Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

CHAPTER 16

For several days they simply, selfishly, completely forgot that the rest of the world existed. All they cared about was each other, food, and sleep. The sun and moon no longer had any more consequence than simply confirming the passage of time. Although to be honest neither would have complained if that had paused entirely and left them in an infinite loop of seclusion.

This morning was no different. Naruto would not have bothered to acknowledge the day at all if he hadn't felt Hinata's stomach growling against his forearm. Cracking open a sleepy eye he studied the fall of sunlight over the pillow and noted that their next meal could probably still technically be considered breakfast, then turned back to the cocoon of blankets and buried his nose into the crook of Hinata's neck. One of his new favorite places on her body. It was soft, sensitive, and smelled like comfort and warmth. He loved the way her wispy little baby hairs tickled his nose as he nuzzled happily.

"Hungry?" His voice was hoarse with sleep, and maybe a bit from all the growling he did last night. Hinata was finding new ways to blow his mind every time they came together. He felt her shoulder lift in a shrug under his chin, and snorted at her attempt at acting demure. They both knew she had a very healthy post-coital appetite. And he intended to keep his lover well fed.

Naruto started suggesting different things, trying to remember what was left of their food. They would be forced to break their seclusion to go back into town soon. But he wasn't ready to crack the shell of their haven yet. Hinata hummed politely at each suggestion, not flatly shooting him down but not seeming too excited either. But when he finally mentioned that there were probably a few eggs and some rice left she suddenly perked up.

"Oh! Do we have some pickled vegetables to go with it? And isn't there still some pork, too?" She beamed up at him as she rolled over. The blush on her cheeks was practically permanent at this point and her hair was a tousled mess. Naruto chuckled as he tried to tuck a snarled strand behind her ear.

"You knew exactly what you wanted the whole time and just let me recite our pantry list, didn't you? You just wanted to make me guess," he teased. Hinata ducked her head, biting back a smile while drawing circles on his bare chest with her fingernail.

"No! I just didn't want to sound too demanding. I would've eaten anything you made for me, Naruto-kun."

Laughter rumbled up from deep in his belly as he wrapped her up in a fierce bear hug. His pride and humor not the least offended by the slightly stale scent of their recent activities, which clung to the sheets, her skin, and even seemed to hang in the air.

"I'm starting to figure you out, Hinata! Pretty soon I'll know you inside and out." Naruto emphasized his statement with a playful slap on her bare ass, then leapt out of the bed before she could retaliate.

They teased and laughed as they dressed and started cooking, taking their sweet time. Warm yellow streaks of daylight filtered through the windows, illuminating the dancing wisps of smoke and steam from the irori. Sizzling sounds accentuated the mouth watering aromas which began to fill the hut. The breeze that snuck in was fresh and cool. A cleansing reminder that there was in fact an entire world outside. When the food was finally done they decided to go to their favorite spot to enjoy their first meal of the day, setting off across the meadow to drink in the panoramic view of the valley.

To Hinata's surprise, instead of the comfy patch of trampled grass and moss beneath the large leaf that she expected to see, a simple bench swung lazily from the sturdy stem. The freshly assembled planks of 'wood' were smooth and bright, unweathered and waiting to be used.

"My clones finished it yesterday," Naruto started to explain, but paused, face scrunching in calculation. "Well, I think it was yesterday. I kinda lost track of time."

Hinata just stood still and stared, her eyes shimmering. "It's beautiful, Naruto-kun."

"Come on, sit down. Your food will get cold." Naruto grinned, warmth spreading through his chest at her reaction to his work. "I didn't do all this for you to just stare at it, come enjoy it with me!"

Plopping down heavily to show off how sturdy his creation was, Naruto patted the spot beside him. Hinata sat down slowly, holding her bowl in one hand as she ran her fingertips over the well sanded planks. She took small bites while her eyes traced the hand braided ropes that held it up. Naruto's hunger overruled his gloating, and he failed to notice her quiet scrutiny as he inhaled his food. Happily filling his belly and his heart as he drank in the sights of the valley below, brimming with colors and life.

This is what he had wanted. This was a moment he had been hoping for ever since he had started work on the hut. A peaceful morning. Savoring the perfection of his existence beside this wonderful woman in this amazing place. And now it was here, and it produced a new level of satisfaction for his soul.

Her soft voice broke into his harmonious daydreaming. "I'll earn this gift, Naruto-kun."

He blinked, pausing mid-chew and swinging his gaze back to Hinata. She was staring out over the living painting of Mt. Myoboku as well, but apparently had experienced an entirely different epiphany. Naruto grunted as he leaned over and set his empty bowl on the ground. Sitting up and bracing a hand on the bench behind her, he schooled his features to keep any hint of a scowl hidden. "What are you talking about?"

Hinata's eyes fell to her lap. The delicious meal almost gone, her chopsticks resting in her loose fingers. "I love this. The mountain, the hut, this swing. I treasure these moments with you. This inner peace I feel." She lifted her face to his, her back straightening and her brows creasing seriously. "But I think I'd enjoy it more if I felt that I had earned it. That I have justified the kindnesses given and the efforts taken to allow me to live this way. To live with you."

Naruto sighed and sagged heavily into his seat, his back thunking against the bench and making it sway. "Hinata, this is not about what you have earned." He ran a hand over his face, trying to rub away the flicker of annoyance that always rose whenever she talked like this. "We are soulmates. Not because of anything you can earn or control or change, but because Kami made us that way."

He looked over and saw her shifting restlessly and his heart melted all over again at the way she was struggling to accept his words. He understood how hard it was to let yourself believe that you were loved for just being yourself. That you deserved it simply because you existed. Years and years of feeling less than worthy had made him so calloused that he had been unable to notice Hinata's feelings for a disturbing length of time. But now that he had gotten it through his thick skull, he would be damned if he ever let himself, or her, forget it.

Plucking the bowl and chopsticks out of her hands, Naruto set them on the ground and turned to grasp her by the shoulders, forcing her to look him square in the eyes and see the seriousness of his emotions. He had said it before but he would say it again and again. A thousand times if that's what it took. Over and over for a lifetime. Because it would never cease to be true.

"I love you because of who you are. You don't have to do anything different to justify my love for you. And we are at Mt. Myoboku because this was our only choice at the moment, not because we're on some kind of excessive, undeserved vacation. This situation is wonderful because we chose to think of it that way. Just like we can choose to believe that we deserve to be happy and loved, for no damn reason other than...well, than why the hell not?"

Her mouth trembled and she blinked several times to keep the tears that instantly threatened at bay. "I-I'm sorry. I keep falling back into that old way of thinking." A wayward tear escaped and she reached up to brush it away. "Father just loved The Clan, and only loved me for my potential within it. When I did not meet his expectations his love ended there. Neji loved me only as a child, until he grew up and it became difficult due to our positions. Then he hated me, and I had to earn his love back. With no small amount of help from you."

She smiled softly, glancing up at Naruto as he patiently listened. But her smile faded a second later. "Even Hanabi," she whispered. "She loved me until she saw me as competition. Then all she looked for were my weaknesses, and her love faded along with her admiration."

He cupped her face and kissed her forehead, sliding up against her until she was tucked into his side. "You are not weak, Hinata. You still love all of them in your own way, despite everything they have put you through. I can see it in your eyes. That's a strength that can't be trained. Can't be acquired with practice. The mark of a beautiful soul. A soul I am proud to bind myself to."

Hinata leaned into him, once more letting his words anchor her before she could be carried away by a flood of negative thoughts. Naruto chuckled as she pressed her cheek into his chest, her breaths tickling his bare skin. Wrapping her tightly up in his arms he kissed the crown of her hair.

"We are soulmates," he said into her silky tresses. "Not just sparring mates, or best mates, or roommates. Although, don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying the last one." He yelped as she pinched his nipple, but refused to stop until he had thoroughly made his point, despite his escalating laughter.

"This! This thing that we got going right here," Naruto jabbed a finger into her hip, making her squeal, "It's not conditional. You can't fail at 'souling'. You'll never be demoted. There's no hope of escape. It's permanent. I'm permanent."

He kicked the ground hard, sending them rocking wildly as the plant creaked and the bench swung high. Startled, Hinata gasped and clung to him, only increasing his advantage as he pulled her further up onto his lap and continued to tease her. "I'm not going anywhere. You can't shake me. You're doomed to be with me forever!"

By now Hinata was freely giggling at the increasingly sappy statements popping out of his mouth, and it only got louder as he used his feet to push them higher and higher. Her hair swished around them, the sun at her back making it shine nearly blue. Even unkempt and dressed in his large shirt she was devastating, and he adored her.

His eyes gleamed with admiration for the complexities she contained. A puzzle he could spend a lifetime completing. Every day discovering a new piece he had never seen before.

The cripplingly shy heiress of a few weeks ago was long gone. In her place was a goddess who dared to straddle his lap in broad daylight and belly laugh as he pretended to tip them over with each swing. Her smile warmed him inside and out, boosting his own confidence to new heights, and he decided to do something impulsive.

He wrapped his arms around her waist like a vice, buried his face into her breasts, took a deep breath and motorboated her as long as he could.

All the way on the other side of the meadow birds erupted from the canopy at her screams. But Naruto's roaring laughter echoed just as loudly.

"C'mon Hinata! Get used to me!"

That evening Naruto stared at her sleepy face as he carefully added more fuel to the firepit behind their hut, trying not to wake her up. She sighed but stayed unconscious on the soft grass, exhausted from yet another round of 'bonding'. Physically and emotionally, they were closer than ever before. Every time he paused long enough to truly absorb what was happening he had to pinch himself.

He leaned back on his hands and stretched out his legs with the smug contentment of a cat on a hearth. The orange glow of the crackling fire combined with its radiating warmth blanketed him with a drunken sleepiness. His eyes drooped heavily. His thoughts slowed and wandered. Tomorrow they should transport back to civilization. They needed some supplies, and he wanted to meet with a few contacts. The papers in Jiraiya's box still needed his attention as well. Plus, now that he knew money would never be a concern, the thought of spoiling Hinata with a trip to a fancy onsen sounded brilliant.

As if reading his mind she sighed deeply, rolling a bit and blindly reaching out until bumping her hand into his, then humming and falling back asleep. Naruto studied the juxtaposition of her slender fingers next to his tanned, calloused ones. Their red bands proudly on display. For now.

After a long discussion late one night they had decided that their status as Soulmates would best be kept a secret for the time being. They themselves were still discovering exactly to what extent the bond affected them, and it was something they wanted to explore in private. In the meantime, Pa and Ma Toad were the only ones they wanted helping explain any questions that came up, and were probably the only ones who could.

But Naruto refused to deny his relationship with her. He refused to repeat the choices of his parents and hide his love. If it meant he had to get stronger to protect her, then so be it. He wanted to shout about it from the top of Mt. Myoboku. From the top of the Hokage Monument. Adorn her in finery fit for a princess and parade her down the center of Konoha, while beaming at her side. Force the Hyuga to acknowledge his Hime. To acknowledge her worth, and what she meant to him. Acknowledge his promise of a lifetime.

Glancing down again at the red bands on their fingers, an idea popped into his head. A simple solution that would be a blatant statement. Undeniable and instantly understood by all at a glance.

Wedding rings.

Lists and schemes and accomplices began assembling in his brain. He stared unseeing into the flames, a mischievously ecstatic smile stretched across his face. By the time Hinata roused from her impromptu nap, the stars were sparkling in the sky and also in Naruto's eyes.

"Ne, Hinata?" The barely restrained excitement in his tone made her snap fully awake.

"Yes?" she asked warily, rubbing her eyes. Naruto was on his knees, grinning widely and nearly vibrating.

"Will you marry me?"

"Y-yes!"

Hinata parted the branches of one last large bush and emerged onto the dirt road from the dense woods where she and Naruto-kun had been dropped off. The road was deserted in both directions, a small rural path far from the more frequently used trade routes. The town they were being sent to was unfamiliar to her, nearly unknown to most of civilization due to its remoteness. A perfect location for a quick check in with a contact from The Network.

She exhaled and rubbed her arms through her kimono, watching the cold fog of her breath dance up into the thin mountain air as the transportation toad gave them final directions. "Five clicks north, then follow the east uphill path at the fork," he recited sharply with the air of a military official. "The contact is there."

"Hai, hai," Naruto-kun grumbled, adjusting his grip on the hand drawn cart he had unsealed from a summoning scroll. In the back of it several medium sized barrels of sake sloshed with the jerky movement. Hinata glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, noting the flat line of his mouth as he fought back another irritated sigh. She quickly thanked the toad for the safe trip and dipped into a polite bow, hoping to peacefully part ways before Naruto-kun said something rude. The creature saluted sharply and disappeared in a poof of smoke. Naruto-kun didn't even acknowledge its departure, focused on checking his wares and adjusting his clothing.

The job was simple but poorly timed for a young couple who was planning a spur of the moment elopement to put a cherry on top of a scandalous series of escapes and abandoned duties. The rush of adrenaline that had accompanied their intense period of bonding and sudden proposal had been unceremoniously snuffed out by the rude reminder that they still had a role to play. It was almost hard for Hinata to remember that it was just that morning when Naruto-kun had disappeared for several hours cloaked in his drab peasant clothing and an air of mystery. When she had sleepily sat up in bed and asked him where he was going he had only grinned cheekily and said "on some errands". Her questions were still unanswered, as immediately upon his return they had been alerted by one of the toads stationed in Konoha that a meeting was being requested by one of the few contacts they maintained.

Upon hearing that message a small part of Hinata had panicked, thinking that somehow her family had telepathically sensed the huge social travesty she was intending to commit and had laid a trap to stop her. A silly fear. One she squashed before Naruto-kun could even read the trepidation on her face. She was done trying to please that pious Clan. Done living for other people's happiness at the loss of her own. They had abandoned her as a Hyuga, cast her aside. And now Naruto-kun was offering her a new name, a new life. One that came with the promise of unconditional love instead of expectations to be met. Elopement might be a huge taboo, but when your family gives up on you, you give up keeping their standards.

As thoughts of marriage and bonding and family increased the pressure inside her head, a bead of sweat ran down Hinata's temple. She reached up to wipe it away along with a strand of the wildly curly hair that she had chosen for her henge. The stress would give her a migraine if she let it all build up. The best choice of action at this point was to cross this job off the list so they could focus on themselves again.

"Lets go Naru–erm, Taru-kun," she stuttered over his fake name. Unsealing a large woven basket and lifting it onto her back, she flashed him a smile that hopefully would cheer him up. "The sooner we meet with our contact the sooner we can move on to our other plans, right?"

Naruto-kun blew out a long breath that vibrated his lips and fanned the henged limp brown hair out of his eyes. Despite his unfamiliar face, the derisive smirk he sent her way screamed knuckleheaded ninja. An expression quite out of character for the roles they had chosen. A plain, middle-aged peddler and his wife, looking to drop off an order of goods at the town's inn.

"Oh? Anxious are we?" he teased, laughing at her instant blush. Turning north he set off at a pace that would not have been remotely possible for a civilian in their late thirties pulling a loaded cart. "I cannot keep my wife waiting can I? What kind of husband would I be to deny my woman anything she asked for?"

"S-stop it!" she giggled at his waggling eyebrows, jogging to catch up and hiding her red face behind her thick brown sleeve. "I didn't mean it like that. I just want to make sure that the Spy Network isn't interrupted on my account, that's all." She reached his side with a light footed skip over a murky mud puddle, displaying the grace of a shinobi instead of the heavy footsteps of a woman bent by a lifetime of work. Already, the gentle reminder that something special was waiting on the other side of this job had Naruto-kun beaming brighter than the faint light of the winter afternoon. Pride bubbled in her gut that she could sway his mood with just a few words. Glancing sideways she couldn't resist adding, "Although I am very much excited to reach the village. I heard the toads saying that there is a quaint onsen at the top of the mountain. Surrounded by snow and very, very, private."

The cart skidded on a rock and splashed through a puddle as Naruto-kun nearly lost his grip on it for a second. Her laughter and his swearing punctuated a rapid increase in speed as he launched into a double timed march with renewed fervor.

They continued on, teasing, flirting, and chatting. Setting a pace that was fast and lively as they ascended the slowly sloping path to the remote village where they were to meet their contact. Hinata basked in the simple joy of his company. So maybe their plans had been delayed a bit, and satisfaction would have to wait. But even the most mundane tasks were a pleasure with Naruto-kun by her side. Butterflies fluttered in her chest as she let herself dare to picture this scenario extending over a lifetime. A lifetime that never knew loneliness ever again.

The sun was distantly warm as it hovered above the tops of the trees, barely heating the two shinobi as the temperature dropped with the increasing altitude. Winter had arrived and was making itself at home in the mountains. Small drifts of snow hid in the shadows of the taller trees and the road was criss-crossed with annoyingly thick mud. Thankfully, the desolate state of their route meant that the pair could freely use chakra to cheat and ease their travels without worrying about anyone becoming suspicious.

So engrossed were they in their challenging little journey that when they heaved the cart up and over a particularly steep bend, both were startled by the sudden appearance of a plainly dressed man with dark, spiky hair who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Immediately Naruto-kun dropped into character, letting his words drawl out in an accent similar to the poorer farmers of the low valleys. "Say! Young man! Could we get a little help? The directions we got didn't mention the state of the roads and I'd hate to miss the delivery on account of my own ignorance."

The man's head tilted sideways, studying them with one black eye, the other covered by an eyepatch. Half of his face was scarred badly, almost like an old burn. Something cold walked up Hinata's spine as she took in his twisted features and sallow skin. Had his face never seen the light of day? Reflexively she dipped her head, allowing her woven kasa hat to shield her eyes as she prepared to use her Byakugan.

But just as she began to knead chakra at her temples, the man hopped up and down like a giddy child and clapped his hands. An overly bright smile spread across his face as he swung his arms widely with each step in their direction. Her dojutsu relaxed as she realized that whatever tragedy the man had survived must have left him a simpleton. And with such garish wounds, no wonder he didn't go out much in the broad daylight.

"Hai-hai!' he answered in a high-pitched sing-song voice, and she nearly giggled as he roughly shook Naruto-kun's hand with glee. The guy was definitely a bit off, but in a pitiable way that made her heart bleed for the poor thing. He was hardly threatening, in fact he was downright bubbly. Hinata decided it was better to save her chakra for when it was needed and not risk accidentally giving themselves away as shinobi. As she watched his goofy expressions and uncoordinated attempts to assist Naruto-kun with the cart, she dropped her guard completely.

After helping them get the creaky wooden thing up and over a half decayed log that had fallen across the rarely used path, the man gladly accepted some water Hinata offered him in thanks. She had to resist the urge to pat him on the head like one would a happy puppy as he gulped it down.

"So who is the lucky customer of all that sakeeeee?" the stranger squealed, licking his lips greedily. Naruto-kun snorted into his own cup, but masked it by harshly clearing his throat.

"Ah, the uh, Mountain High Inn? I think..." He scratched his chin and turned to sheepishly smile at her. "Shin'ai, was that right?"

Hinata shook her head, wondering if the mistake was part of his acting or if he really had forgotten already. A distinct possibility, considering how distracted and grumpy he had been during their debrief with the toad. "No Taru-kun," she answered patiently, "it was the Thirsty Thorn."

"You sure? That seems like a dumb name for an inn..." he mumbled. Hinata bit her lip, hoping the slip up didn't expose their ruse, even in front of this elementary stranger.

"It's the bar behind the inn," she corrected. Her eyes flicked over to the man who was studying them very closely, hand frozen around the neck of the water jug. There was a keen gleam to his gaze that once again had her instincts flaring. But it instantly disappeared as he saw her look and grinned so broadly his whole face scrunched.

Naruto-kun didn't appear to notice, his forehead furrowed into a judgy frown. "They both sound stupid. I sure hope the food isn't as lame as that name is-"

"BEE!" the man abruptly screeched out of nowhere, startling several birds from their perches nearby. Panic infused tears instantly began streaming down his face as he howled loudly and frantically ran around in circles. Hinata clamped her hands over her ears, the over dramatic wailing much more disturbing to her than any threat of an insect's sting. After years of being teammates with an Aburame, she no longer so much as flinched at the sight of flying or crawling bugs.

Apparently the man harbored a much more pathological opinion than she, and suddenly redirected his flailing arms at Naruto-kun, while screaming, "IT'S ON YOU!" With a wild lunge he threw his entire body at Naruto-kun, who was glancing around and confusedly waving his kasa in the air but not really reacting otherwise. The full strength tackle completely caught him off guard, and the two men were catapulted into the side of the cart and off the road, crashing down the hillside in a tangle of arms and legs.

"Naru –er– T-Taru-kun!" Hinata flung off her pack and started sprinting toward the thick brush when she noticed that the cart of precious sake was starting to roll backwards.

"Crap-crap-crap!" Figuring Naruto-kun could probably handle himself, she darted after the load of goods they needed to deliver. Fake personas or not, the sake was very real and worth very much. She barely managed to grab one of the long handles before it crashed into the side of the mountain. The wheels sank into the thick mud off the edge of the path, and Hinata groaned at the effort it would take to free them. Seizing a strong grip on the thing she pulled as hard as she could, gritting her teeth as the rough wood bit into her palms. After three unsuccessful attempts the whole ordeal was becoming much more frustrating than it should have been. Her clothes were clinging damply to her sweaty back and her palms stung with splinters. Glancing around to see that the coast was clear, she cheated and used a small burst of chakra to haul the bulky thing back up the path.

Huffing with effort and irritation, Hinata braced the cart by jamming a rock under the wheels, trying to ignore the slimy feeling of the mud that had sloshed into her shoes. "Ugh, now I'm a mess. How am I going to walk into an inn like this? And I bet Naruto-kun will be just as filthy," she sighed. Giving up and wiping her hands on her now mud splattered kimono, she rubbed her face with a small clean spot on her sleeve.

Looking down at the ends of her frizzy hair she frowned at the mud dripping from the ends, until she noticed the deep gouge in the mud. It marked the place where Naruto-kun and that man had collided and disappeared several minutes ago. Surely by now they should be making their way back up? But not even the snap of a twig could be heard. They couldn't still be falling? How deep was that gorge?

Goosebumps not caused by cold danced up her arms as Hinata jogged over to the edge of the road. Looking down the hill she saw nothing but a trail of snapped limbs and crushed bushes before the landscape darkened into dense woods. She swallowed thickly, anxiously shifting her feet and straining her ears. "Taru-kun? Mister? Are you guys alright?"

Only the whisper of the wind rattling through dead leaves answered. Cupping her hands over her mouth she yelled again, her throat burning with the effort.

Silence.

Something's not right.

Trusting her instincts Hinata tossed the wide-brimmed kasa over her shoulder and plunged into the thick foliage. Following the trail of two adult sized men crashing through a half dead forest shouldn't be difficult. But with every step she took it seemed as though the trees were crowding in, trying to block her path. The branches snagged on her clothes, slowing her every step, practically pulling her backwards, dragging her away.

Grunting in mounting frustration Hinata reached for the small knife in her boot and began hacking at the increasingly sharp twigs that poked her painfully through her clothing. She forgot her henge, forgot their roles, and cried out again using his real name. "Naruto-kuuuun!"

A gust of bitterly cold wind kicked up, blowing leaves into her face and making her cry out in surprise as they scratched her skin and snagged her hair. The harder she pushed forward the more aggressive it all felt. Her eyes watered and her nose went numb. Fear began to choke her like the dried crackling vines that had withered with the early winter season, yet were somehow distressingly strong. They wrapped around her ankles and imprisoned her wrists. She couldn't swing her knife anymore. Couldn't move.

This wasn't a normal forest. This wasn't just a fall. This was an attack.

Angry panic burst from within, pouring chakra throughout her body in its wake. The chilled tremble of her fingers was replaced by a steady blaze of strength. Instead of struggling across the forest floor, Hinata instantly shredded every piece of flora and fauna within range. Power filled her legs as she charged up the side of a tree and blasted from limb to limb in the long practiced leaps of a shinobi born and raised in the Land of Fire.

The wind savagely whipped her wild hair around her as she careened through the haunted forest, dodging swinging branches that lashed out as she flew by. The crunch of shattering bark and the groan of the sturdy trunks as they stretched out to block her path only to meet her fist filled her ears. It felt like an evil entity had possessed the trees. In the periphery of her vision she swore she could see yellow eyes and sharp toothed grins morphing from their bark.

But Hinata ignored all those things, focusing entirely on her Byakugan, and the distant, frozen figure of Naruto-kun standing still as a statue with his back facing the edge of a cliff.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, filling her ears with a rapid, swooshing beat that drowned out her unconscious whimpers. She saw the man whom she had so foolishly underestimated calmly place a hand flat upon Naruto-kun's chest, waiting for some cue to shove him to his death.

Naruto-kun didn't react at all to the threat, just stared blankly at the man with his arms hanging loosely at his sides. Hinata screamed for him to move, half terrified, half furious, desperately pushing her burning legs to catch up to her eyes. The forest could no longer hope to touch her. Blue chakra swelled out in front of her like a convex shield, carving a path toward her soulmate with each arching swing of her hands.

The man whipped around at her cry, and for just a second her dojutsu saw his true self. The shabby haori of a peasant was gone, instead a black cloak with red clouds swirled around his shoulders. An orange mask obscured most of his scarred face, exposing only one eye which glowed red with a terrifying power she had thought only two living men possessed.

Despite the meters of forest between them, he was looking right at her. He could see her. And he knew she could see him.

In the next heartbeat his Sharingan swirled back into fathomless black. Without so much as blinking, he stared at her franticly screaming face, and pushed Naruto-kun off the edge.