Upload Date: 10/31/2022

Obligatory statement that these characters are not and will not be mine.

Chapter 8 – Whispers in the Night

Her dress was simple.

It had taken him quite a while to notice since he did not routinely spend much time in the company of women. Sakura had been the exception, but even she routinely preferred the uniform that most ninjas wore and it was not until she had finished her basic training that he had even caught much of a glimpse of her in dresses.

He could see now that the dress Hinata wore today was modest and clean, but she clearly had not wasted the jewels he had given her on spending anything nicer for herself.

He doubted she had even rested much asides from a few personal hours each day, sleeping in a stiff chair next to her cousin each night since they had been reunited, scarcely two weeks ago.

It would not do her much good to remain in that state.

"Hinata."

She raised her head as she finished changing the bandages on Neji's leg. "Yes?"

"It's been weeks, you should really consider taking some rest."

"I can't leave my brother alone." She protested, and Naruto could not help but smile.

Hinata was so selfless, so caring. It was a refreshing change from the sorts of people he dealt with in business.

"You have been here every morning and night. You will make yourself sick if you do not take some time for yourself."

And Hinata glared at him then, "I don't need time for myself."

Had he made her annoyed? Naruto's smile turned into a wide foxy grin. Now this was an interesting side of her.

"Humor me. There is only so much for me to do at this hospital while you handle your family member's day to day care. Perhaps you would be alright at taking a break with me tonight?"

She frowned almost instantly and wanted to tell him that he did not have to watch over her. Surely his obligation to keeping her safe did not make him a prisoner of hers, did it? A bitter taste crawled into her mouth as she imagined him irritated at having to remain with her and in her presence. She would rather take her chances on her own than having him resent her.

It took a couple of seconds for the rest of what he had said to sink into her mind and the momentary lapse in irritation immediately disappeared. Hinata's face immediately flamed up at the thought of what he was proposing. A single lady and common man out on the town?

"That-that wouldn't be proper for us."

"No, not if we went to the rich part of town," he agreed, "But those are not the sorts of places where I usually go. Anonymity for one night, what do you say?"

In truth he was worried about her. She had been stressed for the better part of almost two months and her body would eventually become sick with fatigue. She needed a distraction of some sort, but she would never take that distraction herself and since he was the only remaining link she had here…it had to be him to talk her into it.

He could do this for a friend at least.

Hinata let a long silence stand between them as medics spoke with other patients just beyond their privacy curtain and she looked up at him, her face still pink. "I suppose one night may be alright…"

The brunette clutched her weapon in her hand as hot tears spread down her face. She carelessly flung the weapon into the wooden post, just barely missing their mark. An unusual occurrence, but not unexpected considering the circumstances.

Lady Hanabi had sent word almost immediately after Sakura had left to inform Tenten of the occurrences and Sakura had met with Tenten as a formality and to explain in person.

However, Tenten was furious at the circumstances and she did not take kindly to the Hyuuga family not permitting her to travel to him. They were not even formally engaged. It would be nothing short of a scandal that the noble family would never allow.

"He is alive." Sakura repeated, warily glancing at the brunette's hand, which had once again gripped another kunai. "You must keep that in your mind."

"I know that!" she exclaimed, flinging the kunai at the post again, this time missing it entirely. "I just…I just wish I could do something. I need to be by his side-"

"Hinata is with him." Sakura interrupted, patting her back awkwardly. "His cousins are all awake now too, it's only a matter of time."

Tenten glared at Sakura in an anger, which dissipated the moment the pinkette leaned in to embrace her.

"You were able to treat him?"

"The Kiri doctors had already taken a glance at him, but yes, I treated him as well."

Tenten nodded, sniffling as her pretty face was streaked in red splotches and unbecoming tear marks. "I'm glad you were with him."

There was a long steady silence between them, before Tenten spoke again, gripping Sakura's hand in her own. "I am also glad you and Hinata are alive and well. Everyone was so worried when we had heard, even Lady Tsunade thought about sending her own men, but by that point..."

"It was just our luck that by that point we had escaped to Kiri. I do wonder why the Mizukage took so long to inform the Leaf Village of our capture." Sakura voiced out loud, causing Tenten to scrutinize her.

"Are you suspicious of the Kiri nin? That they may have been involved with your capture?"

"No, of course not, but there was quite a delay in letting our families know. I suppose Lord Mizukage did not know for sure if we were dead or missing until Hoheto awoke and was able to relay the story." Sakura mused, her verdant eyes wandering towards the forests again.

"Whatever the reason I'm glad you both are safe." Tenten mused, giving Sakura a small smile for the first time that day.

"As am I."

"Have you gone and reported to Lady Tsunade yet?"

Sakura shook her head and sighed. "I have not, but I will meet with her today. I assume she will want many details on what we went through."

Tenten nodded in acknowledgement and bent to retrieve her precious kunai and she pressed them closely to her chest.

"Best of luck."

"Thank you."

Hinata adjusted the fabric of her dress again. She had brought it earlier, from an inconspicuous shop near the hospital and draped a long shawl over it.

She looked like an ordinary woman, no signs of her family crest. Anonymous as Naruto had suggested.

He walked beside her, wearing clothes just as plain. If it were not for his bright hair and piercing eyes he would have looked like any other man from Kiri.

He caught her looking and gave her a comforting smile. "I don't suppose you've ever been to a tavern before?"

She had to stop the heat from rising into her face. He had caught her staring! It was mortifying.

"A tavern?" She had heard of them and she had read about them, but she had never been to one herself.

Naruto smiled at her. "It is quite the usual entertaining place for the common folk. Stick close to me and nobody will ask any questions."

Hinata did as she was told and they came across a worn-down building, bustling with noise and they slipped in quietly as Naruto covered her under his arm and gripped her tightly as he gave a small salute to the man behind the counter before sitting at a small table in the corner.

"You know damn well women aren't allowed in here." The voice came from the man who had been behind the counter and Hinata flushed as Naruto gave him a cheeky smile.

"I see plenty in here." Naruto replied, gesturing towards the looser-clad women flirting with several men on the other side of the building.

"Not common women like her." The man replied, squinting at Hinata. "Customers might get the wrong idea."

"Nobody is touching her. And if you do not want my money we can go elsewhere, can't we?" Naruto asked, his eyes darker as he gazed at her again.

Hinata nodded and the man sighed, wiping his hands on his apron before waving his hands.

"I am not rejecting money, just giving you a heads-up. Now what do you want?"

"Think we'll start with two beers."

"Coming right up."

He left shortly after and Hinata looked at Naruto curiously.

"Beer?"

"It's a type of alcohol."

"I know what it is. I assumed you drank more potent alcohol."

He laughed heartily. "Hey now I do drink a bit, but you do not. Let us get used to beer first, alright?"

Naruto's laugh was infectious and the uncomfortable feeling she had at being a new place dissipated easily. It was uncanny just how much warmth he radiated.

The drinks were set down in front of them and Hinata gawked at the size of the glass as she warily peered at the liquid.

"Give it a sip." Naruto nudged, winking at her before he took a swig of his own glass, lowering the amount of liquid left considerably.

Well tonight was about new experiences. And this was something her father would never have allowed before. Even now, women were not supposed to drink in the presence of men.

She gently picked up the glass and took a small sip, wrinkling her nose slightly at the taste. "It's bitter."

"I would assume you are used to more eloquent tasting liquor?"

Hinata shook her head and drank more from her glass. "I don't believe I've tried it before actually."

"You're kidding?" Naruto asked, his expression curious as he looked at her. "And here I thought the tavern would be the newer adventure for you."

Hinata smiled and lifted the beer to her lips again. "I haven't experienced much I'm afraid."

"Such is the life of a woman."

"Such is the life of a noble woman." Hinata corrected as she took another large drink from her glass as Naruto finished his off and ordered another.

"But tonight, I am just a common woman, out drinking with a rogue man." Hinata commented as she finished drinking her glass, a rosy hue dusting her cheeks as she hiccupped and smiled at him.

Naruto laughed again as he drank from his new glass. "A rogue man? Surely, I am not that awful. I enjoy these times of relative peace. My only hope is that they continue."

It was an innocuous statement, but even despite the haze of alcohol that was beginning to cloud her mind she could see it all too clearly.

Why he took in rogues and refugees from other lands and fought to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

Why he took the time to help impoverished nations like the Land of Waves.

Why he focused so much on other people's pain and hatred.

He was searching for peace, wanting it to become a permanent fixture in this broken world. That had been what Lord Jiraiya had entailed as his mission. It must have been.

He was glancing at her curiously now, obviously perplexed as to her long-standing silence and she shook her head to smile at him again.

"You are not an awful man." She concurred, raising her glass at him before he wordlessly did the same and clinked his glass against hers.

Hinata finished her second glass while Naruto finished his fourth one as the nighttime became darker and the patrons became louder.

"I don't think I've ever been to the beach at night." She commented, looking wistfully outside of the tavern windows, her voice just barely above the sounds of the rowdy patrons.

Naruto hesitated for an instant before saying, "Would you like to walk down to see it?"

She laughed, it was the first time he had heard her laugh freely and for a moment he realized that all her worries were gone. She was not thinking of anyone but herself.

If anything, this little excursion had distracted her.

"If it's not too much trouble." she answered, her face exploding into a wide smile. She wondered if the alcohol had messed with her mind.

Naruto instantly shot up and a silly grin appeared on his face. "Well let's go then."

They walked outside of the bar and he led her gently through the trees, towards the port, the terrain getting rockier and rockier as they approached the end.

Hinata's face was flushed and despite the humidity in the air she felt a slight chill as they emerged from the trees.

The moon was big and bright over the sea that was gently rolling in waves along the beach. Deep in the distance, on the leftmost edge, she could see Naruto's ship, the lanterns on, indicating his men were still working. She recognized the curious ink markings from Sai's handiwork on the side of the ship, despite it being extremely far away.

Naruto leaned against a tree, his face warm and his eyes bright as he smiled serenely at Hinata. "The sea is beautiful, isn't it?"

Hinata leaned back against a tree, directly beside him as she giggled. "Just like you."

The words took a minute to sink in for them both, as Naruto could not believe what he had heard and Hinata realized too late that she was indeed a little drunk.

He stepped forward, his face dusted pink. "What did you say?"

There was no proper ladylike filter on her mouth and Hinata could only giggle again as she took her hand and shoved it at his chest. "I called you beautiful, you silly man."

Despite the shock, the fact that precious Lady Hinata, the prim and proper Hyuuga heiress had called him beautiful caused him to grin back at her as he scratched at his hair in embarrassment. "I can't say I've ever gotten that compliment before, milady."

Hinata felt herself blush at hearing his words.

His lady.

He had called her his lady.

She laughed again. "Well, the women you have met must be blind. You are quite handsome, Lord Uzumaki."

Naruto let out a chuckle. "Lord Uzumaki, huh? Perhaps if I had a clan that would have been a grand title, wouldn't it?"

Hinata nodded enthusiastically, her mouth still smiling as she tried to curtsy at him in a mock salute. She moved and stumbled then, and without thinking Naruto reached out and gripped her waist, pressing her against him ever so gently, her body warm against his own.

He had only meant to steady her before she fell. So his first instinct was to let her go. Physical contact was not something he was particularly used to and her weight was uncomfortable on his skin, which was all too warm.

And then he noticed her sweet expression, the way that she relaxed into his touch almost as if they were close friends…no perhaps even more than that… And some part of his being made him hold her tightly to him.

The realization was shocking to him. The fact that she was not immediately recoiling from his touch and instead seemed to revel it in made his throat dry and his arms unconsciously pressed softly against her as he embraced her fully, his heart making uneven sounds as he tried to steady his breath.

She had embraced him before, but that time it was out of sheer desperation and gratefulness. That was what he had told himself, it is what had been the truth…

Hinata was too tipsy to notice Naruto's momentary confusion and let loose a loud hiccup as she smiled up at him, her bright eyes glossy with the effects of alcohol, cheeks pinkened, her bangs lightly falling over her face.

The moonlight provided a wonderful background to her presence and as she peered up at him, he realized he was speechless for quite possibly the first time in his talkative life.

She is beautiful, he thought to himself, the warmth of her body still fooling with his mind.

It was not a secret that she was a beauty, but it was perhaps the first time he had ever thought of her as one instead of the sweet, timid girl who he knew in the past. Looking at her now he could see it plainly and wondered if he had been stupid to not see it before.

She hummed then, as she wrapped her small hands around his arms.

"Naruto…"

There was a bit of silence and then…

"Yes, Hinata?"

"You should not doubt yourself so much. You have a gift with people and you are a kind man at heart. I believe in your dream of peace." She whispered, her words tugging lightly on his soul and being.

Her words made him ache all over.

Unconsciously he gripped her closer, his hands probably rougher than they should have been as he pressed them harder to her waist his breath coming out ragged as he lowered his eyes to her.

He had never even told her of his heartfelt desire, the one Jiraiya had instilled in him, out loud. Hinata had come to that conclusion all on her own.

"Those eyes of yours can see everything can't they?" he murmured, tilting her chin upward. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest and for the first time that evening realized that he maybe drank too much as well.

He was so close to her; she could smell the alcohol on his breath and felt his rough fingers on her chin. He was still holding her tightly in his arms. It should have been comforting, but it was making her feel too much. Her body felt hot.

She wondered what he would do if she kissed him right then and there.

Hinata licked her lips as they were inexplicably dry and her eyes glanced down at his mouth and she shifted her legs against him as she felt something begin to overwhelm her. Her body was acting on its own.

Naruto had not broken his gaze upon her and holding her cheek in his hand he lowered himself slightly, sinking into her lavender scent.

"Your eyes…" he repeated, his voice trailing off as she parted her lips.

He wondered if they were as soft as they looked.

A loud wave crashed into the shoreline and they both jumped as the sound startled them out of their trance.

Hinata was the first to recover as she smiled again and pressed herself against his chest. "Neji's eyes are more powerful."

"Yours see more." Naruto repeated, chuckling a bit as her warmth became soothing and the strange feeling he had felt before simmered a little. He rested his chin on her head as the air rustled against them softly. "You can see through anything."

Hinata did not say a word at that and instead embraced him tighter as she found the sound of his heart to be the most beautiful thing she had heard and it lulled her into a quiet trance that she dared not break.

The waves kept crashing against the shoreline and the wind rustled against the leaves, luring them into an almost magical spell. The fog was even beginning to roll in as the clouds lowered themselves from the sky.

They stayed together like that for quite some time, neither willing to break contact due to one's starvation for affection and the other's greediness at a once impossible scenario.

Eventually they parted and he walked her back to the hospital, wrapping her arm in between his. They walked back in silence completely content with just each other's presence.

He had never felt so calm in complete silence.

She had never spoken quite so candidly to anyone before.

Both of their minds were filled with emotions that neither could quite decipher and they gave each other shy smiles as they ascended the stairs of the hospital building.

No sooner had they crossed into the main hallway that a tired nurse came to them both, whispering frantically.

"Lady Hinata! Mr. Uzumaki! Lord Neji has finally awoken!"

AN: A short, but heavy Naruhina chapter for you all to enjoy. Many thanks for the support on the previous chapter. Your words and enthusiasm (and faves, follows, and reviews) are always appreciated.

Crinightnight – In response to your question about Orochimaru and the Akatsuki they will eventually make an appearance though in a very different fashion than canon. We will have to wait and see what happens next 😉

Please continue to review! I enjoy listening to your thoughts and guesses on what happens next. See you all next week!