A/N: Seriously, seriously sorry for the late update, I feel like crap for it. Here what you've all been waiting for: Hinata finally coming to the manor. As by popular vote, it takes place from Hinata's POV. Hope I don't disappoint. Also, I know Damian got Titus after the Nobody incident (which I have mentioned in one of my earlier stories) but I haven't brought him up in any of my other stories so I decided to bring him now. And yes, I decided to also have this into a two parter (how else can like this be put?). Don't hate me
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto or Batman, then I'd be a very happy woman.
The twisting and turning in her stomach wasn't something Hinata couldn't pin as nerves for the up and coming dinner meeting or how shaken up she still was over the near kidnapping. Putting down her brush and taking a few deep breaths, Hinata tried to hold back the panic and tears that came with the horrfiying memory.
She felt sick. She almost called Dick to cancel, again. Ever since that night, Hinata wouldn't say that she had a complete fear of going outside - she did have to pick up the mail and get groceries - nut she had been a little more cautious. Cautious as in she couldn't even trust the voice on the other side of her door until she saw the face that came with it.
Hinata picked up her brush and tried again. Dick was going to be by in thirty minutes to pick her up, and she wasn't even dressed yet. She didn't sleep the best last night, as in barely at all until sometime in the early morning, and had slept until mid-afternoon. Her body still felt tired and heavy.
Hinata tied her hair into a braid with a ribbon before getting dressed in a dark gray sweater and matching slacks. Dick said she didn't have to dress too formally - "I grew up in that house, I don't feel as though I don't have to dress up a charity event, and neither should you" - but call it habit from how she grew up. Besides, she already knew this was going to be awkward for Damian, she didn't have to make it worse by appearing too casual in front of him.
Then again, still dressing like his teacher could also have the same effect. Why didn't she think of that?
Running her hand over her tired face, Hinata felt the growing headache behind her eyes. She should cancel, she should really cancel, but then again it wasn't exactly fair to Dick. Hinata didn't doubt Dick would understand, but she also knew the man was observant - to the point of being scary sometimes - and might have found out something more was going on, and HInataq didn't think she could tell Dick about nearly being kidnapped by her co-worker.
A knock on her door snapped her out of her thoughts, and Hinata scrambled to answer it. Dick was on the other side, dressed in a heavy winter jacket and jeans, the usual smile on his face.
"Ready to go?" he asked and then frowned when he got a good look on her face, "Are you okay?"
Hinata blinked and smiled in a way that even she knew must have looked forced, "I'm fine, the neighbors just thought to celebrate the holidays until the early morning."
Dick exammed her for a little while longer. Hinata didn't need to be a genius to tell that he didn't believe her, but Dick nodded either way. Hinata was quick to grab her coat, her body shaking again as she put it on and rejoined him at the door. She didn't say anything when Dick pulled her into his side and squeezed her shoulder while he walked her to his car.
"Alfred's been on turbo drive since this morning," he said after he opened the passenger door for her, a disarming smile on his face, "It's been a while since we had a guest over for Christmas dinner, so he wanted everything to be perfect."
"He didn't have to go out of his way for me, I'm sure it would have been fine."
"Don't worry about it, Alfred doesn't mind. I sometimes think he would overload if he didn't have something to clean. Besides, he had me and Damian helping this morning."
"Oh," Hinata buckled herself into the seat while Dick did the same in the driver's seat, "I...uh...how has..."
"Damian's dealing with this with how Damian has been dealing with this," Dick answered.
"He's not..."
"Nah, I mean he found something recently to help vent a large amount of the anger." Dick reached and squeezed her knee before pulling his hand and starting the car, "He'll be quiet, but I think everything will be fine. If not, I'm sure Tim will find a way to help ease the tension."
Hinata didn't know what to say to that. She looked down at her hands, her nerves from everything still raw, and she still didn't feel well. She hoped everything tonight would actually go well because she didn't want to be the cause of any trouble - well, more than what she and Dick had caused - with the family.
"Also, how do you feel about dogs?" Hinata snapped her head to Dick in a questioning way, "Damian got one of his Christmas presents early. A Great Dane pup he named Titus. I honestly don't think he's a puppy by how big he is, but he's affectionate so I'm not complaining."
"I don't mind dogs," one of her best friends had a twelve year old dog that was once small enough to lay on his head and now big enough to be a small horse.
The house - manor according to Dick - was larger than Hinata thought. Her eyes widened as the gates opened and Dick drove through, seeing the massive front yard covered in snow and if she looked closely fresh footprints from a child and dog. The manor itself definitely showed its age, but still stood proudly in its Gothic glory.
"I know it might seem creepy at first and I think that's partially Bruce's fault, but it's more homey inside," Dick explained when he parked inside the garage. He smiled and his flickered to the window door behind him. before it was opened, causing Hinata to jump as far as her seatbelt alloed her.
"Forgive me, ma'am I did not mean to startle you," an older man with a British accent stood next to the car. He was dressed in the traditional butler wear and his expression was gentle despite looking stoic, "I have to say that it is a pleasure to finally meet you Ms. Hyuuga."
"Oh..I..." Hinata's face turned red, "It is a pleasure to meet you too, Alfred, Dick has mentioned you plenty of times."
"Oh really, now, I do hope Master Richard has spoken only good things then."
"There's only good things to talk about you Alfred," Dick let himself out of the driver's side.
Alfred took their coats and hung them before leading them inside where Hinata was in awe of everything. Clearly, Dick wasn't kdding about Alfred taking good care of everything. He could put the servants she grew up with to shame.
"Master Damian has taken Titus on walk in the back and I believe Master Timothy is in the den watching a movie," Alfred informed them when they reached what Hinata could guess was a grand dining room, "Dinner will be done in a manner of hours, Master Richard, I do hope you can keep your guest entertained."
"You know I can, Alfred."
"One that does not involve destroying the house."
"What fun is there then?" Hinata had to laugh at the pout Dick faked.
"Please, Master Richard, act your age," Alfred had his own smile before turning to leave the two.
"Well, since a giant chunk of what I wanted to do had been cut out because of Alfred, how about I just give you tour of the rest of the manor before we bug Tim?"
Hinata nodded, feeling herself become more and more relaxed. Dick showed her the upstairs first and the various bedrooms and guest rooms - "my old room is off limits with you here. I think everyone will assume the worst if we were to go in there" - they past Bruce's office where he was clearly invested into some paperwork - "Takes some serious motivation for him to leave his work" - and he even showed her a secret crawl space he used to sneak out in his teenage years - "Wasn't so secret when Alfred found it and scolded me for an hour straight". When they returned downstairs and into the den, Hinata saw Dick nearly get tackled by a large dog and assaulted his face with licks.
"Woah, Titus, I'm glad to see you too," Dick laughed after playfully pushing the puppy off.
"Better you than me," Hinata looked to the couch where a boy in his teens was sitting, wiping away his face. He was wearing a red, long-sleeve shirt and jeans, "Seriously, where's the little..."
"Tim," Dick growled - actually growled. Tim straightened up in time for Dick to jerk his head to Hinata who looked confused.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you," Tim stood up and walked to her, his hand extracted, "My name's Timothy Drake, but my friends call me Tim."
"Nice to meet you, Tim."
"So you're Damian's teacher," Tim tilted his head to the side as if he was actually inspecting her before letting out something that might have been a held back snort judging by the look Dick gave him.
As if he hated to be ignored, Titus whined and began trying to climb on Dick again, looking for affection.
"Titus, where did you run off?" Damian's voice drifted into the room, "Seriously, Pennyworth's not going to like how you left your wet..."
Hinata bit her lip and looked to the entrance of the den where Damian stood, still dressed in coat and hat. She saw how Damian looked when he was serious or nervous, but he never saw him when he was shocked. His brown eyes were as wide as dinner plates and his body just went stiff.
"Didn't think you could be speechless, Damian," Tim said in the awkward silence that followed his appearance.
Damian blinked and the shock was replaced by anger as he narrowed his eyes at Tim. Hinata sighd inwardly. She hoped this wouldn't end badly.
A/N: And scene. Hope you liked it.
