Standing at the village entrance with his wife to be's hands clasped firmly around his arm as a lady 'should'. Gaara braced himself for her family. The Hyuga came today, her friends tomorrow.
Hinata gripped him tightly but gently all at the same time. He could feel her anxiety and stress. He would hold her closer to alleviate some of it away, but she had expressed the need to be delicate with affections in front of the Hyuga.
When the Hyuga and their escort came into view, she gave a squeeze of his arm. All of the anxiety seemed to float away as one of the figures lunged forward ahead of the group at full speed. Hinata stepped forward, releasing him, and opened her arm to receive an excited sister.
Hinata curled around her sister warmly until the rest of the group joined them. Then the anxiety was back, and a growl ripped through his mind.
"Hanabi." Came a stern voice he was familiar with.
"She has done nothing wrong," Hinata replied softly but sternly.
Something had changed he was not aware of since his last dealings with the two together, but it seemed for the better. Gaara took pride in her sudden defiance to her oppressor.
"I hold no offense," Gaara added passively to his fiancee's statement.
Hanabi refused to release her sister, her face buried into the older girl's shoulder only burrowed deeper.
"Hinata-sama." Her cousin stepped forward with a bow. "You look well." He smiled softly at her, she returned it happily.
The rest of the Hyuga eyed them. This many sets of white eyes was eerie. He ignored the insults and harsh jokes to their demeanor that he could hear in his head.
"Let us go inside then. This sun is not gentle to fair skin." She let Hanabi cling to her side as they walked.
His sister-in-law to be soaked up all the information she was being given with excitement. "This is going to be so much more fun than a wedding at home!"
"Just please keep out of father's way. The culture shock will be enough as it is." She begged.
"He'll have a lot more than culture shock to deal with if he tried to ruin your wedding day." Hanabi's face set.
"Baby steps with your new power, Hanabi-chan." From what he understood, she was becoming the clan head soon after the wedding. Now that she was of age and the previous heiress was going to be officially unavailable for the role. They had given her the right to some decisions already.
"This has nothing to do with my power. It has to do with him ruining everything you have ever had. I won't let it happen here too." She growled low. "You're still my sister, and I want to be at your side for this wedding, you promised."
"Hanabi-chan." Hinata scolded.
"So are you excited?" He was asked by the smaller girl.
Gaara considered the question before answering. "I do not believe I understand the feeling." Hanabi looked at him with heavy confusion.
"What?" She asked with a scrunch of her face.
Hinata patted his arm lightly with a small smile. "Gaara is reserved in his emotions." She explained to him. "Shukaku-san has expressed he is excited, though." She added.
"The demon?" Hanabi blinked.
Hinata frowned. "Shukaku-san has been welcomely expressive of his agreement to the marriage." He saw the pointed look on her face telling the younger girl to watch her tongue while he was present.
'Don't think the in-laws like me.' The beast joked.
Her father's scowl followed her around the room as she spoke to those who were present that planned to come to Suna permanently. Hinata thanked them with other pleasantries. Most of them knew her personally and had volunteered. She was glad she would be surrounded by family that at least didn't despise her.
She wasn't avoiding him. This was tactical. As was her short pleasantries with the elders present. Gaara stayed at her side the whole time. He chose to stand at her side, letting her hold lightly to his arm, and only spoke when spoken to. She could feel his general discomfort. She resisted the urge to lean into him or give him a more comforting smile. She kept a positive image of the two being content with each other, but no one here at least needed to know how close of friends they had become.
Hinata felt warmth keeping the little secret. Her sister joined them after some time having a harsh argument for her previous behavior. Hanabi stood, taking her sister's free hand, firmly giving her father a stern scowl.
"Please don't make a scene," Hinata whispered.
"Just making my point," Hanabi told her.
"Cute and full of fire." A voice behind them purred. Hanabi blinked, and Hinata glared pointedly.
"I told you..." She warned Kankuro.
"Yeah, I know. Just a compliment." He joked with a big grin.
"Was he talking about me?" Hanabi asked slowly.
"Yes," Gaara answered for them. "And I believe we have enough reason for family tension without your behavior Kankuro."
"I was just... OW!" He rubbed the back of his head, looking down at his sister as she stepped out from behind him.
"Can't you be not yourself for a few days?" Temari scolded.
"I like this family." Hanabi giggled, holding tighter to her sister.
"I was informed I am not needed for the wedding." Her father noted this as his first word to her since he arrived. She tightened her fake smile. She hoped Temari was at least polite about it.
"Suna weddings don't have an aisle to walk, you will be included if you wish to stand with us, but there is no passing of the bride. Hanabi-chan, Temari-san, and Matsuri-san" She spoke carefully title wise. "Will stand by Kankuro-san and me Baki-san, and Neji-san by Gaara." She explained, feeling his disapproval. "It's more of a celebration of the generation joining than passing from the previous"
"You have asked for nothing of your mothers." He continued.
"Nothing she had would be appropriate," Hinata told him carefully. "I'm wearing a wedding robe made here specifically for our wedding. I will be using some of Gaara's mother's wedding pieces, though." She didn't want anything of her mother's. It was for Hanabi to have. She loved her late mother, but this was a new family she was being accepted into.
"Is that appropriate?" He asked darkly.
"Very," Gaara answered from beside her.
Hinata had nearly forgotten she was there in the lock of eyes with her father.
"I am, of course, not implying you can not provide for her or that this wedding is a dishonor." He bowed his head only slightly with the fake submission.
Gaara said nothing, just nodded. This fight was far from over. They had a few more hours to sit here.
The door to his office opened, and his stresses heightened once more. Gaara looked up to see the sight he needed most. His pen was dropped sand shot out toward her pulling her forward to the desk as she rounded it. She didn't even squeak. In fact, she warmly smiled, opening her arms stumbling forward as she was pulled.
Gaara quickly buried himself in her. He held her tightly as she buried her fingers in his hair, brushing out the tangles he had put in it with his rubbing and stressed tugs.
"The worst is over," Hinata whispered, placing a light kiss on his temple. "I have everyone in their places. Father has had his fill of being overbearing for the night. Hanabi-chan will join us for lunch tomorrow." She cooed her converts to him.
Shukaku purred loudly. He had been more irritated than he was at the not so subtle distaste and insults for the elder members that were present, especially her father. Luckily none of the ones that held distance from her would be coming to the new compound. It seemed they were there for appearances.
Shukaku had growled at her father every time he opened his mouth or dared look at her. As far as he was concerned, she was his to protect already, and putting up with and having her put up with the shaded but clear hostility was unacceptable.
"Friends are coming. Naruto-kun is coming to see you." She continued.
The beast growled at the affectionate notation to the end of the blonde's name, but now was not the time to revisit their relations toward the boy.
A tanuki formed out of the sand that pulled her and curled itself to lay at her feet.
"I'm sorry you two had to put up with all this." She whispered.
The beast took offense. "Shukaku is adamant that this is not your fault and you have nothing to apologize for, and I agree," Gaara mumbled into her shoulder. "He's been murderous all day."
Hinata glanced down at the sand at her feet. Even the fake representation of him looked stressed and furious in its tightly curled form.
"They are my clan." She explained. "They are here because of me. I take responsibility."
The tanuki at her feet jittered, showing its distaste.
"If you were anyone else, I don't believe this would have been a civil day," Gaara admitted.
"I take that as a compliment." She told him warmly.
She stepped back, and the tanuki disappeared from her ankles to appear behind her leg and curl its face into her calves, willing her not to move farther. Gaara didn't release her at first. She lightly uncurled herself to hold more loosely. "Let's sit down."
Gaara nodded reluctantly, releasing her as she led him to the couch. He sat down and, before she could protest, tugged her securely in his lap. She tried not to be amused by the childish act as he curled around her. She positioned her legs more comfortably out on the next couch cushion and laid her head into his shoulder. The tanuki followed quickly, looking like it would jump to her but instead dispersed and remade itself in her lap. She set to work soothing the poor demon sand as well.
Her boys were miserable, and all she could do was comfort them the best she could.
"This will all be over in a few days." She whispered. "I'll be right here." She cooed. "I'm always going to be right here."