"Gaara-sama, I'm not sure if you're aware, but it's rude to spy on me, even if we are engaged." Hinata finally interjected while she brought her tea to her lips.

"You noticed me," Gaara confirmed. Hinata set her cup back down. He should have known. Her clan prided itself in being overly observant. "I came to escort you to today's meetings and found a man shouting. I observed a risk to your safety." More precisely, he was about to throw the dog boy into the wall before the other teammate got between them. Gaara waited for her friends to leave and for her to return inside before he approached the house.

Hinata's behavior was different with her friends than with him, as to be expected. The closeness that friends, he never entirely understood. He only had one friend, and Naruto was not normal. Would she have that with him? It wasn't something he would allow himself to hope for. However, he wouldn't mind it if it. Was he wary of her gentle-looking touch?

"I understand. However, if Kiba-kun had noticed you, he wouldn't have understood." 'He would have wanted to fight.' Was heavily implied. "He's not a fan of our union."

From what Gaara observed of relationships, he should be upset about her closeness to other males. He didn't know why, so he would have to ignore that for now. There was no reason for him to be upset. The way she spoke about him to her friends was favorable, in his opinion.

"I heard, among other things." Hinata's cheeks turned red, and she played with the rim of her cup with her thumb. "Would you prefer to break the engagement in favor of him?" Gaara was enjoying spending time with her, but if the idea of the relationship in the first place was to care for the other, wouldn't the best way to do that to make sure they wanted to be in the relationship?

"You keep asking things like that," Hinata's brows knitted together as her eyes focused on his. Concern? "It's like you don't think you deserve someone enjoying time with you."

How did he respond to that? There wasn't much reason for someone to want to spend time with him, so why would he think someone enjoyed spending time with him? Gaara wasn't enjoyable to be around like she was. It was simple. He didn't deserve it. What had he ever done to deserve friends or a caring wife? "I don't."

"That's not true." Firmness sounded odd, coming from her soft voice. "You are known as a great, caring leader." Hinata hesitated before also adding. "I won't assume what your childhood was like, but I know what they called you, and it's not true."

Was this what Kankuro was talking about? Was this the look he spoke about, not pity for a monster but concern for a child who didn't know love? It was something he wasn't used to, but she was still wrong.

"I appreciate the… thought." Gaara's answer made her frown.

"Maybe one day you'll believe me." Hinata finished her tea.

"Would you like another cup?" Hinata liked tea. Gaara didn't drink it much at home. The kitchen would need to be informed to stock it for her. What was the other thing she said she liked? The swirled cinnamon cakes? Risen pastries were not normal in his village, either. Could they manage her colder-climate foods?

Hinata glanced at the clock. Was she avoiding something? What would she be avoiding that she would prefer to spend her time with him? They had already spent a few hours in the café just talking, it was pleasant, and there was plenty to talk about. He enjoyed her opinion, even if some of them were a little too light-hearted for his world.

Gaara would talk to her all day if she liked it.

They didn't leave until closing time. Hinata waved at him before closing the door and turning inside to see crossed arms and furrowed brows. "Neji-san." Hinata's heart sank as she realized he must have waited up for her. She shrunk into herself as she took off her shoes.

"Where have you been?" Neji scolded.

"With Gaara-sama," Did he need to make her feel like she just came home late with a secret boyfriend? He was her fiancé. She was supposed to be spending time with him.

"All day?" Neji asked, not believing her.

"Yes." Hinata put up her jacket, avoiding eye contact with her cousin. It was worse being coming home to his disappointment than her father's. It hurt worse because Neji believed in her.

"Does he require all of your time?" Neji took her bag.

This was going to be a fight. "No, but I should get to know him before we leave, shouldn't I? He'll be too busy to speak to me when we get back."

Neji followed her back to her room. "So he will cast you aside once you are in Suna?" It was going to be a big fight if Neji took everything she said and ran with it.

"No, but he is the Kazekage. He will be busy running his village. I will be busy learning my duties." Hinata turned her head just as Neji's eyes flashed. Had he found what he wanted?

"Duties?" Neji growled. Hinata could kick herself. Of course, he would take it that way.

"I will be taking Temari-san's responsibilities." Hinata corrected herself.

Neji wasn't backing down. "You will be working under his thumb."

Hinata took a deep breath to keep from raising her voice. "I will be helping him care for his village."

"It will be your village then, too, won't it?" Neji pointed out.

"Yes, however, I am currently a Konoha citizen." This was pointless. She would prefer he just yelled at her directly. Why did everyone upset with this draw out their point instead of just saying why they were upset?

"You will be moving villages," Neji confirmed.

"That would be part of the marriage." Hinata agreed, annoyed.

"What else will be." Did he need to think like that!? It wasn't on every man's mind constantly!

Hinata had enough. "We haven't talked about it!" She finally shouted. "I don't believe he has even thought of it, either. He is not the type. We will talk about it when it comes up, and when we do, it will be none of your business!"

Neji became rigid. "You're right, but it is still my job to protect you until you are no longer a Hyuga."

Hinata softened instantly. "You don't need to protect me from him."

"Do you know what he is?" Neji's face twitched under the look she gave him.

Hinata would correct his wording for him. "Everyone has pointed out his past, his personality, and who they think he is. Everyone has wanted to object, but think about it, really, which would you rather? I could marry a man of high class from here." Neji knew how they would treat her. His fears would be valid then. "Or I could marry the kind man who wasn't even looking to marry. He could have just dealt with my father, instead took the time to ask me and has since given me a door out if I wanted it." Her heart ached for him. "He may seem harsh at first, but he's thoughtful. He's an insecure man with a hard shell who everyone judges for a childhood he couldn't control!" Hinata drew back with a huff, trying to keep tears from her eyes.

Neji simmered in silence. Leaning on the wall by her door.

"I know you want to protect me, but I don't think you need to protect me from him."

"If he ever…" Neji started.

"Neji-san," Hinata scolded. "Please trust me." Hinata stepped forward, placing her hand gently on his arm. Neji stiffened at her affection.

Neji huffed, resigning to glare to the side.

"Hanabi-chan needs you more now," Hinata interjected. "Please protect her in my place."

Neji hesitated to look back up and nod.

"You will need to get used to receiving hugs." Hinata giggled as his face curled in horror.

Hinata's ears blistered with the squealing. Sakura and Ino dragged her away after the last meeting of the day before Gaara could get to her. You would think they were the ones getting married. Tenten rolled her eyes, but she was here, so surely she was excited too.

Sakura lifted Hinata's left hand for group examination, but the three went silent. Tenten shifted her hand curiously. "It's made of his sand." Hinata filled.

Tenten's nose scrunched as the other two girls awed. "I don't get it."

"It's sweet! She always has a piece of him with her!" Ino explained.

"Do you think that's what he was thinking at the time?" Tenten countered.

"Does it matter? It's still adorable! How can a man like that do something so cute?" Sakura knew him better than she did. She probably remembered some of his harsher years. "It would have been nice to have a stone, though."

Hinata tugged her hand back. "I like it the way it is. He didn't need to get one. In Suna, they give proposal gifts that you would use in the house after marriage instead of rings."

"Like what?" Tenten asked, suddenly more interested.

"Well, from what I understand, it can be anything." Hinata thought she should better explain the idea. "Temari-san says it was a custom developed when Suna had been going through hard times, and you couldn't afford expensive things like jewelry. So instead, you would offer something that was made by hand that could be used, like a heavy clay cooking pot." Ino and Sakura's noses scrunched. "Now it is more common to give pottery, stone necklaces, and other artwork that has more use as decoration. They still are meant to be made by hand by the proposer." Despite their distaste, she thought it was a romantic idea. Someone put time into making you an item to have in the home instead of buying a ring. She got the best of both with her ring.

"What about a sword?" Tenten asked in thought.

Hinata giggled. "If it can be made by hand, I guess it fits."

"Do you think Neji could make a sword?" Ino probed.

"Who said I was thinking of him?" Tenten snapped, annoyed.

Hinata waved her hands to keep attention on her and away from the forming fight. "Either way, I like the ring and plan to keep it the way it is."

"If it's his sand, and he's still connected to it, can he still feel it?" Sakura asked, assaulting her hand again.

Hinata's face burned. She hoped not. She played with it constantly.

"Are you having the wedding here?" Ino asked.

This was inevitable. "No, Temari-san is planning a Suna wedding." Ino's face dropped. "I wasn't even going to have one, but it's a custom for the eldest unmarried female in the family to plan the wedding. She didn't think either of her brothers would marry before her." Temari had also said it was a custom that was regularly ignored, but she wasn't going to tell Ino that.

"Do you know what they are like?" Ino tilted her head, the initial hurt gone.

"Sort of. Suna is more traditional than trendy. There are robes instead of dresses, a headdress in place of a vale, and gifts rather than rings." Hinata listed. "The wedding doesn't seem to be as important as the feast and celebration after, though."

"Wasn't there something about stealing something from the bride and giving it back?" Tenten looked confused.

"I think that's something Temari-san will be ignoring. You have a female in the groom's family steal a piece of the headdress, and the groom gives it back once you are alone." Please don't ask why. Please don't ask why.

"Why's that?" Sakura asked. Hinata cringed outwardly.

"It's a fertility blessing."