(More fluff than anything else, we give to you another installment of the WotWM series. If you're already a follower of the series as a whole, then you know the par for the course. If you're new to it, you might want to see if any of our other stories strike your fancy.)

WotWM: Fearless Love

"Because I love you..."

How many times had she said that to him? She lost count, but it was probably a lot. She knew that had become second nature to say, especially after they started dating. When he needed a reason, she would look him in the eye and say it. She loved him. It was just that simple.

She wanted him, it had always been that way.

Someplace deep down, even as a child – she just knew. She loved the blonde haired troublemaker. Admired him for all that he was, and all he would ever be. His dreams were wild, crazy, and near impossible. He shouted them from rooftops, and bellowed them on street corners. Eventually, they became her dreams, and she sought to empower him to the best of her abilities. For many years, she supported him from afar.

When no one was looking though, she prayed that he would notice her. That he would decide for himself that he could not, would not, tolerate life without her at his side. Eventually, all of her long years of waiting paid off. Her desires came to fruition, and he told her the one thing she needed to hear most of all.

That he loved her. That he wanted her by his side. That he would always have a tiny place in his heart, only for her. He had asked for her hand in marriage, and she had said yes. She took his last name without looking back, as her father gave them his greatest blessing. Hinata Hyuga became Hinata Uzumaki, and just like that, she was living her dream.

Hinata Uzumaki knew that somehow, someway, she would face her wedding night. She just couldn't believe it was with Naruto, that she was so lucky to have married him. Tonight, she would lay herself bare for him. That's why she was so nervous.

She wasn't the stuttering little girl, or the awkward teenager anymore. She was a woman in love, and maybe, that's what made her heart dance in her chest. Fluttering this way and that. It was so similar, and yet so new. She felt so small under her own gaze, as if her entire being was flawed enough to crack the vow they'd made hours before.

Naruto had called her beautiful many times, but, did he mean it?

She wasn't entirely sure, because she had always thought herself very plain. Perhaps she was well endowed, with large breasts and gently flaring hips. However, she was not the beauty that Ino was, and her eyes were haunting to many. Her alabaster skin wasn't without scars. Her hair was as smooth as silk, but even that was as plain as it could be. She had to wonder, could a woman such as herself, please a man like Naruto?

Well, if the way he grabbed her butt when no one was looking was any indication, he certainly seemed to think so. He was probably waiting for her in the next room, letting his mind wander away from him. The thought made her smile, perhaps he wasn't a perfect gentleman all the time, but he most certainly had proposed to her. Telling her what he wanted in his life. That her love for him would always be enough.

As a former student of many Konohagakure perverts – some more inconspicuous than others – Naruto was an equally red blooded male. He had held himself back for her sake, but on their wedding night, that was no longer a complication. She would be his – and while that was exhilarating to consider, it was also the selfsame thought that made her linger in the shower a little longer than she normally would have.

It made her scrutinize herself one final time, because she wanted to be perfect for him.

She had to be.

And though she was not at all naive about what lovers did behind closed doors, she was a virgin. Even seduction missions were those that left her body untouched by any man. She was not entirely innocent of course, she had fantasized many times about this night, but that's all it had ever been.

Fantasy - she never thought for a moment that it would come true.

She pushed her way through the bathroom door, and into the small bedroom. Their home was given to them by her father, and traces of her Hyuga legacy etched themselves into the simple décor. There Naruto was, clad in a pair of boxers as he sat on the bed. His blue eyes were filled with swirling emotion, mirrored fears the moment their eyes locked.

Gripping the turned down sheets in his fingers, there was an intensity between them instantly. "Hinata?" His voice was raw, deepened by the softness of his tone. "Gods, you're beautiful."

"Really?" It was still so hard for her to believe.

"Yeah." He smiled gently, swallowing hard. "Really."

It gave her the courage she needed. Stepping forward, and around to his side of the bed, she sighed away the butterflies in her belly. He might have been her image of courage and strength, but he looked lost. Those blue eyes of his twinkled in so many emotions that she felt as if she could drown just by looking too long. She reached out a hand, caressing his cheek, and he leaned into that warm touch.

"Naruto..." It was impossible to imagine, but she thought she felt moisture on his cheek. "Were you crying?"

He wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on her belly, she realized he might have been.

"I have a family." His voice was so rough. "You're my family now."

She let the depths of his words sink in. Yes, she was his family…his wife. That title meant the world to her as she ran her fingers through his short blonde hair. It used to be wild, just like him. Now it was cut short, tamed, just like he was calm. She tugged it gently, causing him to look up at her. "You have a very large family, Naruto. They're just not blood related."

"I've always wanted that." His words as weren't direct as usual, the reality of that statement had never truly occurred to him. As if he had never actually believed it until just then. "I think blood ties, well, they're powerful." He found himself slowly standing, his fingers trailing up Hinata's back as he did so. "So, I've wanted that for myself."

His kiss was soft, melting away each and every one of Hinata's lingering fears. Any doubts she might have had were washed away by the caress of his fingers along her neck, pushing her long hair back behind her shoulders. Though she had on a thin robe and nothing more, he found that to be more intimidating than any of the sexy wedding gifts sent to them by their nosey friends.

She could tell that he was hesitating. The way that he kissed the nape of her neck was soothing, and she wished she could say the same for his wandering hands. They toyed with the tie that held the robe in place. One little yank was all it would really take, and even though she knew that he was equally inexperienced, he'd never once been so timid with her.

"It's okay." She breathed softly, letting her hands fall over his, nimble fingers pulling at the cloth.

"You really don't mind?" For him, it was too good to be true, to out of this world to ever really happen to him.

"Of course it is." She told him, taking one of his hands into her own. Her thumb played over his knuckles, along his fingers. She slipped it between the folds of the cotton. In doing so, her arm pushed it away. His other hand followed instinctively, until his palms were resting on her hips. He was fighting against his urge to look down at her breasts, and she laughed softly. "Naruto, I want you to see."

"It's not just that...I've heard that it hurts." Naruto said then, nothing but honesty in his gaze. "I don't want to hurt you."

Hinata shook her head, a soft smile tugging at the edges of her lips. "It might, at first. I don't really know." She told him as her lips ghosted against his. "I'm not afraid, because I love you."