-Don't own Naruto.


I got this idea a while back about Hinata and Hiashi. I believe their relationship has gotten better, I wanted to portray that even if Hiashi is strict and has a hard face, that he loves his daughters. it's Hinata's 17th birthday and her father tells her a story about a coloring book.
Again, I'm still new at this, so there probably are errors.

I wanted this to be cute and I wanted to show the bond between father and daughter.

Winter was the best time of the year. It was a time where all the latest winter clothing was in, the dangerous yet elegant sports were being played. Winter was the best to imagine fantasies and it was also the best time for family. Not to mention the food the aroma of baking in the winter was the best.

It was an amazing sight out the kitchen window. Konoha had received snow the day before and the sun was rising. The light from the sun reflected on the snow and had made it look like a thousand diamonds were sparkling. The birds were chirping on the snow covered branches of the near by trees. It was a glorious morning.

It was her seventeenth birthday. The day had started out like any other day with a nice warm breakfast with hot chocolate with extra whip cream and cinnamon sprinkles on top.

Neji was the first to greet her with a "Happy Birthday Hinata-sama" followed by her father, Hiashi. Hinata put on a warm smile and briefly thought about her relationship with her cousin and father. She was glad it was for the better there weren't any bitter arguments between them anymore. You could say that she was content with her life.

It was then that her father sat down next to her on the stool next to the counter that she snapped out of her thoughts. Hiashi then turned around to face his daughter.

"Ah, I can't believe my daughter is growing up so fast" the Hyuuga clan leader said with a sad but yet comforting expression.

Hinata then smiled at her father and looked down at her chocolate and traced the rim of her cup with both thumbs.

Silence then took place between father and daughter. After several peaceful minutes Hiashi broke the silence.

"You know…" Hiashi interrupted

"When you were younger I'd say about five or six you barged into my office during a clan meeting and accused me of throwing away your favorite coloring book…" Hiashi then expressed a half smile, and after a brief pause he continued.

This had caught Hinata's attention, so she slowly turned her head to greet her fathers gaze, this was when she noticed her fathers face relax. His face didn't have that hard look that he normally had. She noticed that her father face had looked peaceful. It was sad though when she didn't remember the last time when she saw her fathers face like that.

It was then that she heard Neji's muffled giggle.

Hinata was then immediately worried about this childhood story.

Her father then continued

"After I had told you that it wasn't the right time to deal with your lost coloring book, you stomped out of the meeting declaring that you will find the book no matter what it takes…"

"I inwardly smiled at your actions that day" Hiashi had said with his calm expression
Then Hinata had noticed his expression had changed – then he continued

"The elders were furious with the interruption, saying that a heiress shouldn't act that way, and that I am not raising you to have respect. They had also said, what was it –thinking back – that you lacked grace, and presence."

"…" Hinata suddenly felt twelve again.

Hiashi then noticed this but before he could say anything, Hinata spoke up.

"That… doesn't sound like me…are you sure it was me, dad?" the now 17 year old stated.

"I'm sure" His expression was content again.

"Anyway it was after that clan meeting, that I went to search for you, it took me a while" Hiashi then stifled out a giggle.

"Dad, please just tell me" Hinata said in a whisper while eyeballing the melting cream in her coffee mug.

"I had asked several members of the family if they had seen you, and you had 'ordered' them strictly to not interrupt your search"

"Quite some time later, I found you digging through trash cans, your hair was a mess and your hands were filthy, but the look on your face was priceless, I don't know what kind of expression it was" Hiashi then gave a heartfelt laugh, one that was rarely seen from the clan leader.

Hinata then just looked at her father like she didn't know who he was; she just gave him a couple blinks. He then continued.

"It was like, anger, confusion, sadness, and shock from being caught!"
"It was indeed a priceless moment, I believe we have a picture somewhere"

"What?!" Hinata exclaimed quietly

"No need to worry, I don't know where that picture is myself but it's probably stored safely"

"Did you take the picture?" Hinata asked her father

"Sadly no, it was one of the branch members that did; she thought you looked ridiculous going through trash can to trash can"

Neji then sighed and said "I remember that day"

Hinata looked at her cousin and gave him a glare but just ignored him. She then tried to remember that day going through the files in her head, but to no avail didn't remember.

Her father then patted her on the head and greeted her Happy Birthday before he was going to attend a clan meeting.

He then spoke, "Hinata"

"Yes"

"You are grace, and I am proud of you."

Hinata blinked and let her fathers words sink in, once they were in Hinata had a full blown smile that could brighten up any darkness.

After he had got up, Hinata asked

"Dad?"

"Yes" Her father responded.

"Did I ever find that coloring book?"

"Unfortunately no, I'm sorry"

"oh.. thanks dad.. for telling me that story."

"Hn" as he turned the corner, smiling to himself.

Hiashi then made a brief stop at his office, opened one of his 'restricted' cabinets and pulled out an old coloring book. It had been the same one all those years ago that Hinata was looking for.

He flashed back and remembered why he took the precious coloring book from his daughter while sleeping; it was because he could always have something to hold on to. No matter how many years went by, Hinata will always be his little girl.

He then opened to the inside flap of the coloring book and slowly traced over Hinata's scrambled handwriting in green crayon; 'to dad, I love you a lot!'

While flipping through the books contents, Hiashi noticed a photograph had slipped out, he then picked it up and flipped it over, it was indeed Hinata with her mixed expressions while going through the trash bin.

He chuckled and slipped the picture back in and put away the coloring book. He knew that one day when she would marry that picture would mysteriously surface.

Hours later Hanabi approached her sister's room to stop by to greet her Happy Birthday and was horrified by the status of her room, it was like a tornado came and went.

Hanabi approached with caution, "Hinata, what… are you doing?!"

Hinata just said back through the closet, "I'm looking for something, it's very important that I find it!"

And for the rest of her 17th birthday she spent the entire day going through her belongings trying to find that special coloring book.

any way hope you liked it! R&R :)