Disclaimer: I do not own any settings or characters from Naruto and this is purely a work of fanfiction for entertainment purposes only.

Paraselene

Chapter One

Hinata could remember the first time she met the shadow user. She remembered poking her head out from behind her mother's kimono and wondering if he actually liked wearing his hair that way, because it made him look noble like his father…

Said boy sighed, turned up his nose and looked away from the shy girl.

…or a pineapple.

"Oh my!" Hinata's mother exclaimed, her smile widening, a beautiful smile that could make anyone's day better. It was a smile that wars could be fought over. "Is this Shikamaru?" Her voice was like wind chimes in a calm breeze, comforting, beautiful. It was so different from the commanding voice of his mother Shikamaru had to look up at her.

The moment he did get a good look at the strange and beautiful woman he had to do everything he could to not hide behind his mother like some girl. The pretty lady smiled at him in such a way that he felt special, like he was the only one in the world she smiled for. "Only five but already so handsome. I bet you'll be just as smart as your father and strong like your mother, neh?" A blush dusted its way across Shikamaru's cheeks and nose as he nodded, smiling for the first time that morning.

"Look Hana, you've even turned my son into an admirer already. He's not usually interested in anything except having his head in the clouds." Yoshino laughed which in itself was a strange sight indeed. Shikamaru looked between the two women. 'Who was this lady and why did she have such an effect on people?'

The beautiful woman, Hana, laughed in return, one hand hiding her mouth, the other was placed on her swollen belly. "Yes well it's good to get lost in the clouds for a little while. It reminds us to keep our feet planted firmly on the ground so we don't disappear. " Hana turned back to Shikamaru, her light lavender eyes seemed to sparkle in the morning sun. Shikamaru couldn't turn away even if he wanted to.

"There's someone I want you to meet Shika-kun." Hana started as she reached her hand out to the little girl hiding behind her legs. She finally stepped forward and Shikamaru reluctantly turned his attention from Hana to the girl he assumed was her daughter. She had the same eyes as her, slightly different from the sea of white surrounding the both of them but, her hair was shorter and she definitely wasn't breathtaking like the woman she stood next to however, even Shikamaru had to admit, she was cute.

Not that he would ever say that out loud.

"This is my daughter Hinata; I hope the two of you can be good friends." Hana finished.

Hinata was shy but she wouldn't neglect her manners. She stepped forward and gave a slight bow. "I-I am pleased to meet you." She practically squeaked, her eyes wide.

A cute little mouse.

"Ahhh, Hinata just keeps getting cuter and cuter, right Shikamaru?" Yoshino asked her son, nudging him forward. He recognized the threat and gave a slight bow in return, not wishing to be reprimanded in front of all the Hyuuga eyes. He grumbled out what sounded like "nice to meet you" but no one present could be positive.

"Shikamaru, why don't you take Hinata around the grounds and see if you can find some antlers so Hana can use them to make her special ointment?" Yoshino made it sound like a suggestion but he knew it was nothing short of a command. He was about to start grumbling about what a drag that sounded like until Hana stepped it.

"That sounds like a lovely idea. I'm sure Hinata would really enjoy that!" Hinata was given a small nudge forward by her mother and before there could be any protests from either party the two children were off on their own in the Nara woods.

Well, they were followed by two Hyuuga guards but Hinata seemed used to it and ignored them, Shikamaru easily followed her lead and started toward a spot he figured would be their best bet for finding some antlers.

They walked in silence that was neither uncomfortable nor suffocating. They both seemed to enjoy the quiet sounds of the forest around them. They soon reached a clearing with a small stream. Wildflowers grew all around them and Hinata stared in awe and delight. Shikamaru shot her sideways glance. She seemed so genuinely happy and at ease. So different from the nervous creature he had just met.

Shikamaru looked around his feet for the antlers they came for and instead found a round white flower with many petals. A white camellia. He picked it up and thought about giving it to Hana but then he remembered the little girl he was with. She wasn't really troublesome; he could give it to her. She gladly accepted it.

He decided her smile wasn't a drag at all.

The day that Hanabi was born was the best and worst day of Hinata's life. She was finally a big sister. A day that she had been looking forward to ever since she found out there was something, someone, wonderful growing inside of her mother.

Her mother…

Hinata was not prepared to give up her mother just to be a big sister but the gods had other plans. Today was the funeral, a beautiful day of course, as if an ode to her. She would have wanted it to be a beautiful day, she would not want people to be sad but Hinata couldn't help herself. She could not face the many people coming to pay their respects and so she stayed in the garden, her mother's pride and joy.

Was her mother's pride and joy, besides her two beautiful daughters.

Hinata sniffed as she looked over the koi in the small pond in the corner of the garden. She felt ugly in her dark funeral robes amongst the beautiful and colorful flowers. She could not have been more miserable. Even her father and the maids left her alone.

However a certain Nara didn't get the message to leave the little princess alone. He approached her, cursing these formal robes for not having pockets he could shove his hands into. She turned to face him. Her eyes were large, wet, and dull with sadness. Her round face, almost cherub like, was marked with angry red tear stains on her cheeks. They stared at each other, once again in the silence they both found comforting.

Shikamaru sighed. He wasn't sure what to say to comfort some girl during such a troublesome time. Hinata furiously tried to stop the tears from flowing, she wiped at her cheeks with her sleeves carelessly. Almost as if reading his mind she cautiously spoke. "It's o-okay Shikamaru-san. Y-you don't have to say anything." Her voice was swallowed up by sobs her little body could not control. She was surprised when she felt him sit next to her. Not too close, but close enough that only she could hear his whisper.

"Ya know, your eyes are pretty like hers."

It was a simple statement. A true fact. Her mother had unique Hyuuga eyes, white, yes but, with a little bit of lavender. Fierce with the power of the byakugan but kinder than any other eyes she had known. They were a gift from her mother the moment she was born. Not even Hanabi had the lavender tint that made them different, that made her special.

It was the best compliment she had ever received.

Hinata smiled through her tears and hugged the boys arm for as long as she dared. "Thank you, Shikamaru-san."

Shikamaru hid the tint of pink on his cheeks by turning away from her and he awkwardly patted her head. "You don't have to be so formal Hinata. She wanted us to be friends, remember?"

Hinata nodded delightedly as she pulled away from him. "O-okay, Shikamaru…" she tested it out, it was weird to be so casual with a boy no less. She decided she didn't hate it.

She also decided that pineapples were probably her favorite fruit anyway.

When Hinata graduated from the academy she hoped that she had finally done something that her father could be proud of, something to make him acknowledge her. She was finally a shinobi. Instead, she heard him tell her sensei exactly what he thought of her. Useless. Unfit. Not worthy of the very name Hyuuga. She knew Kurenai saw her, knew her father must have sensed her, she nearly ran into Neji but she could not be here anymore. She could not let them see her being weaker than she already was with tears in her eyes. She ran from the Hyuuga compound for as far as her legs would carry her, ignoring the eyes of the people who stared after her. Some were concerned, mostly confused, she ignored them all. She ignored his eyes.

When she could not run anymore she recognized where her body had brought her, one of the training grounds. She did not hesitate as she approached a post and began striking it, taking out her frustration and her anger.

'Have to be stronger. Have to be better. Hanabi, Father, Mother…Naruto-kun…'

Her hot tears began to cloud her vision and her cries with each strike on the wood post drowned out the noise of any approaching footsteps. She was about to strike fiercely, wildly, like a caged animal. With a shout she brought her hand back and then…

She froze.

Not because she wanted to. Her body would not move. Her limbs were stiff. She slowly felt her body turn on its own accord. She found herself staring at the passive face of none other than Shikamaru Nara. Of course, she was in his shadow possession jutsu. He walked towards her making her do the same. When they were a foot or so apart he looked down from her face and at her hands. She copied him and nearly gasped at the state of her hands, her most important weapons. They were bloody, bruised, they needed to be healed or she could lose the feeling in them and then she would really be useless. He knew this, he did not want that. It was better when she smiled.

Shikamaru released the clearly upset girl from his jutsu and sat crossed leg on the ground and silently beckoned her to do the same thing. She wordlessly complied; her tears had stopped their relentless downfall, for now only her sniffles and the sounds of insects filled the air around the young ninja.

Shikamaru dug through his pouch pulling out a small jar of ointment and a roll of bandages. He gently took her hands in his and focused on patching her up. She just wanted to cry harder at his kindness. He glanced up every so often to see if her tears had stopped and wanted to let out a sigh of relief when they finally had but he remained focused on her hands.

Gentle and kind hands forced into a bloody pulp. He should scold her for this. Women weren't supposed to do this kind of thing. He didn't bother. He sighed when he was done, turning her hands over in his own and placing the ointment in her palm. She needed no explanation. A Nara secret remedy. She was glad to have it.

Shikamaru leaned back on his hands and stared at the sky, the sun was lowering. How long had he watched her cry and beat up that helpless post? He sighed again before laying down in the soft grass, his hands behind his head, eyes closed. Hinata eyed him curiously. Shikamaru Nara in his natural habitat. She smiled at her own thought, pocketing the ointment for safekeeping she laid down next to him, placing her healing hands on her stomach and looked at the fluffy clouds in the sky. If he was surprised at her actions he didn't show it.

"Hinata, we have to stop meeting like this. I'm not good at…comforting…people." Shikamaru mumbled almost as if talking in his sleep.

Hinata turned to face him, she begged to differ. Just seeing his calm exterior, care-free, deep breaths, just his presence was comforting. He was better than any anti-anxiety medication any medical-nin in the world could come up with. She looked back up at the clouds and slowly closed her red puffy eyes, finally at ease. After a few moments in the quiet, Hinata had to ask.

"Shikamaru…h-how is it you always know?" She started. He did not dare open his eyes to look at her. "How do you know w-where to find me?" she asked and turned her head back to face him.

After a moment of thought he simply shrugged. "Just lucky I guess."

Hinata shrugged too. She would take it and be grateful that he just knew. Soon the comfortable silence enveloped them in a familiar blanket, and they both fell asleep in the afternoon sun.

They both decided they liked naps together.

End Chapter One