to decide that she too did not want this to be their last moments, "That would be lovely,"
They both shared a smile, with his rivalling that of the sun and hers exuding all her grace and compassion. They both held unspoken words that they both understood. The same words.
"I'd like to get to know you more."
Though the rain was truly tranquil in sound and cleansing in feeling, and the sunshine truly brilliant and warm, they were both needed to create a glorious rainbow.
