Author's Notes: Hiashi doesn't get enough love, which is sad because he's such a complicated, fascinating character. This story was originally written for Tumblr's NejiHina week (Feb 2014), although it is perfectly gen. I thought I'd already cross-posted this story here, but apparently I hadn't. So here it is!
Hiashi spreads the fragile washi paper out and places small paperweights at the top and bottom of the page. As he grinds his ink stick against the stone, he looks out at the courtyard where his daughters are training.
The last time he'd seen Hinata and Hanabi spar against each other had been six years ago, and Hinata had been beaten so soundly that he'd deemed it a waste of time to even continue training her.
Hiashi has made many mistakes in his lifetime, but thinking Hinata worthless was one of the worst ones.
Right now, neither sister has a clear advantage. Hanabi is giving it her all, attacking Hinata with every move she has, but Hinata is dodging everything with ease and even trying a few attacks of her own. He's about to look away and continue preparing his calligraphy when Hinata suddenly jumps back and assumes a stance he recognizes too late as Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms. Hanabi doesn't have time to block, and Hiashi is a split-second away from intervening when Hinata pulls back at the last moment and merely taps her sister on the shoulder.
The two of them burst into peals of laughter; Hiashi breathes a sigh of relief before turning away. The sight of his daughters finally enjoying each other's company and acting like family instead of strangers both gladdens and pains him. He wishes their mother was here to see this.
He sets down his ink and picks up the brush; he came here without a clear plan of what to write, but inspiration can come from anywhere. It really is a fine day, he thinks, not a cloud in the sky.
Movement in the courtyard brings his attention back to his daughters. Hinata is waving to someone; to his surprise, it is Neji who comes and joins them.
Hiashi never thought he would see a day when a Branch member would be able to walk freely among the Main house, but things are changing. Hyuuga is changing. He can see it in the way Hanabi impulsively hugs Hinata when before, they barely even spoke to each other; he sees it in the way Hinata looks at people when she speaks to them, still shy and gentle, but with the self-confidence to stand her ground.
When he looks at Neji, at first, all he can see is Hizashi, and for a moment, he's overwhelmed with loss. Not a day goes by that Hiashi doesn't miss his brother; even after twelve years, the wound of Hizashi's death has yet to heal completely. Training Neji had been so difficult at first…
He turns his attention back to the three in the courtyard; Hinata and Hanabi are sparring again, with Neji looking on and offering critiques as needed. Apparently he was designated to spar the winner because when Hanabi wins, Neji assumes a stance before she turns to attack him.
It's a quick match; Hanabi can barely put up a fight against her genius cousin. Hiashi can't help feeling a swell of pride for Hizashi's sake. Can you see him, Hizashi? Can you see how strong your son is? Hiashi sets down his brush and watches; as Hanabi cheers from the sidelines, Neji and Hinata now face each other.
This time is not as quick; Hinata is giving the match everything she has, but Neji is constantly a step ahead of her. He could normally be five steps ahead and beat her as quickly as he did Hanabi, but he has his eyes locked on hers, and that kind of intense focus is slowing him down the tiniest bit. Hiashi isn't sure which is stranger, that Neji is looking at Hinata in such a way or that Hinata is looking back.
For too long, Main and Branch members haven't even passed each other in the halls, let alone really looked at each other. The clan has wounds that run so deep that Hiashi doesn't know how to begin to heal them. When he was a child, he naively believed that he and his brother would be able to mend the rift, but what could two boys, even if one was the future head of the clan, do? Even now, Hiashi cannot change Hyuuga on his own.
Neji finally shifts his gaze and knocks Hinata's feet out from under her; she falls hard, but when Neji extends his hand to help her up, she's already brushing the dust off her pants and asking for a re-match.
Hiashi smiles and takes up his brush; as he writes, he thinks about the adage that time will heal all wounds and wonders if he will see the beginning of this in his children's generation.
He finishes the last character when Hanabi knocks and enters the room behind him.
"Father, it's time for tea," she says before she sees his calligraphy tools. "Oh, what are you writing?"
"Only when we look into each other's eyes do we truly see," he read. "Come, Hanabi; let's have tea in the courtyard."