Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or One Piece.
I apologize for any mistakes, this was not betaed.
"Mama," Thatch clings to his mother's hand, hidden behind the wall of the the Hyuuga clan compound, nose wrinkling in annoyance, "Why is Uzumaki-san always asking you places? Are you friends?"
"Not exactly," Hinata smiles and it's sad. "We're friendly but we aren't friends, Hiro-chan. No, Naruto-san wanted to ask mama on a date and mama told him no."
Thatch frowns, "So why does he keep asking?"
"Because he knows that he looks like the person that mama loves and since he's the only person we know with such looks, they assume that it's him that I must love." She explains. "I suppose it's not surprising, they aren't known for their ability to notice things."
"You don't, right?"
"That's right. Your papa is the person that mama loves," She agrees brightly. "His name is Marco and he can't be with us right now, but he loves us both."
Thatch feels his heart freeze, because Marco is a strange name for anyone that lives in the Elemental Nations, and he has only ever met one man with that name. Coupled with the looks that his mama credits him, it sounds impossibly like his Marco.
He hopes suddenly that he's the only one that is reborn here because if Ace returns and Marco is his father, Thatch doesn't think that he can deal with the emotional fallout.
"Is that why Jiji has me color my hair when I leave the compound?" Thatch asks instead.
Hinata grins and lifts him into her arms, he's only five and still small for his age. Though her father insists that he's too old for it.
"That's right. You have your papa's hair and mama's eyes."
"The Byakugan!" Thatch shouts, covering his mouth when the passing group of elders frown sternly at him, "Sorry."
Hinata shakes her head, "No Hiro-chan, the elders shouldn't treat my heir as such. Should you?"
"Of course not," One of the elders panics. Thatch tilts his head to catch a glimpse of his mama's face, but it looks the same as it did before, her smile still in place. "We apologize for our actions, Hyuuga-sama."
"I see. Well then, Hanabi-chan," Mama's sister appears at her side in an instant. "Would you take Hiro-chan to Ko-san's rooms?"
"Of course, Hinata-nee!" Hanabi says brightly, holding her arms out for Thatch, even though she is only just tall enough to carry him without issue. "Come on, Hiro-chan!"
Thatch kisses his mama on the cheek and hugs her before he lets her hand him over to Hanabi, "Love you, mama."
"I love you too, Hirohito," Hinata replies smile soft and happy, "Now."
She turns her back to him and Hanabi, the elders cower before her as Hanabi carries him away. Thatch watches in confusion until they round a corner and Hanabi collapses against it to hold herself upright as she laughs.
"Auntie 'Nabi?"
"Sorry Hiro-chan, but your mama is the strongest person that I know and the elders should know better than to try and be rude to you," She kisses his forehead and Thatch flushes, he's never had family like this before. "Come on, let's get you to Ko."
"Mama says that papa loves me," Thatch knows that it sounds like he's saying something out of nowhere, but he has to hear it from someone else.
Hanabi wrinkles her nose, "I only met him once," She warns, shifting her grip on him. "I know that he and Hinata-nee would talk for hours and he would let her ramble on about anything that she wanted, he listened like it was important. And my dad, your jiji, was there when you were born."
"He was?"
"Yes. He said that your papa was so worried that you or Hinata-nee would be hurt that he spent the entire time pacing. The nurses tried to give him medicine to make him relax. Marco-san let Hinata-nee name you, she said it had to be epic," Hanabi explains with a strange smile. "The last things he said before your mama brought you home was that he loved you both."
"You think he still does?" Thatch was hopeful.
Hanabi laughs, "If the way I saw him look at Hinata-nee meant anything, then yes, he loves the both of you. Pinkie promise."
Thatch nods. Pinkie promises might be juvenile for Hanabi to take part in, but they're her way of saying that she isn't knowingly lying to Thatch. It doesn't mean that she isn't intentionally avoiding topics, however.
"Ko-san!" Hanabi knocks on the wood frame of the door before slamming it open, startling Ko so badly that he drops the book he's reading. "Hinata-nee says you are watching Hirohito-chan."
Ko sighs, picking up his book, Thatch recognizes it as one that his mama likes, "Of course, Hanabi-sama. Hello Hirohito-sama." He takes Thatch from Hanabi and sets him on the ground. "I thought Hinata-sama was dropping him off this evening?"
"The elders were being rude," Hanabi says, her face glowing with glee. "I'm going to hurry back to see what nee-chan's gonna do to them. Behave, Hiro-chan."
"Bye, Auntie 'Nabi," Thatch waves, the other hand moving to tug at Ko's pants. "Can I color?"
"I think I have some of your coloring books here," Ko agrees, closing the door to his room and moving to the bookshelf. "I heard you're starting the academy soon, Hirohito-sama."
Thatch giggles, "I already started, silly. Mama took me, she had to pretend to be Mitsume-san, but she walked me in and everything. She says that if I do good, then I can get a live bladed sword soon."
That was a lie. Hinata had given him numerous live blades, showing him the best places to hide them in the little house they had on the edges of the Hyuuga clan's lands. She had promised that Thatch would be allowed to publically carry a live blade when he had been in the academy for a month. Which was in just a few days, just after his birthday.
"Hinata-sama said so?" Ko says nervously. "That's quite dangerous, Hirohito-sama."
"Mama says that I'm big enough."
Ko's wife, Izumi laughs, "She did start carrying her daggers when she was four," She braids her hair neatly, still dripping wet from her shower. "Hello, Hirohito-sama."
"Hi Izumi-san," Thatch replies fiddling with the wax crayons Ko had slid towards him. "Mama got her daggers when she was little?"
"That's right," Izumi says setting a glass of water on the table beside him. "Hinata-sama was allowed to request anything for her birthday, I think she wanted a trip at first, but one day, out of the blue, she declared she wanted a set of daggers. It was lucky, since she was kidnapped only a few weeks after she got them."
"Mama was kidnapped!" Thatch was sure he had never heard that story before. "Was she okay?"
Izumi laughs, "Of course she was Hirohito-sama. Hinata-sama killed her attacker and nothing bad happened."
"Mama did that when she was littler than me?"
Thatch loves his mama, he's loved her since before he remembered being Thatch and the woman who had birthed him in that life, because his mama loves him. Hinata loves him and she fought to keep him, though she had only just turned eighteen when he was born.
"Izumi-san," Thatch pauses. "Why isn't papa around?"
"I'm sorry, Hirohito-sama, but that's something only your mother can answer." Izumi explains.
Thatch sighs, he has thought so. There were a lot of questions that the others told him were for his mama to answer. Anything about his papa or why Thatch had to do certain things, or why he can't call his mama mama beyond the boundaries of clan land. Thatch hasn't gotten the courage to ask her yet.
"Hiro-chan," Hinata asks, and Thatch is across the room, throwing himself at her legs. "Ready to head home?"
"Yes! Thank you for watching me, Ko-san and Izumi-san," Thatch grins when his mama lifts him back into her arms like she can't stop holding him. "I had lots of fun."
Hinata nods, "Thank you again, Ko-san and Izumi-san."
"It's fine, Hinata-sama," Ko waves off her concern. "He's far more content to sit and color then you were."
"I wasn't that bad," Hinata mutters, waving them goodbye and heading out the back of the clan buildings to the house that was built just for them. "What does Hiro-chan want for dinner?"
"Yakitori!" Thatch shouts, throwing his hands up in excitement. Several of the guards that pass them snicker softly. "Mama?"
"Hiro-chan?"
"Why isn't papa here?"
Hinata sighs, unlocking the door to their home and flicking on the lights, "Are you sure you want to know the answer, Hiro-chan?"
"Please?"
"Come on, you can sit at the table while mama cooks," She toes off her sandals and turns on lights as she passes, Thatch is on her heels, scrambling into a chair as she pulls on her apron. "Pork or beef?"
"Beef!"
Hinata nods, pulling out what she needs, "Papa isn't a member of Konoha's shinobi and he has a great many responsibilities, he even acts as advisor to the Fire Daimyo.' She explains. "There are a great many laws on the books and sometimes there are smaller laws hidden inside the bigger ones."
Thatch knows about laws, he's seen what a military can do when it's left as the only chain of command and answers only to itself. Someone slipped in a law that affected his papa.
"There was a man, he died a long time ago, that did some very bad things and one of those things was to make it a rule that the reigning Hokage had to invite papa into the village. Sarutobi-sama did, but there was no one to tell Tsunade-sama or even Kakashi-sama, so papa can't come to visit." She turns to look at him, "Does that make sense?"
"Yes." Thatch is pretty sure it wouldn't if he wasn't a reincarnated pirate, but Hinata grew up with a genius big brother and an unnaturally talented younger sister, she's probably never seen what an average child can understand. "Why don't you just ask Hokage-sama to bring papa home?"
"When I've tried to ask the words come out wrong," Hinata explains. "The last time I tried, when Kakashi-sama was newly promoted to office, he thought that I asked for a two month long scouting mission."
"Oh."
Thatch frowns to himself as Hinata finishes up dinner, her eyes glancing at the clock as she goes, keeping track of the time. The meeting with the elders had gone longer then it should have, but his mama is the best, and she finishes dinner with enough time to help him into the bath and still read Thatch a bedtime story.
He cuddles under the blankets, watching the wave motif nightlight, until his clock ticks away an hour, and sneaks down the hall to his mama's room.
The phones are still unreliable in their part of town, with all the shinobi who like to jump on them and look cool, taking down an entire grid of lines every time, so they don't have a phone at the house. Instead, Hinata writes letters to his papa, updates on important things, what Thatch has learned, and anything that mama might think is important. She always reads them out loud before she finishes, for some reason.
"He's gotten bigger again, soon I won't be able to carry him as easily as I use to. He's started at the academy and there's a parent's day coming up. I wanted to go, but it looks like I'm going to be out the village, unless I get lucky enough to finish the mission early."
Thatch sits quietly on the other side of the door, listening to his mama check her letter to his absent papa. She always ends the letters with 'I love you'. Always. Even when she knew that his papa wasn't going to be sending letters back. Hinata loves his papa and Thatch hates the laws for keeping his papa from her.
He falls asleep against the door.
"Baby," Thatch groans. "Come on Hito-chan, time to wake up."
Thatch scrubs his eyes, flinching from the bright lights, before looking at his mama. Hinata smiles at him, her hand brushing through his hair, before darting to press her other hand to press against his forehead.
"How long were you outside my door?"
"I had a nightmare," Thatch lies. "You went away and never came home, so I wanted to see you were okay, but I 'membered you had a mission today and I didn't want to wake you up."
Hinata smiles, lifting her up and kissing his cheeks until he giggles hysterically in her arms, "I will always come home, Hiro-chan. Now, let's get dressed, Ko-san has promised to drop you at school today, since I have to meet with Hokage-sama and my team," She sets him down outside his room. "Are you sure that you're okay? I can tell Hokage-sama that something's happened within the family."
"No, I'm okay." Thatch promises.
It's not a lie.
Thatch doesn't like when his mama leaves, it means that he has to stay at the main compound, in the rooms that Hanabi said belonged to his mama when she had been younger.
His grandfather was distant and Neji hovered, transferring responsibility of watching Hinata to Thatch to cope with his nerves. They weren't bad, but they weren't his mama.
"Okay," His mama kisses his cheek again. "I'm going to make pancakes for breakfast, so hurry up."
"With blueberries?"
"With blueberries," Hinata agrees, standing up and heading down the hall on silent feet. "And Hiro-chan?"
"Mama?"
"Next time you have a nightmare, you're more then welcome to sleep in my bed with me."
Thatch flushes, embarrassment at being caught lighting his cheeks, "Yes mama."
She laughs as heads down the stairs, leaving Thatch to get dressed. He shrugs his way into a soft shirt with the Hyuuga clan symbol on the sleeve and baggy shorts that make Neji mutter about something he use to wear.
Thatch's already stumbling down the stairs when the front door bursts open to reveal Neji and Hanabi.
"I'm sorry, Hinata-sama," Neji starts, but Hanabi shoves him to the side.
"Don't listen to him, Hinata-nee! We're here to see you and the cutest nephew off, since you'll be gone for a while," Hanabi shouts kicking off her shoes and leaving them haphazardly as she runs to the kitchen. "I'm going to miss you!"
Neji sighs, long suffering, "Hanabi-sama, please calm down. Hello Hinata-sama, Hirohito-sama."
"Hi Uncle Neji!" Thatch shouts, throwing himself at his uncle. "I'm staying at the main house."
"I know, Hisashi-sama has pulled me from the rosters until your mother comes home. Hinata-sama did something to make the elders mad," Neji whispers softly. "She told them that they can stop being stupid or she'll end them."
"Really?"
Thatch loves hearing about what his mama's done to the elders, because the elders don't like Thatch either. They wanted Hinata to declare him a bastard and drop him into the branch family instead of recognizing him as her heir. Hinata had killed the last one to had tried to mark Thatch with the mostly outlawed caged bird seal.
"I think that Hiro-chan is too young to hear about what I did," Hinata states, lifting Thatch out of Neji's arms and walking back into the kitchen, where Hanabi is trying to steal pancakes. "Not those ones, Hanabi, the blue plate."
Thatch sticks his tongue out at Hanabi, the green plate with the cool shaped pancakes are his. Hinata makes them special for him, letting Thatch drench them in as much syrup as he wanted. Hanabi sticks her tongue out too.
"But I want kunai shaped pancakes," Hanabi whines.
"No," Hinata is firm. "You didn't tell me that you were coming for breakfast so you can eat normal pancakes," She sets a plate of pancakes shaped like the Hyuuga clan emblem before Neji. "Neji-niisan told me he was coming because he's to escort Hiro-chan to Ko-san."
"Your father sent Ko-san off, I'm to escort Hirohito-sama while you are gone," Neji corrects. "Since you've annoyed the elders again."
Hinata smiles, "At least I won't have to worry."
"Mama," Thatch sets his milk glass down. "How long are you going away for."
"Almost a month. Don't worry, I'll be back for parent's day," Though Thatch thinks his mama looks shifty. "Would you like that, Hiro-chan?"
"Yes!"
Hinata smiles and breakfast continues just as loud as it usually is with both Neji and Hanabi visiting. It only gets louder when Hiashi and Hizashi, both of them settling in with specially shaped pancakes, appear together. They only quiet down only when Hinata stands to grab the scroll sitting on the table by the front door.
Thatch throws himself at her legs again, holding tightly until Hinata lifts him up to kiss his forehead.
"You'll behave for me, won't you?" Hinata asks.
"Maybe," Thatch can feel the tears prickling at his eyes. "Come home safe, mama."
"I promise."
Hinata leaves without looking back and Thatch throws himself at Hanabi to hide his tears, letting her pet his hair until Hinata's out of sight and Neji lifts him up.
"I'll escort Hirohito-sama to school then. Father. Uncle. Hanabi-sama," Neji lets Thatch say goodbye, scooping up Thatch's bag and then Thatch. "Will you need an escort home too, Hirohito-sama?"
"No." Thatch says dropping his head to Neji's shoulder. It's part of the deal Hinata made with Hiashi, that Thatch would have as normal a life as possible. "I might be late, I've made friends."
"I'm glad. Have you told Hinata-sama yet?"
Thatch shakes his head, "She's so busy, I don't want to bother her."
"I think Hinata-sama would be proud to know that you've made friends," Neji says softly, falling silent as they join the larger crowds of people. "Do you have your bento?"
"In my bag!"
"Homework?"
"In my bag."
"Kunai?"
"Mama got me a new pouch," Thatch points to the little holster secured around his thigh. "Isn't it cool?"
It's bright yellow, like his foulard, and the casing is carefully polished, like Hinata taught him. The metal is unreflective and the leather is dulled somehow.
"Both of you like bright colors," Neji sighs. Thatch doesn't understand why people say that, his mama only wears the same grays, tans, and whites that the rest of the Hyuugas wear. "Will you be home in time for dinner, Hirohito-sama?"
"Yes," Thatch agrees, ignoring the parents whispers. "I'll be home then, Uncle Neji!"
"We're cousins!" Neji shouts after him.
Thatch giggles to himself as he vanishes into the building, Neji was always such a stickler for how things were suppose to be.
"You're early today, Hyuuga-kun," Iruka states.
"Mama had a mission."
Thatch doesn't talk about his family, something that his grandfather and his mama had taught him could be used against him. He's certain that he's not suppose to act like this in the village, that he's suppose to have told someone who he is and who his mama is, but Thatch was a pirate's son first and the enemy can even be a friend waiting for you to have something they want.
"I see," Iruka says slowly, "Well, take your seat."
Thatch does, watching the rest of the students hurry in. His best, only, friend stumbles into the seat beside him, her eyes dark.
Her name is Inuzuka Kaori and she's the cousin of his mama's teammate, Kiba. She's scared of the bigger dogs in her clan and had refused a puppy from the last litter. Tsume-sama had told her that it was the last litter they could pass her over for.
"Morning," She mutters, dropping into the seat beside him, head falling onto her desk. "Wake me up in time for history."
"I will," Thatch promises. "Sleep well, Kaori-chan."
Kaori grunts before she starts snoring softly, head on her arms and book propped in front of her.
The academy is long and boring for the most part, since they're too young to really do any kind of training. They run through katas, but Thatch has his own to practice, and they have chakra control exercises, but they're all ones that Hinata had shown him with a wink and whisper of how easy they were.
Kaori is ushered away by her mother the moment school ends, and Thatch waves, tugging at the straps of his backpack for a long moment, before he heads to the Hokage's tower.
"Can I help you?" The woman at the desk asks curiously.
"What does it take to get a meeting with Hokage-sama?" Thatch asks.
The woman looks taken back, "Well, let's check his schedule," She wrinkles her nose looking thoughtful. "He has an opening in a week."
"I want to talk to him then, please."
Naruto hates the hours that he spends in the library trying desperately to memorize the major shifts in the legal system between each Hokage's reign, but since he is next in line to be Hokage, it's his job. He has to know the laws, perhaps not perfectly like Sakura had once teased him about, but well enough to notice when something illegal happened.
Which is why he's in the back of the library gazing blankly at the thick books lining the shelves when he hears the heartbroken sniffles from the start of the legal section.
"Are you okay?"
A young, barely academy aged, Hyuuga nods, scrubbing at his eyes, "I'm looking for a law."
"Well, you have come to the right place," Naruto agrees.
The kid gives him a look, it's the same one that Neji gives to people when he's tired of their shit. It's an amazingly accurate copy for one so young. Naruto almost apologizes out of habit, but he bites his tongue. Instead he asks.
"What's so important about the law you're looking for?"
"It keeps my papa from coming to visit mama and I," The boy explains.
Naruto's brow wrinkles in confusion. There's few laws keeping anyone out of Konoha, at least that he has knowledge of, which only taken into account missing nin and those that have broken the laws within the village. It doesn't make sense.
"Why does the law stop your papa?" He asks finally.
The boy sighs, "Mama says that a mean old man made a law to keep papa from Konoha 'cause papa works for the Fire Daimyo," Naruto fights down a groan. "I want to find the law so that I can so it to Hokage-sama, so papa can come visit."
Naruto has met the Daimyo, it's part of his training and each time he does it in the capital, always, seated in the Daimyo's throne room with his crowding council members and various hangers-on, all of them far too busy trying to curry favor then concerned about what is going on.
He remembers their names well enough, so he asks, "What's your papa's name?"
"Marco."
"Alright," Naruto lifts the kid into his arms and then settles him into a chair, snatching the nearest lawbook from the shelves, "Start looking, I'm going to call a friend and see if she'll come help us, sound okay?"
"Yes."
Naruto pauses once he's reached the library's help desk, dropping his head into his hands as he fights the urge to scream.
Marco had been introduced to Naruto by the Daimyo after the meetings, a tall man dressed in a yakata that he didn't bother to use to cover the large tattoo on his chest, a dark purple cross with a sharp tipped 'u' shape through it. The Daimyo had laughingly claimed that Marco had advised their family for generations and that he had been the reason that his great-grandfather had been so willing to allow the Hidden village to be built.
Naruto assumes that's a joke, that the role of 'Marco' has been played by many over the years, a post that holds the Daimyo's ear and influence. If the kid's father is the man that Naruto met, the law would be why the Daimyo has sent only messengers and auditors for almost thirty years.
He shakes his head, refocusing on his task, charming the telephone behind the desk from a starry-eyed librarian with little hassle.
"What?" Sakura snaps when the line's connected, Naruto can hear Sarada screaming in the background, like a siren.
"I need a favor, Sakura-chan."
Sakura groans, "Naruto as much as I want to help you, Sarada's crying and Sasuke's useless at this sort of thing."
"You've met the Daimyo's adviser, Marco, jokingly called the phoenix, haven't you?"
"This sounds like I'm going to be dragged in anyway," She sighs.
"I have reason to believe that a law might be keeping him from being allowed to visit Konoha, there's a boy at the library that claims Marco is his father and that his mother told him a bad man made a law to keep his father from visiting." Naruto explains, tracing the privacy seal that he had etched while charming the librarian. "If it's the same Marco..."
"Fuck," Sakura hisses and Naruto hears the tearful echoing of the curse word from Sarada. "The Daimyo's personal adviser." She makes a noise. "Alright, I'm coming to help you, just give me a bit to get Sasuke to watch Sarada."
"Thank you!" Naruto enthuses.
"You owe me," Sakura declares before she hangs up.
Naruto hangs up with a grin, he already owes her, he's pretty sure another one isn't going to hurt him. Not if it fixes the problems that have been spiraling from the capital since they were children and reunites a kid with their dad.
He doesn't have to wait long before Sakura appears at his side with Sarada still sniffling into her shoulder. The look on her face is dark and enough warning for him not to ask why she's brought her daughter instead of leaving her with Sasuke.
"Looking up laws, then," Sakura states calmly.
"Yeah," Naruto agrees, headed back for the legal section. "I'll introduce you to the kid I mentioned too, if he's still here."
The kid is. He's standing on his chair, eyes skimming over the pages and his mouth in the frown that all members of the Hyuuga family seem to have perfected, even Hinata.
"Sakura this is... Kid, what is your name?"Naruto asks finally.
"Hyuuga Hirohito," He answers, glancing up, a finger placed on where he was reading. "You're Uzumaki-san and Haruno-san, right?"
Sakura smiles, "That's right," She pauses long enough to set a blanket on the ground besides her chair and settle Sarada down with toys, "Tell me everything you know about the law stopping Marco-san from coming into the village."
"It was made by a mean man, I think it was the same man that mama said stole all the eyes, cause that's the only person she ever called that before," Danzo, Naruto thinks darkly, damn him. "And the monkey man was Hokage, cause papa was invited by him." Hirohito's frown deepens. "I think it was after Yondaime-sama died, cause mama says that papa visited without a problem when Yondaime-sama was Hokage."
"That is a big help," Sakura says brightly. "That means that we don't have to go through Sarutobi-sama's whole career, just the last thirteen or fourteen years. Do you know anything else?"
Hirohito opens his mouth, closing it for a moment, before finally answering, "Mama tried to ask Hokage-sama if papa could come visit, but he heard her ask for a two month long mission."
"That," Naruto bounces to his feet in excitement, because he is so tired of dusty old books. "Sounds like seals, I'll go check the Hokage's office to see if it's part of one of the matrices there or if it was added to individuals."
"Do you look more like your mom?" Sakura asks, stopping Naruto in his tracks.
"I have papa's hair," Hirohito answers, tugging at a dark strand. "Jiji says that I should dye it until people don't start rumors about mama."
Because Marco is blonde. Not the same shade as Naruto's own, but similar enough that on a child it could be mistaken for his. That rumors of Naruto having an affair with a Hyuuga would crop up, jeopardizing both Naruto and Hirohito's mother's reputation until the DNA results were returned. And that wouldn't stop the more insistent rumors.
"That's probably for the best," Naruto agrees, hurrying from the room.
He catches the next words out of Hirohito's mouth by accident, "Mama says that I could never look anything like Uzumaki-san, she thinks people are stupid."
Sakura's laughter echoes even louder, bright and eager, Naruto feels like it's mocking.
Thatch leaves just after six thirty, Haruno waving off his concerns and promising to meet him back after school the next day, though he thinks that she'll be there until the library closes or Sarada gets cranky, returning as soon as she can the next day to start the hunt without him.
Uzumaki had returned briefly a few hours after he had vanished into the Hokage's offices to say that a number of seals were connecting to the barrier seals around the village, several of which look suspiciously like Danzo's work, before running off to check the barrier.
"Hiro-chan," Hanabi calls, bouncing to his side to sweep him into her arms. "Welcome home!"
"Hi Auntie Nabi. What's dinner?" Thatch asks cuddling as best he could, there were so many laws his eyes hurt.
"I don't know, dad said that he would have someone come get us when it was ready. Hinata-nee left your present in your room, wanna see what it is?" Hanabi asks.
"Uh-huh!"
Hanabi grins, taking off at as fast a sprint as she could while still holding Thatch securely, barrelling around corners and slipping over wet patches on the floor. She almost falls several times, around the final corner before Thatch's room, Neji grabs them before they hit the ground.
"Hanabi-sama," Neji says tiredly. "You know you aren't suppose to run in the manor."
"Hiro-chan wants to open the gift that Hinata-nee left him," Hanabi whines.
Neji sighs, "Well then," He opens the door to reveal a long thin package on the small table in the middle of the room, "Shall we?"
Thatch touches the blue paper with it's yellow starbursts softly, taking his time to slide the ribbons off and to eek the tape so that none of it ripped. The box underneath is lacquered wood and he has to slip his fingernails into a groove to open it, but what's inside is the best thing Thatch has seen in years.
A set of swords that looked like a single sword until an application of chakra activates the seal on it.
"Sorry I couldn't give you this in person, Hiro-chan," Neji reads the note that Hinata left with the box. "Since I noticed that you like to practice while switching your sword between hands I thought that this would make it more fun. Uncle Neji's teammate, Tenten, made this for me, she promised to make new ones when these get too small too. Happy birthday, Hirohito! Love Hinata."
Thatch stares at the two blades in his hands for a long moment, breath caught in his throat, his mother had noticed. She had watched him practice and had decided to give him a way to easily give him a way to fight with two equal size and length blades. He had twin swords again.
"Mama made them special for me," He whispers in awe.
"Hiro-chan?" Hanabi asks.
"It's perfect," Thatch mutters, teary eyed. "Mama gives the best presents."
Neji sighs, "And it has a sheath."
It does, underneath the combined swords, which are just the size that Thach needs for the next few years. Unless he grows unnatural tall in the next few years, which doesn't make sense unless his papa's a giant.
"Ah," Hizashi sighs, "I see you got Hinata-sama's present. Please put it away for now, it's dinnertime."
Thatch lays the sword back in it's case, grabbing Hanabi's hand as they head to the dining room The halls are clear and only the softest of noises echo towards them as they go. Thatch clutches his free hand into the bottom of his shirt, to keep from covering one of his ears.
"Hinata-sama doesn't like how quiet it is either," Neji whispers from behind him. "She used to cover her ears and hum as she walked. She ran down the halls more than anything."
"Mama did?" Thatch can't believe that. His mother is an angel and would never have done something that Hisashi told her not to.
Hisashi interrupts, "Hinata liked to do as she wished. She still does for the most part. Happy birthday, grandson." He sets a gift on the table by Thatch's plate. "You may open that before we start."
Thatch grins, he's five today. Five years old and with most of his family.
He takes as much care opening this present as he did with his mother's, a large square of yellow fabric slipping onto his empty plate.
"Your mother said that you wanted a neck scarf and you requested a yellow kunai pouch. I hope that it is satisfactory." Hisashi says easily.
"It's the best!" Thatch shouts, folding it in half and trying it around his neck. "Thank you for the gift, grandfather."
Thatch plays with it as they eat, the fabric comforting but different enough from his foulard that he won't confuse the them, and it's more useful too.
Seals are stitched into the four corners and the scrap of paper that came with it explains that they're for filter air and water. Thatch wouldn't be surprised if there was more to it, not if Hisashi is the gift giver.
Hinata had told him numerous times that her father was a tricky man on a good day and that he considered keeping the family safe more important than anything, even the individual happiness of those family members.
Hanabi gives her's after dinner, a small book on beginner's seal that he had mentioned wanting to read and Neji gives a ticket for a new set of kunai from Tenten's shop. Thatch extracts a promise to be escorted to pick them up in a week or so, making sure to keep it vague so he can pick the exact day. He has plans for much of his time in the upcoming days.
"Did you like your gifts," Hanabi asks, escorting him back to his rooms after dinner. "Which was your favorite?"
"I liked them all, Auntie Nabi, and mama's was my favorite! I have real swords now! I can't wait to show Kaori!" Thatch exclaims.
"That's one of your friend's names, correct?" Neji asks.
Thatch nods, "One of them. She's an Inuzuka, like the teammate that mama told me she had."
"They're good friends to have," Hanabi agrees softly. "Hinata-nee's was a dork, but he's loyal. I know she wanted to tell both her teammates about you, but they've been on a long term mission since just before your birth."
"Really?"
Neji nods, "Both Kiba-kun and Shino-kun were sent to infiltrate an organization, your mother is meeting up with them for the first time in years for this mission. Aburame Shino-kun is your godfather."
"I didn't know that!"
"Hinata-sama didn't think it was important, she's been very upset since they were sent off without her. She doesn't speak much of those who she can't introduce you to," Neji explains.
Thatch nods slowly understanding settling in his chest. His mama didn't want to burden him with the knowledge that there were more people for him to meet, that would love him, but were unable to meet him.
Hinata, Thatch decides, copes strangely.
Sakura loves Sasuke, she does, but she can't stand him right now. She wants to punch him through the walls of their home and leave him to pull himself out the ruins, but she doesn't. She doesn't and instead packs a bag for Sarada and walks out the house to go back to the library to start her search again.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asks, meeting her outside the library, eyes dark with concern. "Are you alright?"
She smiles, less forced than it's been for days, "I'm fine, Naruto. I thought I would get a headstart on my search. I only got through the last two years of Sarutobi-sama's reign. How was your look through the seals?"
Naruto groans, "There's seven seals that I can trace back to Danzo and that's only with Sai's help, which I only got because I left a clone to help Ino with Inojin, anyway. I can't tell which seal would be connected to Marco-san without a sample of his chakra and that means I have to find a way to make Sensei send me to the capital, which would take a week and that's when Hirohito-chan's meeting is!"
"Well," Sakura sighs, setting Sarada down with her blanket and toys. "You could just tell Kakashi-sensei about what's happening."
"It would have to be out of the office. I tested the seals and Shikamaru played my test subject. Any mention of bringing Marco-san to Konoha in the office is changed into a request for a long term mission. The more you ask the longer the duration." Naruto explains tiredly. "Hirohito-chan said his mother has asked before, which means that she spent at least two months away from him, that's the shortest duration."
"That's insane," Sakura huffs, turning pages as her eyes dart over the pages. "Bring him here, he's been to the capital, he's probably met Marco-san before."
Naruto nods, "I know, but I hate having do this. I'm not made to deal with political intrigue."
"Then you picked the wrong job," Sakura shoots back, grin on her face.
It's nice, bantering with Naruto like they're both young again, before they had to fight wars and hold the fate of the world in their hands. Back when the worse thing that happened was Zabuza attacking their team and they were still learning how to do the things that come to them as easy as breathing these days. Sakura wonders if the other members of their graduating class remember those days with such innocence.
"Alright," Naruto groans, forcing himself up. "I'm off to harass Kakashi-sensei into coming on a walk with me to discuss the whole issue. Wish me luck?"
"Good luck!" She waits until he's left to let her shoulders slump and to glance to where Sarada's started gnawing on the stuffed kunai that Sasuke had shoved at her one night, uncertain of what to do with a child. "What do you think, should we forgive Daddy?"
Sarada stops gnawing and giggles, "No!"
"Ah, your favorite word," Sakura grins back. "We'll forgive him later, huh?"
Sakura's just started making a dent when Naruto returns with Kakashi-sensei on his heels. Kakashi-sensei looks dangerous, like he did during the war and when he learned that the council thought they could stop him from doing as he wanted.
"Have you found the law yet?" Kakashi-sensei asks taking a seat. "Or anything that might explain how the law was added to the books?"
"Mama says that it was hidden in a bigger law," All three of them jolt turning as one to where Hirohito is standing, the fingers of one hand playing with his neckerchief as he looks at his feet. "It was how she explained it, the man hide the law in a bigger law, a good one, I understand."
"You're Hyuuga Hirohito," Kakashi-sensei says watching Hirohito intensely, like he knows something. "I have a meeting scheduled with you for six days from now."
Hirohito nods, "I thought to search the law and show you. I don't know the exact words used, Hokage-sama."
Kakashi-sensei scrunches up his nose behind his mask, "Kakashi or Hatake even, just not Hokage-sama. I'm just a placeholder, you know."
"What book do you want me to start on, Haruno-san?" Hirohito asks, bouncing towards her and ignoring Kakashi-sensei, it's when she notices the sheath on his waist. It's just a touch too big for him, but not so much to be detrimental. A strange tool for a Hyuuga in general.
"That one beside me, if you please, Hirohito-chan." Sakura smiles as he scrambles into his chair. "When did you get a sword?"
He pauses, glancing down with a pleased smile, "Yesterday was my birthday, mama had a mission so she left my present with my Auntie and Uncle, I opened it when I got down with helping you look, Haruno-san." He leans close. "When you add chakra to the sword, it becomes two swords!"
Sakura laughs, her head falling onto her book as Naruto and Kakashi-sensei both snort, it's said with such glaringly bright innocence that it seems strange to hear. Sakura hopes that she hears the same tone from Sarada one day, the bright excited whisper that she's only heard in children before.
"Can you use them?" Kakashi-sensei asks curiously.
Hirohito wiggles his hand from side to side, "Kinda. I'm still learning, you know. Mama says that I'm doing good." He opens his book. "I have work to do, Hokage-sama."
"Kakashi."
"Hokage-sama."
Sakura exchanges looks with Naruto and ducks her head before they both start laughing again. Sarada makes stings of noises on her blanket, not words exactly but sounds strung together at random, a calm babble behind them as Kakashi-sensei and Hirohito argue.
It's the most relaxed Sakura's felt in weeks. It says something that she doesn't even want Sasuke to be there with them.
Thatch is sent home at six thirty by the Hokage, who tells him that it will be taken care of. Haruno-san looks at the Hokage with dangerous eyes and Thatch thinks that's the only reason that he isn't forbidden from returning the next day to help the search.
Which he does, he stumbles into the library as soon as the academy lets out to find Haruno-san bouncing excitedly.
"Haruno-san?"
She grins, "I found it! I found the law!" She throws her arms up in victory. "It was buried in another law. Come on!"
Thatch follows as Haruno-san bundles up Sarada and her things, taking off with the book, even though the harried librarian shouts after them that they haven't checked out yet. She throws open the door to the Hokage's office ignoring the secretary, Haruno-san is very good at ignoring people, slamming it hard enough to break it off of it's hinges.
"I found it." She repeats, not even slightly out of breath. "Take a look."
Tsunade looks confused, seated opposite the Hokage's comfy chair, "What?"
But the Hokage ignores her, standing to get a better look at the page that Haruno-san holds open for him, whispering quietly. Uzumaki-san is prodding at seals on a scroll and pouting as they refuse to do something, Thatch has noticed that he tends to let others find out what's happening and have them explain it to him after the fact.
"Hirohito-san," That Hokage says dragging Thatch's attention to him. "Your father will be here in a week, I'll meet him at the gates to personally invite him in, thank you for bringing this to my attention."
"I did it for my mama," Thatch mutters. "I've never met him."
Uzumaki-san straightens, "What?"
"I've never met papa. Mama's been so busy with the ends of the war efforts and it's hard to get permission to go to the capital." Thatch shrugs and feels small for a moment as all eyes linger on him. "Is that, please don't punish mama."
"Your mother hasn't done anything wrong," The Hokage sighs, collapsing into his seat. "It's not her fault." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sakura, get your idiot husband here, I want him to meet Marco-san halfway to ensure that any remnants of Danzo's reign don't interfere. Naruto, the law says that I have to invite him into the village."
Uzumaki-san whoops, "Intention based! I know where it it and how to remove it!" He spins his chair in a circle. "I'll jump on that, sensei!"
"Good," The Hokage smiles, "Hirohito-san, would you like to be at the gates when your father arrives?"
"Can I?" Thatch asks hopefully. "I would like that."
The Hokage nods, "I'll have a member of ANBU pick you up when your father is close by."
"Thank you!" He bounces. "Thank you very much!"
"Mah, mah. You're free now, Hirohito-san, I will see you in a week," The Hokage dismisses him calmly.
Thatch bows and scurries away, uncertain what to do with himself now that he's completed what he thought was impossible. He stops at the park, dropping onto a bench to dig through his bag for the book that Hinata had been reading him pieces of for months before he demanded to read it himself.
It's a surprisingly accurate account of the world that Thatch remembers, the names changed and the features slightly different, but accurate enough that it hurts to read about his own death. He pauses at the new chapter, the title proclaiming Gol D Roger's fake name and a son. Gol's son. Something in his chest aches, but he continues on against his better judgement.
He barely makes it through the first few sentences, slamming it shut as it describes Ace locked in the depth of Impel Down, shackled with seastone and awaiting his execution.
Thatch forces himself to keep going, tearing up when Ace's character is announced to be Roger's son, and didn't that explain so much about his friend. The battle of Marineford is detailed, jumping from character to character until it's back on Ace's and the one representing his little brother, Luffy.
"Hiro-chan?" Hanabi asks, taking a seat next to him, "What happened?"
"They killed him!" Thatch shouts, sobbing into his hands book forgotten in his lap. "They killed Joker!"
Hanabi rubs his back, "Hinata-nee cried when she reached that part too, she use to get so mad about the whole story and throw it away, dad caught her digging the book out the garbage once because she refused to stop without knowing how it ended."
"How does it end?" Thatch sniffles, scrubbing his eyes. "Joker died in his brother's arms."
"I don't know," Hanabi answers. "Hinata-nee said that I had to read it to know what happened and I couldn't bring myself to. Joker reminds me too much of Hinata-nee sometimes."
Thatch nods, taking a deep breath, "Will you sit with me as I finish the chapter?"
"Of course," Hanabi promises.
Thatch rereads Ace's final words and feels his heart start breaking again. And then Pops dies. Pops steps in between the marines and the pirates that had come to get Ace back and demands that they leave while he buys them time. The chapter ends with their funeral, their graves side by side and flowers everywhere. He closes the book.
"Finished already?" Hanabi asks.
"Shirogami died too," Thatch says softly. "For his family."
Hanabi sighs, dragging him into her lap with a sigh, "You're too much like Hinata-nee, she cried about the whole chapter. And then she spent a week crying about how the Phoenix was all alone without his father and lover. Not to mention the one with the funny hair was dead too."
It takes Thatch a long moment to realize that she means him, that she means the man that represents Thatch in the book.
"You really don't know how it ends?" Thatch wheedles.
Hanabi gives him a searching look, "Hinata-nee almost set it on fire because someone hurt the Phoenix, badly enough that Hinata-nee thought he was going to die even with his special powers."
Thatch makes a noise low in his throat, because Marco can't die, he can't. The idea of something that bad happening is almost impossible for him to imagine.
"Where's your friends?" Hanabi asks instead and Thatch takes the out.
"They had to go home, so I thought I could read until it was time to go home," Thatch answers softly. "I want to go home."
Hanabi groans, holding him as she stands, "Kami-sama, you're getting too heavy for me to carry," They both know that's a joke. "Come on, I bet Neji will be waiting for us like a lost puppy."
Thatch clutches the hand of the Anbu that collected him from class, slightly back from the crowd that is waiting at the gates for Marco and Haruno-san's husband. He tries to keep his foot from tapping, only for his free hand to start tapping against his thigh. The air catches in his lungs as Marco steps forward out the forest.
The shirt is of nicer make, but still as open as Thatch remembers, the tattoo still in perfect shape, his pants and the stupid belt he had loved are still there. It's strange to see the clothes so unchanged, when Marco is. There's a scar on his face and his hair is longer a ponytail draped over his shoulder, he looks like he's seen a war and Thatch bets there's one written in the book that he can't bring himself to finish.
"Hokage-sama, may I say that this was a surprise," Marco says softly, arms crossing over his chest. "I haven't been to see the village in almost twenty years."
The Hokage smiles under his mask, eye closing almost like a second, smaller smile on his face, "I have been informed. We have removed the seal blocking you from coming to the village without my permission and are currently working to remove the one in my office that makes it so that I can't be asked for you to visit." He pauses. "Your son was rather insistent."
"Hirohito-chan?" Marco asks, arms dropping to his sides. "He's five now, what could he have done?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself?" The Hokage says waving his hand to have the Anbu bring Thatch closer.
Marco turns and his face goes blank as he catches sight of Thatch, half hidden behind his escort, Thatch wonders if that's a good thing. His chest aches and his nerves stutter every time he dares to dart his gaze up to meet Marco's.
"You're so big," Marco says finally, taking a step closer. "Where's Hinata?"
Uzumaki-san makes a noise, but it's covered up by the startled sounds that most of the people at the gate are making. Thatch feels a moment of giddy pleasure at pulling a prank on another, before his nerves return.
"Mama had a mission," Thatch answers. "She had to go and I thought maybe, if you were here when she came home, mama would be happy."
Marco laughs, "I sure Hinata would have been happy if you were the only one to meet her," He steps closer and kneels to put himself on level with Thatch. "My name's Marco, I'm your dad."
"I know. Mama told me all about you, she says that you love us," Thatch whispers.
"Of course I love you both. Would be a bit silly of if I didn't love you and Hinata, wouldn't it?" Marco agrees, reaching a hand out slowly. "You look more like her then you look like me."
Thatch throws himself at Marco, tiny arms wrapping around his chest, "I dyed it." His voice is muffled and his hands can't touch, but Marco's arms come around him as Marco tilts dangerously back. "My hair."
"I don't suppose you'll tell me what color your hair is?" Marco questions, shifting Thatch until he's in Marco's arms and Marco can stand up. "I'll assume it's white or pink if you don't."
"I'm blond!" Thatch giggles, smiling up at his father, because Marco is his father. "Like you!"
"Like me, huh? Hopefully you got Hinata's hair then, I have spent far too many years being called a pineapple."
Thatch hides his face in Marco's shoulder, trying desperately not to laugh, because it's been centuries and his hair still looks like a pineapple. He lifts his head, mirth finally under control, as Marco faces the others.
"Thank you for letting me visit my wife and son, Hokage-sama."
The Hokage nods slowly, eye narrowed, "I didn't know you were married to Hyuuga Hinata. I hadn't even heard the Hyuuga heiress was married."
"We kept it quiet, since there was so much going on between Danzo's traitorous leanings and the war. Afterwards, Hinata decided to wait until her team returned to mention it, but the date kept being pushed further and further back, I assume she just stopped trying to." Marco says easily. "What do you think, Hirohito-chan?"
"Mama likes to tease the elders," Thatch agrees like it makes sense.
Marco seems to understand since he grins, "Hinata does like to harass the elders since they won't let her get rid of that seal." He turns his gaze to the Hokage. "I believe I have family to catch up with."
"Of course," The Hokage agrees. "Hyuuga Hinata will be home in about two weeks, shall I inform her of your arrival when she returns?"
"Please don't, I think Hirohito-chan would like to surprise her, if you don't mind. Right Hirohito-chan?"
Thatch nods, still entranced by the idea of his father being home, "Yeah!"
"You heard Hirohito-chan," Marco laughs. "If you'll excuse me?"
The Hokage waves them off and Marco leaves the front gates, ignoring the whispers that start up as they go.
"Where do you want to go, Hirohito-chan?" Marco asks adjusting his grip. "Lunch time?"
Thatch nods, "Lunchtime! And then I can show you my swords!"
"Your swords?"
"Mama got me one for my birthday, when you add chakra it turns into two swords! Jiji got me this," He tugs on his neckerchief. "Auntie Nabi got me a book on seals and Uncle Neji got me a ticket to get new kunai. We're gonna pick them up tomorrow!"
Marco hums, "I missed your birthday." He sets Thatch on the stool at the dango stand he had found. "Which pocket did I put it in?"
He does the same confused pat down as he use to when they lived on the Moby and he had misplaced his glasses. It makes something in Thatch settle, the knowledge that even after years there's still things that Marco still does.
Marco finally finds what he's looking for, two small packages dropping onto the counter, "Those are for you. I wasn't sure if I would see you during the summons, so I thought that worst come to worst, I could leave them at the Hyuuga compound."
"Can I open them?" Thatch asks.
"Go ahead."
Thatch tries to eek them open like he did for the rest of his gifts, but the paper is too weak and tears too easily, so he rips it open, spilling both gifts onto the counter. The first is a set of enforced gloves, the seams double stitched and the backs metal plated, the second is a toy ship, a model of the Moby Dick in all of it's glory.
"Hinata said you liked the book, well the parts that she had read you of the book, so I thought it was alright?" Marco asks nervously.
"I love it," Thatch whispers, tracing his fingers over the whale and up the mast. "Thank you, papa."
Marco nods, "You're welcome."
Lunch is quiet. Thatch isn't sure what he suppose to say and he's pretty sure that Marco doesn't know either, but he does start talking about the other members of the Daimyo's council and the Daimyo by the time lunch is over.
"His son is a bit of a brat," Marco whispers leaning in close like they're sharing a secret. "He thinks that since I was a pirate that I'm not trustworthy, but the Daimyo says that I have spent centuries working as the family's adviser, I can't be fired now. I think we're coming to an agreement, but you never know."
"What's his name?" Thatch asks.
Marco cleans off the last bit of dango he has left, "Hakuryuu-sama. Now, since we're done, you said you wanted to show me your swords?"
"Yeah," Thatch hurries from the shop to the small park across the street, pulling the blade out with both hands and adding a touch of chakra so that they split in two. "Isn't it cool? Mama designed it for me!"
"Very cool," Marco agrees.
Thatch spends the next hour describing his days at the academy and whispering about all the things that Hinata has taught him because she thinks they're easy or cool and how bored he is because of it. He shows off what he's learned from his swords master and the few things he hasn't learned just taught a new body to do. Marco listens to all of it with the same sort of fond expression that he remembers Marco wearing when Haruta use to talk about her pranks. Thatch doesn't remember the look being turned on him, but it's possible, after all, Haruta never saw the look directed at her.
"I don't like the book," Thatch says finally. "Joker dies and Shirogami and it's sad."
Marco blinks at him, "Hinata broke my jaw when she got further in the book, something about stupid birds doing stupid things." He smiles just as besottedly as he did when he talked about Ace. "She was so angry that I thought she was going to set me on fire."
"Mama would never!" Thatch throws his hands up. "Mama is a nice person."
"Hinata is a brat," Marco corrects. "I love her, but she's a brat. She's rude and she hates following rules, but she's loyal and she loves her family more than life."
Thatch frowns, "But mama always follows the rules."
"Oh." Marco bites his lip, laughter shaking his shoulders. "Hirohito-chan, what if Hinata pretends to make sure you follow the rules?"
"Mama would never," Thatch disagrees.
Marco looks ready to laugh so hard he'll cry, "How about we ask your grandfather or great-uncle Hizashi? Or Uncle Neji and Auntie Hanabi? I bet they'll say the same thing. Hinata is manipulative, Hirohito-chan, she's very good at what she does."
"Mama is an angel." Thatch declares.
"Alright, let's go find a Hyuuga," Marco mutters scooping Thatch off the ground and heading towards the compound. "And we'll see who's right."
"It'll be me," Thatch states.
Neji has spent years dealing with the confusion that Hinata brings, the strange habits that she seems to develop from the mists as she ages and the way she slips up occasionally and doesn't look like the cute heiress that she tries to be. He knows what his cousin is like and he loves her.
Hinata is cruel but only to those who deserve it. She is unforgiving and fueled by rage. But she loves their family and she will give anything to ensure that all of them are safe and alive. It's a fact that Neji knows. It's like the sky is blue, he is a Hyuuga, and Hinata will kill to keep the family safe. Not the whole clan, though she will, but their family comes first. His father, Uncle Hisaishi, Hanabi, Hirohito, and Neji come before the clan and the village.
Neji has never gotten the courage to formally ask Hinata why that is, though he has an idea, instead he learns what she is willing to teach him and what will best help him watch her back.
Hinata is the revolutionary, the one who stands tall and takes the brunt of the clan's anger and sharp spoken words. Neji is her guard, the one who keeps the knives from finding her flesh and who will kill those who think they can take her down. That is how it's always been, since the first time Hinata stood between Neji and a member of the Main Branch and ordered the man to never use the Caged Bird seal again.
Neji will follow Hinata to death, loyal to a fault, and that loyalty means that Neji will do the same thing for Hirohito, since the boy doesn't have a guard of his own. But it's boring when Neji is pulled off the missions roster so that Hinata can vanish for a month or two at a time to complete her missions and not have to worry about Hirohito's safety, which is why he's sneaking towards the academy to claim he was just in the area. Hinata had been insistent that they could only pick Hirohito up or drop Hirohito off, not both.
"You're Hirohito's uncle," A tiny Inuzuka girl states breaking out of her mother's grasp. "Why was he pulled out of class by Anbu?"
Neji freezes, "Hirohito was pulled out of class?"
"Yeah, the Anbu said that Hokage-sama wanted Hirohito for something and he never came back. Is Hirohito in trouble?" She demands.
"I don't know, excuse me," He moves away only for her hand to grab one of his.
"He's my friend, he better come back Hirohito's Uncle or I'll be mad." She threatens.
Neji smiles, "Hirohito will be in class tomorrow to answer all of your questions, I promise."
She studies him for a long moment before nodding, "Have a good day, Hirohito's uncle!" She hurries back to her mother, turning back to wave once before they vanish around a corner.
Neji takes a deep breath, activating his Byakugan and searching intently for Hirohito's chakra signature. It's easy to find, being carried by another in the direction of the Hyuuga compound, at the same rate of speed as a civilian walking. He hurries towards it, skidding to a stop and blinking off his Byakugan as he stares at Hirohito and Hinata's husband.
"Uncle Neji!" Hirohito shouts. "Papa this is my Uncle Neji."
"I know Neji," Marco agrees with a smile. "Hello again, Neji, how are you?"
"Marco?"
"I told the Hokage about the law and he fixed everything so that papa could come visit now! Isn't that the best, Uncle Neji?" Hirohito enthuses, bouncing in Marco's arms. "Mama's gonna be surprised, right?"
Neji nods, feeling numb, as Marco takes him by the arm and leads him towards a bench and coaxing him into taking a seat.
"Are you alright, Neji?" Marco asks calmly, distracting Hirohito with a ship that he pulls out of nowhere. "Should we escort you to the hospital?"
"I think I'm in shock, there's nothing to worry about, Marco. How long are you in town?" Neji asks.
Marco shrugs, "Awhile, at least a few months. The Daimyo was so excited for me to be invited back to Konoha that he insisted that he didn't need me for at least three months. And Hakuryuu-sama told me to spend time with my family, I would at least like to see Hinata before I leave."
"I don't want you to leave," Neij promises, "I wanted to know if you would still be here when Hinata-sama returned home."
"I will be." Marco bounces Hirohito, getting his attention from the ship. "We were actually looking for a Hyuuga. Hirohito-chan seems to think that Hinata's an angel and not a manipulative brat. What do you think?"
Hirohito nods, "Yeah, Uncle Neji, what do you think?"
"Hinata-sama is more manipulative than an angel," Neji admits. Hirohito slumps in disappointment, "Hinata-sama isn't a bad person, but she doesn't care about a lot of things unless they affect the family first. Or if it will stop someone that she cares about from reaching their dreams. It doesn't mean that Hinata-sama is bad."
"Mama's an angel, papa. You and Uncle Neji are wrong." Hirohito pouts.
Marco laughs, leaning to press a kiss to Hirohito's forehead, "You're a little brat too," It's said with warm affection. "Come on, we'll take Uncle Neji and see if Auntie Hanabi says the same thing about Hinata, okay?"
"Yeah!" Hirohito squirms out of Marco's grasp and hurries down the street. "Hurry!"
"You know Hanabi-sama will say that Hinata-sama's an angel, right?" Neji whispers as they make their way towards to the clan compound. "She thinks her sister is the best thing to ever exist."
Marco nods, "I know. I'll let Hinata ruin his expectations, I like her the way she is better than the image she lets others see."
"Do you know where she learned all her fire jutsu?" Neji asks finally. "I don't think there's been a Hyuuga with any talent for fire in years, most of us are earth or water natured."
"I might," Marco agrees, but doesn't elaborate.
Neji knew that Hinata would only marry someone who was just as annoying as she was. He rolls his eyes and follows them home, at least Hirohito had Hinata's talent for gift giving.
Thatch has discovered many things about Marco in the last two weeks. None of these things are how Marco reacts to finding out that his son is infact one of his former best friends reborn, because as much as Thatch convinces himself that Marco won't be upset knowing that Thatch and Hirohito are the same person, he's scared. Thatch is scared and it's not a pleasant feeling.
It's constant and biting, sometimes more so than others. Sometimes, Thatch forgets that he's anyone other than Hirohito, so wrapped up in the idea of having a family and them wanting him. Because he doesn't want to lose that, he doesn't want to lose his loving family because he's not exactly Hirohito.
Which is why he still hasn't said anything about the whole cycle of reincarnation that he's been thrown through as he and Marco hide in a corner of the Hokage's office, Hinata and her teammates standing before the desk to give their report.
"Bounties!" Hinata shouts suddenly, twisting this way and that as she pats herself down, coming up with a scroll. "We got three bounties, we were recognized by some people that we assisted when we were Chunin and spent most of the last week dodging splinter groups from the one that we took down."
Kiba, at least that's who Marco says the man is, nods, "Akamaru and I had to get teeth regrown. It was the worst."
"I lost a number of my colony," Shino agrees calmly, though he seems to be buzzing. "However we completed the mission as ordered and to standard."
The Hokage skims the paper report, ignoring the scroll containing the bounties, "I see. You all have a month of vacation time and will be placed on the short term roster when you are returned to active duty, nothing longer than a month or two at most for some time," Kiba whoops. "And Hyuuga-san?"
Hinata hums, leaning heavily on Shino.
"You have a guest."
Thatch's hand tightens in Marco's shirt as Marco steps out the shadows they were hiding in, catching the attention of everyone in the room.
"Welcome home, Hinata," Marco states calmly.
Hinata blinks slowly, taking an unsteady step forwards and placing her hand flat on the arm that Marco reaches out to steady her with. "Are you real?"
"Hinata?" Kiba asks. "Is this Marco?" He huffs, Shino having elbowed him in the ribs. "And Hirohito? You didn't say they were gonna meet us in the office! I thought I had time to clean up first." He whines picking at the bloodstains on his shirt.
"I don't think Hinata knew they would be here," Shino whispers back. "She would have let you know if she had."
Kiba nods like that's the most important thing in the conversation, "You're right, Shiro, Hinata wouldn't let us meet her family looking like this. Hinata," He bounces forward and smiles brightly, his left canine chipped. "Introduce us."
"Kiba and Shiro," Thatch thought that his name was Shino, "Meet Hyuuga Hirohito, my son, and Marco, my husband. Marco and Hiro-chan, please meet my team, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino, whom we call Shiro."
Thatch smiles, "My best friend is an Inuzuka, her name's Kaori!"
Kiba grins back, "That's my cousin! She was a baby when I left, how did you meet? Are you in the academy together? Shiro, Kaori's all grown up!"
"Kiba, you knew that Kaori was going to get older while we were gone," Shino sighs, sounding both tired and put upon. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Hirohito-san and Marco-san, Hinata has told us much about you both."
Hinata snorts, burying her face into Marco's chest, "You're such an old man, Shiro-jiji."
"I'm only a few months older then you, Hinata, there's no need to call me old." Shino states calmly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both as well," Marco interrupts. "But perhaps we should meet again later? After you've all gotten some rest?"
Kiba yawns, moving to where he's slumping against Shino, "Sounds like it's for the best, say tomorrow at noon?"
"My house." Hinata agrees. "The out building that was being built when you both left for your mission, you remember?"
"We will be there," Shino agrees. "Good night."
Hinata waves, letting them jump out the window first, before allowing Marco to steer her with a single arm towards the exit. She slumps against him and Thatch wonders just how tired his mama is that she's not even able to keep herself upright. She looks like she's only staying upright because she knows it'll take longer if she doesn't.
"Hiro-chan," He jolts, glancing towards Hinata. "I really like my present."
"Really!"
"Of course, I got both Hiro-chan and Marco to welcome me home, that's really exciting, baby." Hinata promises. "So thank you, for bringing papa home so he could help with the surprise."
Thatch grins, "Welcome, mama."
Marco maneuvers them into the house, closing the door with his foot and nudging Hinata until she removes her sandals, before ushering them upstairs and into bed. Letting Thatch help him tuck Hinata into bed.
"Go to sleep," Thatch demands, kissing Hinata on the forehead like she did for him. "Night, mama."
"Night Hito-chan," Hinata replies sleepily, nuzzling into the pillow and her eyes bleary. "Night Marco."
"Good night, Hinata," Marco agrees, bending down to kiss her once. "I'll put Hirohito to bed, just go to sleep."
"Hm," Hinata agrees, closing her eyes.
Thatch grins watching his mama over Marco's shoulder until they turn the corner into Thatch's room. All his family is back and Thatch can't imagine how he's supposed to feel, but he assumes that the giddy feeling in his chest is normal.
"Go to sleep and I'll see you in the morning," Marco says kissing Thatch's forehead. "Good night."
"Papa," Thatch can feel his heart thundering in his chest. "If I wasn't just Hirohito would that be okay?"
Marco blinks at him, "Hirohito is my son, no matter who he might have been before, and I will love you no matter what. Understand?"
"Yes," Thatch yawns. "Night papa."
Thatch thinks that there's a message that he can't hear. That Marco would love him even if he had been Marshall D Teach, Marco wouldn't have liked it, but Marco still would love him. Thatch isn't sure how he feels about that, but his father loves him, and that's all that he cares about.
Psychological check up are required more frequently the higher in rank a shinobi reaches, Hinata knows that her's are monitored more closely than most, because of the Hyuuga Clan's rules and her fights with the elders to eliminate the Caged Bird seal. The elders will try anything to remove her from the line of succession, it only gets worse when she comes home with Hirohito and proclaims him as her heir.
She always passes. Not because Hinata's the most mentally stable person around, because sometimes she walks out of the office and even Neji doesn't understand how she can pull a return to active duty, but because Hinata knows what to say. Memorization doesn't work, Inochi knows how people memorize answers and pass their evals only to snap on missions, instead he changes the standards at random and sometimes only for one or two people. Hinata is smart not exactly at the things that a genius should be, but she's smart at people.
Which is how Hinata's still on active duty even with her issues and the secrets that she keeps close to her chest.
"You're overthinking," Marco mutters into her hair. "I thought we were sleeping in today."
"Do you ever feel like you're lying to everyone?" Hinata asks softly. "That everything is a lie because there's only a few people that know the truth about who you are and what makes you who you are?"
"Philosophical questions aren't allowed this early," Marco groans, but scoots back to look her in the eye. "You're Hyuuga Hinata and maybe you were someone else in another life, but you're Hyuuga Hinata now and that's what matters."
Hinata hums, "Except that the Hyuuga Hinata that should have been isn't the Hyuuga Hinata that I am."
"Hinata is who Hinata decides she is. You are who you are, just like you've always been."
"I don't think I can be as forgiving as you. Reincarnation is tricky, Marco, but I still hold more grudges then I don't. There's a number of people that I would be more then willing to murder before they have a chance to get old enough to cause any more issues." Hinata flushes at the look Marco gives her. "You know I've never been the most forgiving person."
"I know," Marco agrees. "I don't think that either of us could kill Hirohito, however. He's our son, Hinata, I can't."
Hinata snorts, "I doubt that any kind God would punish you by giving you a child that wouldn't love you."
"That's your way of saying that our son must be someone that we at least didn't know at best were close with in a previous life, isn't it?"
"Hm. I don't think he knows about me. Obviously he doesn't know about Shiro, they haven't even met yet, but I think Hiro-chan is so excited about having parents who love him that he's never thought about anyone else in the family being like him."
Marco yawns, "I doubt anyone would notice with the way you play, Hinata. You're tricky and sneaky." He prods her cheek, puffed up in her annoyance. "You tricked people into believing so many different things about you, even now there are people who don't know what's real and what's not."
"I'll take that as a complement." Hinata mutters before shoving herself upright. "Come on, we have to buy stuff for pancakes. Kiba and Shiro will be here in a few hours and I promised pancakes."
"I thought I was going to get sleep," Marco moans, turning to bury his face into his pillow. He lays there for a long moment before shoving himself upright. "You are the worst, let's get our work done then."
Hinata laughs, grabbing her clothes from the drawers and locking the door to the bathroom as Marco shouts at her not to use all the hot water. It's nice, having him back in the house. She swirls back out when she's done, slipping past his attempt to trip her as she goes.
"Mama?" Hirohito mutters as Hinata throws open the door to his room.
"Morning Hiro-chan!" Hinata exclaims. "Time to get up okay? We have to go to the market and pick up things for breakfast. Ten minutes, okay?"
"Ten minutes," Hirohito agrees, tumbling out of his bed and falling onto his face on the floor.
Hinata represses the urge to coo and hurries downstairs, raiding the cupboards and the fridge, already preparing the shopping list and figuring out exactly how much they would need to get. Marco pauses at the entrance to the kitchen, eyebrow rising.
"You, me, Hiro-chan, Kiba, Shiro," Hinata mutters. "Neji-niisan, Hanabi, dad, and Uncle." She wrinkles her nose, "I think that's all the possible guests we'll have, right?"
"Unless you have invited your sensei," Marco agrees.
"Kurenai-sensei never really understood us," Hinata states calmly, scribbling down the list on a scrap of paper.
Hirohito stumbles into Marco's leg, "Papa?"
"Morning, Hirohito," Marco answers picking him up. "Ready to head to the shops?"
"Hm."
Hinata giggles, "He's still asleep."
"I'll carry him," Marco offers. "He can dooze while get what we need."
Hinata nods, stepping close to brush a hand through Hirohito's hair and grinning when it turned blonde, "There we go. Come on!"
The market was crowded, people hurrying about from place to place as Hinata led the way, explaining things to Marco and bantering as she was prone to. No one notices them for the longest time, not until they walk past the Yamanaka flower shop as Ino steps out of it, calling out a goodbye to her dad inside.
"Hinata!"
Hinata glances up from the blueberries that she's elbow deep in, Marco moving down to figure out what oranges he wanted, "Ino-chan. Inojin with Sai-kun?"
"Yeah, he's taking his turn being the stay at home parent for the day." Ino agrees. "What are you doing today?"
"Making pancakes with Kiba and Shiro later, we need blueberries," Hinata answers, shifting through the berries to pick out the best. "And lots of them, who knows how many we'll eat."
"I've got oranges," Marco interrupts, bag hanging loose on his wrist, Hirohito still mostly asleep on his shoulder. "Who's this?"
Hinata grins, devilishly proud, "Ino meet Marco. Marco this is Yamanaka Ino, I told you about her before, didn't I?"
"Nice to meet another of Hinata's friends," Marco says pleasantly.
"Nice to meet you? Hinata?" Ino asks.
Hinata keeps smiling, "My husband and our son, Hirohito-chan." Hirohito waves a small hand in greeting. "He's still tired so Marco thought he should carry him while we were out."
"Husband!" Ino shrieks. "You.. I don't? Hinata?"
"Marco is my husband, he works in the capital. Hirohito-chan is our son." Hinata repeats, these kind of games are the best. "Since Marco was in town, Kiba and Shiro wanted to spend time with him, since they only met briefly before they went on a five year long assignment."
Ino stares at her and Hinata turns her attention back to the blueberries, she has three packages and she wants at least two more. That might give her enough to make pancakes for everyone. She makes note to pick up a bag of chocolate chips should the blueberries start to get sparse.
"You're married?" Ino asks finally.
"For just over five years. It was going to be six, but Marco had to go back to the capital to do something and it took forever for him to get back to actually marry," Hinata agrees. "But he's back for a few months, right?"
Marco nods, "I was thinking of staying around for another two months. Three total before going back, unless you want me to go now?"
"You can stay, Hirohito-chan would be very upset if you just left." Hinata waves him off.
Ino tugs on her ponytail, "You're married with a son and none of us knew?"
"We aren't exactly close, Ino-chan. Our sensei were but Kurenai-sensei never actually had us work together that often. Kiba and Shiro knew and so did my family, who else would I have told?" Hinata asks.
"Naruto!"
"Uzumaki-kun?" Hinata asks in confusion.
Marco snorts, "He has a crush, Hinata."
"What does that," Hinata blinks slowly. "On me? But I told him that I was in love with a fire-bird! I told him that he wasn't the only blonde haired blue eyed person in the world, for all he knew I could have been in love with Ino-chan!"
"Well firefly, it seems that you should have been more specific."
"A man that turns into a fire-bird isn't specific! Marco, you turn to a bird, I literally told Uzumaki-kun that I was in love with a man who could do that. How does that translate to him? He has no feathers! Kyuubi has no feathers!" Hinata shouts, throwing her hands up, skin dyed purple with berry juice. "I can't even, what? Where are Kiba and Shiro to hear this shit?"
"Mama?" Hirohito asks.
Hinata takes a breath, "Sorry Hiro-chan, Ino-chan. It was good to see you, Ino-chan, but I have more shopping to do, so pardon us." She picks up her packages and glances at Marco, "Do you need bird seed?"
"That joke has never been funny," Marco states straight faced. "I want sunflower seeds."
"My name's Ace," Hinata states setting a plate before Thatch. "It was Ace? Marco, how did we agree that reincarnation terms worked?"
"Past tense," Marco answers watching the griddle.
Hinata nods, "Thank you. My name was Portgas D. Ace."
"I'm Edward Newgate," Shino adds stealing his coffee cup back from Kiba with a frown. "Kiba is just Kiba."
"I'm not just anything!" Kiba shouts. "You're so mean, Shiro!"
Thatch feels his stomach dropping out from underneath him, his eyes wide and his brain freezing as if there's something he doesn't understand. Because his mom is Ace and his godfather is Pops. It was so much easier when his father was Marco and Thatch thought he was alone.
"Marco says there's a couple more of us in the capital and I think I ran into Tashigi when I was in Mist last year, one of the newest Seven." Hinata continues.
Marco pauses, "I'll let Smoker know that Tashigi's in Mist. He'll probably try to buy out her contract, knowing him."
"Thatch," He chokes out. "My name was Thatch."
"Called it!" Hinata shouts throwing her arms up in the air. "Did I not? Pay up Shiro-jiji!"
"I'm not old, Hinata."
Kiba nods sagely, "He's really not."
"Just because you're sleeping with the reincarnation of my father," Marco states, pointing the spatula at Kiba. "Doesn't mean that I want to hear a single insinuation about it."
Thatch grabs his stomach as he starts laughing. He has a family and while it's not the same, not exactly, they love him. He thinks that he can live with the idea that his mother and father were once his best friends if they loved him.