Well here we are again, another day another oneshot. Trying something different this time around. I have always loved Naruto and I had been thinking about a story idea one day. We'll try it out to see how it goes. If I get good feedback, I'll try and do more Naruto fics. Sorry if the characters seem OOC. :/
Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
To say that Naruto was nervous would have been a major understatement. Naruto was in fact terrified. Of who, one might wonder, well in this case it was that of Hinata's father, Hiashi. If one were to count, there are quite a few reasons why a person would fear Hiashi Hyuga; his position as head of the Hyuga clan, the fact that he was Hinata's father, his importance to Konoha.. The list went on and on.
That brings us back to Naruto who was nervously standing outside of the Hyuga compound waiting for the messenger to deliver his request to visit with Hiashi. He didn't have to wait long, however as the messenger came back out with Hiashi beside him. The elder man smiled kindly to Naruto and dismissed the man at his side.
"Hello Naruto, I was told you requested and audience with me for important matters."
Naruto nodded, "Yes sir, but might we be in a more private area?"
Hiashi quirked another smile, "Of course, come."
They moved into what Naruto assumed was Hiashi's private meeting room and seated themselves. Hiashi then gestured to him, "Now then, tell me what you wished to speak of."
Naruto sighed, "Well, as you know, Hinata and I have been together now going on four years and after all of this time I realized that I still have not apologized about not asking your permission to date your daughter. I had been very honestly afraid of what you might have said. So part of my request to speak with you had been to apologize and to thank you."
Hiashi remained silent a moment, "Why thank me as well?"
Naruto shifted his eyes, "Well you didn't forbid Hinata from seeing me or try to break us up, you let us stay together and for that I thank you."
The leader of the Hyuga clan broke a record by smiling yet again at the younger man, "At first I was uneasy with the idea but then I noticed the way Hinata looked at you and how she acted different in general. It made me think twice, she is the happiest I've ever seen her at your side, Naruto." He paused, "But what else have you come to speak to me about?"
Naruto swallowed, "I had heard from someone that Hinata had been demoted from being heiress to the clan. Is that true?"
Hiashi nodded, "It is indeed, Hinata herself suggested it to me. She said she didn't feel it was her place to be the clan heiress but that it was Hanabi's. I was curious as to why she thought this and she merely said she believed that her destiny was to be with someone outside of the Hyuga clan." Mentally he smirked as he realized, finally, who it had been that Hinata had spoke of.
The blonde couldn't stop his sigh of relief.
"You seem, dare I say, happy about this fact Uzumaki," Hiashi commented, his lavender eyes taking in the other.
Naruto spluttered momentarily, "Forgive me for being so, but I am sir, for it is good news for me."
Hiashi's questioning look made Naruto go on.
"Well, as you know, Hinata and I have been together for what is going on four years, and in all honesty I'm ready to make a full commitment to her. I know what I want in life, and it's her. If that means I can't be Hokage for some reason, then so be it but my life wouldn't be worth anything if I can't have her as my own. So, I ask you now, sir, would you consider allowing me to have your daughter's hand in marriage?" He took a breath and waited for the elder man to say something, anything at all.
At length Hiashi closed his eyes and chuckled to himself. "Well I must admit, Naruto, when you came here asking for an audience with me I didn't know what to expect but you certainly threw me for a loop." He opened his eyes and smiled brightly, "But as far as my answer goes, she should know the answer is yes. I wholeheartedly am for you proposing to Hinata."
Naruto blinked, "R-Really?"
Hiashi laughed this time, "Did you expect for me to turn you down coldheartedly and throw you out, boy?"
Naruto rapidly shook his head, "No! No, no, no! I just, well I thought you might question my motives or something like that."
The older male quirked a brow, a playful smirk on his face.
"N-not that you would I just, you know I have to make sure I am prepared for anything when going into a potentially dangerous situation.."
Another laugh. "Well, I can respect that, my own family tells me that I have an intimidating presence..." Hiashi looked up then, "But what of a ring? I will not let you present her just any old ring Uzumaki."
"Well if I may, before I show you, may I ask you of your late wife's ring? I know from Hinata that it was stolen and that her mother refused to let you get her a new one. Is that true?"
Hiashi's face grew pained, "Yes, this is true. Sachiko refused to let me get her a new one after the original was stolen from us. To this day it remains lost, probably forever. It has plagued me since the day it was lost. I could not find it for my dear wife and I feel like I failed her. I would've have given it to you for your use but as you see it has been lost."
Naruto bowed his head and reached into his pocket to withdraw a small and old looking box. "Begging your pardon, sir, but I believe I have the ring right here," he said quietly.
Hiashi's eyes widened, "You... what?!"
The blonde smiled slightly and opened the small box to reveal a ring that was relatively simple but elegant all the same. If the description Hinata had given him of her mother's ring was accurate, then he was confident that he had found the correct ring. When he looked up at the leader of the Hyuga clan, he knew he had found the right ring.
His lavender eyes were disbelieving, "But... how I searched for years for that ring but I never once..."
Naruto too looked at the ring, "Sometimes the things we treasure most end up being a lot closer than we think them to be. This ring had been in the back of the jewelry shop in town waiting to be claimed by whoever owned it. The shop owner knew it had been given to one of the Hyuga but since he didn't know which one, he merely kept it there, hoping someone would come and ask him about it."
Hiashi stood then, eyes shut tight.
Naruto too stood, wondering if he had done something wrong. "Sir...?"
The man opened his eyes again and it was then Naruto saw that they were filled with unshed tears. "Thank you, so much Naruto Uzumaki, you have no idea the level of peace this has brought me," he said after a moment.
Naruto was in a word startled, he had never in a million years expected to see the great Hiashi Hyuga become so emotional. He felt honored that this man trusted him to the point where he would show such emotion, "You're very welcome, sir."
The elder man took a moment to compose himself before he stepped forward with more confidence and placed his hand on the younger's shoulder with a small but proud smile, "I believe that you have both mine and my wife's blessing for your engagement to my daughter, I respect you fully and I know that you complete Hinata in a way no other man can. Just tell me when to begin wedding preparations after you propose."
Naruto couldn't have been more pleased, "Thank you so much, sir. You will not regret this decision, I swear it."
"Please," Hiashi said, "if you're going to be my son-in-law you might as well get used to calling me father." There was a playful smile upon the man's lips.
The surprise showed clear on Naruto's face but he bowed deeply and nodded, "Yes... father."
The two men said their goodbyes then and Naruto exited his soon to be father's room with his head held high. He was confident in himself now, he had Hinata's father on his side and apparently her mother as well. As he was walking out, he was surprised when someone called his name. Stopping, he turned and busted into a huge smile, "Hinata!"
Hinata smiled back and ran up to him, embracing him tightly. "So, how did your meeting with daddy go," she asked almost instantly.
Naruto laughed and swung Hinata around a few times, loving the way her hair flowed in the wind and the way her eyes sparkled in happiness. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen your father smile so much in one visit," he said after a moment.
Hinata was surprised by that, "He was smiling a lot? Well whatever you two were talking about must have made him truly happy. I have noticed he has been smiling more often though, it is kind of freaking Hanabi and I out."
Naruto shook his head and sighed happily, "Whatever, there is probably a good reason for the change. Let's have dinner tonight."
Hinata looked at him curiously, "Why?"
"Almost four year anniversary, that's why."
Naruto gathered his lady into another hug and made sure that she couldn't see his front.
Hinata rolled her eyes and hugged her boyfriend back; looking up she noticed her father standing just outside his room with a genuine smile on his face, eyes twinkling. Her suspicion only increased but she shrugged it off, as long as she was with her Naruto, she would go though whatever the two men had in mind.
Naruto on the other hand was looking at the ring he had pulled out of his pocket. With one final look he quickly pocketed it and let Hinata down. He cupped her cheek gently and smiled down at her, "I'll come back in an hour so we can go to dinner." He bent down and kissed her and then disappeared.
Hinata, in a daze, made her way to her room to get dressed.
Hanabi, who had been looking on for the whole scene sighed and went into her room, content with hiding away from the world the rest of the day. "Boys are stupid," she muttered.
Neh, it wasn't as good as I had hoped but whatevs. Hope you liked it better than I did. I'll write more if enough people request it. Meanwhile, it is back to my other stories! Thanks for reading.
R&R if you want!