Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 4

Something felt wrong. An irritating absence replaced an expected comfort. He blindly stretched out, arm sleepily patting the ground of the dark hut in a widening circle. His face scrunched in annoyance when the warmth his subconscious was seeking remained out of reach. Cracking an eye open Naruto squinted through the crustiness of his sleep, slowly coming out of the fog of his dreams with a distinct feeling of dissatisfaction, the origin of which he thought had something to do with the cold blanket next to him.

Rolling over onto his stomach he groggily propped himself up on his elbows, grinding his fists into his eyes as his spine popped from bottom to top after a long night of deathlike sleep on the hard floor. Naruto glared at the neatly folded blanket until a jaw cracking yawn split his face, trying to remember what felt so off.

Damn, my neck, he groaned internally, sliding a hand over tight muscles as he rolled his head sideways. I can't wait until I can sleep in a normal bed again…

His eyes popped open and his hand froze as multiple memories which had been disguised as dreams resurfaced. The house! The clones are done. Hinata…

Lurching out of his tangled blanket, Naruto nearly forgot to slide on his pants before crawling out the door and starting to search for her chakra. Accomplishing Sage Mode so early in the morning was not easy, and he shook his head roughly to try and clear the cobwebs from his concentration. Resetting his feet and taking a deep breath Naruto internally concentrated, first steadying the flow of his own chakra network before matching it to the sedated buzz of the awakening natural energy in the nascent day.

He found her not far off, sitting on a high leaf facing the edge of the sky that was slowly awakening as well. Naruto exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his hands relaxing out of tightly clenched fists as he focused on her.

Her presence had always been calming, but now in Sage Mode the intricate aspects of her chakra signature permeated through his mind and down to his bones, dying his soul in her colors. The nagging sense of something missing, the dissatisfaction, the anxiousness that had hit him as he awoke all melted away, and his feet carried him towards her of their own volition. Like a sunflower following the rays of the day he traced her warmth through the fog and plant stems, honing in on the radiating sense of serenity that spilled from her high perch.

The edge of the horizon was just starting to contemplate morphing from black to blue, settling on a pale gray punctuated by the last of the night's most stubborn stars. Pausing underneath the expansive leaf high overhead, Naruto placed a hand on the sturdy stem as he looked up. Visually all he could see were two dangling feet crossed at the ankle, hanging motionless next to the nearly full moon. But with his Sage Mode he could sense the outline of her chakra, which silhouetted her petite form like the glow of a firefly in the mist. Dipping and dancing to a beatless rhythm, unhurried but restless. The urge to fly with her had his fingers clawing into the plant, and anticipation coiled within his muscles as he braced to leap into the air.

The large leaf swung gently as he jumped upon it, landing in a soft crouch to try and absorb the disruptive waves of his arrival. Hinata turned away from her contemplation of the sunrise to look up at him, her cheeks instantly staining pink as her eyes flickered briefly over his bare chest.

Naruto had never worn a shirt in Mt. Myoboku, the humid heat and physical efforts of his training making anything more than his boxers feel stifling. But where before he had thought nothing of his partial nakedness, now the faintest urge to preen for his audience had him straightening his shoulders as he carefully measured his steps across the dew slicked plant to her side.

"Ohayō Hinata," Naruto murmured, his voice still rough with sleep. He sat down close enough that the heat from her leg warmed his own thigh, swinging his feet off the edge like an excited child. The dew seeped through his pants, but he ignored it, all of his attention zeroed in on the soft smile she had just for him.

"Ohayō Naruto-kun," she answered, her bangs swishing slightly as she shivered. He leaned in close enough to count the lashes on her eyes as they lowered shyly, studying the flush on her face as he drank in her aura.

"Are you cold?" The question sounded lame as it hung in the muggy air, but he was nearly dancing in his skin for an excuse to touch her, to see if the hint of euphoria that clung to her chakra felt as good under his fingertips as it did in his brain.

Across the tiny filaments of the massive leaf's surface his two fingers walked their way behind Hinata's back. Tip-toeing on fingertips, his hand hovered at her opposite hip, contemplating the wisdom of daring to grasp its curve. She was unaware of his trepidation, her lips pressed together, poised over a syllable which stuck in her throat.

As he waited for Hinata's response the orange pigment faded from his face and a measure of his sanity returned. Naruto hesitated, but the temptation to hold her was irresistible, so he simply adjusted his target. Trying to seem as nonchalant as possible, Naruto casually rested his palm on her shoulder and wiggled himself over until she was almost completely tucked under his arm.

Hinata stiffened, her slender fingers clawing into the top of her thighs and Naruto bit his lip, praying she wouldn't pull away. His eyes darted around the slowly brightening morning for some kind of conversational inspiration, wanting to distract her so she would relax and stay put. His mind rifled through a myriad of random topics that all seemed too obvious or too cheesy. The weather was nice, her hair looked good, did she sleep well?

Lame! All lame! Think dammit! Suddenly a lightbulb blinked on in his dim mind and he nearly snapped his fingers in epiphany.

"I-um, I was thinking of sneaking back into Konoha for a bit and grabbing some supplies for us. Is there anything you want in particular? I mean, I have no idea what's left there, or how much, but I can try—"

"Can you take me back?"

Naruto's arm instantly tightened. "Hell no!" he spat out on reflex, his mind too shocked to be heedful of his sharp tone.

Hinata's hands fisted, the loose fabric of her pants bunching over her lap. Her head bowed slightly but her soft voice was firm as she held her ground.

"Please, Naruto-kun?"

He barely held back a snort as he briefly looked away, his free hand kneading his forehead while trying to forcefully relax the scowl from his features.

"And let your dad try to seal you again?" Naruto was unable to disguise the way his voice pitched higher with incredulity. How could she think he would consider sending her back there for even a second? How could she ask him to just abandon her like that? Didn't she want to be with him?

The palm of his hand which was still clutching her slightly stooped shoulder started to sweat as a sickening feeling settled in the bottom of his stomach. It was too good to be true. She's already having second thoughts. I should have known better than to get my hopes up…

Involuntarily pulling her small frame even deeper into the curve of his torso, Naruto could feel her body trembling. Her knuckles were nearly white from the tension in her fisted hands. The silence stretched out between them, his stomach churning and her shoulders rising closer and closer to her ears, like she was slowly withdrawing into a shell.

Naruto studied her, his brow furrowing deeply. Unlike before, when her entire countenance had blossomed during her honest confession, this new request had left Hinata hunching and hiding her face from him. Through the blur of his dismay, doubt began to emerge. The conviction she was trying to convey was being contradicted in every aspect of her body language.

Gently reaching up to pinch her chin in his hand, Naruto drew her face upwards until she was forced to look him straight on. Hinata's eyes skittered over his features, delaying the inevitable eye contact. But he held her unflinchingly, pressed so closely into his side he could feel her rapid, shallow breaths against his own ribs.

When their gazes finally locked she froze. His irritation stuttered as Naruto marveled at the iridescent hues hidden in her white irises, encircling the palest pupils he had ever seen, which even now dilated under his unwavering attention. They held no guile and animosity that he could see, no disgust or disappointment. Nothing to support his fears of losing her before he could ever ask her to be his. His guarded heart began to melt, the innate perseverance to never give up fortifying his patience to urge the truth out of her own restrained nature.

Softly, without any accusation or reproach, he swallowed hard before asking, "Tell me the truth Hinata, do you not want to stay with me? Because if you don't, I'll find somewhere else that is safe. But I refuse to send you back to the Hyuga. I won't let them, or anyone, hurt you."

Hinata's eyes trembled and watered mutinously. She clamped her lips together tightly but the twisting hint of a frown still pulled at the corners of her mouth. Naruto's heartbeat slowed its panicked pace as he watched her lose an internal struggle, one crumpling feature at a time. With an abrupt jerk of her head she freed herself from him and buried her face in her hands, hiding the blush that now traveled all the way to the tips of her ears and attempting to smother a sniffle.

"Of course I want to stay with you, Naruto-kun!" she moaned into her palms. The rest of her words were undecipherable between her muffling fingers, but something that sort of sounded like "It's all I've ever wanted" made his stomach flip all the way up into his throat from the pit of despair it had fallen into.

"B-but I'm not a Toad Summoner like you," Hinata whimpered. "I don't belong in Mt. Myoboku, I'm a burden here. Everyone has been so kind, but you don't owe me anything." A much louder sniffle punctuated the end of her statement, and Naruto frowned deeply. Grasping her wrists and pulling her hands away with less tenderness than before, he scowled at the sad expression marring her normally peaceful face.

"What are you talking about?" he chided. "If anything, I owe you for standing up for me! If not for your words I wouldn't be alive, or even here with you now." A blond eyebrow raised in suspicion as he leaned in closely. "Is it Shima's food? 'Cuz I get it, the bugs are hard to swallow…literally, but—"

Hinata's hair swished violently as she cut him off with a shake of her head. "No! And you know that's not why I did all that. You're not indebted to me."

He stared at her, the rapid pulses in her wrists thrumming under his fingertips. She had told him, in no uncertain terms, exactly why she had joined him to fight the Akatsuki. He didn't think that had changed in the last few days. He hoped it hadn't.

As Naruto appraised her subtle body language and half statements, trying to see underneath the underneath of this moment, Hinata dared to lift her eyes and peek at him from under the fringe of her hair. Her eyes were reactive where she was subdued. Honest where she was withdrawn. Bold where she was muted. Their lack of color belied the vibrancy of her gaze like a celestial trick of the light. The longer Naruto admired the windows of her soul the clearer he could see the landscape of her heart.

No, she still feels the same, he thought, relishing the certainty of his own conclusion as it filled him better than a bowl of warm ramen after an arduous mission away from home. His entire body relaxed in relief and he released her wrists. Instead his hands searched for ways to comfort her, to reassure her, to infuse her with confidence using more than just his words.

Very gently he tucked her hair behind each ear, intentionally brushing his knuckles across the silky skin on her cheekbones. "I know why you helped me, Hinata. Believe me, I understand completely. It's exactly the same reason why I need you to stay here. With me. I couldn't handle it if something were to happen—" his voice faltered under that train of thought, and he cleared his throat harshly as he pulled his legs up and shifted sideways on the leaf to face her fully. He licked his lips, quickly rephrasing as her eyebrows rose at the force of his emotion.

"I-I need to know you're safe Hinata. Please. Stay?"

She studied him for a moment, chewing on her lip. His own mouth was melting into a pout to put all pouts to shame. Remorselessly begging her with his best puppy dog eyes as he grabbed her hands and prayerfully enfolded them into his own.

"I don't want to be a burden to anyone," Hinata whispered reluctantly. "I didn't fight Pein so that I could hold it over your head forever in return for endless favors."

"Hinata you're not a burden!" Naruto barked in exasperation, his hands snapping to her shoulders as he fought the urge to shake her. "And I know you didn't have any hidden motives that day. You're the most genuine person I've ever met! I can see it in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice. I can feel it in your chakra."

He chuckled derisively, his thumbs absently kneading her shoulders. "It's kinda nice actually. I've never had such an easy time understanding someone before. It's one of the things I love about you."

The laughter died in his throat as the near confession that had slipped out of his mouth registered in Naruto's brain. The two awkwardly gawked at one another with matching wide eyes and pink cheeks, each contemplating the potential weight behind his seemingly superficial compliment. Shit! That's not how I wanted to do this! What do I do, what do I do—

"You…do?" Hinata's lips barely moved as she spoke, her fingers twisting into the hem of her jacket, barely breathing as she waited for his answer.

His heart was pounding against his ribs, begging to reveal his feelings. But his brain kept it caged, unwilling to risk such a confession as he sat here empty handed. Licking his suddenly dry lips as his hands pulled away, Naruto self consciously scratched at the back of his neck, trying to come up with a safe response that didn't let her down but still let him save those three special words for a more perfect moment.

As his thoughts spiraled, the sparkle in Hinata's eyes began to dim with each drawn out second of silence. Abruptly she turned away from him to face the rising sun, blinking rapidly either from the brightening day or to hold back the tears which threatened to fall. With a start Naruto suddenly straightened, a flash of guilt crossing his face. The absolute last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.

Scooching back to Hinata's side he leaned into her, intentionally invading her space with a soft bump of his shoulder and knock of his knee.

"Absolutely Hinata," he stated with fervor, close enough that she could feel the warmth of his statement on the shell of her ear as well as her fragile heart. "You're my most precious person."

Nothing happened. A breeze passed between the plants, rocking them back and forth over the dancing blades of unearthly tall grass. But Hinata remained still as stone, vacantly watching the dawn chase the fog away in introspective silence.

For a moment Naruto worried that she had shut him out, that his hesitation had broken a fragile thread that was only just starting to knit them together, binding tighter each day, but yet untested and still easily frayed. Then, almost as slowly as the caterpillar that was now creeping along the edge of their leaf, her hand inched across her lap and tentatively touched his clenched fingers.

Fire spread along his skin and Naruto flipped his hand over to seize hers in an instant, exhaling harshly in relief. The clouds mirrored the pink hue of Hinata's cheeks at his unashamed sigh, but a burden had fallen from his soul with her simple gesture. So engrossed was he in admiring the feel of her in his grasp that when she spoke, her quiet voice caught him by surprise.

"You're my most precious person too, Naruto-kun. I'll stay here and wait for you, as long as it takes."

If he had wings Naruto would have flown to Konoha on the power of those whispered words. A beaming grin that rivaled the sunrise spread over his face as Hinata timidly interlaced her slender fingers with his calloused ones, one by one.

They sat contentedly together, allowing themselves to become accustomed to the sensation of simply holding the other's hand. The added element of mutual tenderness in what thus far had been a rather whirlwind-like and mostly one-sided romance felt like a breath of fresh air. And each inhalation was easier than the last as they peacefully watched the early birds poke about in the grass for the juiciest worm. Hinata giggled when the caterpillar began to feast voraciously upon their perch, neatly carving out row after row of its breakfast.

When a young toad lurched past and nearly upset their seats, dead set on its chase of a particularly agile dragonfly, Naruto shouted angrily for him to watch where he was going. But he couldn't keep the scowl on his face when the startled amphibian underestimated his prey, latching his tongue onto the large bug only to be hauled off through the air and carried away over the leaf tops. The poor toad's fading howls were quickly drowned out by Naruto's riotous amusement.

Perhaps the spectacle of all nature feasting around them was having an impact on Hinata, for even over her own ringing laughter the growl of her stomach was unmistakable. Naruto snickered and poked her complaining belly with his finger, making her gasp.

"I knew you were hungry!" he accused jokingly. "Shima may be the best cook in Mt. Myoboku but that doesn't mean her food is satisfying. It's just 'edible'." The dramatic air quotes he made with his free hand insinuated exactly to what degree Naruto felt the word applied, and Hinata's mouth twisted with a suppressed grin.

"Beggars can't be choosers," she sighed, her smile fading as once more the reminder of her helplessness arose. Naruto poked her again, harder.

"Stop it. You're not a beggar. You're just a…temporary nomad. Besides, like I was saying, I'm gonna go to Konoha and get some stuff for us. To get us settled. Actually, I probably should get going." His fidgeting was increasing again, mental lists of who to talk with, what to grab, and where to find it all criss-crossing with his excitement. The sooner he left the sooner he would be back to show her the house, and the sooner he could tell her everything. Unable to wait any longer Naruto gave her hand a final squeeze before pulling his legs up and preparing to jump back across the leaf tops to find Pa Toad, when he paused.

Hinata's brow was furrowed, her eyes distant with deep thoughts that could hold an untold variety of concerns. When she noticed his hesitation she quickly spread a caring smile on her face, but still, leaving her like this just didn't feel right. Before he could think about it too hard, Naruto threw his arms around her middle, yanking her up off the plant and against his chest until she squeaked in his ear as the leaf tilted dangerously under their uneven weight.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Hinata! Believe it!" he shouted, the volume of his voice reflecting the height of his excitement. The birds below startled up into the now bright blue sky, and Hinata flinched in his vice-like hug. Releasing her before he completely lost his mind, Naruto hightailed it back to the hut, his face burning with a fierce blush that nearly blotted out the whisker marks on his cheeks.

The last thing Hinata heard him say as she clung to the violently swaying leaf was some sort of kindhearted threat that she had better take it easy and get some rest. Then in a blur of blond hair and orange pants, the most unpredictable man she had ever known was gone.

"Be careful," she murmured into the empty air, her mouth belatedly delivering the message from her flustered brain. How was it that she always felt like a discombobulated mess around him? If only she was better at expressing herself, half of her anxiety around him would probably disappear.

Flopping onto her back Hinata stared blankly up at the clouds as they slowly rolled across the atmosphere, carefree and weightless. No wonder Shikamaru was alway saying he was jealous of them. Clouds had no feelings. Clouds had no fears. Nothing to hinder them on their journey through space. No one to turn their worlds upside down. No one to cage them.

Raising a finger to her forehead, Hinata traced the skin where the crooked cross of the Cage Bird Seal had emerged and then faded away. The echoes of her father's disappointment were always reverberating in the corners of her mind. But here, in this almost mythical jungle, the voice in her head that always shamed her failures was paling in comparison to the whisper in her soul which chanted Naruto-kun's words.

It's one of the things I love about you.

You're my most precious person.

I need you.

It was like he was bending the bars of the cage around her heart one statement at a time. Freeing her inch by inch, moment by moment. Hinata had never doubted the love she carried for Naruto-kun, carefully guarding and nurturing it in isolation. Only in her wildest dreams had she been able to muster the courage to hand him the key to the gilded cage containing her greatest secret. Fear of his rejection had made her hide her admiration for years, content to admire him from afar.

That fear had eaten her nerve, until…

Her fingers trailed down over her chest, pressing into the tender wound that lay dangerously close to her heart. In the moments before she had sprinted down the steep slope of the smoking crater, her all-seeing eyes had watched Naruto-kun lose himself. Lose his determination. His nindo. His hope. For the first time in her life, she had forgotten to be afraid of her own failure.

She had been ready to accept death, until…

Hinata's hand fisted over her stomach as it twisted. Resurfacing memories of Naruto-kun's visit to her flimsy tent the night after the battle played out in her mind. The intensity of his gaze nearly pinning her to that creaky cot. The rawness of his emotions as he demanded she say it again. The way his expression had split open in awe at her response. He saw her, and it had been more than she had dared to hope for. When her father had begun to seal her, she had thought those precious moments with Naruto-kun would be enough to carry her through a lifetime of Branch House servitude.

Just having her love acknowledged was enough, until…

Heat flushed up her neck to her face, and Hinata bashfully lifted her hand to touch her flaming cheek where it had rested on Naruto-kun's strong chest as he had carried her through the dark jungle on their first night here. Even in the moonlight she had noticed his equally strong blush when she had been pinned against him by those plants. While he had held her tightly in his arms and been working to free them, Hinata had experienced an epiphany.

Hinata wanted more. Not just the chance to confess, but to hear him say it back. She wanted to love and be loved. She wanted to unleash her heart without fear that it would fall and break. She wanted to leave her cage. She had hoped Naruto-kun wanted it as well. But yesterday he had completely disappeared. Been gone for hours without a single word. And when he had returned last night, smiling but dog tired, he had barely made it through dinner without nodding off. With a muttered good-night he had crawled onto his mat and instantly fallen asleep, leaving Hinata to wonder if perhaps this dream was also doomed to never come true.

She thought it was all in her imagination, all just a one-sided crush that would never amount to anything more. That she was only still by his side out of pity and obligation. Until…

Hugging her chest lest it burst, girlish giggles bubbled up from within as Hinata rolled onto her side and squealed, disturbing the hungry caterpillar in his ravenous demolition of her leafy oasis. Earlier, this large plant had seemed like a good spot to think and brood upon her doomed future, only to become the scene of something unexpected yet glorious. His touches were more than friendly, laced with a tenderness that caused her stomach to erupt with butterflies. The sincerity of his simple words made her head swim. He had nearly said it…

I just have to be patient, Hinata concluded, flopping onto her back with a breathy sigh. Serenity followed on the tail of her internal resolve, solidifying into a peace of mind that healed her inside and out. I need to let him work it out on his own. Uncoerced. Unhurried. Until…until maybe he…he will say it, too.

Sitting up Hinata closed her eyes and basked in the delicious warmth of the sun, drinking it in as her soul danced under its nurturing rays. She could wait. It would be worth it. He was worth it. And it would be that much sweeter in the end.

After all, love was not a cage.

A/N: They're getting there, as best as two terrible communicators can, lol! Plus a small peek into Hinata's POV to top it off. I know this chap was a bit short and fluffy, but the next one is going to be quite long (I think) and have much more conflict as Naruto navigates Konoha. Thank you all for continuing to be patient with my random posting schedule. This is just my hobby, not my job, so other priorities frequently prevail on my time. I hope you enjoy this new chapter!