Book II - Chapter Two

"Can we... kiss again?"

Hinata takes a breath deep enough to fill her aching chest, pushing her bosom against Naruto, who was still currently far too close for comfort.

An echo: "Can we... kiss again?"

The question warrants an answer. She realizes this. But for some reason, her thoughts are slowly drifting away. The pain... this pain she still cannot grasp the meaning of... it slips away as well. She sees her vision blurring over as Naruto finally reaches her lips. The sensation is as sweet as she's always dreamed it would be. The scene is just far too perfect...

Why does everything feel so wrong?

Hinata places two tremulous hands upon Naruto's shoulders, prompting the blond to pull back with a curious look.

He gives an awkward laugh before stepping back, rubbing a hand behind his head. "Oh, sorry… I didn't give you a chance to answer did I?"

The silent Hyuuga gives no response. With her head slightly lowered to shade her eyes, her hand blindly searches for the doorknob behind her, grasping it weakly when found. A warm hand suddenly lays atop her own. She hesitates to glance up and meet his gaze, a part of her fearing the look she'd find there would still her.

It does.

"Is… Is everything alright?" Cerulean eyes are filled with deep concern and she wonders if he'll ever know what he's doing to her heart.

Her lips part, but words fail her. Glistening tears speak the truth as they escape from her eyes and she bites her trembling bottom lip, wishing that she wouldn't make a scene. Naruto's hand grips her own a little tighter, the warmth is just too comforting and she feels her grasp on the knob loosen.

"Do you wanna talk or eat or something?"

"Talking?" Gaara echoes, his eyes piercing through her with an inscrutable emotion. "Is that what you do during your leisure time here, socialize with random shinobi?"

Her grip tightens on the knob once again, her eyes downcast.

"I'm fine, thank you." She raises an arm to wipe away moisture. "I should probably be heading home. Enjoy your meal, Naruto-kun."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Something is definitely amiss.

Neji's palm hits Hinata's with great force, mirroring her deft movements with a subtle look of curiosity upon his face.

She's gotten stronger.

He notices her focus has improved as well, a profound look of concentration on the kunoichi's face as she manages to meet his every strike and thrust with keen alacrity. It didn't take his activated Byakugan to recognize the abnormalities of the situation.

For one, she had awoken to start training in the middle of the night. Two: she hadn't recalled in defense since they had begun combat; and most surprisingly, three: she was actually on par with him in combat… without her Byakugan.

What the hell happened in Suna?

The lower branch Hyuuga wanted to conclude it was his current sleep deprivation that was giving her the upper hand. But as far as he knew, she had slept for just as long as he had.

"Lady Hinata", he calls before pausing in combat. The heiress appears startled as if awoken from a daze and she gives her elder cousin a look of alert. "Yes," she replies quickly, breath coming heavy in the break of dawn. The air was misty and humid, cicadas chirping in the distance of a summer sunrise.

Neji took in the expression of his sparring partner, more specifically the distant and pensive look in her eyes.

He felt like hurting someone.

"We should end it here for today," He directed, already irritated with himself for feeling so over-protective. It was his duty, he knew: to make sure the future head of the clan was at her best on all platforms of wellness… but communication wasn't his most formidable skill. The most he could do at a time like this was… well… hell if he knew.

Neji was grasping at air.

Telling her father would likely gain her distrust, and asking her what was wrong just seemed far too out of character.

"You've improved greatly," He said calmly, filling the silence between them and putting an end to his inner conflict.

Hinata's lavender eyes widened in surprise. She bowed, "Th-Thank you, Neji-nii." By the time she had become erect, he was already sliding shut the entrance to his corridor.

The sole Hyuuga lifted her tired gaze towards the ombré sky, where warm hues of magenta flowed like honey into amber. Her palms were aching as she looked down upon their red and calloused appearance, thinking she was tired of thinking, and wanted to get back in the 'zone' again.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

She trained to the point of complete exhaustion, falling back onto her bottom on the dusty surface of their training grounds. By now, she was sure that one of the lower branch maidens had started her bath for her, suddenly feeling eager to sink down into shallow waters and just clear her mind. Perhaps she would stop by Kiba's after. Her feisty chum would likely keep her thoughts focused on the here and now… and not the brewing storm in her body.

After her bath, Hinata found herself drifting lethargically towards the canine clan's residence, her body too sore for her to take a quick route over the buildings.

"HAHAHA" She heard the distinct laughter of Naruto, who she had absentmindedly not noticed was at Ichiraku's just a few feet away from her. As if sensing her gaze, he looked over his shoulder. "Hinata!" He called in a tone that made her heart waver. Why did he sound so happy to see her?

The pale-eyed kunoichi called his name softly in turn and proceeded to walk over to the booth, wishing she had actually taken that quick route over the buildings.

"Where you off to?" he asks after slurping some noodles. Why is he acting like nothing happened between them?

"I-I was going to see Kiba", she replied solemnly, feeling the ache from her body travel to her head. I used to feel so anxious around him, she thought, now I just want to run away from him.

"Oh... well I'd invite you to eat but I don't even have enough for my own meal."

"What'd you say?!" Teuchi, who had been preparing his broth, looked over in umbrage.

Naruto meekly lifted a hand to rub behind his head. "Ehe… how about a tab?"

Ayame, daughter of Teuchi, could see the vein rising on her father's forehead. Naruto slurped down the last of his bowl before grabbing Hinata's hand and making a run for it, the clamor of a few coins hitting the bar table as they made their retreat.

Naruto was laughing as he pulled her along beneath the evening sky, dust rising from their eager steps and making the scene appear as dreamy as it felt for the heiress.

Is any of this even real?

The aspiring kage paused and turned towards her. "Do you really have to go to Kiba's?" he asked, hand still firmly grasping her own. "You should come back to my place." He declared with hopeful eyes. "You had dinner yet? I have plenty of ramen at the house, ya know."

"Dinner…" Gaara began lowly, staring at some distant spot on the floor. "Would you like to join me again… the same time tomorrow?"

Hinata gently retracted her hand, instantly on autopilot. "Actually, Naruto-kun, I -"

The sound of her stomach grumbling cut her off and she placed a hand on her mutinous abdomen, feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

Naruto was grinning. "I'll take that as a yes."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

She holds a hot cup of ramen in one hand and chopsticks in the other, sitting before Naruto at his low table. The blond had downed his cup in less than a minute before sitting up to place both elbows on his table, resting his chin on one palm. "So how was your day?" He asks nonchalantly, as if it were really the norm for them to be alone like this in the night.

"I-I spent the day training." She replies humbly, proceeding to eat her 'meal'.

"Hey, me too!" Naruto beams. "I've been trying out this new training technique with Kakashi and Yamato. It's pretty hard but," he smiles, "nothing a future Kage can't handle."

His guest was mirthless as she placed down her half-empty cup, her tenor solemn. "Naruto-kun…"

The blond lifted his head from resting on his palm at the sound of her tone, slightly startled. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Why… Why are you..." She pauses, shaking her head. "Forget it, sorry".

Naruto squints with pursed lips, moving to cross his arms over his chest in what would be classified as a 'thoughtful' expression… at least by his standards. "So you're just gonna egg me on with that sad face and tell me to forget it? Even after you ran out of here yesterday without answering me?" He sits up and places two hands on the table, a look of determination on his face. "Hinata" he bellows in that deep raspy tone, "If you think you're leaving here all down in the dumps again I can tell you for sure it won't be happening."

Eyes widened, the Hyuuga is taken aback by the severity of his approach. She lowers her head for a moment, shoulders trembling.

And Naruto is suddenly in pacifying mode, worried he might've caused her to cry with his invasive approach. "H-Hey, don't -"

"Hehe…" a light giggle escapes from the heiress' lips and Naruto blinks, flummoxed.

Hinata wipes her eyes with the back of her palm before picking up her cup and chopsticks again. "Naruto-kun," she calls calmly, causing the blond's ears to perk up. "Can you tell me about your new training regimen?"

"Eh?" He blinks widely, bewildered by her change in disposition. He relaxes once again though, in realization of his misinterpretation, proceeding to explain his new shadow-clone training technique.

...

"That's such an innovative concept." Hinata compliments, "Only you could accomplish such a feat, Naruto-kun."

"Hehe." The blond beams, shamelessly basking in his accolade. "Hey do you wanna see me train? We're meeting day after tomorrow."

Hinata's subtle smile falters in the slightest. "O-Of course."

Karma is an undoubtable truth, she thinks. Had she been honest in her feelings just now she wouldn't be caught in her own web of lies and factoids. Now she would have to spend an entire session with the jinchuuriki, watching him train.

She suddenly felt guilty.

After having begged all her life to have moments like this with Naruto, now that it's finally come to fruition, she is ungrateful; and not only that, she doesn't even know why.

Instantly, realization dawned upon her. Her resolve strengthening in conclude to her newfound solution.

She would dispel her love in lieu of rivalry. She would grow close to Naruto with nothing but familial love and sibling rivalry in her heart. It was the only path she could take in which she wouldn't become vulnerable, in which she could love without too great a risk of being devastated. These recent moments of bliss with him would be shed from her memories and replaced with the strengthening of their bonds as comrades of the Leaf and nothing more.

"I won't just be watching you, Naruto-kun… I'll be chasing you."

The lone Uzumaki met her gaze at that humorless tone, discovering a whole new woman sitting before him. He could literally feel her resolve, striking him like lightning from the heavens and bringing a chilling grin to his face.

"You better be sure about that."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"You better be sure about that, Gaara."

The elder paused to give him a stern look. "Remember your priorities. You're the-"

"Kazekage, I know." He finished, placing his diadem upon his head.

"And you" She struck a finger at her middle sibling, "make sure you assist him meticulously."

"Yeah yeah, Temari," Kankuro placed an arm around Gaara's shoulders, pulling him in. "I won't let him out of my sight."

A vein pulsed at Gaara's temple and he gave a low sigh before Kankuro got the message to let him go.

Staring into the seemingly unforeseen, Gaara closed his eyes as a gentle breeze passed through. One thought remained at the forefront of his mind…

Three days...