Summary: Kumogakure has abducted Hinata, and it's up to Hiashi and Naruto to save her. However, they might need to work on their teamwork problem first...[Post-Series][NaruHina]
Author's Notes: Been awhile since I submitted a fic, eh? This is the start of a short fanfiction series I'll be writing, titled (for now) "Of Mutual Dislike". The story is post-manga, and it goes under the assumption that in the end, Naruto and Hinata will be dating, Tsunade is still Hokage, Lord A is still alive, etc. etc.
The story is NaruHina, however, it's meant to work on the relationship between Naruto, and Hinata's strict father, Hiashi.
I feel as though Hiashi doesn't get enough love in fanfiction. He's always either unimportant, or portrayed as an ass. While it's true that his forsaking of Hinata was a bitch move, and he's the sole reason for her shattered confidence in the first place, it's not as if he doesn't care about her.
And as for that scene in the dojo, where he said "I don't care what happens to her", keep in mind we all say things we don't mean when we're angry. I think a lot of people take that scene way too seriously. That, and since then, Hinata has improved VASTLY. She's obviously training with him and Neji now, as she's learned the Air Palms in the manga.
Oh, just a heads up - I'm still getting used to writing combat scenes. I never know when too much is too much, or not enough is being given. Advise on that would be greatly appreciated.
Anyway, hope you all enjoy this story. If you spot any problems or anything, please tell me - I intend to make edits as I update chapters.
Edit: I'll be making some ammendmants to this chapter real soon - namely in the form of taking the bold away from dialogue. I suspected it wouldn't be received very well, and I was right - I didn't even like it, to be honest. Also, I'm still getting errors when I make edits, where some apostrophes are completely vanishing - I have NO idea what's up with that though, so please bare with me on that. :P I'll try to get to the bottom of it soon.
Edit 2: As I am now in the process of writing chapter 2, I went back and amended a LOT of things on this chapter, to the point where it's different enough to send out notification. The bold text was fixed, quotations were repaired, and a lot of problems with the old one are now completely amended. Chapter 2 will come out very soon, and there were a few changes in here that will come up in upcoming chapters, so it might be worth another look.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any mentioned characters in this fanfiction. I wish I did though, because dammit, I'd make NaruHina canon already!
Chapter One: Hinata's Gambit
Why were they attacking all of a sudden? What could they have against Konoha performing recon in its own territory? For miles they had fled with the ambush squad from Kumogakure hot on their heels. Though nothing more than a lowly recon team sent only to scout the area bordering the Land of Fire and the Tahakashi River in the West, the hostile Kumo unit didn't seem to care. Hinata hadn't forseen that her squad would even engage in combat, let alone against people who had been their allies not even a year prior.
As these questions flashed through Hinata's mind, they provided a much needed distraction from the searing pain of her wounds. Cuts, bruises and scrapes aside, she could have sworn her arm was broken. However, those injuries were nothing compared to what poor Shino had endured. His confrontation with the enemy left the Aburame in ruin, his wounds and loss of blood causing her teammate to fall unconscious. Kiba was not in good shape either, having suffered minor paralysis. Their lightning element ninjutsu and swordsmanship was truly formidable, and beyond what they were capable of fighting against.
If that wasn't bad enough, herself and her two teammates were the only Jonin amongst their squad of six – the other three who had come along for the mission were fresh Chuunin, and not ready for a skirmish against such high ranked threats. They could do little, save for hide themselves in trees and bushes - the most basic form of concealment from the enemy imaginable.
Were it not for Shino's insects creating a diversion prior to his loss of consciousness, they would not have even gotten away from the surprise attack. With him now being hauled unconscious over Kiba's shoulder, the realization that one of their biggest assets towards survival was down for the count sank in. With their injuries so severe, Hinata knew they would not make it out alive through normal means.
Shino needed treatment immediately, and Kiba was in no condition to fight, nor was she herself. The others were too inexperienced, and the enemy was likely closing in on them from the direction of their flight. In a moment of despair, her thoughts turned again to the war Kumo and Konoha had fought alongside one another - how happy she was to see that the conflict between villages could be set aside for a common goal. She felt foolish to think that could last forever, yet at the same time, she also felt as though there was more to this attack than she knew.
As the eyes of her team fell upon her, the young Hyuuga realized she had to make the next decision. Slowing her breath, and wiping the sweat from her brow, the girl rose to her feet, trying to put on a strong face for her comrades.
"Hinata?" Kiba faced her, taking his eyes off of the clearing. "What are you pl—"
"Kiba-kun." she started, trying to find the strength to say what she was about to."Take Shino-kun and everyone else back to Konoha, and hurry! I...I'm going to stay behind and provide a diversion, at least for as long as it takes for you all to cover a safe distance."
"You have to be joking!" Kiba yelled, suddenly lowering his voice as he realized they were still in hiding. "Hinata, you can't hold off four Jonin on your own! Worse, they're some of the most powerful shinobi in Kumo, it'll be suicide for you to take them all on your own!"
Hinata shook her head. "I'll only engage them long enough, then I'll get away." Reaching into her satchel, she began to grasp the contents in her palm. Just two smoke bombs, a flare, and four explosive tags – just enough to get by. "Get the others to safety. When I make my own retreat, I'll send a flare up. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
"But I..."
"GO! NOW!"
She had come such a long way since the early days of Team 8. Back then, she would have never shown such courage in the face of danger, or have yelled at Kiba even for defying orders. She had taken charge now, and he couldn't argue with the girl - she was the acting leader with Shino down. Reluctantly, the Inuzuka faced the three other Chuunin who were with him, signaling for them to move out. Soon as they had vanished from sight, Kiba took one last worried look at Hinata, placing the unconscious Shino upon the back of Akamaru.
"I don't want to be the one to tell Naruto or your family that you're dead, and I don't want to attend a friend's funeral anytime soon. Hinata, stay alive."
Kiba's words hit Hinata hard, like a stone. So many wonderful things were happening in her life right now - she couldn't afford to lose everything she had worked so hard for. Not here, not now. Her father's admiration, Naruto's heart, too much was at stake. Quelling the rising wave of emotion that was welling in her body like waves beneath the sea, she composed herself, speaking silently and solemnly in response to her teammate, who had left mere moments ago. "I promise...I promise to do my very best, and to return home alive." Though no one was around to hear her, the girl felt a small boost of reassurance, just having spoken those words out loud. A boost that she would surely need.
Realizing the pain from her injuries would hinder her performance, Hinata reached into a pocket on her flak jacket, and pulled out a lone soldier pill. Chewing it slowly, she continued to scan over her surroundings, expanding her vision as far as she could. She could see the leader of the Kumo ambush, a man whom she recognized from the war, not even thirty meters from where she stood. She was almost positive the one beside him was a sensor nin, due to the fact that they were cautiously headed her way. The man...Darui. Memories of their allegiance surfaced once more in her mind, and she began to second guess her plan. This man was strong - she had seen that first hand. She had to act now. If they detected her team fleeing, she'd lose her chance to hold them off.
Her heart was racing as though it would burst from her chest any moment, her palms sweating like a river. Blood from her earlier injuries began to meld with the dirt and sweat upon her body, an unsettling feeling as it started to trickle down her face. She could feel her mouth begin to dry with each heavy gulp she took, the passing of time seeming infinitely slower with every moment she waited. The explosive tag grasped in her hands was nearly crumbled as she clutched on to it, waiting till the two visible targets were in range. Seconds seemed to pass like hours. Within moments, her heartbeat became so loud that it drowned her own thoughts out. Would she make it? Would this work? Where were the other two? Had they already engaged her team? Wracked by worry and fear alike, she fought hard to stay focused, feeling the effects of the Soldier Pill she had just taken. Her pain was numbed, and her fatigue began to vanish quickly. However, her anxiety was tenfold now, the trembling within her very core building up and becoming harder to keep under wraps as worries crept up on her thoughts. How could she possibly have hope against some of Kumogakure's best? She began to combat doubt; She was a Hyuuga, one of Konoha's most revered clans. She was a Jonin as well, a title given only to the elite. Even if it would only buy a minute of distance for her team, she could do this, and she could live. She knew it - she was no longer the weak little girl she had begun as more than a decade of life ago. Her breathing steadied as the enemy fell into range. Now was the time to act!
Moving around the tree she had used as cover, Hinata slapped the explosive tag onto the trunk, twisting around and thrusting her palm out swiftly. "Hyuuga Style Art: Air Palms!" A burst of air came forth from her hand, ripping through the trees at the dark skinned Kumo nin. Almost immediately, the man and his companion leaped into the air, out of the attack's range.
Swiftly moving forward, Hinata narrowly got away from the explosion from the very tag she had placed, darting to the side as the tree fell down towards her airborne opponents, both with a look of mild shock upon their faces. Keeping her eye on them, she knew that she had to get close enough to use the Juuken on them before they could assess the situation and use any of their jutsu. Acting fast, she jumped on to the trunk of the still-falling tree, and rushed to Darui in a blur. Her palm flew through the air, aimed to strike the Kumo nin's arm. 'Come on...' she thought to herself. 'Don't miss...' If she could land one well placed juuken, perhaps she could stop him from forming seals.
"Laser Circus!" The man's hand seals were blindingly quick, she almost didn't notice his movement.
Hinata had only a split second to react to a flurry of guided lasers that were now closing in on her, forcing the Hyuuga to cease her juuken strike. Kicking off of the tree she had poised to attack from, she bolted towards the ground, several bolts of energy moving swiftly towards her. As soon as her feet touched the ground, a veil of chakra enveloped the girl's body, and she began to spin rapidly. "KAITEN!" A sphere of chakra formed around her, spinning torrentially and negating the beams. As she ceased spinning, looking at the small crater she had created with that last jutsu, she realized that she would exert herself far too swiftly if she used something like that again. Exhaustion began to manifest in the form of heavy breathing. If this fight dragged on for too much longer, she would not have the energy to get away. Darui and the other shinobi had once more gained footing, and were preparing for another assault. It was at that moment that Hinata noticed two other chakra signatures nearby, gleaming in her wide field of vision. They were headed her way with great speed - it was almost assuredly the other two jonin. She could not handle all four of them and hope to get away.
She turned to the other combatant, who was closer to her than Darui. A young, pale skinned man with untidy blond hair - she suddenly recognized the shinobi as Shii, and the moment she noticed him forming a hand seal, the Hyuuga heiress held her ground, bracing for the worst.
"Lightning Illusion: Flash of Lightning Pillar!"
An immense flash of light suddenly surged forth from the body of the nin, causing Hinata to squint momentarily. It was no use - even after opening her eyes, there was a blinding white light surrounding her entire line of sight. No, it wasn't light - it felt too strange, her head was too fuzzy from just a glance at it. "Nhg...g-genjutsu?" Flaring her chakra up, she began to reverse the flow of her tanketsu, trying to break the genjutsu on her own. It was seldom she came up against genjutsu users in her missions, but she was grateful toward her lineage whenever moments such as this arose.
However, her relief from the blinding genjutsu was short lived - as soon as her vision returned, she felt herself being swept off the ground by a devastating blow to her stomach, Darui having hit her firmly with the blunt of his weapon. In that instant, as she felt her body soaring swiftly through the air, she realized she should have prepared herself for such an attack. The overwhelming pressure of facing off against both a genjutsu user and a swordsman with such a dangerous ninjutsu was clouding her judgement - the moment she accomplished anything at all in this fight, she was letting her guard down. As her back hit the truck of a nearby tree harshly, she began to cough up blood, her stomach feeling as if it had been hit by a sledge hammer. Darui was no slouch on strength, and the odds of her getting away began to plummet rapidly. She found it difficult to even stand, a pain powerful enough to overwhelm the effects of a Soldier Pill wracking through her body. She felt a sharp needle-like vice from her arm - it was now assuredly broken, as she could barely lift it. A sudden movement sent a surge through her entire being, causing her to clutch her chest - that last attack not only slammed her stomach, but it must have broken one of her ribs as well.
Panting heavily, she looked out at the two Kumo nin, who paced slowly toward her without fear. Dread sank in as her vision started to blur and double, even with the Byakugan active. If there was a chance she could make it away before, she had lost that chance now. The other two Jonin were less than a minute away, and the two before her were a match and a half for her already.
Shii folded his arms and spoke, not caring that Hinata was standing. He knew she could do little in the state she was in. "Intel was right, then. Darui, this is the one we need. Samui should have already dealt with the ones that fled, so let's subdue her and return to the village swiftly."
"Look, kid, you had me going there for a moment..." Darui began, lazily rubbing his neck. "...but try not to make this job harder than it has to be. You're outmatched and outnumbered - even if you were in a league of your own, you couldn't take both of us. Just give up and come quietly – we don't want to have to kill you here."
Hinata glared at the white-haired Kumo nin, staggering weakly to re-assume her stance. What he said...for her to give up? At this point in her life, such words were almost an insult to the highest degree. "Give...give up? You're misguided..." Mustering every last ounce of courage in her being, she powered through the agonizing pain and raised her hands to her sides. With a burst of newfound energy, she sprinted towards Darui, her hands became engulfed by chakra and taking the shape of two lion heads. Palms reeled back, grinding her blood soaked teeth, the battle weary kunoichi finished her sentence. "... if think you can make me give up!"
"DARUI! Keep at a range!" Shii yelled, leaping atop the limb of a tree. "Her chakra just spiked! You can't risk getting hit by her in that state!"
Darui drew a heavy sigh and extended his palms out. "I'd usually trust your calls, Shii, but just look at her. She can barely move, so she's about as fearsome as a toothless lion."
Almost as though it was on cue, a smoke bomb landed at Darui's feet. The white haired man's eyes widened. "Shit!" Within seconds, he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. "When did she manage to throw that?" Thinking back for a moment, he realized that when she had performed her rotation a moment ago, she must have used the momentum to throw the smoke bomb into the air so it would come down unexpectedly and when she needed it. And now that she was shrouded by a veil, he couldn't see her to attack, but she could almost certainly see him.
A faint glow came from the corner of his eyes, causing the man to jump shakily to the side, the Hyuuga's pain-filled grunts coming from beside him. Now that he knew where she was, he could counterattack - aiming his hands in the direction he just heard her from. "Laser Circus!" Almost desperately, the man fired a barrage of lasers into the smoke. He swore beneath his breath, having heard nothing that even resembled an impact. "I missed? But where did she..."
A sharp pain suddenly consumed his arm, and he felt himself being propelled through the air, another tree breaking his flight. Not liking how a simple task was turning into a real fight, the dark skinned man muttered as he regained his stance. "Kid's got a lot of fight left...This isn't gonna be as easy as I thought..." The smoke began to thin, and he could barely make out the girl's silhouette charging recklessly at him, a stagger in her step. Quickly, he reached for his sword, reeling around and slicing the tree beside him in a single motion. Rolling out of harm's way as the tree began to fall towards Hinata, he looked around the area, trying to locate Shii. His arm didn't feel quite right either - it wasn't that it was numb, but it felt weaker somehow.
"She's getting away!" Turning around, Darui spotted Hinata fleeing from the area, and extended his palms. In his effort to distance himself from the girl, he had foolishly allowed her an opening to run - but now that he could see again, there would be no running from his jutsu. "Laser Circus!" No effect at all? It was a moment before he remembered what he was up against, and finally realized why his arm felt strange. "The gentle fist! Shii, she nailed my arm just a moment ago, I can't mold chakra right anymore!"
Shii had been watching the smoke bomb skirmish from above, concealed within the trees - yet he had spent nearly the whole time trying to locate the members of Hinata's team who had gotten away. "Go after her on foot then! I'll try heading her off!" He didn't expect Darui to fail against the girl, let alone be incapable of pursuing a wounded shinobi. He would have time to be concerned about the others after she was caught - without her, their mission would be a failure.
She admitted to herself that her skirmish with the Kumo Jonin could have gone far better than it did. She managed to get away without any major loss of blood, but with possible broken ribs and a broken arm, it would only be a matter of time till they caught up. They seemed to be after her, but they would still attempt to kill her teammates if she didn't keep them busy longer. Whatever they were after, to engage in battle against a scouting team would surely break the no hostilities treaty that was made after the war, and that was something no country could afford to have happen so soon.
The Soldier Pill she took earlier was already having a diminished effect, and the side effects were starting to kick in. She began to sweat profusely - her temperature rising with her blood pressure. She would not last, and she knew it. Biting her lip, she stopped for a moment, leaning against a tree. Opening her Byakugan once more, she cringed with fear again. They were closing in - all four of them. The other two were less than thirty yards away now. This would have to be her last stand...
Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out the single flare, rising it into the air and firing it. Even if she wouldn't be able to get away, the last thing she wanted was for her friends to come back for her and endanger themselves. "Kiba-kun...Shino-kun..." she said, quivering from the last of her energy beginning to leave her body. Her muscles ached, her bones were broken, and her chakra had run out entirely. "I hope this was enough to help you get to safety. And Naruto-kun..." Without hesitation, she assumed her stance once more, weakly but proudly, and stared down the direction of her pursuers. "I'm sorry...I might be home later than I promised I would be."
Konohagakure had seen few days as noisy as this one. With the onset of summer days, the cicadas had begun to amass around the village, adding the screeching chirps of the insects to the daily hustle and bustle of the Village's many citizens. For Hiashi Hyuuga, however, the cicadas were a welcome presence when compared to the obnoxious teen he was exchanging glares with from across the tea table.
It had been like this for awhile now, even into the early hours of sunset. Naruto had come to the Hyuuga estate earlier that day, asking if Hinata was back from her mission yet like she was supposed to be. Hanabi, much to the dismay of her father, had told the boy it was okay if he waited at the estate for her return. After all, it wouldn't have been too much longer – or so she thought.
After finding this out, Hiashi wanted, with every fiber in his being, to kick his daughter's obnoxious boyfriend out of his home. However, his upbringing as a tradition upholding host made it not so. Hanabi had invited Naruto in, and it was not deemed 'polite' to kick him out for no given reason. The feeling was mutual for Naruto - the only reason he hadn't already said something out of line to Hinata's father was out of respect for Hinata - and out of fear that the man would no longer allow Naruto to date the Hyuuga heiress.
Hanabi felt nervous as she kept an eye on the two, their eyes clashing like lightning across the table from one another. Even sipping from their tea, they constantly looked as though they were going to have at it at a moment's notice, something Hanabi was sure would happen if she wasn't sitting between them.
"S-so..." she began, breaking a long and very tense silence. "Father, how was your day today? I um...understand you had errands you had to take care of today and—"
"My day was fine. The errands were dealt with. You don't need to ask." he said abruptly, still rather irked by the orange clad ninja's presence.
Hanabi sighed heavily, a bead of sweat dropping down her forehead. "I see. That is...very good. Um...Naruto-san, how about your d—"
"It was okay." Despite how much friendlier it was worded than her father's response, it seemed laced with the same amount of spite as Hiashi's. The young Hyuuga girl rubbed her temple in frustration. Playing the role of mediator between these two would only serve to wear on her sanity
Finishing off the last of her tea, she looked outside for a moment. The amber glow of the sun was starting to fade to the black of night. She realized Hinata should have been home hours ago – it was just a scouting mission, after all. The young girl looked to her sister's boyfriend. Though his bitter stare at her father had remained perfectly in tact, she realized he too was growing concerned for Hinata. His eyes had wandered on occasion to the corner of the room, the side the sun had been casting its light upon, watching it fade slowly. He was aware of how much time had passes, and with each vanishing hue of light, she saw him fight back a growing frown each and every time. Then again, her father was growing equally concerned. If only the two of them realized just how similar they were in this respect...
As the street lamps of Konoha shone in the distance, Naruto drew a heavy sigh and rose to his feet. "She...must be running late." he said with a mix of worry and disappointment, turning his back to Hiashi and Hanabi. "I guess I'll check and see if she's returned in the morning. Sorry if I bothered you guys or anything."
Hiashi muttered beneath his breath as he stood as well, turning towards the door as he spoke. "I will tell her you were looking for her when she returns. Hanabi, please see our guest out." He emphasized the word 'guest' with an almost venomous tone.
Naruto stayed silent for several moments after the Hyuuga clan head left the room, waiting till his footsteps fell out of earshot. As soon as he felt it was safe, the blond boy rubbed his head feverishly. "Maaaaaaan! Hanabi, your dad really rubs me the wrong way! Always so stern, always looking at me like he wants to yell at me about something - how the heck do you put up with that?"
Hanabi frowned at the boy. "To be fair, you don't look at him with much respect either, Naruto-kun." Gesturing towards the slider door that led outside, the two of them began to make their way towards the front of the Hyuuga estate. "You know..." she said after a few moments of silence. "I'm glad you're going out with my sister, but...did it ever occur to you that perhaps there's a reason father doesn't approve of you?"
Naruto folded his arms, giving this question some serious thought. Could it just be the way he and Hiashi didn't get along? No, that wouldn't have been it. Back when Hinata first introduced Naruto to the family, Hiashi had an ill disposition with him from the moment of his first impression. It could be that Naruto was seen as 'lower class' - the Hyuuga clan was revered as one of Konoha's noblest and purest bloodlines, after all. Maybe it was the same reason everyone in the village used to hate him and look down on him - the Kyuubi. Then again, most of the village finally trusted Naruto, especially after he defeated Pain. So why was it that Hiashi disliked him so much?
"I don't know." he replied after a long pause. "You were right about one thing - I guess I could stand to show the guy a bit more respect. I mean, he is Hinata's father, but..."
Hanabi looked up at Naruto curiously. "But?"
"But...I just really dislike the guy. I mean..." Images began to flash through his mind, of Hinata's grand display of change and courage during the Chuunin exams. Change that she had to fight to achieve, brought on by a curse of self-destruction instilled by her father. He remembered, once upon a time, dismissing her lack of confidence as something else entirely, just a byproduct of her kindhearted nature. It wasn't until they had begun dating almost a year ago that he found out the way she had been treated as a child. The crushing expectations, and the disappointment, disowning and shame that came from him after even the slightest mistake was made. Though she only spoke highly of her father, Hinata always expressed how difficult things were for her. And while she had worked hard to gain her father's acknowledgment over the years, Naruto still felt disgusted at how she was forsaken at any point in her life. "I just...I know how it felt, really. Not being wanted. I never had any parents to disown me or anything, but I can't help but imagine it feels just as bad or maybe even worse than how it felt to be shunned by the whole village."
Hanabi had almost forgotten about Naruto's ordeals as a child. With as highly as Hinata always spoke of him, it was pretty easy to look past they boy's days as the scourge of Konoha. "When you put it like that, father does sound like a bad man. But...he isn't, you know." She looked up at Naruto, trying to force a smile to break the tension she could feel in their conversation. "Father is a good man. He is strong, and he is loyal. He always places the welfare of our clan and the village above his own health and happiness, and he loves Hinata dearly. Actually, Naruto-san, father is very much like you." She giggled lightly at saying this, causing the blond to turn a shade of red and cross his arms furiously.
"Don't go comparing me to him, 'ttebayo! I couldn't care less if the guy was a saint, he's nothing like me."
"Heehee, well if you say so. Still, I would think of it as a compliment. He is one of Konoha's most revered Jonin, after all. Anyway..." As they stopped at the front of the Hyuuga estate, Hanabi stood silently for a moment. She wanted to ask Naruto what he thought was taking Hinata so long to return. It really did pique her concern - Hinata was always very punctual. There weren't very many things that could delay her, especially on something as trivial as scouting. "Naruto-san, I-"
"You're worried about her too, huh?" Naruto gently patted her head. "I can tell. You kinda have that worried look all over your face and all that - but try not to let it get to you. Hinata is amazing, y'know? If something has happened, I'm sure she'll get through it no problem."
Hanabi nodded in agreement. "You're right. Thank you, Naruto-san. When she gets home, I'll be sure to tell her you said that - it'll make her really happy."
Blushing, he threw his hands behind his head. "Shucks, Hanabi. You don't have to go and do that. I tell her that all the time as it is. I think she might even be getting sick of me saying it so much."
The two exchanged goodbyes, and Naruto walked once more down the illuminated streets of Konoha, hands resting in his pockets, and eyes fixated on the ground. 'That's what I told her...' he thought to himself, thinking of how he'd just told Hanabi not to worry. But he couldn't shake the feeling in his gut that something was, in fact, very wrong. He began to think back to the day she left on this mission. 'She told her team to wait for me...' he thought. 'That day, at the gates. She wouldn't let them leave before I got to see her off. I knew she would be gone for a good long week. I offered to send a bunshin to keep her company. Maybe I should have done that anyway...'
Kicking a rock along the stone paved road, he neared the East gate to the village. If she was to return, she would enter the village through there. In hindsight, maybe instead of spending the day having a hateful staring contest with Hiashi, he now believed he should have sat down on a bench here, waiting for Hinata like a good boyfriend would. "Well, better late than never." Shrugging, he sat down on a nearby bench, eyes not leaving the massive gate. When she did finally return, he would be the first to welcome her home.
Closing Notes: Well, what did you all think? It may be a bit slow on the startup, but I have about 5 chapters total planned for this - it may be more depending on how I get things rolling. Any questions, comments, or concerns would greatly be appreciated in that little review thing. See the button? The one that says 'review'? Yeah, push it! Tell me what you thought.
Unless you're one of those people who like to go around trash talking pairing fics. Then you can kindly GTFO! :D