There was a silence, all that could be heard was the animals in the forest and the crackling of the fire. It was a comfortable silence, both of the people in the room minding themselves and not having to talk.
Hinata had felt a bit strange at first, after the voice had told her that it was glad she came back, she didn't know what to say, so they just sat there. After a couple of minutes the voice came back, "You may continue reading." Was all it had said.
Hinata nodded her head and went back to her book, currently reading of the previous Kazekage. It was amazing how much she could tell that the village had grown. Perhaps the new Kazekage wasn't all bad, or just took no notice of the village and let the councilmembers run. Hinata shook her head at the thought 'No way would it just be those old men, surely someone else.'
She hoped it was the new Kazekage's doing, that way he might be a bit more receptive if she talked to him, maybe even stop the marriage and let her stay. That's what she hoped for more than anything. She could take the stares after a while, and she wasn't deaf, she could hear the villagers talk about her, but she just smiled through it. Hinata liked Suna, it was peaceful despite the bustling villagers, it was beautiful too. Desert surrounded the village, walls of sand surrounding it for protection. When the sun set it reflected off of all the sand and creates the most amazing colours, Hinata wished to see that for the rest of her life. Plus, this was the life she had made with her mother, they had escaped to find peace and their own life. Shuddering at the thought of her old life, Hinata put down the book, lifting the heavy object off of her legs and placing it by the floor. She stretched her legs out and watched the fire.

~~~
Gaara looked up from where he had been trying to study his official documents, something about a treaty and someone coming to Suna to trade. He hadn't really paid that much attention to it, it was hard when all he could see was the beautiful girl only a couple of metres away from him, the firelight casting a glow all over her. He had tried to focus on the papers in front of him, but then he saw her shake her head, her hair falling softly around her face, he wished he could touch it, to see if it was as silky as it looked.
She looked like she shivered and then took the heavy book off of her legs, stretching them afterwards.
Everything about her commanded his attention, he didn't understand.
She eventually turned her face away from the fire and stared at the bookcase, causing his stomach to flip a little. Her bright pearl eyes seemingly staring straight into him.
"U-Um, are you still there?" She asked, tilting her head a little to the side, as if to see through his defence.
"Yes. I haven't left."
Again, he saw her mouth tilt at the edges, causing her face to become softer, prettier. She was smiling at him, again. A soft, content smile he felt like he wanted to look at forever.
"Is there a name I-I could c-call you by?"
Gaara had never felt so conflicted, he wanted to tell her who he was, to see her reaction, to see if she would run. But he enjoyed the small girls presence, he didn't want her to leave just yet, which made him respond the way he did.
"You may call me Sabaku." It was a small part of himself, he wanted her to respond to him, this could be enough. He was Sabaku no Gaara, after all.

She seemed content with that, nodding her head and smiling softly again, he didn't understand the way she was making him feel, it was like his skin was softly burning and his heart felt lighter, like it was fluttering around in his chest. He didn't know if he liked this feeling.

"Sabaku, for the Desert. It's f-fitting." She said slowly, trying out the name on her tongue. His head screamed at him to tell her his real name, so he could see her lips try it out, he could imagine it. She would say it softly like a whisper, and then louder. 'Gaara' he wished he could hear it in her soft voice. He didn't know why but he wished it so.

~~~
'Sabaku, it suits him.' Hinata thought to herself. It was deep, masculine name. She wished she could see him, but she didn't dare ask, this was his space after all. Then another thought came into her head, she didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before. She must have been so distressed it hadn't even crossed her mind.
"Are y-you a gho-ghost, Sabaku?" she said, nearly on a whisper. It was strange, the thought that she could be speaking to a supernatural being, like the ones her mother had told her about on their lonely nights. She could remember her mother's soft laugh as she watched Hinata look around their small house after she had told her about the ghosts in the stories.
Coming out of her memories, she swore she had heard a soft snicker from the bookcase. She wasn't sure though, it could have been the breeze knocking sand against the window.
"A ghost? No. I suppose I can't blame you for thinking that way after all the rumours." His soft, deep voice came through again. She relaxed, her shoulders not feeling so stiff now.
"I-I'm glad about that." She laughed softly, more laughing at the fact that she thought that ghosts were real again.
There was silence for a couple more minutes after that, each of the people in the room thinking to themselves.
Hinata shivered again, starting to feel the chill up her spine. She had felt the cool earlier, but sitting by the fire she hadn't felt it much then, but the temperature must have dropped since then, a chill setting around the room. She rubbed her arms and then warmed her hands closer to the fire.

"As I said before, there are blankets in the bedroom if you would like to use them." Sabaku's voice came through again. Hinata had forgotten about that, but now she felt a bit uncomfortable.
"I-in your bedroom?" She had not been in a man's room before, not one that wasn't related. She didn't know if she could go in there just to get blankets, especially since she knew that man was in this exact room. 'Soon I'll have to be in a man's room, and that man will be my husband. I should get used to it.' She thought to herself, chiding herself for being so foolish.
Sabaku had confirmed it was in the room, she swore she could hear a little bit of impatience in his voice, so she got up from the floor, and walked towards where she knew the bedroom was.
She had seen it when she walked in the house, but going inside it felt like such a different experience. It was a large room, with a red two-seater lounge on one side facing the window and a big queen sized bed in the middle. Bed side tables, lamps, it even had an attached bathroom. It was surprising though, even though there was all the correct furniture, it was cold. It didn't even look slept in, the bed was immaculate, there were no pictures, no paintings, nothing to add any warmth. She wondered if Sabaku even slept at all, or if he slept in another bedroom perhaps, in another secret part of the house. She grabbed the blanket off of the bed, wrapped it around herself like a cocoon and walked back to the library where it was warmer.

~~~
Useless. Trying to work while she is around is just simply not going to work. She's too distracting. She was so beautiful, so delicate. She came back into the room, wrapped in his blanket. He wondered if it would smell like her now. Somehow he could still smell lilacs, it was soft but it was there.
He could feel his blood pulse again, it's almost as though he wanted to imprison her. Keep her all to himself. Perhaps it was his bloodlust again, it was different but he was sure she'd be sweet. So sweet.
For some reason, he just couldn't imagine killing her. Sometimes even now when he became like this he could imagine ripping people apart, crushing their skulls or even slitting their throats. He wouldn't do it, of course. He was a different person now. But he could imagine it.
But not for her.
He couldn't even try.

Gaara growled, this was infuriating! He wished he knew what this was so he could be rid of it. He just wanted to feel like normal. This was…Confusing. She was confusing. Why was she here? Why has she stayed? Why would she feel comfortable in his presence when he knew people had cried just knowing he had walked past them?
And yet he wanted more. He wanted her to speak to him, to call out his name. He even wanted to be near her, to feel her skin. This is not like him.
"You are strange." He said, instead. Causing Hinata to look up at him again. She didn't look shocked. She didn't even look upset. "Why do you think that?" Was all she said back to him.
"You came here, to a supposedly haunted house when you were upset. You stayed. You came back, knowing that I was here. You don't even know me, how could you feel safe, how could you feel relaxed? You don't even have a stutter anymore!" He knew he was getting louder and louder, and still she didn't even flinch. If anything, she stood taller and more determined.

"Do y-you not want me here anymore, Sabaku?" She said softly.
He didn't even have time to think before the words "That's not what I mean." Came out of his mouth.
"People don't feel comfortable around me. Even just knowing I'm in the same house as you should make you at least uneasy. I don't understand." He shook his head. "How could anyone feel comfortable here?"
She paused, as if thinking really hard about it.
"I don't know. I don't know why I feel so comfortable here, around a guy I-I barely know who I've never even s-seen. I just do. I-if you w-would like me to go I w-will…." Her stuttering became worse. He didn't know why. She seemed to be getting upset as well. He didn't like it.
"Stop. Don't go." He said. If anything just to make her feel comfortable again.
She wrapped the blanket around herself more, as if seeking comfort.
"C-Can I stay here tonight?"
It was so quiet he didn't know if that was what she had really said.
"Can I stay here.. Tonight? I don't want to go back." She sounded so sad. It made him have those feelings in his stomach again. He would do anything to get rid of those feelings, feel normal again.

And that's how she ended up sleeping on his library floor.