#25. ThreadIt was something that ha

#25. ThreadIt was something that had been years in the making, he supposed.He could tell Hinata had certainly worked hard on it, for a number of months, he would have guessed, but that's not really what he meant. The moment itself was one that had been long was time the two of them had spent waiting. Waiting for the right moment to present itself. The courage she had summoned and developed over the years to make such a gesture. It had really showed how far they both had come and how much they had grown.Waiting and pondering to find the right words to address her and the things she had said to him. The right way to understand and describe his feelings. She had stood before death, staring into its eyes, without fear. Her voice clear and unwavering as she spoke the words that she'd always known were hidden somewhere deep inside of her.It had taken years.But the scarf itself hadn't been around for long. At least, not when compared to all that it represented. It was so much more than a simple piece of fabric.It was their love and how it had bloomed. Slowly, sometimes painstakingly, but beautifully nevertheless. Naruto's struggle, for purpose and belonging, not something he attained through birth and sacrifice, as his parents had wished, but by his own merit. Through his drive and determination, and a journey that made his achievement seem even more worthwhile.It was a her patience, in fabric delicately and precisely woven. Her unwavering loyalty and commitment to him, through a task she had devoted herself to and not once strayed from achieving. Every step she had taken towards him, slowly but surely, even when he had seemed so distant and out of reach. Sometimes stumbling, sometimes falling, but never breaking her focus, never going back on her word. Her dream to grow stronger, to walk beside him, hand in hand. It was her love, her smile, something bright and warm. Arms wrapped gently around his neck, warm breath shared between the caress of lips. Hands, eyes, hearts; locked, intertwined. It was the happiness she exuded, and offered to him unconditionally. It was her kindness and concern for the well being of all of those around her. A comfort and love that he had sought out his entire life, a selfless gesture. It might not have been easy to be see, often lost amongst shy voices and meek, retreating figures, but it had always been within reach. It waited patiently in the wings.He could recall his mother telling him about the time she had met his father, the moment that she had fallen for him. Her red hair, the symbol of her unique fire and longevity had acted as a beacon, the red thread of fate that had guided them to one another. Naruto realised, in hindsight, that maybe he had never truly understood the significance of his mother's words, of her story, until his own thread had, literally, been sown for him.A life that he had spent alone, for so long, was no longer. He was gifted with love, life and family. Naruto had worn happiness as a façade for so long, he had almost been unable to identity it in its most genuine, pure form, tingling inside of him. The smile pulling at his lips never forced, the light shining in his eyes ethereal, the feeling in his heart was not painful, it was not heavy or tinged by sorrow. He had always looked to her in awe, overwhelmed by her strength and bravery, a quality that she had seen and admired in him, constantly striving to emulate.His name, his dream, his nindo all threaded delicately within her, as, in a way, it always had been. The reason and purpose he had sought out blindly was now before him, in plain sight. The love and life they created together, the evidence of it wrapped in his arms. She was the woman had made him the man he was today. The one who had helped to fulfil his dream, while finding and achieving her own in the process. She had helped him to find what had been missing from his life when he had needed it the most. She stood beside him, grasping tightly at the hand she feared she could never reach.He had an answer."Hinata, I..."Finally, he had realised what he wanted to protect.Jack high," Naruto grumbled, his voice barely audible and immediately drowned out by a gleeful cry."Three of a kind! I win!""Not likely, I've got a straight."
Silence consumed the room as each party member turned to face the last remaining player. The one who had kept quiet throughout the entire exchange, meticulously waiting to make her move.

"Hinata?" Sakura spoke, prompting her to reveal her hand.

A rather uncharacteristic smile graced Hinata's features as she slowly revealed her cards one at a time. Sasuke smug grin slipped away as he observed the Full House placed before him, trumping his own run. He scoffed and glanced over his shoulder, as if trying to feign apathy. Naruto however, knew better. His friend really thought he had won for a moment there, but was proven wrong. The blond allowed himself a brief smile at the bruising of the overconfident Uchica's ego. This almost made his loss worthwhile.

Well, almost.

"Nicely played, Hyuuga," Sasuke spoke, as he begrudgingly surrendered his shirt. "Looks like you win."

"Which means I get Naruto's boxers!"

Naruto's hands seemed to act of their own accord, as he reflexively covered his lower extremities.

"... I hate this game." The blonde moaned in despair.

"Come on, dobe, one more round. You could win your pants back. You in?"

"You know it, 'ttebayo!"

# 25. Thread Itu adalah sesuatu yang sudah bertahun-tahun dalam pembuatan, ia seharusnya. Ia tahu Hinata sudah pasti bekerja keras di atasnya, selama beberapa bulan, ia sangka, tapi itu tidak benar-benar apa yang dimaksudkannya. Saat itu sendiri adalah salah satu yang telah lama adalah waktu mereka berdua telah menghabiskan menunggu. Menunggu saat yang tepat untuk hadir sendiri. Keberanian ia dipanggil dan dikembangkan selama bertahun-tahun untuk membuat gerakan seperti itu. Hal itu benar-benar menunjukkan seberapa jauh mereka berdua telah datang dan berapa banyak mereka telah tumbuh. Menunggu dan merenungkan untuk menemukan kata yang tepat untuk mengatasi dan hal-hal yang ia berkata kepadanya. Cara yang tepat untuk memahami dan menggambarkan perasaannya. Dia berdiri di hadapan kematian, menatap matanya, tanpa rasa takut. Suaranya jelas dan tak tergoyahkan saat ia mengucapkan kata-kata yang dia selalu tahu yang tersembunyi di suatu tempat jauh di dalam dirinya. Ia telah mengambil tahun. Tapi syal itu sendiri belum sekitar untuk waktu yang lama. Setidaknya, tidak jika dibandingkan dengan semua yang diwakili. Itu jauh lebih banyak daripada sepotong sederhana kain. Itu adalah cinta mereka dan bagaimana hal itu mekar. Perlahan-lahan, kadang-kadang susah payah, tapi indah tetap. Perjuangan Naruto, untuk tujuan dan milik, bukan sesuatu yang dicapai melalui kelahiran dan pengorbanan, karena orang tuanya telah berharap, tetapi dengan prestasi sendiri. Melalui drive dan tekad, dan perjalanan yang membuat prestasinya tampak lebih berharga. Itu adalah kesabaran, kain halus dan tepat tenun. Kesetiaan tak tergoyahkan dan komitmen dia, melalui tugas ia mengabdikan dirinya untuk dan tidak pernah menyimpang dari pencapaian. Setiap langkah dia telah mengambil ke arahnya, perlahan tapi pasti, bahkan ketika ia tampak begitu jauh dan di luar jangkauan. Kadang-kadang tersandung, kadang-kadang jatuh, tetapi tidak pernah melanggar fokusnya, tidak akan pernah kembali pada kata-katanya. Mimpinya untuk tumbuh lebih kuat, berjalan di sampingnya, bergandengan tangan. Itu cintanya, senyumnya, sesuatu yang cerah dan hangat. Lengan dibungkus dengan lembut di lehernya, napas hangat bersama antara belaian bibir. Tangan, mata, hati; terkunci, terjalin. Itu kebahagiaan dia memancarkan, dan menawarkan kepadanya tanpa syarat. Itu kebaikan dan kepedulian terhadap kesejahteraan semua orang di sekitarnya. Sebuah kenyamanan dan cinta bahwa ia telah mencari seluruh hidupnya, sikap mementingkan diri sendiri. Mungkin tidak mudah untuk melihat, sering hilang di antara suara-suara pemalu dan lemah lembut, angka mundur, tapi selalu dalam jangkauan. Hal menunggu dengan sabar di sayap. Dia bisa mengingat ibunya bercerita tentang saat ia bertemu ayahnya, yang saat itu ia telah jatuh cinta padanya. Rambut merahnya, simbol api yang unik dan umur panjang telah bertindak sebagai mercusuar, benang merah takdir yang telah menuntun mereka satu sama lain. Naruto menyadari, di belakang, bahwa mungkin dia tidak pernah benar-benar memahami pentingnya kata-kata ibunya, cerita dia, sampai thread sendiri memiliki, secara harfiah, telah ditaburkan untuknya. Kehidupan bahwa ia telah menghabiskan sendiri, begitu lama, itu tidak ada lagi. Dia berbakat dengan cinta, kehidupan dan keluarga. Naruto telah dipakai kebahagiaan sebagai façade untuk begitu lama, ia nyaris mampu identitas dalam, bentuk murni paling asli, kesemutan dalam dirinya. Senyum menarik di bibirnya tidak pernah memaksa, cahaya bersinar di matanya halus, perasaan dalam hatinya itu tidak menyakitkan, itu tidak berat atau diwarnai oleh kesedihan. Dia selalu tampak padanya kagum, kewalahan oleh kekuatan dan keberanian, kualitas yang ia telah melihat dan mengagumi dalam dirinya, selalu berusaha untuk meniru. Namanya, mimpinya, nindo nya semua ulir halus dalam dirinya, seperti, dalam cara, selalu telah. Alasan dan tujuan dia mencari membabi buta sekarang depannya, di depan mata. Cinta dan kehidupan mereka ciptakan bersama, bukti itu dibungkus dalam pelukannya. Dia adalah seorang wanita yang telah membuatnya menjadi orang ia adalah hari ini. Orang yang telah membantu mewujudkan impiannya, sementara mencari dan mencapai sendiri dalam proses. Dia telah membantu dia untuk menemukan apa yang telah hilang dari hidupnya ketika ia membutuhkannya paling. Dia berdiri di sampingnya, menggenggam erat di tangan dia takut dia tidak pernah bisa mencapai. Dia memiliki jawaban. "Hinata, aku ..." Akhirnya, ia menyadari apa yang ia ingin protect.Jack tinggi, "Naruto menggerutu, suaranya nyaris tak terdengar dan segera tenggelam oleh teriakan gembira. "Tiga dari jenis! Aku menang! " "Tidak mungkin, aku punya lurus." Diam dikonsumsi ruangan karena setiap anggota partai berbalik untuk menghadapi pemain yang tersisa. Orang yang telah diam sepanjang seluruh pertukaran, cermat menunggu untuk membuat dia pindah. "Hinata?" Sakura berbicara, mendorong dia untuk mengungkapkan tangannya. Senyum yang agak seperti biasanya menghiasi fitur Hinata saat ia perlahan-lahan mengungkapkan kartu nya satu per satu. Sasuke tersenyum puas menyelinap pergi saat ia mengamati Full House ditempatkan di depannya, trumping sendiri menjalankan. Dia mengejek dan melirik lewat bahunya, seakan mencoba untuk berpura-pura apatis. Namun, Naruto tahu lebih baik. Temannya benar-benar berpikir ia telah memenangkan sejenak di sana, tapi terbukti salah. pirang itu membiarkan dirinya tersenyum singkat pada memar ego terlalu percaya Uchica itu. Ini hampir membuat kerugian nya berharga. Yah, hampir. "Baik dimainkan, Hyuuga," Sasuke bicara, karena ia begrudgingly menyerah bajunya. "Sepertinya kau menang." "Yang berarti saya mendapatkan petinju Naruto!" tangan Naruto tampaknya bertindak atas kemauan sendiri, karena ia secara refleks menutupi ekstremitas bawahnya. "... Aku benci permainan ini." Si pirang mengerang putus asa. "Ayo, dobe, satu putaran lagi. Anda bisa memenangkan celana Anda kembali. Anda? " "Kau tahu itu, 'ttebayo!"