Event - Valentine's Day Part.1

3rd Prompt: Saying"I love You" for the First time.

Hosted by

@The.Shinobi.Chronicles (Instagram)

Artist: @Hatsubae on Instagram

Lord Sixth accepted Natsu and welcomed her in the village.

Rescuing Neji helped a lot for such big decision and her past was cleaned and forgotten.

But it wasn't enough for most of the villagers...

All they knew was her backstory, a student of Orochimaru and a follower of Uchiha Sasuke.

They were calling her "a monster".

Of course, she had Naruto, Sakura and the others to comfort her but it wasn't enough.

It was too hard. Too hurtful.

She was judged all the time, everywhere, even though she was trying her best to fit in.

The Red Head even thought about adopting a child! Give a home to a kid who didn't ask anything.

That's why she went a few times already to the orphanage, doing everything she had to to prepare herself and what they needed.

She would have adopted every kid if she could but her heart particularly bounced for a young boy with heterochromia and lavender hair. He was four years old and lost his parents during the War.

He had this charming cute personable, pleasant and everything she could think of.

She loved him at first sight. Every time she'd go the orphanage, she would see him, talk to him and try to know him. It was pretty difficult tho.

The young boy was quiet and reserved, insecure about the situation.

Natsu knew it would take time to get him to open up but she was ready for it!

With all the papers she had and everything needed, Natsu went with Neji, slightly confident, to the orphanage.

The Hyuga was planning to ask her out pretty soon, he knew they shared their feelings but he got surprised when she talked about adoption! Natsu thought about it a lot and so did Neji.

He gently accepted the idea himself, afraid of what would it be to have a child in the Bunke side of the family if things would move forward with the Red Siren in the future.

He had to think of a new way to ask her to be his girlfriend but he focused on Natsu's needs first.

It was the least he could do for her after she took care of him for such a long time.

But it didn't go as planned...

They encountered a wall! A new heartbreaking attack to Natsu!

The old woman, actual guardian of the building, repulsed them harshly. She was yelling at them but especially at the young girl.

— I am NOT giving those children to a MONSTER! Get out of my orphanage! Go away! She yelled.

— But-... Tried Natsu, in vain.

— I said NO! You are not a mother and you'll never be! You're a Monster and monsters don't deserve to LIVE!

None of them could place a word. The old woman was so aggressive and so mean that Natsu couldn't take it anymore.

It was too much to take. Her world collapsed brutally. Her breath became heavier, her face was breaking down and her whole body started to shake.

With tears coming up but trying to restrein them, the Siren actually burst out in tears and ran off of the building!

All her doubts, all her fear, all the bad experiences she lived were flowing through her head, she was having a mental break down. Loosing ground.

"Why am I here? Why am I living this? I souldn't have come... They hate me, I can't... I can't, I-...."

That's all she could think of. Darkness was taking over, again, colder than ever.

She couldn't hear Neji going after her. Worried, scared of what was going on inside her head.

He took a fiew minutes to catch Natsu, nearly fainting of despair.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her backward, right in his arms and.... Kissed her!

With all the tenderness he could and all the love he had, he was softly pressing his lips against hers.

She was shocked, not able to move or answer his movement, simply crying on him.

When he broke the kiss, he gently wiped her tears and slightly smiled at her.

— Please, don't go... He whispered. I'm here for you. With you. If you feel you're loosing it or not strong enough, come to me.

The more he talked, the more she was blushing and relieving the pressure. But the most powerful words were yet to come!

Natsu lifted her ams up and grabbed Neji's shirt in her hands, holding him strongly as if he would vanish and layed down her head on his chest, warmingly crying over him.

He tightened his grip, making sure she would feel comfortable, safe and loved.

— Neji-san...

"You can rely on me. Please, let me be your anchor!"