I do not own any of Naruto what so ever.
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One of these days the sky's gonna break
And everything will escape and I'll know
One of these days the mountains
Are gonna fall into the sea and they'll know
That you and I were made for this
I was made to taste your kiss
We were made to never fall away
Never fall away
XXXXXX
His eyes held hers.
"You are my humanity."
XXXXXX
The lanterns were lit in bright oranges and yellows, blowing gently in the soft breeze outside the pagoda of the Hyuga compound. The compound was normally quiet, but tonight was a special occasion. Inside soft voices chattered indistinctly but enough to pour outside the painted sliding doors that led to the wooden patio outside. The pale moonlight caught the watery orbs of lavender that gazed upon the gentle moon before drifting to gaze out over the gardens. Hinata Hyuga should have been celebrating her long overdue celebration of her rise to Chunin but she felt her heart was not in the right spirits.
She had been dressed impeccably in a soft white kimono with peach tones and intricate lines forming flowers, the flowers forming shapes of lilies and occasional cherry blossoms. She had asked for something simple. Hinata had humored her father and the Hyuga women who insisted on plaiting her long hair to tumble down her back. A simple comb was tucked into her hair on the side, the simple white carvings reflecting the pale white of her skin. She had held back tears and the urge to shake as she bowed and let invited ninja hold her hand. The only thing that strengthened her was the cup of tea that currently warmed her cold hands and her friends, all of whom had left not long ago. It was close to midnight, but she had retired early to rest near the gardens to calm her spirit.
It had been months, but she could not forget Gaara's words to her in her bedroom nor his desperate kisses and intense passion in his eyes that ate up her soul. She was his humanity, he had told her. She had been frightened then, overwhelmed by his show of affectation and that ache of vulnerability. He had shown how fragile he really was, pulling back those layers and letting the sand fall away for her. She had let tears flow, pressing gentle kisses into his hair and held his face. Her heart had ripped out, what she felt finally seeping out like a broken dam. Fear had consumed her then, fear of her father and her duties, the unknown and what this meant. She remembered his face and her words when they finally reached his mind.
"Gaara, I care for you. You are close to my heart, but I am afraid. I am heir to the Hyuga…"Hinata had whispered in a tremor after pasting kisses on his fiery red locks and gripping the back of his neck.
Gaara looked at her, a mix of emotions running through his eyes until his face washed over into a blank slate. He rose then and stood by the balcony, one fist clenched tightly against the wall. He was silent then for many moments before he looked at her. A different emotion swept over him then that she had not seen before: Hurt, pain, love, and sympathy.
He nodded briskly before silently responding. "I understand, Hinata. I won't beg…though something inside would kneel at your feet and grab the hem of your dress. I will leave you now, but do expect me to wish you goodbye at the gates tomorrow."
He looked fully then at her as fresh tears spilled down her face. She pressed her palms on her cheeks, covering her eyes as he whispered good night. She could not look at him but she heard his monotone, that blank cold air returning to his gravelly voice. Underneath she knew there was a layer of pain and on his face she knew it was there. She wished to not see it or let Ko know the pain in her own soul when he opened her door to wish her a good night and to pack, the bodyguard never seeing the distraught Kazekage disappear in grains of sand not long before he entered.
Hinata brought her cup of tea to her lips for a slow sip, feeling a lone tear fall into the liquid. She sighed and placed the tea on the railing. She crossed her arms on the rail and let her head drop to rest on her bare skin. Her body shuddered, wanting to break down and cry. Before she could shatter, she felt a warm hand touch her shoulder and squeeze gently. Her head shot up quickly, her body straightening and trying to attempt a semblance of grace. She was the heir to the Hyuga and she mustn't let them see how fragile she was at the moment.
Her body sagged and her heart calmed its quick beating when she noticed the stoic form of her cousin Neji. He was dressed in his normal wear, with a bit more flair and his face much more relaxed. At least until he saw how upset his cousin was then.
He brought his hands down to cradle her own, his white eyes searching her own.
"You are upset."
"I am overwhelmed by the celebration,"Hinata lied unevenly.
"Hinata, you are lying. Hyuga eyes, remember?"
Hinata sighed and ruffled her bangs. "I did not forget, but do not push me to answer any questions. Not now."
Neji nodded then looked out onto the gardens. "I see your time abroad has taught you to lose your lisp and gain more confidence, more fire if I may add. I am proud of you, cousin."
Hinata bit her lip and held her hands tightly. She loved her cousin, looked up to him, but she could not be there now at the compound. She felt her lungs lurching for air, her head light, and her body claustrophobic. She needed to find a place of solitude and she could only think of one place: her spot by the flowers and waterfall. Her first spot where she had practiced her trigram technique and let Matsuri enter.
"Neji, I wish to visit my special place by the waterfalls."
Neji let an eyebrow raise, opening his mouth to argue but quickly stopped upon seeing her defiant expression coupled with desperation and sadness. He nodded but stopped her with one hand before she could leave and handed her a piece of rolled parchment.
"We would have given you this sooner, but we felt that this celebration of your success was more important. This is from Sunagakure. Do not linger long, Hinata-chan."
Hinata let a ghost of a smile cross her lips, taking the rolled paper and giving a quick hug. "Thank you for trusting me, Neji-nii-san. I will not be long."
XXXXXX
One of these days letters are gonna fall
From the sky telling us all to go free
But until that day I'll find a way
To let everybody know that you're coming back
You're coming back for me
XXXXXX
Hinata sat lazily on the grass, watching the waterfall and listening to its gentle roar. She had long taken off her shoes, discarding them to the side and now fingered the piece of paper. She felt her stomach roll and her mouth go dry.
"Gaara, is this from you? Is this letter from you?"Hinata spoke out loud in a rushed whisper. She felt a thrill of excitement rush through her veins and the adrenaline pump through her body. She could not wait anymore.
Hinata stood near the gates, her body tired and her eyes puffy from lack of sleep and crying through the night. She had tried to dress as best she could and conceal her puffy face. Ko was beside her, his voice rumbling as he spoke to the council members who wished to see them off. Hinata nodded and smiled at the members who bowed to her, thanking her profusely.
Temari stood in front of her. "He isn't going to come down."
Hinata had scrunched her eyebrows before nodding in understanding, her heart dropping. "I see."
Temari sighed. "Damn paperwork all ready piling up on him, but he wanted to wish you a safe journey. He had something created for you."
Hinata peered at her curiously, but before she could speak Temari had cut her off. "You can get it when you come back, because you will…won't you?"
Hinata pressed her fingertips together. "I-I-"
Temari shook her pigtails and cocked her hip. "Sure you will. I am ambassador, you know? I am sure we might need you."
Hinata felt her fingers shake as she unwrapped the scroll, not noticing the broken seal. She read the letter then froze. This was from Gaara but it was two months old and the seal was indeed broken. She did not understand. It wasn't until she heard the crunch of grass and a low chuckle that she understood…or tried to. She swiveled her head, grabbing her skirts and standing back from the tall, looking presence in front of her.
"I see you finally received the scroll, Lady Hinata. I do apologize for the lateness, but it was part of the plan and therefore necessary."
Jai. She could tell by his boots, spiky hair and twinkling eyes that looked her over in a manner that made her freeze up and want to cover her self more thoroughly.
"P-plan?"Hinata whispered out loud, the lump in her throat forming tightly.
"Yes, beautiful Hinata Hyuga. I had wished that this would not involve you, for I did not want to shed such innocent blood of such a beautiful and kind woman. The Kazekage, on the other hand, not an issue to dispose of. The beauty and the beast, both sacrificed. How poetic and at the same exact time…as of now."
FINALLY! An update that was long overdue! One more chapter until the end of Our Dark Waltz and it shall be epic, believe me. I am hoping to have it up this month. I've been planning my move to Italy so forgive the late update. Also, thanks for following and making this a favorite! I love all the love you all have given this. Send feedback! Let me know about errors.
Also DO check out my two new fics, my Walking Dead fic starring Daryl Dixon and an OFC you have not experienced before AND my new romance fic thats a slight sequel to SyFy's 2009 Alice starring Alice and Hatter's son and the Princess of Hearts. Its all experimental so I love input.