Characters: Hiashi, Kurenai
Summary: They share a table as the snow falls.
Pairings: HiaKure, past HiaMiko, slight NaruHina
Author's Note: Okay, not really romantic, maybe not enough for you but it is enough for me.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
"Hinata has been progressing a great deal. I'm not sure of the last time I've seen her so determined as she is now, unless you could count after the first time she took the Chunin Exams."
Hiashi doesn't think he would have ever noticed her had he not been able to see the resemblances to Uchiha Mikoto in this woman. Kurenai has this gray late afternoon left her three year old daughter at home with a neighbor, trekking up the street through the snow to see the festivities, the white lanterns swinging on the electrical lines above her. Kurenai is calm just as Mikoto was, composed and always tranquil.
And strong, too, the rock in the river that does not break or erode.
"Yes, I had noticed as well. She beat her sister at sparring for the first time, just the other day."
They are sitting at the same iron-wrought table, the criss-crossing electrical lines laden down with lanterns sheltering them somewhat from the slight snowfall. Kurenai is careful to be sure that no snow falls in her heated jasmine tea as she drinks quietly from it.
Hiashi watches his older daughter for a moment, eyes drawn to the swish of Hinata's long blue-black hair (So like her mother's, a woman who was nothing like either Mikoto nor Kurenai, but still so easily loved). She stood in the snowy square, a wide, open place at the intersection of six streets, standing to the side shyly, trying not to be noticed, until she was noticed by someone who wouldn't leave her alone.
The Uzumaki boy, a brand of light as always (much as his mother had been a firebrand of light, so is he), took her by the hands and led her into the heart of the dancing, swinging her back and forth with no set pattern or any particular grace until Hinata smiled and laughed. Hiashi can hear his eldest child's silvery laughs even now.
Kurenai's crimson eyes linger a little on Hinata as well, fondly, and then turn back to Hiashi, slightly shadowed, but mostly cheerful—the oppressive memory of Asuma is starting to fade from her, finally starting to heal.
Hiashi nods in acknowledgement. "I… wanted to thank you, Kurenai-san, for the attention you have paid to my daughter's training these past few years, even after she became a chunin and was no longer really yours to teach." With some regret, he adds, voice lowering, "I know I was not of any assistance in her earlier years."
He is surprised when a small hand presses on top of his, and Kurenai's smile is surprisingly kindly, and gentle. "Better late than never, I suppose. And I know…" Kurenai pauses, and stares long on Hinata again "…I know that Hinata values your involvement in her further training, and your interest in her, more than she ever lets on."
Hiashi nods—he has seen the way Hinata's pearly eyes shine when she thinks he's not looking during training. And when he himself manages to tear his eyes from Hinata, he returns Kurenai with one of his own, smaller, more reserved. "I know, Kurenai-san. Believe me, I know."
The dancing continues on, for several more hours and long into the night, snowflakes gathering in the hair of all those who are present and glittering like little diamonds in the lantern light.
Eventually, a jonin who dislikes the cold but is still present today smiles a little, encouraging in its intent but wistful in its delivery, stands, taking the hand of the Hyuuga clan head and leading him out into the square. Anyone can see that he's not resisting.
Even Hinata, polite as she is, has to stare a little bit, at the sight of her former sensei and her father doing a slow, sedate waltz across the stony, snow-muffled square, under the white lanterns.
