Please enjoy chapter 4!
DISCLAIMER: Naruto is not mine, you know that!
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Chapter 4: Purpose In Life
"Where is she? She's late and she's never late!"
Sakura was pacing back and forth in front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata had agreed to spend the day together. Everyone had arrived, everyone that is, except Hinata.
"Will you just calm down, Sakura?" Ino said in an annoyed voice.
"Yeah, Sakura, Hina's probably still trying to get past her damn father," added Tenten.
"I know! I know! It's just that it's normally Hinata who's waiting for us and now she's 20 minutes late!" The pink haired Kunoichi's started to bite her lower lip on top of her pacing.
"Hey stop biting your lip. That's what Hinata does," Ino scolded her friend.
Sakura shot both Ino and Tenten a look of daggers before continuing her fretting over her best friend, Hinata Hyuuga.
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"Hinata, don't you have to be somewhere right now?" Neji asked.
Looking up from her cup of tea, Hinata's eyes widened in realization.
"Oh shoot! I forgot I have to meet the guys at Ino's shop today!" She cried.
Scrambling out her chair, Hinata raced out of the kitchen and down the hallway. Bursting into her room, she began to pull on her usual attire and throw her backpack together.
"I can't believe I forgot!" She scolded herself. "I hope the guys won't be mad."
Her thoughts had been focused on the night before and her meeting with Gaara of the Desert. Instead of being scared about Gaara's statement that he was always going to watch over her, she felt safe. What he had said, it just made her fell, well, better about going outside alone or anywhere for that matter.
Hinata had noticed how handsome Gaara was. His tall, muscular form and attractive features made him all the more alluring. His dark red, unruly hair parted slightly to reveal the kanji on his forehead, adding to his mysterious personality. And those cold, aquamarine eyes just drew her in.
Shaking herself out her thoughts about Gaara, Hinata hurried into the kitchen and gave Neji a small kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Neji for reminding me," she told her cousin. After the Chuunin exams, she and Neji had a very good friendship.
Smiling at Hinata, Neji just shook his head.
"Tell Tenten I said hi."
"Ok," she called back as she ran out of the Hyuuga compound.
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"Hey guys!" Hinata shouted as she arrived at their appointed meeting place.
"Hinata!" Sakura ran towards her friend, nearly tackling and choking Hinata to death in her bear hug.
"We were so worried about you!" Sakura cried.
Walking towards the two, Ino and Tenten managed to pry Sakura off of Hinata.
"What took you so long?" Ino asked.
"Yeah. We were about to give up on you!" joked Tenten, playfully punching Hinata in the shoulder.
"I'm so sorry guys, but I got off track and once I realized that I was late I hurried over here," Hinata apologized.
"Ah forget, Hina," stated Ino.
"Yeah, lets just go have a good time," Sakura said in a cheerful voice.
Walking towards their favorite restaurant, the four began to laugh and chat about what they were going to do that day.
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Looking down upon the four good friends, Gaara watched with interest as they sat under a large Sakura tree, talking.
He had been watching them off and on throughout the entire day. He had noticed that Hinata preferred to listen to her friends rather than talk herself.
Finally, when the friends took their leave from each other, Gaara began to follow Hinata as she walked home.
It was late, too late for anyone to be out. Hinata had stayed under the Sakura tree after three friends left for their own homes in the middle of Konoha. She didn't feel like going home yet and dealing with her father, so she had decided stay a bit longer.
Once again, her thoughts drifted to Gaara. Why was she so drawn to him? She should be terrified of demon vessel, but she was not. Instead, she wished to see him again, for reasons she did not know.
Sighing, she laid her head back and closed her eyes. Not thinking about how she would be punished if she came home late, Hinata drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Her dreams filled with a red headed Sand nin.
Soon afterwards, Gaara leapt down next to the sleeping Hinata. Staring intently at her peaceful features, so different from the ones a few nights ago, Gaara started to wonder what the emotions he was feeling were. He always got them when he was around Hinata; no one else, just her.
Reaching out and playing with one of her silken locks, Gaara tried to put figure out why he had no impulse to scare or hurt the sleeping girl in front of him. Yesterday when he had told her that he would always watch over her, his intention was to frighten her. Now, he wanted to stay true to what he had said to her.
Hinata was beautiful; it was easy for him to see that. With her well-placed curves, angelic appearance, and serene white eyes, Gaara was surprised she was still single. Her nature was kind, caring, and gentle. She hated when people or animals got hurt, even though she herself was hurt constantly by others.
Clutching his, Gaara let out a low growl. Shukaku was not pleased with the feelings his container was developing for the Hyuuga heir and wanted her out of the picture.
"No. I won't kill her," Gaara said in a deep voice.
His sand was getting restless at the prospect of a possible kill, slowly pouring out of his gourd and surrounding both him and Hinata.
Looking back up at Hinata, Gaara let a small smile grace his lips.
"No. Hinata couldn't hurt me if she tried," he said softly.
Standing, Gaara picked up Hinata's sleeping form and began to leap from rooftop to rooftop, making his way towards the Hyuuga compound. He shut out Shukaku by forcing himself to think about the girl in his arms.
'She's so light,' he mused as he approached her home.
Entering Hinata's room through her open window, Gaara laid her down on her bed. Angering Shukaku even more and against his own better judgment, Gaara bent down and kissed Hinata's forehead lightly.
Exiting through Hinata's window, Gaara had to deal with Shukaku's fury the rest of the night, but he didn't care.
Before that night, he had no purpose in life, but now as he left the Hyuuga compound, he did: To protect Hinata…from himself.
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Wow that took a long time to write and think about. This was mainly to introduce more characters. Next chapter will have another meeting between Hinata and Gaara, but this time Hinata will be awake. )
--TheUnknownDead