It hurt so much.

During the mornings, when the sky was still gray, just a few minutes before the sun would make its appearance for the day, she would remember him. They used to meditate together during this time of day.

And then they would have an early morning spar before breakfast. Neji nii-san always thought that the hunger that they both felt in the morning would sharpen their senses and make the blows they traded much fiercer.

That theory was blown to pieces during the war, at least in Hinata's opinion. Just one day into the fighting, and Neji nii-san had collapsed after not eating properly in the morning (or afternoon), worn out by over eighteen hours of nonstop battling on an empty stomach, his blows weakening with every second. He couldn't even distinguish between Kiba and Akamaru.

Hunger only sharpened your senses so much.

But Hinata found herself losing her appetite for a while, after the war ended. The sweetness of cinnamon rolls (her favorite) or herring soba (his favorite) would suddenly turn to ash if she started to enjoy the taste a little too much.

During the afternoons, right after the sun had reached its zenith in the sky, she would remember him. They used to eat lunch together at this time of day, after a long morning of draining sparring. She remembered the very first time after they'd started this routine, how Neji nii-san's jaw dropped after witnessing her enormous appetite.

"Hinata-sama..." For the first time ever, she'd rendered her older cousin speechless. "I wasn't aware that you...were such a prodigious eater."

Hinata felt a pang of guilt as she considered what this outing would do to his wallet. Neji nii-san's face was as pale as his clothes.

"'M hungry," she mumbled sheepishly around a mouthful of her thirtieth cinnamon roll. "Sorry, nii-san."

He blinked, still speechless, whether at Hinata single-handedly taking care of the sweet shop owner's bills, or at the fact that she was actually talking with her mouth full, she didn't know.

But then he came out of his awestruck, horrified trance with a shake of his head and a smile.

"No, it's quite all right, Hinata-sama. Eat as much as you need to regain your strength. You've worked very hard throughout the morning and I'm sure you're exhausted."

After that day, he never complained about the damage she would do to his wallet whenever they went out to eat.

She couldn't bring herself to visit that sweet shop anymore, after the war ended.

During the nights, right after the sun had said goodbye to the world for the time being, she would remember him. She would recollect the metallic scent of his blood as he took the blows meant for her under the pale, cold moonlight.

His smile. The seal on his forehead fading away as he became a free bird.

And then she would feel bile rising in her throat as she fought the urge to vomit.

"Your life...is not only your own anymore."

She wished he knew that his life wasn't only his own anymore too.

"Hinata? Hinata!"

Someone was shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes just a little.

Naruto's bright blonde hair came into view, a sharp contrast to the night sky above.

The concerned frown on his face made the bags under his eyes stand out starkly.

"Are you okay? Kiba and Shino and Kurenai-sensei, and your dad and your sister, they were really worried about you, you know," he said, slowly absorbing her grass-stained purple jacket and her unfocused eyes. "So I came to look for you."

He knelt down next to her, giving the memorial stone in front of them a small, brief glance, lingering on Neji's name, and then on Neji's grave behind them, adorned with the brightest sunflowers that Hinata could find.

"I figured you might be here," he said quietly. "Come on, it's time for dinner."

"I'm not hungry, Naruto-kun," she said, even more quietly, staring at the ground.

Her stomach growled loudly, desperate to tattle on her.

Naruto laughed. "I heard from Neji and your teammates that you have a big appetite! Looks like they were right."

She didn't respond. Naruto's smile didn't fade, though.

"Hinata, you remember what Neji said back then?"

She continued to stare at the ground.

"He told me that my life wasn't only my own anymore," Naruto said, undeterred. "But he was looking at you as he said it too. So it's the same with you, ya know."

Her stomach growled again in agreement with Naruto's words.

Naruto gently grabbed her hand. "Come on, Hinata, you need to eat as much as you need to regain your strength! You've been working so hard and you must be exhausted!"

Hinata, at that moment, swore that she could feel Neji nii-san standing behind Naruto, shaking his head in exasperation at Hinata's self-induced starvation.

"Let's go get dinner! Cinnamon rolls, they're your favorite, right? Don't worry, I'll pay for everything!"

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the cemetery.

For the first time in a long time, Hinata ate thirty cinnamon rolls.

And Naruto didn't complain about the damage that this must have done to his wallet.

A/N: Bittersweet, sorry...but the prompt sort of called for it. Again, I couldn't include the other prompt, "Nothing is going to come between us," but I swear that next chapter will have both prompts included (can't say the same about the last chapter though...sorry again).

Please leave a review! :)