A\N: Well after several months of sitting on my computer watching youtube videos I finally decided to put my lazy mind to a fan fiction. And yes it's Naruhina. So all you avid Naruhina fans, please enjoy

Hinata had never considered herself a brave person. She knew that. She punished herself each and every day for not being more courageous. When her father called her to his chambers, she felt her will to be even a little bit brave slip quickly.

After all it was very seldom Hinata spoke with her father, especially alone. She preferred to spend her time with her teammates and certain blonde ninjas.

Hiashi Hyuga sat on a silken pillow in the center of the room, no expression what so ever on his face. His room was in perfect order and everything about his appearance shouted elegance. Hinata felt extremely as self conscious as ever when she entered the room.

The scratches and scars from her last mission had yet to fade and they were even more apparent against her father's squeaky clean look.

Hiashi was a rather tall and imposing man. A stern look was always certain to be found on his face. But today was different. Today Hiashi Hyuga looked almost…sad.

Hinata gave a brief bow to her father and kneeled down onto a cushion. She tried to look into her father's eyes, but for some reason he refused to meet her gaze. She quickly pulled down her sleeves farther down her arms to hide the cuts.

"Good day Hinata. How are you?"

"I'm well father."

"Good, good," he said stroking his chin.

"What would you like to talk to me about?" He slipped his eyes carefully to the wall.

"Hinata, you know by now that I'm not intending to make you my heir." She had heard those words many times before. It was odd though how they continued to sting.

"Yes father."

"I have been thinking about your future a lot recently."

My future? When did he start thinking of me?

"It's been on my mind all the time. I'm actually worried." Hinata wasn't sure, but she thought that she gulped.

"Look…I'm not going to sugar coat things. You're not the most talented ninja Hinata."

Kurenai thinks I'm getting better, she thought to herself. She just wished she could come out and say it.

"All I want is for you to just be taken care of. I want you to have a secure future. I know that right now you're happy on the ninja path. But I'm not sure if that's the best plan for you."

"But…but father I-" He held up his hand to stop her.

"Let me finish. You may not realize how dangerous of a life you are leading." She realized exactly how dangerous it was, especially when she was stuck in a cocoon floating down a river to her death.

"I want you to be safe Hinata. As your father it's my duty to watch out for you. But I can't watch you forever." He rose from the floor, he walked to the window. He didn't want to look her in the eyes.

"What are you saying father?"

"You're not a child. You're sixteen, a young woman. I think it would be an appropriate for you to find a husband."

"….husband?" A ninja with little talent, not becoming an heir, she had heard all those things before. But not this.

She was so confused. Where on earth did he get that idea. Of all the things she thought her father would say when she entered his room, this was the last on her list.

"But-but father, how could I possibly find a husband. I'm nothing special, who would want to marry me?" He didn't even blink, just rattled off the terrible answer.

"I have thought of this. To make things simpler…I have arranged a marriage for you."

Anyone looking down on her would have seen a scared young woman, clutching her hand to her mouth. But Hinata felt nothing. Nothing at all. She was blank, numb. Words of protest tried to leave her throat, but she choked them back. All she noticed was her legs starting to cramp from sitting so long.

"Hinata?" her father asked, noticing her profound silence.

"Who…who is it?"

"A young noble, he is just passing through this week actually. He lives a few towns away. I had heard he was looking for a wife. He is a very kind and gentle man. He will take good car-"

"Please…stop." Hinata rose from her sitting position and began to inch her way to the door. To her, it felt like the room was spinning, every inch of the walls were closing in on her.

"Hinata wait," He tried to help her from stumbling but she turned away. She leaned on the door frame to get some balance back. Very carefully, very slowly, Hinata mechanically turned to her father.

"Thank you father," she managed to whisper, "for thinking of me."

Slam.

Hinata had left the room and although she didn't mean to, she did slam the door. Her father thought about going after her but then again he wasn't so brave either.

……

The breeze felt unusually cool for a day in the leaf village. Hinata was so used to the warmth and sun. There were few days that the leaf village was cold or cloudy.

As she walked through the garden, the only thing on her mind wasn't what you might think. She wasn't thinking of the lifetime she would spend with a man she'd never met, the tyranny her father had so kindly disguised as looking out for her, or all the friends she would leave behind when she moved in with her new husband.

She thought of Naruto.

It wasn't adoration or a simple crush anymore. It was a love that grew more and more each day. She admired his consistent training, the way he slurped his ramen, the childish way he pouted when he couldn't get a technique just right.

She had to admit that she found his appearance even more appealing then when they were twelve. Those two and half years with Jiraiya did his body good. When he came back, Hinata no longer saw the scrawny little boy but a tall, handsome teenager.

She still blushed heavily around him especially when she found him shirtless by the training grounds. But luckily the fainting ceased as she spent more time with him.

Hinata had spent little time wondering about how her life would turn out. She did however, picture a pleasant future of her and Naruto. They would start out talking all the time, then progress to dating, marriage, kids, growing old together.

She wanted Naruto to be a prevalent part of her future however life turned out. The man she was now engaged to would definitely complicate things.

Why couldn't things be simpler? She'd rather be from a poor family with no rules, or stupid customs. Then she could marry whoever she wanted.

Kneeling down in a little patch of daisies, the two sides of Hinata's mind began to wrestle. The shy obedient side was about to give in to the bold independent one.

Why don't you ask for what you want?

My father's already decided.

Your father this, your father that! He practically sold you off to some guy you've never met so he won't have to keep you in his house any more.

he cares about me.

Bull! He just wants you out of his way.

Hinata gripped her head hard, she couldn't shut that other side up.

Stop. Please stop. I don't want to think about it.

I'm not stopping until you listen to me. You've always ignored this part of our mind. This isn't about being the heir. This is our life, the next steps of our life.

Why fight him, I can't fight him. Nothing I do would make a difference anyway.

What about those things you thought in father's room. You were about to say something. Why didn't you?

We know he wouldn't listen.

what about Naruto?

That sparked her. That was all that was on her mind.

Don't you see? You have to say something. You have to. You think this new husband will let you see Naruto.

I know, I know.

Please do something.

I KNOW!

Weeping didn't take Hinata often. She usually kept tears locked up inside. But today she wept as hard as ever. The heaving shoulders, the sobbing. She hid her face in her knees but nothing stopped the sound.

Her father was in the room next to the garden taking his afternoon tea, pretending he couldn't hear her.

A\N: Well that was fun! Don't worry this is just the first chapter. Anyone who reads this, please, please, please review!