Will depart from the canon... I own nothing. All characters are owned by or based on characters owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Hinata knelt next to Hanabi near the back of the shrine. She took the young girl's hand in an attempt to comfort her. But it was her own hand that was sweaty and trembling slightly. Hanabi's hand was as steady as her bright white eyes. Hanabi squeezed Hinata's hand comfortingly, and then smiled up at her older sister reassuringly.

She whispered, "Don't worry, Hinata."

The elders stood in the front of the shrine with a boy named Shinji. He was about ten or eleven. The same age as Hanabi, maybe a couple of months older. He was from one of the branch families, so Hinata saw him often but did not know him well. He seemed nice. He always smiled at her and waved whenever they crossed paths, despite his parent's and grandparent's warnings that he needed to address the main family more formally. He reminded her of Naruto, so she was happy that Shinji was the one who the elders chose to seal to her younger sister.

When her father passed her over as heir to the Hyuga clan, Hinata made an extra effort to help Hanabi through all of the rituals and formalities that came with the title. However, Hinata was never sealed to a future spouse, so she could not help her with this.

After several failed attempts by enemy villages to kidnap a hyuga heir in order to gain the power of the byakugan, the elders dropped the age of the sealing to ten, so Hanabi could be sealed right away to Shinji.

She was nervous for Hanabi. More so than Hanabi was for herself. Hinata was not sure if her sister fully grasped what it meant to be sealed to another person. But she returned Hanabi's smile as best she could and then turned back to the ceremony.

"Hanabi Hyuga, come forward."

Hanabi released Hinata's hand, and then she stood and moved to the front to take her place next to Shinji at the altar. Hinata felt nauseous as she watched the elders place the marks on both children that would bind their chakra.

From then on, each child would have free access to the other's chakra. Able to sense it anywhere, manipulate it, or draw on it at will. And if either child was ever stolen from the clan, their byakugan could be blocked to prevent outsiders from gaining the power. The binding could only be broken with death.

After the ceremony ended, Hinata snuck away from the crowd gathered outside of the shrine and through the gates of the Hyuga compound. She headed towards the park, wanting to get away from the shame and guilt that arose while she watched her little sister being sealed to Shinji Hyuga.

She felt it was her fault that Hanabi was going through the ceremony at such a young age. Traditionally, Hyuga shinobi were not bound to their intended spouse until they turned sixteen. If she remained the heiress, she would have likely been sealed to her future husband this year. But Hinata managed to get herself kidnapped as a young child, inciting even more fear among the clan, and then she managed to fail to live up to the title of heir, passing the burden on to Hanabi.

As Hinata entered the park, she looked up at the sky, imagining that the clouds were shaped like the faces of her friends. Kiba, Akumaru, Shino, Sakura, Lee, Ino…

She ran smack into something hard. Hard enough that she fell back, right onto her butt.

A familiar voice said, "Oh… sorry."

Stunned, she looked up. She was eye level with a pair of knee caps covered by orange sweatsuit pants. She would have recognized those pants anywhere, but she had not seen them for a couple of years. Quickly, she looked up further into the face of Naruto Uzumaki, who was curiously staring down at her.

"Eh! Hinata?! Is that you?" Naruto leaned down closer, inspecting her face. "IT IS YOU! Long time no see!"

He grabbed at her arm, pulling her up, so she was standing in front of him and he could fully inspect her. Hinata let herself be pulled up, though she was incredibly dizzy all of a sudden.

All she could manage to stammer out was, "N-Naruto…"

She was surprised to see him. He left the village almost two years ago with Jiraiya, and no one was expecting them back anytime soon. It was very likely that she missed him as much, if not more than anyone else in the village. But to see him so much taller and more mature without any warning, had been a complete shock to her system.

She stammered again, as she fell forward into Naruto's chest, "N-Naruto…"

He grasped hold of her, steadying her on her feet. "Are you ok, Hinata?"

"I'm fine." She smiled up at him, his arms still wrapped around her. "Just surprised to see you."

"Wow! You look different." Naruto said, fingering a strand of her black hair, which was now long and past her shoulders. "And taller!"

He looked impressed and placed his hand on top of her head. He was still more than a head taller than her since he had also grown taller himself.

"Umm hum." Hinata managed a nodded. Then she shook her head slightly and squeaked, "You look good... –I mean older –taller, ...I mean you look different too."

"What are you up to?" Naruto asked. His voice became serious. "Are you busy right now?"

"I… well… I was just walking…" Hinata's cheeks turned bright red, and the dizziness was getting worse. Her legs shook underneath her.

She was not busy. In fact, she was completely free. But she needed to come up with an excuse to leave before she embarrassed herself and passed out.

"Great! You're free then."

"Well, come on." Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her behind him. "Let's get some ramen! I've been craving it. I need a bowl RIGHT NOW. And you're exactly who I was looking for."

"Who me? I am?" Hinata looked down at her hand inside of Naruto's hand, and then up at the back of his blonde head as he led her down the street towards the center of the village. Was this a date? She felt her legs wobble again.

Granted, Naruto and Hinata had become good friends, prior to him leaving the village. But during the majority of their time at the ninja academy, they only spent a limited amount of time together. First of all, because Naruto was always too busy getting into trouble, and second of all, because Hinata was too shy to request more of his time. She was content watching him from a far. It was comfortable there. No risk of rejection or embarrassing herself.

Just before they graduated from the academy, out of the blue, Naruto enlisted Hinata as his main confidant. The friendship worked well, since Naruto liked to talk and Hinata liked to listen. And she was pretty much the only one who ever actually listened to him. Once they became genin, they were placed on two separate teams, but when he was in the village, Naruto would always seek Hinata out, specifically to have one of their many one-sided talks.

What Hinata liked the most about her blonde haired friend was his total lack of restraint. He wore his feelings on his sleeve for the entire world to see. She wished she was that bold too. She strived to be that bold and courageous… just like him. So far, she had become bolder and more courageous with her fighting skills, and less bold and courageous when it came to her feelings for Naruto.

Before Naruto left two years ago, he pursued Sakura like a heat seeking missile despite the pinkette's many decided and often violent rejections. Hinata knew every detail of Naruto's feelings for his teammate because this was one of his favorite topics during their talks. And despite her own feelings, Hinata tried to help him. Their attempts to win Sakura's heart never worked out well, however. But not from lack of persistence.

Once, Hinata attempted to give Naruto a Hyuga makeover, which Sakura promptly laughed at. Then she advised him to ask Sakura on an actual date. Sakura told him to drop dead. Hinata even wrote a poem for him to give to his crush. Unfortunately, the poem was passed to Sasuke before he quickly tossed it at Sakura. Sakura assumed it was from Sasuke, and refused to hear otherwise.

"What would you like? My treat!" Naruto asked Hinata jovially, with a large smile plastered across his face as they sat down in Ichiraku's.

"Umm…" Hinata perused the menu. She had never been particular to ramen before. But Naruto seemed to like it, so she was determined to like it too.

"How about a number two." Naruto pointed enthusiastically. "My favorite. You'll love it."

"Ok." Hinata nodded and smiled. She had seen him in this restaurant several times, but he had never invited her to eat with him before. She wondered if he truly missed her that much.

Naruto motioned to Ayame, said hello, and then ordered two number twos. "Ramen is the best. How have you been? I can't believe it's been two years…"

Hinata just sat and listened to Naruto chat. This was how it always was. She settled into her seat and smiled. She missed this immensely, while he was gone. She looked out of the ramen shop, watched the village pass by, and listened to Naruto's voice.

"...And I wonder what everyone else looks like. Do they look as different as you do?" Naruto twisted his mouth, curiously.

"You haven't seen anyone else yet?"

"Nope." Naruto said, taking the bowl of ramen from Ayame and chowing down. "I thought I'd enjoy my favorite meal and my favorite person first."

WHAT? Hinata looked wide eyed at Naruto, her cheeks turning red and her mouth dropping open. Did Naruto just say SHE was his favorite person?

"And you, Hinata? Anything new happen while I was gone?" Naruto continued, his mouth full of noodles.

Hinata looked back at him, daintily taking a spoon full of noodles herself. She quickly said, "Oh… no. The usual. But... my little sister was sealed today –to a boy named Shinji. That's about the only news I have."

"Oh wow." Naruto narrowed his eyes, looking at her suspiciously. "Do you plan to be sealed to anyone? I mean… does your clan have anything arranged?"

Hinata shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm not the heir anymore. My sealing is no longer a priority."

"But you're fifteen." Naruto persisted.

Hinata looked at him surprised. How did he know so much about the Hyuga clan traditions all of sudden? She replied in a small voice, "Yeah. I guess it will happen soon."

She had not wanted to think about her own fate. It was highly unlikely that she would ever be sealed to Naruto. And anyone else would be a disappointment.

"Naruto! Is that you!?" Voices came from behind them. Naruto looked up and past Hinata, his face lighting up again.

Hinata turned to find Kiba, Choji, Ino, and Sakura walking towards them.

"It is Naruto!" Kiba and Choji said in unison. They ran up, patting their comrade on the back and shaking his hand.

Ino and Sakura stood behind them giggling. Sakura leaned over to Ino and whispered. "Wow! Naruto has really grown up. Huh?"

Hinata overheard this. She looked back and forth between Naruto, who was concentrating hard on what Kiba and Choji were saying, and Sakura, who was staring dreamily at Naruto. When he finally noticed Sakura, Naruto's face lit up even more.

"Sakura! Wow, great to see you! Come on, join us!" Hinata's heart sunk as she watched Naruto get out of his chair and hug his teammate. He waved Ayame back over, so everyone else could give their orders.

They placed two tables together. Hinata was moved further down the tables to the other end, away from Naruto, who chose to sit next to Sakura.

She sighed. She thought maybe Naruto calling her "his favorite person" meant something. No such luck. He was back to crushing on Sakura.

After lunch ended, Hinata paid for her ramen and quietly slipped away from the group to make her way back home.

Before she made it half way down the street, she felt a hand press down on her right shoulder as though attempting to stop her in place. She looked down at Naruto's hand and then up into his face.

"Where'd you go? And you already paid... I was supposed to treat you. Remember?" He said jovially.

"It's alright. Maybe next time." Hinata replied softly.

"Well then. I'll walk you home." Naruto decided, falling in step with Hinata as she continued to walk towards the Hyuga Compound.

"It was great seeing everyone!" Naruto rambled on as usual. "Even Sakura was nice to me..."

Hinata looked up at him. "Well maybe you should try to ask her out again."

Naruto frowned down at Hinata. "Really? You think I should ask her out?"

"Yeah, sure." Hinata smiled. "She said she thought you seemed really grown up now. She was very impressed with everything you're doing to become a stronger shinobi in order to find Sasuke."

"Yeah... maybe I will ask her out." Naruto replied thoughtfully. "But I don't think she'll say yes. She's still all about Sasuke."

Now, Naruto was looking off into space, so he did not notice as Hinata's face fell in disappointment.

He continued, "Pervy sage says I have to show I'm appealing to girls in order to get a girl. Sakura likes Sasuke... and he has a lot of girls who like him. I don't really know any girls who like me. Though... I really would only need one –may be a fake girlfriend or something. That would get Sakura's attention."

"I like you!" Hinata blurted out. Then she squeaked, covering her mouth with her hand. Her face turning red. She quickly added, fidgeting with her fingers. "I mean as a friend… I like you as a friend. But I could pretend... to be your girlfriend, I mean."

The mention of being Naruto's girlfriend had caused her to have a momentary lapse in good judgment. She started to walk faster. Had she just volunteered to be Naruto's pretend girlfriend?

Naruto walked faster too. He tossed Hinata an odd look. She could not figure out if it was happiness or disappointment. "Are you sure? You don't have to do this. It was just a dumb idea…"

"No." Hinata said more confidently. "I want to do this."

"Thanks. I guess." Naruto said, laughing uncomfortably and rubbing the back of his head. Then he said, kindly, "I knew I could count on you, Hinata. You are the best friend ever."

Hinata beamed at him. "Of course! I'm always here to help."

Annoyed, Naruto walked away from the gate of the Hyuga Compond, kicking at the loose rocks in the street. That had not gone exactly how he had planned.

Not long after returning to Konohagakure, Naruto made his way across the village and through the park towards the Hyuga compound. He heard there was a sealing ceremony in progress, and he prayed he was not too late.

When he bumped into Hinata along the way and found her unmarked and alone, he was so elated that he invited her to go eat ramen without another thought. He forgot to mention his intentions, or that this could possibly be a date. Or that he had spent the last two years missing her more than anyone else in the village.

He had not set out to trick Hinata into becoming his pretend girlfriend. But after he saw her leave their sort of… kind of date without even saying good bye, and then she advised him to ask Sakura out again, he started to have flash backs of Sakura telling him to shove off.

Though it often hurt his feelings when Sakura turned him down, it was different with Hinata. He did not think he could bare if the shy and kind hearted kunoichi rejected him too.

He grumbled in frustration.

She did not have to try so hard to set him up with Sakura. OR be so happy about pretending to be his girlfriend to make Sakura jealous. She did not have to be SUCH a good friend. Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets feeling defeated. Despite all of the plans in his head, somehow, he ended up in the friend zone again… sort of.

Naruto was not too sure what Pervy Sage's angle was when Jiraiya started showing interest in Naruto's relationship with Hinata. But he was certain the toad sage was up to something. Maybe Jiraiya was tired of watching Naruto strike out horribly with Sakura. Maybe he was just being his usual pervy self. But his mentor persisted, mentioning how close Naruto and Hinata had grown as friends since graduating the academy. Even hinting that there may be a possibility that Hinata secretly had romantic feelings for him already.

"You really are a numbskull sometimes." Jiraiya said, as they walked side by side through a dense forest in the Land of Waterfalls. "The girl is completely head over heels for you, and yet you still haven't figured it out."

"Hey!" Naruto protested defensively. "Hinata is a good friend. And I really don't think that a girl, who is head over heels for me, would be so willing to help me get Sakura's attention, ya know."

"Ahh! This is why you need me, young student." Jiraiya replied, knowingly. "Hinata is a different breed of woman than most. Selfless and kind to a fault. She would help you with anything that she thought would make you happy."

Naruto thought about that for a moment. Hinata was very kind hearted. Her father removed her as heir to her clan because she was too kind hearted. But she was also very determined. She went to the training fields every day and practiced harder than anyone else, even though she was never particularly skilled, prodigious, nor powerful. If she loved him, wouldn't she be determined to let him know?

"I don't know…" Naruto responded, reluctantly.

"Your fifteen years old, almost sixteen. Time to think about what and who you want in life. It won't be long before Hinata is sealed to someone else and then it will be too late." Jiraiya responded cryptically.

Naruto had a change of heart halfway through his training with Jiraiya. He came back to the village ready to tell Hinata exactly how he felt about her. He never disclosed this to his mentor, who was becoming more and more insistent about discussing his love life as the months wore on.

…This however was not the first time one of Naruto's elders approached him about Hinata.

Years ago right before he became a genin, old man Sarutobi insisted that Naruto attempt to form a friendship with Hinata, as he was about to graduate from the academy with only a few tolerant acquaintances but no actual friends.

After the hokage continued to pester him, Naruto eventually started to talk to her.

At first, he did all the talking… which he was ok with him, because Hinata actually seemed to want to listen. Then after a few months, Hinata started to speak back. They even had a few adventures –or mishaps, while trying to win Sakura's heart.

Now Naruto just wanted to track Jiraiya down and tell him to go shove his love advise where the sun don't shine. He was not sure why he was even tempted to take advise from the perpetual bachelor anyway.

"Stupid, pervy sage!" Naruto mumbled to himself, still kicking rocks in the street.

Jiraiya stood with Kakashi in front of the hokage's desk. Tsunade rested her chin on her hands, thinking intently. "So you think they will come to the conclusion on their own?"

"Naruto already has." Jiraiya replied. "He thinks I don't know, but I saw him heading towards the Hyuga compound soon after we returned to the village."

"He had a rather significant crush on Sakura when he left." Kakashi mentioned. "Do you really think he is over it?"

"Yeah well. She's never been that nice to him, and I just happened to point out how kind Hinata has always been to him." Jiraiya chuckled, reveling in his cleverness.

"I'm not sure kindness is the attribute that attracts a man." Tsunade scoffed. She had been a complete hag to Jiraiya when they were younger, and yet he still insisted on having an annoyingly obvious crush on her.

Jiraiya frowned, thinking about this. "That's true…"

"What about the seals that are already in place?" Tsunade asked, interrupting.

"They are weakening." Jiraiya said gravely. "The nine tail managed to come out –to take over, twice while we were traveling. The first time I was able to calm him down pretty quickly. The second time… well…"

Jiraiya opened his shirt a bit to show them the large scar from the wound he sustained from the nine tailed fox. "I almost died."

Kakashi eyed the scar. "What about the wood style user?"

"That will work temporarily." Jiraiya replied, "But it's not permanent and it may not always work. Mito Uzumaki was sealed and bound to a couple of different byakugan users throughout her life time. They are the only ones with proven skill to stop the nine tail's chakra without fail when it attempts to gain control of its host. Kushina was never bound to a Hyuga, and we all know how that ended... the nine tailed fox gets loose, destroys the village and kills her and the hokage."

"So what if Naruto and Hinata don't choose each other?" Tsunade asked, frowning. "That's a very real possibility."

"They don't have to be lovers for the sealing. None of those who shared chakra with your grandmother were. She only married Lord First. The Hyugas seal couples within their own clan only because the bond is much stronger and there are less unnecessary interferences." Jiraiya replied. "But whatever happens. We'll have to tell them about the sealing soon. The nine tails is becoming stronger and Naruto is becoming more and more dependent on its power."

Hiashi Hyuga watched his oldest daughter enter the house and place her shoes at the door. She was such a good girl. It was not her fault that she was born as a tribute to a demon.

During the time that Hiashi grew up, before he took over as the leader of the hyuga clan, the jinchuuriki lived away from the Konohagakure. And much to his relief, the tradition of sealing a child from the main family to the demon's host, appeared to have died out for good.

Once the nine tailed fox was released during Naruto's birth and it destroyed the village, the tradition came back in full force.

Lord third approached Hiashi soon after Hinata's birth. He was informed that his first born daughter was the same age as Kushina's son, who was the new jinchuuriki. The hokage advised the Hyuga clan leader that Hinata would be sealed to Naruto on her sixteenth birthday, so Hiashi should plan to have more children, who he could make his heir.

Hiashi was a stubborn man however, and he did not like being told what to do. So he resisted at first.

He watched fearfully as Hinata developed feelings for the jinchuuriki anyway. But she did not know what Naruto was, nor what he would one day be to her. Hiashi tried to scare her away from Naruto. He threatened to disown her as heir. Still, she would not listen. Eventually, Hiashi gave into both the hokage and his daughter. He finally disowned her as his heir and took Hanabi instead.

He still felt guilty about it. He worried that Hinata would be shunned like the boy. Her entire life would be lived at the whim of an angry and some times cruel demon.

But he had left things far too long. Hinata was turning sixteen soon. The new hokage would come for her soon, and she would expect him to have passed on the skills necessary to subdue the beast. He had alllowed his father to discreetly teach her a few skills. But for the rest, he had been procrastinating. She should have already had years of training.

He called to his daughter. "Come here Hinata!"

She looked up and smiled at her father. "Hi Father!"

"Hurry. There are a few things I need to teach you."