Hinata looks the happiest when she's eating.
Even after all of these years breaking out of her shell and becoming friends with the other "Konoha 12," she still has this mousy look and allows only a polite amount of enthusiasm for social outings, unlike the rowdier members of their age group. She looks generally more excited when she's having a training session with her teammates or spending time with her younger sister, or when she stumbles upon an interesting book or medicinal guide at the same bookstore he frequents, although he would be there to buy magazines and household manuals for cooking or gardening at his mother's urging.
But there's this childlike glee that shines in her eyes when someone puts something especially yummy in front of her face, something that she fails to suppress even after all of her noble training. She would perk up when she sees the server drop off a tantalizing assortment of meat ready to be grilled up when Teams 8 and 10 meet up for lunch at Yakiniku Q, and she might grin a little more if there's a ridiculously sweet and decadent dessert up for grabs, courtesy of Chouji's own sweet tooth and generosity when he goes on baking binges. Her muted excitement is the Hyuuga's equivalent of bouncing up and down in a booth seat when the waitress comes around with her dish, ready for her to inhale.
She is never one to abandon table manners, though. She would pick up her chopsticks or spoon with no noticeable hurry but with all the grace of an heir from a noble clan, and take dainty bites befitting of a high-class lady. But the way her eyes would flutter like butterfly wings as she savored the taste on her tongue and the self-satisfied smile that would blossom as she let out a silent sigh showed her euphoria.
One time, he was privy to seeing her indulge in a parfait while out at a girls' lunch. Coincidentally enough, the table that Chouji secured for the both of them on their rare day out together was two tables over from her spot. Go figure.
Sakura, Ino, and Tenten were chatting around her and occasionally taking sips from their shaved ice and iced coffees, but Hinata's eyes were centered on the concoction placed in front of her, all cute and sweet, and he heard her hum to herself in glee and watched her shoulders bunch upward as she felt the sugar fill her up.
It was adorable.
—
He found out a few weeks ago that her reactions are even cuter when Hinata is drunk.
As the last one to turn 18, everyone piled into a bar to celebrate her adulthood and her ability to finally drink with the rest of them.
Unsurprisingly, she was fairly lightweight when it comes to alcohol, and everyone loved to coo at how bubbly and affectionate she became as the plum wine flowed through her system. Her teammates, the self-proclaimed brothers and spoilers of the girl, teased her to high hell when she reached her limit before they did. Kiba would be more vocal with his comments, and Shino occasionally piped up with a dry but hilarious remark that sent Kiba into tears one time, and the two laughed even more when Hinata pouted cutely and not come up with a counter argument—well, Kiba laughed voraciously, Shino would show his amusement in how his shoulders twitched as if he were muffling a chuckle, a hint of a smile peeking out of his high collar.
The girls talked up a storm, eager to hear the girl's uninhibited comments about the village gossip. Ino would howl with laughter hearing the slightly younger girl's comments, most of them innocent but some were almost catlike in her unexpectedly brash delivery. Hinata was also eager to offer some Hyuuga drama she heard from Hanabi about the kitchen staff love triangle between the bread delivery boy, one of the beautiful assistant cooks and the cook's best friend, or how the gardener is put out that his daughter is seeing this one ninja boy.
Tenten, Rock Lee and Hinata shared a brief look as she talked about the Hyuuga, memories of a white-eyed man flashing into their heads, but the weapons mistress easily changed the mood when she shared a ridiculous story of how Neji looked one morning after sleeping in the tent, all groggy with his hair bunched up and looking like squirrels camped out on his head. Hinata admitted the family secret of how to maintain their long silky locks—a complicated process of washing that involved specially picked herbs and expensive moisturizers—exposing the unexpectedly vain side of the noble clan life. Neji told Hinata one time how he disliked some missions when he couldn't access the family's provision of toiletries and how his hair got easily disarrayed. Tenten snorted, and everyone laughed when she told them she imagined those uppity elders slaving over their hair and sharing skincare tips as part of the council meetings.
When Sakura and Ino came out of the kitchen with a small cake (they asked the bar ahead of time if they can store it there until the reveal, and the manager was happy to comply), no one was as happy as Hinata to see the chocolate masterpiece. She clapped her hands together in front of her mouth, barely concealing a squeal, and Kiba guffawed at how much she looked like a kid before he pat her on the head and mussed up her hair a little bit. There was no grace or even a hint of a noblewoman in her when that cake was put in front her. She hurriedly picked up a fork and shifted in her seat excitedly but was still polite enough to look up at everyone as they launched into a drunkenly slurred but joyous rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song, him mostly muttering the words as his eyes were glued on Hinata's face. There was wonder dancing in her lavender eyes, the lone candlelight illuminating her face with a gentle glow, and she looked almost near tears at the display.
He started to wonder if she ever had a birthday like this growing up. Did the kitchen staff make her a cake for her to enjoy with her father and sister? Did she ever have a birthday greeting as warm as this?
Probably not, given how strict her clan is. Wouldn't be much of a stretch then if her diet in general is restricted within the household. They don't seem like the type to enjoy cupcakes and the like.
It wasn't long before everyone finished the song and she blew out the candle, the Konoha group and even some other patrons in the bar clapping and whooping. Hinata cut a huge chunk of the personal-sized cake and didn't hesitate to take it all in one gulp. She hummed appreciatively and gave a big smile as she thanked the girls for arranging everything. Shino quietly wiped the small crumbs that stuck next to her lip, looking especially like a caring older sibling. She devoured the cake in mere minutes but had the modesty to blush as Ino commented on her speed, which Rock Lee called "youthful!"
Everyone continued on with the festivities. The girls had a ball giving Hinata her present, the three of them laughing at Hinata's flushed face and stammering. None of the guys knew what it was, and the only hint they received was when Ino smugly declared it as Hinata's "first step into womanhood." Meanwhile, the guys exchanged stupid dares and drinking game rules. Amidst yet another arm wrestling bout, this time between Naruto and Shino, and ignoring Kiba's call for bets, he glanced over at Hinata and noticed the glow of pure happiness surrounding her. She looked prettier when her eyes lit up like that.
Maybe this is something Hinata wished for all along, he mused. The freedom to be silly. A chance at a childhood she never had, and a family that loved her.
They called it a night before Kiba and Naruto could get into a fight and make even more of a ruckus. Shino freaked Naruto out when a kikaichu peeked out of his sleeve and skittered onto his thumb, effectively making Naruto give up the arm wrestling match. It seemed alcohol affected more than just the Aburame, and the bugs wanted to come out to play too. Naruto, in his rush of adrenaline after jumping out of his seat, along with alcohol loosening his lips, said something insensitive which sent Shino into a corner to brood and Kiba was quick to defend his teammate's honor. Chouji and Lee quickly intercepted the two as they got into each other's faces, and the girls declared their party is over and everyone should go home before someone did something stupid, that particular part directed at Naruto and Kiba as Sakura glared at the two.
The group left the bar, the flush of alcohol keeping them warm as they exposed themselves to the December cold. Tenten and Hinata walked back together towards their shared apartment. Sakura took Naruto home as did Shino with Kiba, the glasses-toting man having gotten over the "icky cheating bugman" insult. Rock Lee, being the only sober one present and feeling the cold seep into his bones, decided to go out on a run on his way back. Since Chouji lived near the bar and surrounding restaurant district, he waited until everyone was gone before he journeyed home. Chouji looked at the only other person left and followed his gaze when he saw him looking the other way. He snickered when he realized that was the direction Hinata took on her way home, and placed a hand on his shoulder, effectively getting him out of his stupor. Chouji knew he was drunker than most thought, because he would usually be much more observant and aware, but the Akimichi also knew that most of his attention was on a certain birthday girl, not that he overtly showed it. He snickered again.
"Man, you looked like you were love-struck the whole night. You couldn't keep your eyes away from Hinata for more than a minute." Chouji ignored the scoff and went on, "And I know you were taking looks at her too when we sat down at the cafe where the girls were also having lunch the other day. If you think she's so cute, ask her out! You guys would hit it off, I'm sure. And you should do it before anyone else asks, she's no doubt got a lot of other admirers."
That last bit did irk him, but he brushed off his friend's comments with an ambiguous shrug and walked away, ready to sleep the alcohol off and not think about a certain dark-haired girl. Chouji knew not to push it beyond this point and yelled his goodbye as he also took off, hoping that for once, his friend would take some initiative.
—
Kurenai puts on her sandals and turns to the apartment's occupants saying, "Take care, you two!" Kurenai picks up her pack, ready to go out with Anko after the younger woman's insistence they spend time together and give the single mother a break from her daughter. Hinata has baby Mirai in her arms as he stands next to her, both of them seeing off the older woman. Well, not so much a baby now that she's almost 2. Kurenai smiles fondly and kisses her child's forehead. "And don't you go making trouble for them, Mirai. You understand?" Mirai nods rapidly, not willing to let down her mama.
The older woman sighs and gives one last wave as she leaves, an impatient Anko yelling at her to come down. "Kurenai, we're burning daylight! Damn you're taking so long, s'not like you lost a leg, you just popped out a kid, so get down here already!"
"Anko!" Kurenai chides, the rest cut off as the door closes behind her. He and Hinata share a brief glance before he takes Mirai out of her hands and brings her with him to the couch. Hinata sends an amused glance his way as he settles back into his comfy position lying down, placing Mirai in front of the couch along with several of her toys so she can play within eyesight. She eagerly picks up her blocks and waddles around, occasionally showing off a blue cube or green cone to him yelling "Shi-nii, Shi-nii!" as he gives her an appropriate amount of praise.
"Wow, that one is really cool," he drawls, but not without affection. He smiles and says, "Show me what you can do with them." Mirai quickly starts building a tower and redoes it several times as it topples over, and Hinata goes into the kitchen to heat up hot chocolate for the girl and make some tea for the two of them. When she comes back out with a tray of three mugs, she sits on the carpet next to the toy-box beckoning Mirai to have some of her drink. Hinata places a mug full of green tea into his awaiting hand and he takes a satisfied sip. She always know how he likes it, the two of the, already used to this routine.
The two of them have been looking over Kurenai during her pregnancy after Asuma's death, and now take up babysitting duty for Mirai when Kurenai needs a break or an extra set of hands. Usually, it's only one of them that shows up, what with their schedules not aligning that often, but since it's still winter and the cold drives people indoors (including criminals), missions are not that frequent and they both showed up.
He vaguely remembers the first time they looked after Mirai together without Kurenai, which was maybe about a year ago. Kurenai was worn down after 7 months of taking care of Mirai mostly alone or worriedly supervising one of them when either he or Hinata came to play with their goddaughter. After his and Hinata's convincing, she relented to a short daytrip to the onsen and spa at the outskirts of the village while he and Hinata had a rare shared day off. Hinata was a bit quiet at first, not used to spending time with him outside of team and group outings, let alone in an apartment with only Mirai accompanying the two of them. Looking after the baby took precedence, though, and soon they both let their guards down by the time they put the child to sleep, pleasantly talking about books they've read and enjoying the silence.
He looks at her now and sees how comfortable she is, lounging on the floor and playing with Mirai, a gentle smile on her face. He recalls a conversation the night of her birthday, when Chouji urged him to ask her out.
Really, there was nothing stopping him from asking. Realistically, she would probably say yes to a date since they've already spent a lot of time together, and they would probably get along well romantically. If they dated, he would probably be less lazy about everything, since he would have to do that if he wanted to be involved anyway. They are both relatively easy-going, so he can't see them arguing. From what he heard from Ino, Naruto rejected Hinata's confession after the war but they are still friendly since neither wanted to give up their platonic relationship so there are no other major contenders he knows of. Her teammates would have some protests, but that's just because they're overprotective and they'd get over it.
But even so...
He sighs. Why is all of this so difficult? It's literally just asking.
"... no doubt she's got a lot of admirers."
He sometimes hates when Chouji is right. …Alright, he thinks. Let's start this slow.
"Hinata..."
She turns her head around to look at her friend rising from his leisurely spot to also sit on the floor, leaning back on the couch. She tilts her head as she asks, "What is it Shikamaru-kun?"
He doesn't look right into her eyes for a while but gets his question out, "Do you really like chocolate?"
"Pardon?"
"Well," he sighs, scratching the back of his head. God, he's going to sound like a stalker or something. "You... really like food, right?" She blinks owlishly, not following. Even Mirai looks up curiously. "You look really happy when you eat sweets. Like, as happy as Naruto eats Ichiraku, or when Chouji eats just about anything." She blushes a little.
"Um, that is," she starts and falters a little as she brushes her thumb against her thumb, tea now lukewarm. "My family prefers a balanced and light diet, to make sure that everyone is in top form and can train without worrying about weight, so I didn't eat a lot of treats or heavy foods as a child." She blushes a little more and looks at a corner of the carpet to avoid looking at his face. "The food I have outside of the compound is so much more flavorful than what I had back then, and I still have the same diet even after moving out, but sometimes I guess I can't... help myself?" She chuckles self-consciously, but her giggles turn genuine as she tells him, "I remember Kiba-kun's face when I told him I never had steak one time, he was so shocked." He huffs a little, imagining a 12-year-old Inuzuka yelling about the deliciousness of steak. "So, he and Shino would break my habit of eating only healthy food by sharing their bento or smuggling sweets into my backpack."
He lets out a small laugh at the idea of Hinata hiding chocolate bars from her dad. "Did you ever get caught?"
She smirks a little. "Almost, but not once."
They both quietly laugh, and Mirai joins in despite not understanding everything, which makes them smile wider. Hinata puts Mirai in her lap and combs her wild locks with her fingers. The air around them is more relaxed and light. She looks up at him.
"Why did you ask, Shikamaru-kun?" Her eyes glint worriedly when he falters at her question and looks up at the ceiling, then she notices that the tips of his ears are... pink?
"...S'White Day soon..." Hinata's eyes widen, remembering she gave him a bag of chocolates last month. He eventually looks at her, and she blushes a little but smiles. Honestly, she didn't think he would care about those kinds of holidays. He's surprisingly... sweet.
"I, um, really like cinnamon buns." He nods then, and internally sighs. Those are going to be hard to make. No doubt his mom will ask him why he's making such a mess in her kitchen, and then nag him even more when he eventually tells her. The idea is almost troublesome enough to make him just buy some instead, but...
He sighs audibly this time.
He and Chouji were sitting on a hill overlooking the river, him watching the clouds and Chouji munching on some chips with a basket of desserts by his side. At some point, Hinata passes by with groceries in one hand and she waves at the them. Chouji looks up and shouts, "Oh, Hinata! This is perfect timing, would you come over here?"
He watches her carefully walk down, making sure not to jostle the bag's contents as she descends. The two of them stand up when she approaches; as much as he would like to stay lying down, it would be a little rude and Hinata at least deserved some courtesy, since she's so darn polite all the time. He watches her eyes widen as Chouji reveals what's inside the basket. "Wow Chouji-kun, you made these yourself?"
"Yup! I've been craving brownies lately and now I made too much. Well, not too much but even I can't handle nonstop chocolate, y'know? Here, you want one?"
"Oh, I-I really shouldn't-" He shuts her down by waving his hand, dismissing whatever argument she has ready.
"Don't worry about it! I wanna see how you like them!"
He watches Hinata waver on her decision, before she decides it would be polite to offer her opinion on his baking. She holds the small dessert with two hands, the groceries resting against her leg on the ground, and her eyes glitter with anticipation. HHe pays special attention to the light in her eyes as she chews on the small brownie, as well as the absolutely radiant smile on her face.
"... Mm! This is wonderful, Chouji-kun. I think it's amazing that you can bake so well."
Looking back, he probably started to fall for her then.
He wants her to smile at him just like that when he gives the dessert to her. Maybe if he gives her her favorite food and tells her it's homemade, it'd make it easier to ask for a date too (it vaguely sounds like bribery in his mind, but whatever works).
That's worth all the trouble in the world.
So you know how Hinata has the highest record of most bowls of Ichiraku ramen eaten? I thought it'd be fun to do a food thing.
I started writing this using solely "he/him" partly because I didn't pick a guy yet, partly because I think it would fun to wait the absolute last moment to do a name drop (although I did go back and leave hints behind that give it away pretty soon, and I guess the character filter gives it away lol).
Here's another dip in the pool before I go back to writing my longer stories. Hopefully I can update soon but I have finals and other RL stuff coming up soon so I'll be pretty busy once again.
I appreciate feedback and constructive criticism!
Best,
Me (I'll get around to changing my name seeing as I got over my Whovian phase)