Lord Naruto is waiting for her when she descends the carriage. In the time they were apart Hinata replayed every little detail she could remember from their meeting, making it a point to be prepared for this one. But she is already surprised by the fact that he has come himself to welcome her.

"Lady Hinata." Naruto greets, and Hinata does her best to hide the nervous blush that is creeping on her cheeks. They bow to each other and Naruto locks eyes with Hinata's attendant.

"Lord Naruto, this is Neji, my attendant."

"Welcome," says Naruto, and Hinata is feeling nervous in stead of her cousin. "You may ask whatever you may need to whichever servant you come across."

Neji bows and his long hair falls around him, "Understood, Lord Naruto."

"Lady Hinata, may I have a moment of your time?"

"Ah, yes."

Naruto leaves behind everyone else as they unload Lady Hinata's baggage and offers his arm to the lady in question.

"I am glad to know you decided to go forward with our relationship, my lady."

"Yes."

"You will have all afternoon today to get to know the compound. Everyone is aware of your presence and have explicit orders to accommodate to your every need, please feel free to ask for anything you want."

"Yes."

"I will be busy till evening today, but as soon as I am finished I will come find you."

Hinata is unable to say anything except yes to Naruto's statements regarding the compound and her life in here, but he doesn't seem to mind. Hinata is nervous, but Naruto's firm arm and the way he accommodates his pace to hers reassures her in a way she didn't know she needed.

"I want you to meet my grandma Mito now, would that be all right with you?"

Hinata freezes and Naruto stops alongside her.

Now? When she hasn't had the time to do nothing more than mumble? Not that more time would somehow give her more strength. Nor resolve. In any case, if Lord Naruto's grandma somehow doesn't like her, the faster she realizes Hinata is a failure the better... right? Naruto is looking at her and Hinata can feel the sweat pooling at her back, but Naruto does not move nor say anything and Hinata stares at his chest.

"Of course." She knows Naruto does not believe the mask of resolve she tries to show on her voice, because he raises his hand and pats the arm that's intertwined with his.

"I'll be there with you."

Hinata presses her lips. She will make a fool out of herself and there will be no one to blame but her, she knows. Knowing that night will come and she will have another failure to add to her regrets eats at her, and she doesn't realize they have walked quite a distance until Naruto raises his arm in greeting and calls for his grandma's attention.

Hinata does her best to look every bit of the noble she deep down is, hoping to fool this woman somewhat. Straight back, shoulders rolled back, eyes clear and poised, eye contact, what else was there? Her father's voice is echoing at the back of her head, and she tries to concentrate, she tries, but Naruto is walking towards his grandmother, which means she is also walking towards his grandmother, so in no time she is face to face with Lord Naruto's grandmother and the only thing she is capable of doing is to stare at her with as much composure as she can muster.

Lady Mito is noble through and through, it shows in the way she sizes Hinata up, but she is also incredibly warm, and she asks whether Hinata has been able to see the Uzumaki's must-sees. Hinata isn't able to say much before Naruto steps in and takes over the conversation. They go through things they think Hinata might like and how to arrange for Hinata to sightsee them. Hinata worries that maybe she will come off as rude but Naruto lets her speak in one liners at precise moments and then carries on from there. As time passes Hinata feels relieved, her participation is small, yes, but neither Lady Mito nor Lord Naruto seem to mind, and they keep on carrying her over into their conversation with questions.

By the time Lady Mito has to keep on with her day, she smiles at Hinata and assures her that she will like the place. She is eager to keep on chatting but Naruto reminds her of a meeting and she leaves them with a wave of her hand.

"Shall we go?" and Naruto takes her away again for a walk.

This time he keeps her to himself. There are people who come and greet them, but Naruto is fast to bid them farewell. He makes sure to show her around, stops longer at a particular spot in the garden where he gushes about some flowers, gives her pointers as to position herself in the compound and not get lost looking for her quarters.

Neji is sitting outside her room and barely moves his head as they come closer. Naruto stops somewhat farther away.

"Well, we'll have more time afterwards." He lets his hand linger on top of hers and Hinata keeps her eyes glued to the floor out of nervousness, "I'll come back as soon as I'm finished."

Hinata can barely whisper an answer and Naruto leaves. She takes a moment to herself before going forward and Neji stands the moment she passes him. He says nothing and only moves behind her.

Her room is spacious and there is nothing lacking. There was a part of her that was worried the Uzumaki's would test her by putting her in dubious living conditions, or by being unpleasant to her, something, anything to see if she was worthy of being there. Of being their heir's wife.

Neji sits at the corner of her room and becomes a statue. It is funny, she expected Naruto to change somewhat, be harsher, sharper, but he has become even sweeter to her. She can only berate herself for even entertaining the idea. But she also knows that she can excuse herself. When surrounded by people who only push her down... what else can she expect?

Hinata wishes for a glass of water, and although Neji came here as her assistant, she stands, goes to the pitcher and pours herself a glass. She wishes she could stop trying to reach out too, she hates whenever she lets her kindness get out of control, it has never done her any good. But she always wonders, maybe if they were alone Neji would be different, maybe if there weren't so many watchful eyes he would talk to her. So she doesn't let go of the pitcher, gathers her courage and asks, "Neji, would you like a glass of water?"

There is silence and Hinata wants to laugh. She doesn't know what possesses her to turn her head and look at him, but she does, and there Neji is, all proper and prim looking at her like she is a stain he can't wash out.

Hinata wants to stand her ground and hold his gaze, but her eyes fly to her glass. She has never been good at looking people in the eyes, much less her family that look at her like... that.

She moves to the table in the middle of the room and sips her water. She remains in that place and doesn't do much, she is only waiting for Naruto to come back.

⁂

Hinata hears his footsteps and sits straighter.

"My lady? It's Naruto."

Neji moves to the door and opens it while kneeled, he bows. "My lord."

Naruto glances at him, "Neji." Naruto zeroes in on Hinata and can't help the smirk that comes over him as he realizes much like when they first met, she seems to have remained still as a statue all this time.

He invites her for another walk before dinner, but as he steals glances around before leaving, he worries she may actually have stayed put all this time. So he asks what she did all afternoon.

"Oh, I read... some books I brought."

Naruto wants to call bullshit since there was no book in sight, but maybe putting her on the spot isn't the best way to start a conversation so he moves on to lunch. And if it hadn't been for her arm around his he wouldn't have noticed the slight jump in her body.

"Oh, well..." Neji hadn't gone out to look for lunch, nobody had come to offer and she couldn't muster the courage to order her cousin. So they had stayed in that room alone, surrounded by that stifling silence all around them.

Naruto stops and waits for an answer and Hinata can't come up with one. She can feel her back getting hotter and she will look weak no matter what she says, she couldn't order her assistant? She couldn't move and call for a servant? What answer was worse?

"I am incredibly sorry, my lady, it won't happen again."

Naruto resumes his pace and Hinata breathes again.

"I wanted to take another walk through the gardens but we'll go directly to dinner, if that is not a problem?"

Hinata doesn't trust her voice right now so she nods. And before she can worry whether Lord Naruto was looking at her or not, she can hear him.

"Good."

Hinata doesn't know how Lord Naruto can make her feel at ease so easily. He lets her talk when she wants to, and talks whenever silence is threatening to come over. She doesn't know how he knows, but he does. And she can't help but be amazed at the way he can make even their lonely dinner for two so full of energy.

Lord Minato is out in business and Lady Mito had to meet people from another village immediately. Naruto assures Hinata that Lady Mito was dying to talk again and Hinata believes him. For all Naruto is big and threatening, Hinata has only learned to see him as respectful and caring, and as their conversations develop she is surprised at how much she is eager to see him smile. She concentrates on her food as the thought crosses her mind but she keeps on glancing towards him.

How could a man like him end up with a woman like her.

⁂

Naruto takes her on another tour as night approaches, he has a lamp on one hand ready to use when the night surrounds them, but for now he only sways the lamp on his left hand. People are finishing their tasks and walking around, everyone greets them and nobody looks at her longer than necessary. Naruto greets everyone by their name and has something to say to each and one of them, and Hinata can understand the way the people working under him look eager to engage. Naruto is warm and inviting, and it is clear his personality comes natural to him.

Naruto leaves her in her room and as he is leaving he calls for Neji. Hinata worries but Naruto raises his hand to her to tell her to stay put. He hands Neji what seems to be food and talks in whispers so as to not let her hear, more than any other time in the day, he looks serious.

Neji barely reacts and his white eyes stare directly at Naruto's neck. When Naruto is finished, Neji nods.

Naruto turns to Hinata and any resemblance of seriousness disappears from his face. "Good night, Lady Hinata."

"G-good night, my lord."

Neji sits on his usual spot and does nothing. Hinata can't bring herself to talk either so she stays still. There is nothing else for her to do, and it is clear Neji won't talk to her, so she readies her bed and prepares for sleep.

When she leaves the room for a bath, Neji follows her, and although Hinata is relieved, she can't help but wonder how much of Naruto has affected his decision.

She doesn't care.

⁂

Hinata begins to wonder whether she should feel as bad as she does. Just a week and a few days in this place and she doesn't want to leave. She knows everything comes down to how she's being treated, and the fact that this same treatment stems from Naruto makes her nervous, but he is... Hinata believes herself capable of loving him.

Naruto treats her with respect and care and everything she could ever ask of a husband.

Future husband.

She finds him attractive and these past days when she has helped him release his chakra points... she has stopped being as nervous and the way his muscles feel beneath her hands is something she constantly finds herself remembering. She is nearing two weeks at the compound and although Naruto hasn't said anything at all about her going back, she knows a choice has to be made. Her father would never allow her to stay so many days away without good reason.

But Naruto hasn't asked. And Hinata can't bring herself to speak up.

She wants to stay and she'll say yes. She will. There is nothing that could stop her from-

"Lady Hinata?" Naruto asks and Hinata has to raise her eyes from his arm.

He is sitting with a light robe on and Hinata has been releasing chakra points for a while. It is surprising how easy they clog and bruise and get out of control. Though if he really is nestling a sacred beast inside him, this is nothing to the power he yields.

"Yes?"

"You were lost in thought."

"N-no, I was just looking for more chakra points to be released."

Naruto nods and closes his eyes again. He has shared with her that this process relaxes him greatly, and feels like having sore muscles being washed with a warm cloth. Hinata moves her hands over his body and tries her best not to notice the way his body is shaped.

"Has you father sent any messages to you?"

"No."

Naruto is crouched over and Hinata has her hands on his back. "He sent one to me."

Even without her hands on his back, he would have known that she has stopped moving. Whenever she is surprised, there is a second of doubt, a second she takes to process what happened and then do as if nothing happened. Her hands keep on moving the next moment.

"W-what d-did he say?"

Nervousness triggers her stutter, and Naruto hates knowing that her family is a source for it. "He talked about Hanabi again..." Hinata remains silent, "Why is he so intent on having her marry me?"

Hinata ponders, and she is sure it takes her a sizable amount of time to gather her thoughts. Enough for anyone to pry further, but Naruto remains silent too, and Hinata sits behind him, lets her hands rest on her lap.

"The first thing father did when he received your notice... was gather information. There is barely anything regarding the Uzumaki c-clan, but he did know that we were to be wedded to the heir... and the heir is the clan's beast t-tamer. And there is more information regarding the beast t-tamers, truth mixed with lies, of course... but information nonetheless. And father realized s-something, that the reason the Uzumaki is looking for a Hyuuga is t-to have our eyes in order to keep your chakra points and flow in the best shape possible... taking into ac-ccount the fact that you have a sacred b-beast inside you... he realized you were going to die young..."

Naruto waits for her to keep on talking. She takes her time sometimes in order to control her stutter, and Naruto has learned to just wait. But nothing comes and Naruto turns to her, she has her head hung low.

"So your father wanted to have you sister marry me, wait for me to die and come back?"

Hinata pinches her index finger and nods. "A f-few years for a g-good positioned marriage... and hopefully the next heir to the Uzumaki c-clan."

Naruto scoffs, he has to give Hiashi credit where it's due, he nailed it. Naruto can't help the wave of relief he feels seeing Hinata so ashamed. Even if he died, she wouldn't let his kid go back to that clan. She's too much of an honest person. He sees it every time Hinata talks with the servants, every time she thanks him for things that are expected of him, the way she can't bring herself to make demands, the way she talked with his grandma about flowers, the way she genuinely wanted to know more about his father's travel... Naruto had wondered whether they could make this work, but now he knows, they can, they will. Naruto can't think of one fault in her and the way she is so honest with him makes him feel undeserving.

So he decides that today is the day.

And she has to know.

"I am going to die young," he shares, and Hinata looks at him, surprise on her face, and she then glues her eyes to his legs. "And your father is correct, the main reason we asked for a bride from the Hyuuga is to have a person that can help me with my chakra flow, in hopes of letting me have a few more years."

"H-how l-long?"

"I have 10 years, give or take. My father hopes to give me 5 more or something close to that with your abilities."

"I-I'm sorry."

Naruto puts his hand on Hinata's arm without thinking, he doesn't want her to feel sad because of him. "Nothing we can do about it, don't worry."

The moment Naruto realizes he's this close to Hinata, and the fact that his hand is in her arm, he decides he also wants to test something else. "May I-"
"C-can I-"

There is a moment of pause but then Naruto smiles and moves his hand away from her, "Go ahead."

"Wh-Why... why me?... Why did you ch-choose me?"

There is a myriad of answers Naruto can give, but he gives the one that has stuck with him from the moment they were alone in that room, "Because you're not perfect." Hinata is silent and Naruto isn't able to look her in the eye, "Because you stuttered..."

Hinata can feel her cheeks blushing. It's not like she has deluded herself thinking that the Uzumaki clan hasn't noticed her flaws, it's not like she believes that her teachers have cured her stutter, it's the fact that Naruto has been the first to notice her stutter and she still feels comfortable with him. So him bringing attention to that fact, makes her conscious of it, makes her call forth the shame her family has instilled in her... until she realizes that in this case he's talking about the reasons she chose here instead of Hanabi. And Hinata looks up, just to find him with his eyes glued to the ground.

"What...?"

"I... I have a beast inside of me, Hinata, a beast that could destroy an entire village like nothing. A country, even. As a member of a clan with special abilities you must know the type of hardships we face... now add onto that the fact that I have a weapon of mass destruction inside of me."

Hinata can't imagine, but she knows the hardships she's faced and if he is sharing this then it means that he knows them as well. She can't wrap her head around it, but she knows she can try, and judging by Naruto's tone, that seems to be enough.

"I want you to stay," Naruto continues, "I want you to be my wife. I think we have a good relationship, and I know I can learn to love you... do you... think you could learn to love me?"

Hinata doesn't think, it's something she has had going around in the back of her head for a while now, so as soon as Naruto finishes, she answers. "Yes."

Naruto is surprised by her quickness, he has a smirk in place and Hinata can feel herself falling already. This is easy, she realizes. Naruto makes it easy for her to fall in love.

"Do you mind of I- Do you- May I kiss you?"

Hinata feels the blush creep up from her chest to her face, feels her hand getting clammy and her breath getting sharper. Naruto has his blue eyes glued on her and she can't help but eye his slightly opened robe, his tanned chest is peeking through and- what would her father think?

"Yes."

Hinata would have felt even more conscious if Naruto had remained calm. Would have wondered about her clothes and her breath, and her face and her hair. But Naruto loses his balance as he moves towards her and they both chuckle. He's close and he smells nice. She wouldn't mind smelling this for the rest of her life.

Naruto puts his hands on her arms, aware of his sweating palms, and gets closer. Her skin is so pale, her hair so dark it seems blue, she closes her eyes and tilts her head to him and Naruto knows before he kisses her that he likes her. He could spend the rest of his days with her.

The kiss is a touch of their lips, soft and quick, but they are happy with it.

"I will talk with the council tomorrow regarding our decision."

"Okay."

Naruto is still close to her face, and Hinata is looking at him with a gaze that makes him want to hug her. "Can I-?"

"Yes."

They share a string of short kisses, each getting longer and longer. Hinata ends with her hands on Naruto's arms, and Naruto finally gathers the courage to cup her cheek. His lips tingle, his teeth tingle. His tongue feels charged and the feeling of wanting to kiss her just grows.

Naruto rests his head on her forehead, her eyes shine and he can hear her breath getting labored. Naruto has no idea how to explain how hot he finds that. "Well," he says, "that was nice."

Hinata giggles and Naruto dives right back in for another one.

That night they both feel restless, anxious, hopeful, and happy, and they fall asleep with their lips tingling.

Thank you so much for the support! Thanks for the favorites and the follows and the comments and all the good stuff. Pretty sure this is the best received 1st chapter so far. Now I've got to wonder, is it because we're all horny inside? lol
Thanks again, and enjoy!
PD. For those who are wondering when Naruto and Hinata are gonna get handsy with each other chapter 4 is where is at. I see you, yeah, I see you.