"Okay." Temari shook excitedly. "Turn around."

Hinata turned. Temari spent the last half hour fidgeting with the chain in her hair, tucking her bangs away and the sides up to fully show her face and twisting and braiding pieces down her back tediously, adding longer stands of the chain in.

Temari waited eagerly for her approval.

"It's perfect." Hinata reached up to lightly touch the dull polished stones. Very her. Her father would never approve of something so simple for a Hyuga.

Temari jittered with joy. "Wait here!" She bolted out of the room while Hinata was left to herself in front of the mirror. She tilted her head, and the pieces jingled faintly. Why did Konoha bother with veils? These were gorgeous.

Temari returned soon after, pushing her brothers in the door. Well, pushing Kankuro and verbally dragging Gaara.

"Yeah, she does." Kankuro agreed to something she hadn't heard with a grin.

"Gaara." Temari pressed. "What do you think?"

Gaara looked at it with an odd sense of knowing. "Is that mother's?"

The room went cold.

Temari clenched her teeth with fear in her eyes. Kankuro went stiff.

Hinata sat up straighter, hoping she could take all the attention away from their sudden shift in mood. Partly from him to not have to feel their fear. Partly for them to not feel they needed to fear their brother. "Yes…"

"It fits well." That was all he said. Temari changed the subject. She turned her head to show the braid, explaining why they decided to have it down her back instead of up directly to Kankuro.

Hinata turned to Gaara in the mirror. He didn't seem sure of the situation. His frown wasn't angry, but he walked away. The blank look in his eyes worried her.

Hinata hoped they hadn't introduced painful memories to their wedding day.

Hinata settled on his room questions in mind, but no real want to ask them, but his continuous glances for the first hour made it obvious he knew she wanted to ask. Who would break first?

Hinata didn't want to talk about it. Did they need to? It was only going to make them both feel bad.

However, if he didn't like it, she didn't want it at their wedding.

"My mother hated me." Gaara started. "She hated me because of what I was, and my birth killed her." His hand raised to the mark on his forehead. She never asked about the kanji. It had something to do with this.

Hinata's heart ached at the empty look on his face.

"But I don't mind you wearing something of hers," Gaara added. "She loved her other two children, and Temari wants you to wear it. I have no problem with it."

Hinata sniffed as her eyes filled with tears. He got up to sit with her, carrying some paperwork but putting it aside for the moment. "That's not true."

"I am fine. My mother grew a monster in her that killed her. I don't blame her for hating what she was forced to carry. It was just a shock that it was dug out." Gaara explained. "We don't go through mother's things often."

Hinata pierced her lips. She didn't want to open wounds. "How did you recognize it?" She moved to curl up beside him.

"There used to be an album of pictures. It included a wedding portrait. I destroyed them when I was young." Hinata hugged him, burrowing herself under his arm to tighten to his chest. "I have accepted it."

That didn't help at all. He shouldn't have had to.

Gaara curled the arm she moved under around her. Was being too caring a thing?

Hinata cried for him, even over things he forced himself to accept. He was being honest. He didn't think of his mother with anger anymore, dull pain, and resentment if he thought hard enough, but he had become numb. His father did far worse to him.

Her tears and warmth filled any dull pain he felt. He waited until she settled to speak again.

"It fits you well," Gaara added.

"I like it. Father would never approve." Hinata hiccuped.

Gaara thought for a moment. "My father would have never approved of you." Maybe he should have worded that better.

"Do you mind?" Hinata asked.

"I wouldn't care," Gaara replied sternly.

"Good." Hinata pulled the book back up to her lap.

Cute.

"No, not that one!" Hinata caught Kankuro's arm before he caused a large problem.

Kankuro blinked at it, pulling his arm back. "What did I do now."

Hinata pointed. "That one."

"Why do I have the feeling you don't trust me with this," Kankuro corrected.

"If you would pay attention when I spoke, I told you it would damage it if it had too much." Hinata huffed, going back to her work.

"Do you get all puffed up with Gaara like this?" Kankuro chuckled.

"Sometimes," Hinata admitted, embarrassed.

"I have to see that." Kankuro grinned, leaning over at her. She didn't like that look. "How did Gaara kiss you in such a way you fainted?"

"We are not talking about this!" Hinata said firmly.

"Come on, we didn't tease you that bad," Kankuro mumbled. "I won't laugh. I'm interested. He has never been in a relationship. He probably has the understanding of a physical relationship of an academy brat."

Hinata sighed. "We were… talking about physical relationships… kinda…" She scowled. "Shukaku-san thought it was funny. It was just a peck on my hand he was testing, but I wasn't expecting it. I was just so flustered, I fainted."

"Wait, it was just on your hand?" Kankuro laughed.

"You said you wouldn't." Hinata pouted.

"The way Gaara had said it, I would have thought he mulled you." Kankuro continued to laugh. "He was about as freaked out as you were, except he was conscious."

Hinata frowned. "I didn't mean to."

"You guys are cute." Kankuro scrunched his nose. "I never thought I would call Gaara cute."

Hinata giggled. "He can be."

Hinata came in with cheeks puffed in a pout and an air of annoyance. Was she upset? "Temari-chan gets to have no more new ideas for the wedding."

Gaara wasn't sure if he should be amused by her behavior or not. Shukaku was. "Why not?"

"We just spent two hours arguing about me wearing a garter." Hinata curled up in her spot.

"I don't know what that is," Gaara noted.

"It's a fad more so than a tradition. It's a band on the thigh. The groom is supposed to remove it during the reception." Hinata laid her red face to the side, so this was an embarrassing task.

"Is the removal hard?" Gaara asked, confused.

Hinata blinked. "It's under the skirt. The groom is supposed to go with his hands under the skirt to remove it in front of everyone."

"Oh." That sounded in bad taste.

"The more cheeky grooms think it's funny to remove it with their teeth." Hinata shrunk, cheeks betraying her annoyed tone.

"I see your point." Gaara wouldn't be doing that. It would make her highly uncomfortable. It would make him highly uncomfortable.

"Temari-chan thinks it's funny. Kankuro-san was little help." Hinata sighed.

'I think it's an interesting idea.' Shukaku chuckled.

"What?" Gaara asked, confused.

"Hmm?" Hinata wondered.

Gaara had asked aloud. It would seem. "Shukaku liked the idea."

"Shukaku-san!" Hinata covered her red face in horror.

Gaara frowned. "I'm sorry."

Hinata shrank fully into herself, burying her face into her knees.

'This is your fault.' Gaara grumbled at him.

'I take no blame.' Shukaku answered with a chuckle.