They were lying on his bed, looking at the new pictures on the wall, next to the old ones of Neji's father and mother and Hinata and Hiashi. The freshest portraits were at Ashita's house too, taped to the bathroom mirror and stuck onto the fridge.
She had met Lee and Guy. Tenten too. All three looked a bit surprised to finally meet her, because they were sure she wasn't real and half convinced the rumors were actually true. Lee clasped her in a bear hug and Guy shed a single manly tear for the sake of youthful love.
And Ashita kind of understood why she hadn't met his team sooner. But she still liked them anyway.
Then she met that crazy idiot Naruto, who was sort of an urban legend in his own right. Ashita told him about Sasuke Uchiha. And she told Naruto some of things Sasuke Uchiha had told her about him. It was probably about time they met.
Like anyone who became acquainted with Naruto Uzumaki, they became fast friends.
Ashita also spent more time with the Hyūga clan. She knew most of them by name and began weaving herself in, to the point that she'd come for visits even when Neji was gone. One day, she looked at Hiashi straight in the face and said, "Uncle, I love your nephew and I want your approval. It's really damn important to me. So tell me if there's anything I can do."
Then she stared at him. Because it was his turn to say something.
"Alright, Ashita. I'll let you know if there's anything you can do." But the truth was he kind of liked her already. The effort the woman put forth was apparent, from the small gifts she brought the family from time to time, to all the affection she pinned to Neji. He was fed well, and loved well, and in some ways the two already seemed married.
Uncle even trusted her enough to take a place on his nephew's bed.
Ashita leaned over and marked Neji with a lipstick blot. To watch his flesh turn pink.
"I love you."
"I love you too." Then he kissed her eyelids and Hinata came to the door, with a beautiful red kanzashi in her hair, to tell the two of them it was time for dinner.
And they took their places at the table, holding hands beneath the oak, and fitting happily into positions that were practically made for them. Even if they had to do some tailoring to make everything fit right.