Her smile was brighter than ever, the boy had realized. He remembered her staring into his eyes, pleading through them begging him to stay. She must really be scared.
"I-I thought you w-were never c—coming back." He sensed the relief in her voice. Right now he was her only companion and she was dead scared of losing him. He wasn't surprised or irritated by the fact that she never wanted him to leave. He understood. She was a young genin, still oblivious to the dangers of the world around her. Any other person who was put into her position would feel the same way. They'd be scarred; they wouldn't open up to any strangers. And yet there she was, easing up to him like they had known each other. She was so innocent it saddened him.
After gazing at her tired yet sincere smile for a few moments, he sat down next to her. He put his hand into a small pouch also strapped around his waist along with his kunai pouch and water bottle, pulling out a few sweet smelling brown strips. He could see her nose twitch up and down, like a rabbit. He watched her for awhile before stating,
"It's sweet bark," She immediately paused. She titled slightly to look at the strips.
"T-to eat?"
"Hn," the boy nodded. A slight smile tugged his lips as she cringed. "It's edible." No matter how amused he was or confused by her actions, he never seemed to sound so. But he was from the ANBU; they were supposed to show no emotion, no sign of who they were. When the masks came on, they had to pretend they were no longer humans, just puppets. Hinata felt differently. Even though she knew it was just his mission to make sure she was alright, she could sense a certain kindness in him. She never once thought that it was just her loneliness and her current position blurring her sight and sense. She genuinely believed that there was more to the cat boy.
"I-Is it g-going to t-taste bad?"
The boy was silent. "I-It's not like I-I'll mind or a-anything though..." she paused as she heard a loud growl. She turned her away from the boy again, feeling really embarrassed by her hungry stomach.
"It's a bit hard. I couldn't find anything nearby that was soft to chew on. I picked the older ones so that they'll be easier to chew." He put broke one into half and brought it close to her mouth. She closed her eyes as she felt the bark touch her lips. The sweet scent contradicted its disgusting colour. "Try," He lifted her head up. She opened her mouth and let the bark enter her mouth. He slid his body closer to her so he could feed her easily. He saw the frustrated look imprinted on her face as she tried moving her mouth; her gums and jaws were strained. She was still too weak to accept solid food. "Chew." He said softly, yet sternly. She tried, her teeth closed down on to the bark but it wouldn't admit defeat. Her mouth had grown tired from the struggle, and she slowly opened her mouth; letting the bark slip out of her mouth and fall from her chin on to her collarbone.
"S-s-sorry. I a-am so p-pathetic." She sounded like she was so tired.
"You're body is still too weak, I shouldn't have fed you solid food yet. My apologies Hinata-san." He bowed his head slightly. "N-no!" She squealed. His head immediately shot up to look at her. She forced her head upwards to look directly at the boy.
"I-I-it's not your fault, N-neko-san!" Her eyes twitched as pricking pain shot up her neck.
"Don't strain Hinata-san; your body is just recovering." Emotionless, he sounded emotionless. And yet she never felt so cared for in her life. The fact of the matter was, he was surprised; surprised that she reacted to such a small thing. She had been apologizing almost every time she spoke, but she didn't like him apologizing. Strange...
"M-maybe it w-would be b-better if I-I never woke up. T-then you wouldn't have t-to feed me."
Hinata wasn't aware that for the two days that she was unconscious, the boy had crushed his soldier pills and fed them to her. That sufficed while she was still unconscious, but unless she wanted to stay still for the rest of their time here, she needed some real food. Her eyelids drooped, she felt so weak it disgusted her. The boy turned his mask to one side, revealing his mouth and his chin. Hinata stared wide eyed, fixated at his lips. They were so pink- even pinker than hers – she had never seen such beautiful lips. She didn't even realize that she was staring until she felt his hand on her collar bone. Picking up the sweet bark she couldn't finish. He chewed on the bark and made sure it was mush in his mouth before lifting Hinata up. He motioned her to open her mouth, and Hinata obeyed. He closed the distance between them and felt the girl jerk in his arms as she felt the warmth of his mouth on hers. After making sure the food was transferred, he pulled away and looked at the shocked Hyuuga. Her cheeks were dusted with pink, and considering her condition, for her to blush she must have been really, really shy. Her eyes were wide, wider than ever.
"Swallow." He said as he noticed her bulging cheeks. She gulped it down and continued to stare at the boy with her big milky eyes.
"Are you still hungry?" He asked in a serious tone. Hinata looked down at her lap; the shade still coloured her pale cheeks. Her heart was racing, despite the fact that the boy's intention wasn't what it looked like. She was shy; too shy to admit that her stomach still felt empty knowing how he was going to feed her. She heard him chewing again; secretly she was thanking the boy. At the same time she felt like she couldn't get through the meal without passing out.

In between feeding her, he had eaten some as well. She felt mildly disappointed when he turned the mask to its original position; once again hiding his features completely leaving him a total mystery in her eyes. He sat next to her throughout the whole day. She assumed he did the same when she was unconscious.
They were in complete silence; the only sound she heard was the howl of the wind. She didn't particularly dislike the silence, but she felt like she wanted to talk to someone, anyone. In this case, the only one she wanted and could talk to was her cat boy. The boy noticed her glancing nervously at him from time to time but didn't say a word, assuming that she'd say it out if it was really important. "N-neko-san,"
"Hn," the boy turned.
"H-how l-long was I out?"
Out?
"Three days, including today."
"D-did you h-have to stay?"
"Hn,"
"H-hn." She repeated with a smile on her face. "M-must have b-been boring."
The boy's conversational skills were worse than her own. She assumed that the ANBU were supposed to be like that, but she wished he could at least try to be human for a while. Feeling selfish, Hinata sighed at herself. He'd listen, or at least pretend to. That was enough for her.
"Y-y-you know I w-was really scared, when t-they caught me." She began. The boy's back was still facing her, but she continued anyway.
"I-I thought that n-no one would c-come for me. W-when I saw you, I-I thought," she chuckled weakly.
"I-I thought y-you were a dream."
The boy did not react, though he was listening to every word; to be exact, he didn't know how to. She kept silent for awhile to gather her courage to continue talking. She wasn't the talkative type. She was usually the one listening. But there was this terrible yearning inside of her; that just wanted to spill out everything on her chest. She felt more comfortable with this stranger than she did with most people, even after the awkward eating session. She continued to dart her eyes around his back.
"I-I had just become a Genin, t-though it might s-seem like a small achievement; I was h-happy."
The boy felt like tilting his head to listen more closely to her soft whisper like sentences, but instead he just sat there not wanting to show the wrong signs. "I f-felt like I w-was ready; r-ready to be a k-kunoichi w-worthy of b-becoming the heir-"She gulped. Resisting the tears as she continued to speak. It hurt, but she couldn't stop. She wanted to cry but she didn't want to stop. She wanted to be heard, at least by her cat boy. She started clutching the edge of her sleeves and biting her lip. "W-when I was cap-captured, I felt m-my accomplishments a-all melt a-away. I-I am go-going to return home, to t-the same l-look. I am go-going t-to return h-home as the same weak, pathetic person I-I was. I am g-going to re-return h-home a disappointment." Her tears kept flowing out with no end. She sounded like she was choking on her sobs in her attempt to hide them, not wanting the cat boy to hear her. Not wanting yet another person think she is weak.
"Hinata-san." She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Go to sleep."
She giggled nervously, wanting to carry her now 100 pound hand up to her face and wipe off the tears. Pathetic, I am just pathetic.
"Believe in yourself Hinata-san." She heard a silent whisper. Her sobbing immediately stopped upon hearing those words. Slowly, a grateful smile crept up her face.
"T-thank you Neko-san." She said, as he turned facing his back to her again. "Y-you are so k-kind."
Kind? He felt a gentle tug on his shirt. He glanced over his shoulder at the fragile looking girl.
"P-promise me... you'll s-still be here i-in the m-morning." She whispered before finally succumbing to her fatigue.
He had been described in many ways. He was called a genius, he was called handsome, he was called indifferent, he was called selfish, but never once was he described as kind.

She remained in his thoughts for the rest of night. He wondered what kind of a person she was, to think the he was remotely close to the word. He remembered her soft smile from before when he glanced over at her. Her words, echoing in his head. He even found himself wondering if she was human at all. She might be some weird specimen disguised as a Hyuuga.
He had never thought about girls that much, though they were quite amusing at times. But this girl seemed so stick to him, the little things she does, the words she'd say and her stuttering.
Being the patient boy that he was, he never found it the least bit irritating. If anything it just shows how modest and shy she was. Maybe it was the fact that'd he'd had to guard her, stay by her side at all times. Maybe that's why he felt like she was something different compared to most of the people he'd come to know. Maybe...

Upon hearing the sounds in the forest, the boy immediately woke up. He opened his eyes to find himself looking directly into the Hyuuga's huge unique eyes. He nearly jumped, but forced his body to remain still. The girl still didn't know that the boy had woken up. She continued staring at him, as if she wanted to penetrate through his mask with her vision. I wonder if you can see through things with the Byaakugan... Not like she could use it anyways. Her body was too exhausted, the drugs practically drained out her chakra. She was going to have trouble moving and molding chakra. But it shouldn't be much of a problem since there are no signs of any permanent damage.
He thought he didn't mind the staring, but something deep down in his gut that made him uncomfortable just watching her stare at him; her big wide eyes, that hint of smile on her dry lips. She looked like a really pale, tired doll. She didn't look real in his eyes. "Hinata-san,"
The startled Hyuuga squeaked before turning her head to face the trees. "M-morning N-neko san."
"Are you alright? Do you need anything?" She shook her head.
"I-I was j-just... wondering..." the boy kept quiet. He watched her fingers slowly play with the edges of her sleeves. She must be nervous.
"Y-you're here." She whispered softly.
"Hn," She smiled.
"N-neko san, what's your name?" He raised a brow. He thought she had simply asked that question to end the awkward silence. He smiled lightly when he saw that she furrowed her eyebrows, waiting for an answer. He sat upright, facing the girl. "Ken."
"K-ken..." she smiled. Even knowing that it might not be his real name, she felt happy that he'd even bother to answer. "K-ken,"
"Hn,"
"Y-you h-have the n-nicest hair I-I've ever seen." For a moment, he just sat there gazing at the unique creature. He wondered if she was always like this in real life. He wondered how others reacted to her.
"O-one day," her words interrupted his thoughts. "I-I hope to see your eyes. I bet they're b-beautiful t-too." Why... eyes?
"W-when will I g-get to g-go home?"
"Soon, Hinata-san."
"W-will you be w-with me then?"
"Hn,"
"C-can you do me a f-favour?"
"Yes, Hinata-san."
"T-take off t-these gloves please." He nodded and slowly slipped the gloves off her tiny hands. She immediately gripped his index finger with her tiny hand.
"I-I want t-to feel r-real w-warmth." Her face turned a very light shade of pink. Her fingers kept moving, trailing; wanting to hold on to his hand.
The boy slowly leaned closer, allowing her small hands to envelope his. Her hands felt, cold yet so... soft. He wondered, if she knew who he was... would she treat him the same way? Would she want to feel her warmth or even stay with her? For the moment he just felt her touch, and warmed her hand. It was his duty to care for her, but it shouldn't feel this... natural... right?

A few more days passed the same way. He'd sit next to her and she'd sometimes talk. Most of the time she'd just hold on to his hand, hoping to never let it go. She felt so safe, so protected. She didn't want it to fade. But sooner, or later, everything comes to an end whether you like it or not.
It was the sixth day that they were there. She was holding on to his hand he quietly sat next to her as usual, when suddenly she felt his hand slowly slip away from hers; and she felt terrified.
"K-ken san?"
"It's time to go, Hinata-san."
"W-where?"
"Back home." He slid his hands under her neck and knee and pulled her up. As he jumped on top of a branch and started leaping from one to another, he slowly felt her delicate hands shiver up to hold on to his neck. Her head rested on his shoulder and she closed her eyes. "Y-you know K-ken san,"
She said, softly like she usually does.
"I-I was a-always a-afraid of the ANBU. T-their animal masks a-always creeped m-me out."
She smiled and her eyes soften as she titled her head and looked at him.
"B-but I l-liked y-you t-the first moment I-I saw you." He kept leaping, despite his shock. He felt his lips twitch. She is really different.
"We're almost there."
Her grip tightened. For some reason, she felt happy yet, disappointed at the same time. She felt like something was ending, something was going to disappear. And she didn't like it. She stared at the boy as he came to a stop. He was looking straight ahead. She turned to see two ANBU; one had a bear mask and another she wasn't sure. They approached the two, and she felt his hold loosen slightly. She immediately clutched his shirt tightly. He looked down at her, to see the same expression he saw just a few days ago. Her eyes were watering and filled with fear. "D-don't go!"
The two ANBU paused. "Y-you promised me y-you'd be here!"
"Don't worry Hinata-san, you're going home."
"B-but, I d-don't want y-you to go!"
"Hinata-san," her grip tightened, as if she never was going to let him go.
"It's okay, you're safe." He said to her, just like he did the first time she woke up. She slowly, reluctantly, let go and let the bear masked ANBU take her.
The boy nodded, but before he could leave he felt the familiar tug on the back of his shirt, and immediately turned. "P-promise me I'll see you a-again!"
The boy stood there, silent as usual.
"P-promise me I-I'll get to s-see your e-eyes!"
The bear masked ANBU brought the girl closer to him, and leaped off along with his partner. Hinata looked over the man's shoulder, tears flowing down her cheeks as she looked at the boy. She felt her heart melt down as he disappeared from sight, fearing that she would not keep his promise.
He kept it once before, he'll do the same again.
I'll see him again, I know I will.
The boy who never left her side when she needed someone the most. The boy she fell in love with; her cat boy.

Well thats chapter one done. I hope you guys liked it :D Please feel free to send me your thoughts or suggestions. :) Thanks for reading!