Naruto sends a notice first thing in the morning to the Hyuuga clan, and he receives an answer a couple of days later. He shares the info with Hinata in one of their strolls, with little fanfare, and Hinata takes it in in the same way, with the softest of hums as an answer. If Naruto had any doubts left in his body, the fact that Hinata shared with him that she did not care if her family could attend their ceremony was enough.

"When will we h-hold the ceremony?"

"Two months from now? Three?"

Hinata frowns and Naruto steals a peck from her lips. "I want you to feel comfortable enough before we get married, I don't mind waiting."

Hinata looks forward and is ashamed? Glad? Embarrassed to realize that she wouldn't mind getting married sooner, that she wouldn't mind getting more physical with Naruto, that she is already half in love with the man and that her home is in the Uzumaki clan even though she still has the Hyuuga surname attached. She is still fighting the guilt that eats at her.

"T-two months sounds fine."

"I will talk with the council, then."

There are places in the gardens where they are completely covered from prying eyes. There are some roses and bushes tall enough for even Naruto to fit. There is a bamboo grove that works as a wall, too, and a couple of trees that are as wide as they are tall. Hinata doesn't know anymore if it is Naruto who pulls them towards this places or if it's her. She doesn't really mind and Naruto seems to not worry about it, either.

Naruto doesn't have a problem with his hands anymore, and he likes to cup her cheeks when they start kissing. He then likes to move his thumbs over her cheeks in a caress and by this point Hinata is already feeling the shivers go down her spine. On her side, she likes to put her hands on Naruto's neck and scratch slightly the nape of his head, she loves to hear him gasp in between kisses and he has already shared that her nails feel amazing against his skin. Hinata can only wonder what else her nails can do on his body.

Everything is new to her and kissing Naruto makes her feel hot all over. She wants to press her body against his, she wants to circle her arms around his neck, she wants to open her mouth wider, she wants to touch him in places were clothes make it hard to reach. And judging by the way Naruto groans and looks at her, she bets he thinks the same.

There is a voice at the back of her head that calls for restraint, for composure and for her to behave appropriately, and she would have heeded the voice at any other moment if Naruto had been anything other than... well, Naruto. It was him that brought this unabashed side of herself, this freer version, this happier version, this version that was ready to throw herself at a life with him full of hope. And Hinata doesn't know how to express that in any other way that by pressing herself to him, and Naruto has his hands at her back in a second.

They stop kissing because Hinata is now too close to him and her face fits better in the crook of his neck. And Naruto doesn't mind. He can't remember any of the worries he had had before choosing Hinata as his wife. He can't remember the anxiety that filled him thinking about finding a suitable woman to mother his children. He isn't dumb, he knows this is his dick talking more than anything else, and yet... and yet, he fights his body's urges at night, looks at the ceiling were shadows play and ponders. And all of the things he would have liked to find in his wife, Hinata has.

Naruto rests his head atop Hinata's and rubs his cheek on her hair. "I'm having a meeting that will drag long today. I won't be able to come see you before dinner... or after."

"Okay."

"Remember to eat your dinner."

"Yes."

"You have anything planned?"

"Lord Minato was going to walk me through the... clan fundamentals."

"Good. Boring stuff, though."

Hinata giggles and Naruto buries his head on her neck, making her squeal. How could he get so lucky? He doesn't know.

Maybe this was life showing some compassion and letting him feel lucky for the first time in his life.

⁂

If there's anything Naruto can't help but dread is sitting still for hours on end. It had a lot to do with his hyperactive ass being unable to stay still when he was a child, but now it was more of his body needing exercise and movement because of the damned beast inside him. People got sore muscles, he got headaches and sharp pains on top of that because of the unspent energy sitting still inside of him.

Naruto rubs his neck for the umpteenth time and his assistant looks apologetic.

"This really dragged on, you know?"

Shikamaru Nara is one of the most brilliant minds of this age, and Naruto has the privilege of having him as his aide. Where Naruto lacks, Shikamaru shines. He has a lazy attitude, but doesn't spare efforts when needed.

"I yearn for my bed," Naruto whines.

"I'm sure Sakura has everything prepped for you."

Naruto scoffs, because that goes without saying. Where Naruto and Shikamaru fail, Sakura shines. "Hopefully she went to bed, it would suck if she stayed up waiting for me."

The answer comes when they turn to his bedroom. Faint and shimmery, but Sakura's outline can be seen from afar.

Shikamaru shakes his head, "Had it been me, I would have left hours ago."

Naruto smirks, "Believe me, buddy, I now."

Naruto's eyes sweep the area out of boredom. Half wanting to see the gardens around him and half wanting to stretch his neck, but there is a figure standing far away and he focuses on it, mystified, the figure doesn't move and Naruto discards options from his head as quick as he can. The moment he realizes that area is close to Hinata's, his feet change direction, Shikamaru is close behind, calling for him. The moment Naruto realizes the figure is a woman he starts to jog towards them. And the moment he realizes it is in fact Hinata standing there, in the middle of the night, in an open space, with the compound's wall a few hundred meters away from her, he runs.

Hinata hears him when he's close enough, and after recognition lights her face, she smiles. Naruto grabs hold of her and scans his surroundings. Hinata is talking to him, but Naruto's ear are ringing. He has to calm himself, there is nothing near her, there is nothing near them, Shikamaru is next to him, and Naruto feels Shikamaru trying to ease his grip on Hinata to move her away from where they were. But Naruto wants answers.

"Where is your assistant?"

Hinata is confused and doesn't understand the urgency in his voice. She notices Shikamaru and is suddenly self-conscious, "He-he's sleeping. I went o-out to get some fr-fresh air."

Naruto frowns and feels his emotions swirling. "Take her back to her room," he says, as he lets Shikamaru rest his hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"My lo-" Sakura is jogging towards them. "Stay with Hinata," Naruto orders and Sakura nods once. Naruto is off like a storm, he walks, knowing that there is no haste now, and tries to keep his breathing under control. Hinata is calling to him, but he doesn't hear her.

Naruto enters Hinata's bedroom and looks at the corner of the room, there, sitting with the covers tidied, sits Neji. Naruto stands in front of him with his arms crossed, menacing. "Do you know what you have done?"

"There is no excuse, my lord."

No, there is none. But Neji knew that already.

Naruto squeezes his arm with strenght. He realizes his anger is being heightened by the beast and breaths out of his mouth with a snarl.

"My lord!" Hinata reaches the room with Shikamaru and Sakura glued to her back. "My lord, Neji d-didn't know," she walks right next to him, alone, as Shikamaru and Sakura stand far back now, "I left on my own, I-I didn't wake him up. I-"

Naruto closes his eyes. "It's all right, please, don't worry." Hinata quiets but is restless in her spot. "He will go back to the Hyuuga compound."

"My Lo-"

Neji's voice is clear and shuts Hinata's immediately, "As you wish, my lord."

Naruto grimaces and when he opens his eyes he sees Hinata. Confused and surprised, with watery eyes. Naruto didn't tell her, she doesn't know.

"Hinata, he is supposed to be your bodyguard..."

"I didn't- I didn't wake him..."

Naruto doesn't know how to explain to her... that Neji made the decision to let her go on her own.

"He is a ninja on a mission, Hinata, he knew."

Hinata locks eyes with the floor and Naruto knows that if he keeps his eyes on Neji, he will lose his composure sooner or later. "I will see you tomorrow, my lady."

He kisses the top of her head and leaves. "Send more guards to this area. Sakura, you guard the room."

"As you wish, my lord."

The room is silent and Hinata tries to remain calm. The guilt is eating her alive. For Neji to go back to the compound because he couldn't fulfill his role. Shameful. And it was all her fault.

"I-I am sorry."

Neji remains still. Soft and kind, yet weak and useless when born in a ninja clan. There was never a chance for her to become anything else than the shy and stuttering mess that used to follow him around in an attempt to mimic him, in the hopes of overcoming anything at all. There was never any future for her but to remain at her father's side and rot. Who would want a failed heiress? Who would want a woman that could fold with a glare? The answer was obvious, rotten men.

And somehow, life had decided for Hinata to find the one heir of a clan that somehow fit her like a glove. Destiny was fickle and mean spirited, but sometimes, it gave chances.

Soft and kind and finally in a place where she wouldn't need to hide those traits.

"I knew." Neji shares and Hinata looks as confused as ever. Innocent. "I was awake when you left the room, I knew I had to follow you, and yet I didn't. Lord Naruto is correct in sending me back."

Hinata is shaking her head no and Neji wants to laugh. "I'll talk w-with Lord Naruto, he doesn't have to s-send you back."

"I knew you went alone and I decided to let you go on your own, my lady. As a member of the Hyuuga clan that also has the clan's technique, and as the future wife of the Uzumaki clan's heir the chances of you becoming a target for ransom or assassination have grown exponentially and yet I-"

"Still!"

"You could have died, my lady. Lord Naruto is correct in-"

"With your eyes... with the Byakugan you saw the c-compound's surroundings, didn't you? With your abilities... you can easily c-cover the whole compound, can't you? You saw that there-there was nothing, right?"

Hinata is spewing the clan's secrets but she barely registers the fact. She is just trying to find anything to hold onto. Neji... Neji might have been aloof and distant throughout their childhood, but he never did mock her, never made jokes at her expenses, never hit her, never insulted her... Gods, was her childhood such a sad story?

Neji knows he only needs one more push to get out of Hinata's life. With this show of betrayal, Naruto will have the perfect excuse to reject any other offers from the clan. No one will ever be able to touch her, to order her, to berate her. He only needs to say it... I didn't. I didn't use the byakugan. I sent you out there alone and unprotected and I didn't care. I didn't.

I didn't

It's not hard. I didn't. I didn't. I didn't.

But Hinata's voice trembled and Neji can't do it.

"Lord Naruto is correct in sending me away," he repeats.

And he can hear Hinata's shaky breath. Relief.

"I won't hear any m-more on this. I will-I will talk to Lord Naruto t-tomorrow."

Neji stays kneeled on his futon. And Hinata goes back to hers, turns her back to Neji, and without looking back, with her eyes closed out of pain an frustration, she orders him for the first time in ages, "go back to sleep."

⁂

Hinata has her head glued to the tatami and there is nothing Naruto can say to let her stand upright.

"It was my fault, m-my lord. It won't happen again... I will have a guard at all times, I promise... P-please let Neji stay."

Neji sits far back on the room, with a blank stare. Naruto doesn't care for the man. But this is the first time Hinata has asked for something, and although Naruto can't wrap his head around it, the fact is, this is important to Hinata.

Which means it should be important to him.

"As you wish, Lady Hinata."

Hinata doesn't raise her head. Naruto walks to her and kneels, "Hinata?" He whispers.

"Thank you."

And he realizes that she's crying.