The capital was a place where things could go extremely fast as well as excruciatingly slow Naruto learned. News traveled faster than lightning and long nights of sleep weren't a thing.

What he thought would take weeks of negotiations was done in two days and two nights. What he didn't see it coming was the soul-exhausting task. The hectic movements of messengers coming back and forth from grand houses to offices to the palace to hotel rooms, the constant whispers following them everywhere, the pieces of information coming and going so fast he had a hard time following how the situation was evolving. His eyes were watching everything coming close to Hinata, analysing what he could, listening to her instructions and bits of advice. That part wasn't that hard though, he was mesmerised by the young woman.

She changed, coming into life before his eyes, animated by a will to conquer and succeed. For a second, he saw the Hinata he saw in the arena back when they were in the Chunin arena. The same determination she had in front of her cousin to prove him wrong. The same glint in her eyes that inspired him. She was relentless, her brain seemingly working on adrenaline only. Tiredness did not know her. The doubts she had the past few days were nowhere to be found.

He had watched her elude sleep, making speedy decisions, changing ideas and giving orders to eager assistants in a matter of seconds. Where Shikamaru was good at coming up with genius ideas on the spot and improvising off of them, Hinata was a planner. She had planned it all and was able to adjust her next move in a matter of minutes. She could see the bigger picture better than anyone he knew. And as the angel she was, she was explaining their every step to him as they were moving along. She didn't take a break for two days, visibly unaffected by the lack of sleep. Her endurance was remarkable. Her boldness and her risk-taking were something he didn't see coming. She had in one meeting effectively changed the nature of the discussion around the trading routes and turned the situation to their advantage. Many businessmen didn't want to go toe-to-toe with the Hyuga's and by extention, against Konoha.

Naruto discovered a large and deep network of Hyuga working in many fields of the development of the Land of Fire. From farming techniques to high-tech technology to foreign policy diplomates; the Hyuga were highly placed, competent workers who all referred to their Clan Leader: Hiashi Hyuga. If before all of this, the role of the clan in Konoha was vague for him, he saw now the high value of such a powerful ally in their village. He saw how in a matter of a few words, a name correctly placed in a conversation, doors would open. A conflicted schedule would clear, the meeting would take place, a heated discussion would turn pleasant, the arrangement would be made to accommodate, efforts would be done and problems that seemed impossible to handle would be resolved in a few handshakes, promised written on a scroll and grateful smile. Well-crafted connections that Hinata was wielding with an expert hand.

He saw how she was a trailblazing force, working towards the betterment of their home village, for her people. She trusted the work of her clan's people, praising them in her words, carefully making sure she was representing them well. He saw the pride in their eyes when she visited them and when they introduced her as their future leader. In their eyes, they were no doubt and hope in a prospering clan. She was shining.

He really saw it. In the near future, her leading her clan and his side, helping him lead Konoha.

And there they were, shaking hands with the last councilman, the final draft of an accord for Konoha in the trading project in hand. Two days and two nights of meetings, dinners and pleasantry to find a final common ground for all parties. Hinata had done what she hoped was the maximum for their shinobi force. All they needed now was for the Economist to approve it before presenting the finalized project to the Damyio. A meeting she was apprehensive about but for the moment, chose to not think about.

Her brain had been overworking for the past two weeks and suddenly she felt the exhaustion take her body. Taking place on the carriage she had accepted out of exhaustion, she made herself comfortable before closing her eyes for a second. She felt the migraine growing between her two eyes as thoughts invaded her brain. Notes to take, details to remember, messages to send, all the annoying little tasks of an infinite list of things to do that plagued her mind.

"Are your hands always this cold ?"

Thanks, Kami, Naruto was there she thought as she felt him sitting beside her, close enough for her to feel his warmth against her shoulder

"You really think so ?" He chuckled taking her hands in his. Her eyes snapped open as she felt her cheeks redden. She didn't mean to say that out loud.

"I might be a little more tired than I thought I was." She mumbled turning her burning heads away from his prying eyes. He laughed softly, never letting go of her freezing hand. It was rather late and the night was indeed colder by this time of year. That would explain the running shiver she had, she tried to convince herself.

"You did work really hard without much sleep." He finally agreed getting closer to her as if it was possible. She gulped audibly as she was now totally flushed against his side. Another type of thought was now swarming her head. Some she would later chastise herself for. "However you didn't answer my question: Are you happy I am here ?" He whispered in her ears. He was playing with fire but feeling the shiver running up and down her spine was just too good to let that opportunity go. Her exhaustion had let some of those impenetrable defenses of her fall and teasing her was just so tempting.

Her helpless little squeals of shyness as he squeezed her hand to encourage her to answer, were like bubbles of joy in his veins, making him more giddy and silly with affection. The familiar intimacy they had built over his injured arm came back now, months later as if they never grew apart to begin with. He wanted to push her, just a little to see if she would be ready to jump into this unknown of feelings he had together. Maybe not now but in the same near future he saw.

He watched her getting redder and redder by the second. So much so, he thought for a minute she wouldn't respond but she put on a brave face and turned toward him, eyes shining from unshed tears of embarrassment and fatigue.

" I-I… I am always glad to be with you." She stuttered, her voice barely louder than a chipping bird. Her mooned eyes fixed on his, her entire face glowing red and her expression genuine. He swore his heart somersaulted right there in his chest. His ears burned red as he looked away in his turn. He played with more than he could handle.

Clearing his throat, he pulled on her hand until her head was resting on his shoulder trying to be as smooth as he could be.

"You should at least rest a little before we arrive at the hotel." He suggested repositioning himself to be more comfortable with her nestle against him. She wondered how he thought for a second she could relax a muscle when he was so close to her and she was breathing his smell. And the journey back to the hotel room was now very short, just a couple of street blocks to pass before they'd arrive.

But it felt nice. Cruelly like the dream she had back during the war when she was trapped in that weird cocoon. Like in the dream, her head was against his shoulder, he was responding so positively to her sentiments, ready to express his. It was peaceful. But in her dream, she was back home with her little sister and brother spying on her date, both alive and well. Not lying dead underground while she was exhausted from back-to-back meetings, trying to maintain a fragile peace, parading around in expensive clothes while some people from their family were scrambling under the foot of awful Elders. In her dream, she was so sure of the reciprocity of her feelings. Not this wild tango they had been dancing for some time now that made her heart soar for a minute and the next made her feel like she was going to die of heartbreak the moment he stopped to look her way.

"' Nata ?"

She opened her eyes large and wide. Oh. Her spiral of depressing thoughts did lull her to sleep a bit. They were now in front of their hotel, their chauffeur waiting for them to get down. Separating herself from him, she quickly smoothed out her clothes before stepping out. She felt him behind her, hot in her step, following her diligently. She knew if she turned to look at him he would have that innocent expression as if he didn't wreak havoc in her chest.

She needed space to breathe anything other than his smell and to be able to put two coherent thoughts together. She needed sleep.

"You want to come eat ramen in my room ?" He suddenly asked. She turned and as predicted, his face was nothing but textbook innocence. "As a snack to decompress. You seemed like you needed it." He added taking a step toward her.

She almost nodded. She didn't lie when she told him she was always glad to be with him. She liked feeling his warmth, talking to him, watching him evolve and interact with the world. His laugh was like a soothing balm for her heart. If she listened to it, she would have followed him anywhere.

But she didn't. She took a step back, smiling weakly.

"I am very tired tonight. I think I'll just go to bed." His piercing eyes looked over at her judging the veracity of her answer. She needed sleep but at the same time, the sudden coldness he felt when she woke up made him worry. Was he too forward with his intention? Did he cross one of her boundaries?

"Okay. Make sure to rest well. You can come at any point if you need anything. And I mean anything. My door is always open…for you" Was he pushing it? Maybe, but it was beyond his control. His stomach was full of fluttering beetle wings just looking at her. Hopefully for him, or maybe unfortunately, Hinata smiled at him with a tired but grateful smile. She didn't look alarmed when he crossed the distance between them or stiffen when he placed his hand on the small of her back leading her to her room. His skin felt like it was on fire in contrast to her icy one. The shiver he felt etched something phenomenal in his brain and as she was bidding him goodnight, his whole body was floating on a cloud.

He burst out of his bubble of deep satisfaction when a roaring laughter echoed in his head. As he opened his eyes in his shared mind space, the giant fox that he was, Kurama was looking at him with a lazy smile on his lips. Rarely did he see the Biju looking so relaxed. His tails were swaying around him, creating a halo of fur around his giant body.

One teasing look from his roommate was all he needed to feel the deep embarrassment colour his ear red.

"Since when are you awake?" He asked weakly looking anywhere else but at him. He could feel his mockery in the atmosphere.

"Hmm… probably since you thought that lazy boy was stealing your girl ?" Kurama purred.

"But that was months ago !" Naruto exclaimed scandalised. "And you said nothing ?!"

"I might have taken a nap." The fox shrugged. "But you got so agitated. You woke me up." On cue, the sound of her getting changed in the wood filled the atmosphere. His face turned crimson, his knees giving up underneath him making Kurama erupt in frantic laughter.

"STOP THAT !" The young man screamed. "I didn't know you were awake!" He felt bad for thinking about her in that way. She was his precious friend. He was mortified by his thought and being caught was the worst thing that could happen.

Okay, maybe she wasn't just a precious friend. Maybe he had a crush on his precious friend but he wasn't a pervert! He refused. It wasn't his fault he liked the woman. Once again she was special. She was warm and made him feel at peace. What was so new? He had crushes like any normal young man. Most of them were flings, little flutters of heart when a pretty lady smiled at him or talked to him. None were serious enough for him to do anything about them. It was gone before he knew it. His most notorious one was his long-lasting pursuit of Sakura and that was more an entertaining phase than anything. In the grand scheme of his life, he had long sorted his feelings to recognise the trivialities of them. The impossibility of her saying yes was making the whole asking-her-on-date situation more manageable, a routine in his chaotic upbringing.

And so his heart fluttered when he was seeing Hinata. Then what. It would end in a matter of days like it always did...

Except it has been more than a few days. He had this infatuation for the past year or so and it didn't seem to be willing to fade away. If anything it was more pressing every time he saw her. He tried to play it cool, to downplay it but those soul-chattering eyes kept him in a blissful daze every time he fell into them. He had tried to deny it. Simply because well, she was Hinata. His sweet, sweet, sweet childhood friend. Innocent and pure Hinata. Totally out of his league. Hinata, the Byakugan princess. His Hime.

"Oi! Kit. Quite making that dead face." Kurama groaned gently pushing him out of his spiralling.

He deeply sighed, pressing his palms in his eyes. He didn't like where that conversation was going. He didn't like where his mind was taking him. And to think he was talking about his love life to none other than human haters number one. He eyed the giant fox looking at him expectantly. What kind of idea he had to go see him? To the fox, he had only three kinds of relation: enemies, part of the pack and every other being that he didn't give two cents about. He understood nothing about human connection and relationships.

"Hey. Quit insulting me! It's you mere mortal who bothers yourself with meaningless details. If you had only been at least honest with yourself, we wouldn't be here today." The fox snapped. Okay, maybe he had a point. Visibly denying his attraction to the young woman wasn't working but confronting them right now didn't seem to be the best option.

"What am I even saying ?" He exclaimed exasperated.

A knock on his window pulled him out of his discussion with the fox. Turning toward the sound, he saw the Hokage's hawk perched on his windowsill a message attached to his leg. As soon as he took the missive, the hawk flew away without missing a beat. Naruto knew better. One hawk during a mission was exceptional enough. Two meant trouble. Two hawks with a missive ordering him to call directly the Hokage office meant danger.

It felt like a cold shower. He was on a mission. He had to get his head out of the gutter and focus back on the task at hand. Picking up the phone, he dialled directly the Hokage office. Usually, shinobi didn't use phones. He was too unsecured, information was easily intercepted. For Kakashi to order him to call meant that an S-level kind of emergency was threatening Konoha.

Two-tone dial before Shikamaru picked up.

"How is the negotiation going?" He asked forgoing the pleasantries.

"Good. We just need to conclude." Naruto summarised.

"How much longer do you think it will take before you come back ?"

"I can't tell you precisely. Between 4 days and a week depending on how tomorrow's meeting is going."

A silence. Naruto can hear Shikamaru thinking.

"If you carry Hinata, how fast can you be in Konoha, top speed ?"

"Two days. One if we go now."

Another pause. A long one. Naruto could hear a discussion behind Shikamaru and guessed many Anbu in the room with him. His stress went up a notch. The situation went from bad to worse. All the alarms in his head went off. The village was clearly in danger.

A loud sigh in his ear let him know that Shikamaru was still on the line.

"Naruto, I need you back in three days max. I can't let Hinata away from the village more than that. Do you think she can close the deal in that amount of time ?" He asked.

"Yeh. I think she can do it. But if she doesn't ?"

"Then you come back. You fail the mission and you come back. Three days. I need her in three days." Naruto nodded. That left them a small timeframe, enough for her to close the deal. The only problem was that Economist. She told him, he scared her enough to make her lose her composure.

"What is it Shika ?" He needed to know. At least, to give her an excuse for a forced failed mission.

"It's Hanabi. Her sister." He blanched.

"Should I tell her ?"

"I don't know. Do what you think is best in this situation. Call the Hokage office before leaving. The line stays open for you" He hung up feeling empty and at the same time full of anxiety. If she knew, she would go back by herself, failing the mission. But they were so close to their goal. So close to what she'd been working so hard. He could give her the time to succeed. They just needed one day.

Against all odds, I am back to finish up this story.

Updates will be inconsistent (but not every eclipse, I promise), please bear with me. However, I am not rushing to finish it and will take my time to fully write the end of this story as I envisioned it. I had to dig up my English writing skills that had been lying in the ground for some time now. It is still not my first language and I am clearly rusty so I am sorry for the grammar mistakes and other English quacks.

Also shout out to those who kept reviewing, following and favouring this story even after 3 years of hiatus. You are the one that encourage me to actually go back and think of a way to pushed me out of my writing block. I am incredibly grateful to all of you.

I have still many stories to tell and thank you for sticking with a Cold Heart. (I might have another story or two in my draft)

Always grateful,
Liv