Unsurprisingly, Hinata hadn't slept a wink the entire night. Instead, she diligently watched as Naruto snored peacefully, brushing his hair back and gently pressing the back of her hand to his forehead to ensure his fever had, in fact, broken.
Earlier in the evening, Hinata had called Sakura to explain what had happened and Sakura, of course, reassured Hinata that Naruto would be fine.
"The idiot overexerted himself, Hinata. Don't worry, after a good night's rest his body will heal naturally, as it always does."
"You're sure?"
"I'm positive. If it makes you feel any better I'll swing by his apartment in the morning."
Hinata paused and took a breath before saying, "O-oh. Well, he's actually here at my home."
"Your home? What? Your father hasn't come back yet?"
"H-he's returned."
"Your father let Naruto stay the night? He...knows now?"
"Naruto spoke to him last night, he um..." Hinata willed herself to finish the sentence. It felt unreal to finally say, "he asked him for my h-hand."
Sakura squealed so loudly into the phone that Naruto stirred. Hinata quickly pressed her palm against it until she thought it was safe.
"You're getting married!?"
Hinata could feel her cheeks reddening, "Yes, we are."
Sakura burst into giddy conversation, not caring that it was nearly midnight. After swearing she wouldn't tell anyone until they both decided to announce it to their friends, Sakura expressed all the good wishes she possibly could before she bid Hinata a good night.
Hinata, although feeling a tad distraught by Naruto's sudden sickness, was just as excited herself. She had known her father would say yes, just as she had known Naruto would propose. Still, though, to see it all unfold. To know that in just a few short months...
"Onee-chan?"
Hinata looked up to find Hanabi at the doorway, wrapped in a blanket. She had a steaming mug of tea with her and offered it to Hinata as she sat down next to her on a padded mat her older sister had laid on the wooden floor. Beside them, Naruto snored peacefully, a soft smile upon his tired face.
"Thank you," Hinata whispered.
"You're going to catch a cold sitting there," Hanabi muttered as she unwrapped herself and instead placed the blanket on around her sister's shoulders.
"I'm fine."
"So is he. The flu isn't going to take him down for more than twenty-four hours. Didn't Sakura already tell you that herself?"
Hinata blew on her tea as her sister squinted at her, "You're not planning to sleep tonight are you?"
With a demure smile, Hinata couldn't help but say, "Too excited."
Hanabi held back a giggle, "Well I'd rather that than you being worried for no reason."
"It's not being worried for no reason, he fainted."
"He fought in a war, saved the world, but fell at the sight of our father. Sounds about right."
"He was sick," Hinata gently shoved Hanabi with her shoulder, reminding her that Naruto's nerves were only part of the equation.
"If that's the story we want to go with, sure. I'll play along."
"You're so mean."
"Someone has to keep him humble. As his new little sister, I'll happily take up the job."
"Whatever will Konohamaru do with his time now," Hinata said dryly.
Hanabi reddened immediately at the mention of Konohamaru, piquing Hinata's interest, "Did I hit a nerve?"
"No."
"You did get a little defensive earlier."
"I did not."
Hinata gave her sister a knowing look, to which Hanabi rolled her eyes, "Okay, fine. I just...I haven't talked to him in a while."
"Oh?"
"He's been busy...and it just...it's been awkward."
"Because you both like each other?"
"We do not."
"Then why are you avoiding each other."
"Why did it take you fifteen years to finally confess to Naruto?" Hanabi snapped back.
"You're deflecting."
The younger Hyuga let out an obnoxiously loud sigh that made Naruto stir.
"Fine," Hinata relented, "Let's talk about something else."
"Yes, please," Hanabi said, taking back one half of the blanket and snuggling up next to Hinata. It was just like when they were little, Hinata thought, as she wrapped an arm around her younger sister.
Hanabi leaned into her, watching Naruto and smiling to herself, "So what are we planning first?"
"We?"
"Yes, 'we'. Otousan told me you're planning to marry in March, you'll need as much help as you can get if you want to have the wedding in a few months."
"I...guess..."
"Dress? Location? Cake?"
"S-strawberry shortcake" Naruto muttered as he turned over.
Both the girls raised their heads to look at him, but he began snoring once again within an instant.
"Strawberry shortcake? Really? He likes it that much?" Hanabi asked.
Hinata thought of the fateful day she felt Naruto's tongue upon her fingertips and blushed furiously, "Seems like it."
"I don't think I've ever seen a strawberry shortcake as a wedding cake. Interesting choice. It wouldn't...have anything to do with that slice you gave him on my birthday last year, would it?
"O-oh that's right, we did give him a slice since it was his favorite."
Hanabi giggled, "Smooth. You know, I could almost buy that the whole you sucking his fingers thing didn't happen."
"E-excuse me?"
"You thought I wouldn't find out? Konohamaru told me when it happened."
"Konohamaru knows too!?" Hinata exclaimed in a half-whisper.
"See, Naruto tells him stuff. Why can't we have that kind of relationship?"
As Hinata covered her face with her hands she managed to squeak out, "I can't believe he told him."
"I know, I wish you had told me too."
"Enough. Please talk about something else."
"Now who's deflecting?"
"Hanabi!"
Naruto groaned at the noise, pulling the cover over his head. Hinata didn't breathe until she was sure they didn't rouse him.
"You're going to wake him, onee-chan," Hanabi said smugly, noticing that her sister was so overcome with embarrassment she was curling into herself.
"I'm so done with you and Konohamaru."
"Aw, don't say that. We're about to be one big happy family."
As mortified as she was, Hinata couldn't help but smile as her sister's fingers curled around her own.
"One big happy family, huh?" Hinata whispered, "I hadn't thought of it that way."
"It was the first thing that crossed my mind."
A comfortable silence fell upon the sisters, their hands intertwined and their eyes heavy with sleep.
"We should really go to bed," Hanabi finally said.
Hinata nodded, "Yeah, I guess."
"Now I don't want to."
"The excitement is contagious, isn't it?"
Hanabi placed her head upon Hinata's shoulder and smiled, "You could even tell that otousan was beside himself."
"Really?"
"Really."
As her eyes began to fall heavy with sleep, Hinata managed to whisper, "Goodnight, little sister."
She expected Hanabi to chide her, but instead, Hinata was met with a snore.
Gently Hinata placed Hanabi upon the mat they were sitting upon, and without even thinking about it, she curled up next to her sister. As she wrapped them in the blanket Hanabi had brought with her, Hinata's mind raced with the thought that the nights she had left in her family home were now numbered.
She now understood why her father wanted her to sleep in her own bed. Time was slowly getting the best of them. Before she knew it, she'd call someplace else home. Until then, though, she wanted to relish every moment.
"Sakura! Wait!"
Before Hinata could stop her, Sakura barrelled through the doors of the guest room where Naruto still slept and roughly nudged him awake.
"S-Sakura?" Naruto mumbled.
"Why are you already causing trouble for Hinata?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
Sakura pulled out a thermometer from her bag and stuck it under his tongue, "Fainting? Really?"
Naruto grumbled, unable to say anything until the thermometer finally went off. Sakura gingerly pulled it out and huffed as she said, "Still a little warm, but that's normal for him. He's fine, Hinata."
"Thank goodness." Hinata breathed out as she knelt down next to Naruto.
He looked up at her and smiled bashfully, "Sorry for the trouble."
"You haven't even been engaged for a day and you already have Hinata worried about you," Sakura said, shaking her head.
"It's not my fault I...wait! How did you know we were engaged?" Naruto sat up and looked right into his friend's bright green eyes.
Sakura glanced at Hinata, who shyly admitted, "I told her last night, I'm sorry Naruto-Kun."
Naruto grinned, "You were too excited to keep it to yourself, weren't you?"
Hinata nodded, her face bright red, "But we haven't told anyone else."
"Well, it's not a secret. If I weren't sick I would've run through the village and told everyone who would listen."
Both Sakura and Hinata burst out laughing, knowing that he definitely would have.
"Have you told Sasuke?" Naruto asked Sakura, and Hinata noted how quickly the mood of the room had changed.
"He's a little hard to reach right now, besides," Sakura got up from the floor and swung her bag onto her shoulder, "that seems like a piece of news you'd want to give him personally."
Naruto gave her a solemn nod, "Thanks, Sakura."
Hinata wrapped Sakura in an embrace and thanked her profusely as well for stopping by so early. Sakura shook her head and pressed a hand to Hinata's cheek, "You know I'd do anything for you two. I'm so happy for you, Hinata."
Hinata placed her hand over Sakura and tried to hold back the tears that kept threatening to escape at every mention of her engagement, "Thank you. For everything."
"You're getting a little too handsy with my fiance over there, Sakura."
Sakura turned her head sharply, "Shut up, idiot."
Hinata laughed, as always enjoying the playful banter between the two members of team 7. Clearly, Naruto was in higher spirits, and Sakura, being the first to know of their friends, was in a bubblier mood than usual.
"I wish I didn't have to go," Sakura pouted as Hinata walked her towards the front of the house.
The kunoichi grabbed her winter jacket and quickly laced up her shoes, Hinata watching from the counter in the kitchen as she put some tea to boil.
"I guess I'm off, then. And no worries, my lips are sealed."
Hinata embraced her friend one last time and whispered, "Thank you, again,"
"Anytime. But, please, make him rest today."
"I'll try."
Once Sakura left, Hinata poured the contents of the kettle into a mug and brewed a revitalizing tea blend she reserved for moments just like these.
"Naruto-Kun?"
She peaked her head into the guest room and found her husband-to-be staring up at the ceiling.
"Hinata," He smiled, "Is that for me?"
She brought it to him as he sat up once more. He inhaled as he brought the mug to his lips, savoring the flowery fragrance.
"Thank you," He said after taking a sip, "Again, I'm so sorry-"
She held up her hand, "Please stop. I like taking care of you."
"Y-you do?" He stumbled, looking at her in amazement. She was sure he had never heard those words before.
"Of course I do. You're always taking care of everyone else. You deserve to have someone take care of you every once in a while, Naruto."
He put down the mug and without missing a beat took her into his embrace.
"I love you," Naruto said into her ear, kissing the spot on her neck he had first claimed nearly a year ago.
She tipped his chin towards her and pressed her lips to his, "I love you more."
Such a simple exchange, but it had Hinata buzzing. She loved the simple things.
"I don't want to let you go," He muttered into her neck.
"Father will be back from his morning walk any moment now."
Naruto sighed, "That's too bad."
"Why? Were you planning something?"
"I'm always planning something."
She rolled her eyes, "What about waiting until the wedding?"
"We will...but, we're only human."
"Mmm," She hummed as his hand traveled the length of her thigh, inching higher and higher, "We're also just feet away from my father. You really want to go down this road when you should be focused on getting better?"
"I am better."
"Humor me," She said, unwrapping herself from him and gently pushing him back down to the mat.
"Will you at least join me?"
"I have things to do around the house."
"Can I help?"
"Yes, you can enjoy your tea and keep resting. That way I don't spend all day worrying about you."
"Then maybe I should go back to my place? Stay out of your hair..."
"You're staying here and you're resting," She said with a finality that frankly astonished both of them.
"Alright," He relented, "But will you spend some time with me when you're done?"
"I'll be back in an hour or two, I promise."
Before he could convince her to stay with him, Hinata slipped out of the room. She exhaled and leaned against the hallway wall, trying to calm herself down before going about her day.
She had to keep reminding herself that this was her life now out of the sheer fear that she was dreaming. Naruto was hers, she was his. They were weeks away from everything she had ever dreamed of becoming reality. She hoped this blissful feeling never dissipated.
Being by Naruto's side, she was sure it never would.