The moon hung low, casting its pale glow over the quiet streets of Konoha. The village was wrapped in an eerie stillness, broken only by the whisper of the wind and the occasional rustle of leaves.
From her bedroom window, Hinata Hyūga could see the soft silver blanket of mist rolling through the village. It felt comforting, like an embrace shielding her from the chaos of the day. She sighed, closing the journal in her lap, her fingers tracing the edges of the leather binding. It was a habit of hers—writing to clear her mind. Yet tonight, her thoughts refused to settle.
Something was… off.
Hinata glanced over that prickling sensation on the back of her neck, as if unseen eyes were watching her. She shook her head, forcing a soft laugh. "You're imagining things," she whispered to herself, her voice breaking the heavy silence.
But deep down, she wasn't so sure.
Outside, hidden among the trees just beyond the Hyūga compound, Naruto Uzumaki stood motionless. His cerulean eyes glowed unnaturally in the moonlight, fixed intently on the faint outline of Hinata's silhouette behind her window. The bright, cheerful demeanor he wore in the daylight was a mask—one he discarded in the suffocating stillness of the night.
He whispered her name like a prayer, the sound lost in the rustling leaves around him. "Hinata…"
Naruto's fingers tightened around the bark of the tree he clung to, the rough texture digging into his palms. He barely felt it. His mind was consumed by her. The way her voice trembled when she spoke, the shy smiles she gave when she thought no one noticed, and the warmth that radiated from her whenever she stood too close. It all belonged to him.
Yet, no matter how much he tried, she didn't see him the way he saw her.
But that was okay.
She would.
Naruto's gaze darkened, the shadow of a twisted grin pulling at his lips. He'd spent years watching her, learning her habits, her fears, her dreams. He knew her better than anyone, even better than she knew herself. It wasn't obsession—it was love, right? A love so deep, so pure, that it clawed at the edges of his sanity.
The window of her room slid open, and Hinata leaned out slightly, letting the cool night air kiss her skin. Her long hair flowed like a dark river in the wind, her expression serene yet distant. Naruto's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of exhilaration and anguish. She was close enough to touch, yet impossibly far away.
"I'll protect you," he murmured, his voice almost feral with longing. "Even if it means protecting you from yourself."
Hinata shivered suddenly, as if she'd heard him, though she hadn't. She closed the window and drew the curtains, shutting out the night.
Naruto stayed rooted in place, his grin fading. Soon, she would understand. Soon, she would love him the way he loved her.
And if she didn't…
He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, as if the very air carried her essence. A dark promise settled in his heart.
If she didn't, then he would make her.