The leader of the Hyuuga family sat on the stairs. A branch house member was whispering something into his ear. He didn't listen to it though. It was the same news as yesterday, the day before yesterday and the day before that day... always the same disturbing old news.
His daughter had come to that dangerous age were she was attracted to young men… and worse, young men were attracted to her.
She even got a boyfriend already. His innocent little daughter didn't know how boys at that age act. But he, her father knew, not only because of the spies he had set after that boyfriend, but also, because he himself had once been a young boy.
"Call Neji for me" he told the spy. If anybody could knock some sense into Hinata's head it was Neji.
And time passed.
He was always there since that day.
Probably Hiashi thought of him as something like a chaperon. What a bad chaperon he was… always giving in to her. She looked at him. It was a rank four glance she gave him. He had made a ranking of the faces she made. Rank four meant sad, though beautiful.
He returned her a blank expression. It was the only way he could look at her without giving his thoughts away.
They reached the door. Hinata had the key.
It opened, steps, it closed.
The walls were white. It was a stinging white, so different from her dim white, yet beautiful eyes. He leaned against a wall, bumping his head hard against it to get rid of his thoughts. "Hinata", he whispered. What an idiot he was.
He closed his eyes.
Hinata didn't know what to do. How could she tell a guy, that she liked someone else?
It was one thing to tell someone that you love him another thing was, to tell someone off. Right now, both seemed impossible. What a mess…
She unlocked the door and hushed inside. What would await her today? She had some kind of bad feeling about it. And then she heard it. What a mess.
She leaned her forehead against the wall. The coolness made her thoughts which were running in circles slow down.
"Hinata", he whispered. She turned around, giving him a rank seven astonished look. He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, shutting her mouth with a forceful kiss. She squealed and tried to escape. But he was stronger. He shut her mouth with his hand.
He really was a bad chaperon, longing for what he was meant to protect. His kisses traced a line down her throat.
She fought. But he knew her power would soon lessen. He could see him already stripping her, touching her everywhere, taking her the way he wanted.
His gaze went up to her face. It was a rank zero expression. Frightened and at the same time filled with disgust. He took his hand away. "Why", she asked in tears.
He let the image of her vanish. He couldn't stand her, looking at him this way.
Why did she even look at him in this way when he was daydreaming? He didn't know if he was more abominable or pitiful…
She belonged to Naruto. Hell, she even had the keys to his apartment. And he accompanied her there once a week, just to wait in front of the door till they were finished with… it. He was like a dog to her. Always doing all the stunts she wanted. He tried to fulfil all her desires, said or unsaid. And she took him for a walk, once a week, just to show him, where his place was.
He took a deep breath. No! His mind had gone through with him. Hinata was nothing like that. For her, it was completely different. For her, he was the lackey of her father. And disobeying him, letting her do whatever she wanted to, most likely she thought of it as indifference towards her and the main family.
It had all been a trap set up by Naruto. Most likely it wasn't set up from ill will towards her, but probably to make her forget about him. Oh well… she had seen it coming. But somehow, deep at a place in her heart she had thought she had abandoned some time ago, it still hurt.
There was only one thing she could do to ignore all those things. She could feel the coolness of his head protector touching her forehead. It made her shiver. The guy looked at her astonished. "Hinata?" he whispered. She laid a finger on his mouth, indicating he shouldn't say a word. He probably would protest, would tell her to stop or would speak out how pitiful she was searching comfort in him. She didn't feel pitiful at all and she wouldn't stop either. And with this little gesture she sealed his mouth shut. It did not need any more words.
Her fingertips touched him lightly. She traced down over his mouth. The way her fingertip brushed over his skin was so feeble, she was not sure, if he even could sense it.
He gazed at the wall behind her, not a trace of the feelings he had on his face.
She knew she kind of abused him, when her fingers lingered to unbutton his shirt. He still didn't show any reaction, just standing there like a soldier for the daily muster, completely frozen.
She slipped his shirt over his shoulders. He had a gorgeous body. She kissed his shoulder. It tasted a little salty on her lips. Her hands travelled to his back, so she could feel everything of him, she was not able to see.
His breath was steady, like his heartbeat. She looked into his misty eyes. There was no sign of sensation or anything else. "Don't you feel anything for me?" she asked. "Not in this way" the answer was stern.
She could feel a tear on her face. How did it get there?
She wiped it away with the back of her hand and opened her eyes. The image of him vanished in an instant. She knew, her dreams were painful but the reality was not any better. At least in her dreams she was able to do what she wanted to.
A woman's moan came out of the apartment Hinata had just entered. They were fast when it came to… it. Neji stared at the door. It was a little wonder in itself that it didn't explode just because of his sheer will.
He thought about using the Byakugan to look inside but tossed that thought nearly instantly aside. It was rude to spy at other people with the Byakugan not to mention, everything he anticipated to see would only hurt him. So he did nothing but stand there listening to the little sounds that came out.
Why was it Naruto? Why was she so madly in love with him? He clenched his fist and hit the wall with all the power he had.
Small red spots where his knuckles had hit the wall enhanced the whiteness he was looking at.
Hinata waited patiently until there didn't even come mute sounds out of Naruto's bedroom before she entered.
Sakura was in there. Hinata had thought so. She seemed humiliated though. Most likely she had known nothing. Naruto faked surprise. He was such a bad actor. Hinata came every week at the same time, he knew she'd come. She put the keys he gave her on the table.
"Hinata", he broke the silence. "I know", she replied. He looked at her perplexed. "Know what?"
"I know you set this up for me so I would realize", she answered obediently in a soft voice. "Most likely you thought it would be easier for me to get over our relationship like that. Thanks for that." When saying her last words she looked up, directly into his eyes. A short moment it looked as if Naruto would retreat, but he didn't.
"Err…" he tried to begin, "you know, I couldn't stand it anymore. Your watchdog waiting outside and staring at us the whole time with these cursed eyes of yours watching every movement of ours."
"Save your breath" Hinata snapped. Naruto gulped. It was the first time he heard her talking with such a sharp voice.
"You were in love with Sakura at the very beginning. Don't think I'm blind when I don't have my Byakugan activated. And besides, Neji is here because my dad told him to follow and protect me wherever I go and he would never ever spy on anybody."
She said it so energetic that Naruto could not reply instantly. She turned around to the door.
"So this was it?" he finally asked.
"Most likely" she looked down on the floor before she turned around again. "Don't worry Naruto… I knew it for quite a while now that it would come to this point and I had plenty of time to fix my mind."
"Is it really ok with you?" he asked.
"Yes" she answered sincerely "Long ago I got to the resolution that if I had to decide between a masher and a cold hearted guy who still would do anything for me, you wouldn't be the one for me to choose."
"So it is him… he is too cold for you Hinata." Naruto argued.
"He is not any colder than you have been Naruto. He just doesn't try to fake any feelings he doesn't have. And he doesn't hunt after every skirt he sees." It seemed as if she wanted to say more. "Naruto…" but then she changed her mind "… goodbye." And with these words she opened the door.
Neji stood outside staring grimly at the door when it suddenly opened and Hinata stood there. Finally they could leave. He avoided looking at her directly, afraid he could find traces on her of whatever she had done with Naruto. He took a short look inside the flat. Naruto stood there only dressed in boxers. Neji couldn't help but stare at him. He suddenly had the urge to beat Naruto up. Why did this guy have to show off the fact, that he just laid Hinata? It drove him mad.
Neji twitched when something suddenly touched his hand. There she stood, Hinata, holding his hand.
"Neji" she whispered "you're injured." She gave him a rank two concerned expression. He couldn't help himself but give her a little smile. "It's just a bit scraped. It's nothing." He tried to brush her away but she held on to his hand. "It might inflame" she told him in a calm voice "I'll disinfect it as soon as we are at home. Let's leave for now."
She led him outside, still holding his hand. He followed her without a word, knowing he would go as long as she didn't let go of his hand.
Naruto stood there stunned by the scene he had just witnessed. Could it be that Hinata's love was not one-sided this time? Those glances, the little traces of emotion showing on the stoic Hyuuga's face and the mere fact that he didn't protest when she took his hand and lead him outside… could it be?
Naruto considered if he should give that some more thought but came to the conclusion that it simply was too cold out here while just some meters away there was a cute girl keeping his bed warm.
When they arrived at the Hyuuga mansion Hiashi lowered his newspaper for just some centimetres, to be able to look at them. Neji did a good job as Hinata's chaperon, never leaving her side as soon as she left the Hyuuga mansion, just like a doggy. Some evil thoughts rose up inside him, urging him to pat Neji's head and telling him, that he'd been a good boy. Of course he would never do it though.
Some people said he didn't care about his older daughter. How stupid they were. Of course he cared about her. He always had his spies telling him, where she went and what she did. The news in the last months was, to say it clearly, disturbing. His dear daughter going out with some runt. Not to mention loosing her virginity to that abominable creature. And worst of all, this happened while that bastard chased after another woman. His grip on the newspaper hardened till he realized, he was not far from ripping it apart.
Fortunately things were going smoothly right now. They would break up soon, if they didn't already have.
He turned the page, just to see news, his servants had told him days ago. Satisfied about that fact he still read it through while thinking about Hinata. Her lover or husband-to-be had to be tight, strong, honest, intelligent though caring. And of course, the most important thing about a son in law was, he had to provide him with ten grandchildren… at least. Though Hinata might oppose at first, she would do, as he told her. He smiled evilly. She was an obedient girl after all… and someone had to maintain the family. Hanabi was out of question. He himself would behead anybody who even just had some thought of touching his younger daughter.
He looked at the paper in front of him. How long would Hinata be without a boyfriend? And how long would it take his spies to get the fact out that she had a new one?
He watched her over the top of the paper. Short glances, when the other one didn't look. Light touches, too soft for two people who liked to spar with each other…
Hiashi hid his smile behind the paper. It wouldn't take long, till one of his spies would tell him. All the Hyuuga had sharp eyes and his own pair was perfectly fine.
He finally laid the newspaper aside. Everything in there was just old news for him.
Probably he should open up his own newspaper publishing company when he retired from being a ninja and leading the family. He should give this idea a second thought.
But… would he have that much of time with ten grandchildren running around?