Thunder rumbled overhead as the three stood in the flickering lantern light of the archives annex. Naruto's fists were clenched, rainwater dripping from his hair. Raikage A's broad frame cast a long shadow, his eyes locked on Hinata with fierce intensity. And in the center, Hinata's heart thundered louder than any storm.
Naruto's voice broke the silence. "Why? After everything… why betray me like this?" His blue eyes shone with hurt. Hinata's chest tightened—each beat a reminder of her impossible choice.
She drew a trembling breath. "Naruto… I never meant to hurt you." Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned to face him fully. "But my heart… it belongs to him." She looked past Naruto to the Raikage, her voice steadying with resolve. "I cannot deny what I feel."
Naruto staggered as if struck. His shoulders slumped, and for a moment, the bravest shinobi in Konoha was a broken man. "So that's it," he whispered, voice hollow. "You choose him." He stepped back, pain etched in every line of his face. Without another word, he turned and vanished into the night, leaving only the echo of his footsteps.
Silence fell. The Raikage moved to her side, concern and longing warring in his storm-dark eyes. He reached for her hand, lifting it to his lips. "You are mine," he vowed, voice low and fierce. "And I will protect you from every thunderbolt the world can throw."
Hinata pressed her palm against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. "Then let us face the storm together," she whispered.
He smiled, a slow, tender curve of his lips. With deliberate care, he guided her through the door and into the torrential rain. Lanterns guttered as they made their way to his carriage, the thunder roaring approval—or warning, they could not tell.
Inside the carriage, they shed their soaked cloaks. His hands roamed her body with reverent hunger, rediscovering every curve as if it were sacred ground. Hinata's breath caught as he captured her lips in a kiss both desperate and triumphant. Outside, rain lashed the windows, but within, their world was warm with defiance and desire.
They fell into each other, garments discarded, bodies entwined on the plush cushions. Each touch was a promise of unwavering devotion, each gasp a testament to their choice. The storm outside mirrored the tempest within, until they moved together in a final, glorious crescendo—two souls united against the world.
When the thunder finally subsided, they lay wrapped in each other's arms, rain‑soaked and breathless. Hinata rested her head on his chest, fingers tracing the jagged scar across his skin. He kissed her hair, voice soft. "We have chosen our fate."
She looked up, eyes shining with love and defiance. "Together, always."