Somewhere, somehow at the back of her mind, she knew she was waiting. For what or who or until when, she could not put her finger on it. It always escapes her. And then her melancholy hits. She thought if she just stood still for a moment in time, whatever it is that is supposed to fill that void in her, will finally find her and end her emptiness.
'Hime', the familiar timbre and raspiness of his voice broke her out of the spell of those striking blue eyes. She was still. And was she found?
'Please', she slowly exhaled, afraid to break the stillness and her momentary peace, 'don't call me that'. Her Hyuga eyes wandered down to the familiar stripes on his left cheek before assessing the rest of the crowd in the suddenly suffocating room including Ino's retreating back. 'Why did she leave?', she wondered. Her attention span seemed to have been vacuumed by the blonde in front of her.
'Have a seat', he gestured to the vacancy in front of him, 'I was hoping you'd come', he added with an obvious tinge of sheepishness.
The Hyuga heiress seemed to hesitate for one hot minute. She looked like a pale apparition slowly yet gracefully resigning herself to the pull of gravity in front of the imposing blonde. His steady cerulean orbs watching the female's every minute move and expression. To an outsider, it looked like an immobilized and hypnotized prey succumbing to the allure of her beautiful predator. Neji kept a watchful and careful gaze on the scene unfolding before his eyes. 'Hinata, be careful', he thought to himself before his wife took over his attention beside him.
Naruto had an inkling he was being watched as he briefly panned his attention to Neji's corner. Just quick enough to catch him a millisecond before he craned his neck down to the whispering of his wife beside him. 'He knows', his fox tenant muttered in boredom. The comment didn't escape the blonde; he squinted and crumpled his forehead a bit in contemplation.
'Thank you...', the blonde's thoughts were disrupted by Hinata's voice as she placed her order. The cute waitress panned to Naruto for his.
'The usual', he said curtly, a little dismissive as he avoided any eye contact. Insofar as this night is concerned, only Hinata matters.
'That was quite an entourage yesterday', she commented offhandedly referring to the Kirigakure's entry to the village. Her shyness seemed to be making a comeback lately and she wanted to distract Naruto's steady gaze on her face.
'Was it?', he countered a little amused. 'It's her usual style don't you think?', his pearly whites showed as he smiled genuinely. That meant Hinata saw him yesterday. Highly likely? Yes. It made his heart skip a beat.
'I suppose so', she said nonchalantly while looking everywhere except in front. 'I also suppose something big is coming up', her lavender eyes finally settling on him, curious.
'Yes', he said quietly as he allowed himself to be swayed by the Hyuga's gaze. 'I will tell you in time, Hime', he added with finality. Hopeful he did not disappoint Hinata.
A good hour passed as familiar friends came and went to their table. Exchanging stories and banters. There were raised eyebrows here and there on this new scene unfolding in front of them. The Uzumaki and the Hyuga on speaking terms. A little too friendly than usual. They should have dug a little deeper and observed a little longer to notice the lonely 'dance' these two were doing. But alas! The pull of the alcohol and happy ambiance were too much of a distraction. It slipped everyone's notice when Hinata started to make her way out of the venue, and then followed by Naruto.
'Hinata', he painfully pulled back his arm which almost reached for her smooth pale arm.
Pale lavender eyes looked up to him as the midnight breeze swayed her dark locks to and from her face. She didn't utter a word but her eyes did the asking.
'Can I walk you home?', his voice was unsure but his eyes were somber. He dare not to make any unnecessary move or comment in fear of losing this momentum with her. She was not unkind or elusive physically and verbally tonight. So far.
Expect the worst but hope for the best. That was his motto lately with this princess. Serves him right whatever comes his way. He would be a beggar for these crumbs of happiness. That would be perfectly fine. In a room full of people and friends, he would have felt the burden of loneliness had it not been for those lovely pale eyes gazing upon him the entire night. With a little less hatred and fear over time. He would wait until pain ebbs away fully. Until he can start on a clean slate with her. Until he is forgiven.
'It's a short walk', she commented with eyebrows scrunched. 'But I suppose it's okay', she let out a steady breath as if praying to the gods to favor her spur of the moment decision.
At least it would not be a lonely walk. At least she would stop thinking of what he would be doing after she left for the night. At least she could feel the intermittent skipping of her heart. It has been a long time since the last. Her loneliness momentarily forgotten as the tall handsome blonde took his place beside her as they walked silently into the night.