Beast Tamers

Touching you (1)

Neji gets sent outside the main compound with no fanfare. He doesn't talk with Hinata and Hinata doesn't have it in her to look for him, either. He leaves with the help of a few servants and Naruto makes sure Hinata is not there when it happens. He is there one moment and the next there's no trace of him in her room.

Sakura replaces him without missing a beat and Hinata finds it hard to mourn this change. Sakura is upbeat and nice, upfront and kind and Hinata can't help but follow her lead in whatever she wants. It becomes obvious pretty soon that Sakura has only Hinata's best interests in mind and Hinata doesn't know how to feel about it.

She doesn't know how to feel about a lot of things.

Sakura makes sure to talk to her about everything and anything and now Hinata feels like a part of the clan. Sakura is a walking encyclopedia and Hinata can spend hours asking questions. Sakura's eyes light up at each one of them and Hinata feels the pull to keep a conversation flowing for the first time in-

Second time, she remembers.

Like with many other things, Naruto had reclaimed her first. He makes her feel like- like-

Like she is interesting and attractive and worth something. He always leans closer to catch her eyes, he waits when she has trouble speaking out, touches her whenever she feels distressed and always asks... asks so many things about her and about her well being and about what she's done or what she wants to do, and there is not one speck of acting or boredom...

Where was he now?

"Lady Hinata?"

Hinata startles and feels the heat reaching her cheeks. Shameful, embarrassing and horrendous of her to not pay attention. "Excuse me," Hinata breathes, "I was..."

But everyone in this place is nice to Hinata, so Sakura just giggles and repeats what she was saying. Hinata makes sure to pay attention.

⁂⁂⁂

Time passes too fast and too slow nowadays. Hinata could swear just yesterday Neji had left her, but since her marriage ceremony is only days away she finds herself being confused.

Confusion always leaves when Naruto makes an appearance, though.

Hinata can say with conviction now that she will end up loving this man, if she's not in love with him already.

Naruto had been upfront about their relationship, and made it clear that he would do his utmost for them to have the best relationship they could given their circumstances. Hinata had laughed and shrugged it off as wishful thinking, naivety even. But Naruto was serious, so serious Hinata couldn't help but fall silent with him.

"If I am forced to have a family I will do my utmost to make them happy." He had shared in a whisper. And Hinata could see that this was a promise to himself. "That means you."

Hinata had teared up immediately and found herself seeking refuge in his arms. She was already happy, and the moment she shared that with him, Naruto pressed his face to her neck and they didn't move in a while.

Hinata found soon enough that Naruto is not a man that makes light of his promises. He always made time to spend with her and the more they spend together the closer they become.

Naruto is open with his life, with his feelings and is eager to make a connection. Hinata feels anxious but she can't deny the feelings that spring forth as she realizes that this man is willing to share his life with her.