Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Special Thanks: goes out to rao hyuga 18, ImCutePoison, xpurplegirlx, Faith-Huskers, Guest (1), Sacrowhunter, and Guest (2) for making the last chapter the most reviewed one yet! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their favorites and alerts lists - seriously, you all are beyond amazing!
Author's Note: Even though I really, really don't like Temari in canon, I actually really enjoy writing her, which is weird. Itachi/Temari is actually tied with another as my second-favorite Naruto 'ship, so this chapter was one of my faves to write. And of course I couldn't write this chapter without diving into the whole Hyuuga vs. Uchiha doujutsu conflict, so apologies for the slight melancholy tone at the beginning, but I promise it perks up. Thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope it's as enjoyable to read as it was to write!
*~Chapter X~*
~Countdown: Day 3: Itachi and Temari~
Though Hinata and Sasuke had been courting for almost two years, they tended to meet somewhere in the village instead of going to each others' estates. Tensions between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, Konoha's two most powerful doujutsu users, usually ran high, dating back to the village's founding. Though Sasuke and Itachi were working hard to change their clan's prejudices, as she did with the Hyuuga, hoping their relationship would help smooth things over, thus far neither of them had seen much headway gained.
When Hinata reached the arched entry into the Uchiha clan's massive estate, she hesitated, even though the gates stood open. On the other side of the walls, people went about their lives in a manner similar to the Hyuuga. Some moved with the brisk purposefulness of duties to which they needed to attend; others paused to talk to brothers or sisters or cousins; and, most notably different from her own clan, children ran through them all, calling out to familiar faces as they chased each other and laughed.
Hinata wondered if any children she and Sasuke might have in the future would fit in so well; especially if any of them inherited the distinctive pale Hyuuga eyes. Would the children of the Uchiha (not to mention their parents) accept her children born with the Sharingan, but exile those with the Byakugan? And, on that line of thinking, what about the reverse? She hated the thought of her and Sasuke's children not getting along with Neji and Tenten's, simply because of their clan's prejudices.
No one seemed to notice her standing there, just outside the gates. In fact, Hinata felt a little ridiculous, as if she waited for an invitation when none would be forthcoming. Although Sasuke had invited her to come see him at his house at any time, and she'd taken him up on a handful of times, this was different. With Sasuke away on a mission, she wasn't going to his house to see him. Instead she was going to his brother's house, which was close to the heart of the estate. Walking the streets to the manor where Sasuke lived, knowing he was there, was one thing: going that close to the heart of the Uchiha's most powerful family without Sasuke nearby made her feel - nervous. Like an intruder, almost.
Just as she gave serious consideration to turning and walking away, a child around seven or eight years old skidded to a stop in front of her, looking up at her with his big, black Uchiha eyes. "You're Sasuke's girlfriend, right?" he asked.
Looking into the little boy's eyes reminded Hinata of Sasuke when they were both just starting the ninja academy. Though most of Hinata's attention centered on Uzumaki Naruto, she had definitely noticed Sasuke. With his pale skin, dark hair, and brooding personality - the exact opposite of exuberant, sunny Naruto - he really was hard to miss.
Realizing the boy had asked her a question, Hinata shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled. "Yes," she replied softly.
Grinning, the boy revealed three missing teeth. "Thought I recognized you. Sasuke's out of the village. Do you want me to tell him you were here when he gets back?"
Resisting the urge to ruffle the boy's hair - whose spiky style reminded her of Sasuke's, and made her think it must be an Uchiha thing - Hinata smiled wider and shook her head. "Actually, I'm here today to visit Sasuke's brother. Do - do you mind showing me where he lives?" Perhaps she would feel better walking through the estate if she were escorted by one of the Uchiha - especially one who looked so much like Sasuke.
"Sure!" Reaching out, he took her hand and pulled her through the gate. Not seeming to notice her hesitance, or even her pale eyes, he easily wove through the crowd of his relatives, towing her along. "My name's Ren," he said.
"Mine is Hinata." She nimbly avoided a woman carrying a huge basket with an apologetic smile, relieved when the other woman laughed and nodded a greeting to both Hinata and Ren.
"My father's Shisui," Ren said, drawing her attention back to him. "Itachi is my dad's best friend." He waved to another boy about his age, who was busy stringing garland along the railing in front of one house with a girl a little older than him. "I haven't seen you around much."
He's a very forthright child. Hinata admired the Christmas decorations around her as she responded. "Sasuke and I usually meet each other elsewhere in the village, when we have time to meet. We're both very busy ninja, though, so we just have to find time when we can."
Ren nodded sagely. "Makes sense." As they approached the center of the estate, Hinata recognized glimpses of the main house. But instead of continuing on, Ren pulled her to a stop in front of a comfortable-looking single-story house decorated simply with lights around the roof, and an evergreen garland enhanced by scarlet-and-white bows at the top of each swag on the railing of the porch extending along the entire front of the house.
It looked very ... Uchiha.
"Here you go," Ren said, still oblivious to her anxiety. He glanced at the front door and said, "I saw Itachi go inside on my way past earlier, so I know he's home."
"Thank you, Ren." Drawing in a deep breath, Hinata let go of the boy's hand and started for the front door.
Waving over his shoulder, Ren started jogging off in the direction from which they'd come. "See you later, Hinata! Hope you come back and visit soon!" He vanished around the corner.
What a sweet young man. Feeling a little more at ease, Hinata stepped up onto the porch and knocked on the front door. It opened only a few seconds later, startling Hinata with how quickly her knock was answered.
"We've been expecting you. Come in."
Suddenly feeling nervous, Hinata stepped into the house, subtly watching Sasuke's sister-in-law out of the corner of her eye as she divested herself of her boots, coat, and scarf. Hanging the latter two items on the coat rack next to the door, she faced Uchiha Temari in her stocking feet and waited for some indication of what to do next.
Temari, sister of Suna's Kazekage, had met Uchiha Itachi on one of her frequent missions to Konoha. When they fell in love and Itachi proposed to her, Konoha's and Suna's leaders got together and created a liaison position for her, so she could evenly split her time between her home village and her husband's. Recently, though, she stayed in Konoha for increasing periods of time, due to the expanding waistline her loose, heavy wine-red sweater couldn't quite hide.
"When's the baby due?" Hinata blurted out, anxious for something to say. She'd never really been comfortable around Temari, who was brusque, strong-willed, and socially awkward on the best of days.
Obviously surprised, Temari's hand went to her baby bump even as her expression softened. "March," she said. "Itachi thinks it will be a girl. My mother-in-law seems convinced it will be a boy. Sasuke said he doesn't want to say one way or the other for fear of being wrong."
Yes, that sounded like Sasuke. "And you?" Hinata ventured.
A rare smile lifted the corners of Temari's mouth. "I just hope he or she is healthy and happy, and grows up to be a powerful and strong ninja like his or her parents." Tilting her head, she motioned for Hinata to follow her. "Itachi's in the sitting room, and so's your present. Follow me."
Hinata trailed after Temari, her gaze on the blonde's four distinctive ponytails. As they moved deeper into the house, the scents of cinnamon, peppermint, and pine - things she automatically associated with Christmas - combined with a slight whiff of jasmine, which she recognized as Temari's perfume.
"Hinata's here," Temari announced as the two women entered the sitting room.
Sasuke's older brother looked up from where he knelt in front of a table covered with scrolls and writing implements. Itachi flashed Hinata a friendly smile even as his hands quickly flashed over the table, rolling up scrolls and gathering them into a neat pile to one side. "We've been expecting you," he said, rising.
Hinata bowed to Itachi before moving closer to the table. "I'm here a little later than I meant to be," she said apologetically. "I hope I haven't been keeping you both waiting long."
"Not at all," Itachi said, even as Temari reassured her with a, "Don't worry about it."
"I'm just getting ahead on reports and such so I can enjoy Christmas," Itachi said, motioning for Hinata to have a seat at the table. He briefly brushed his wife's shoulder on his way past her toward the tree. Temari's turquoise eyes followed his every move with evident fondness. "My father seems to think reports won't wait, holidays or no. But I don't agree with him."
Temari picked up the pot of tea sitting in the center of the table, directly over the heater underneath, which had been keeping it as well as the room in general warm. Opening the chest sitting next to the table, she withdrew three fresh cups and poured them all tea, handing Hinata's cup to her as Itachi came back carefully carrying a goodly sized package. After setting it down at Hinata's elbow, he settled down next to his wife and accepted the cup of tea she held out toward him.
"My father usually winds up doing reports on Christmas as well," Hinata said after taking a sip of the warm, fragrant brew in her own cup. "But thankfully he waits until after we eat dinner."
Temari's engagement ring, a simple but elegant design of white and red diamonds, flashed as she gently nudged a stray scroll out of her way so she could set down her cup. "My brother's the same way - except he barely waits until we finish opening presents."
"Are Lord Gaara and Kankuro going to be able to come to Konoha for Christmas?" Hinata asked politely.
"No," Temari said with a sigh. "But Itachi and I are going to Suna for New Year's, so we'll celebrate then." She didn't look like she minded too terribly much.
"Enough about us, though," Itachi said with a grin. Nodding to Hinata's present, he added, "Sasuke seemed particularly excited when he dropped that off before he left. I'm curious to know what's in it to make him grin like that."
Setting her teacup down out of the way, Hinata pulled the package closer and went about unwrapping it. The paper came off easily, and she realized why - it hadn't been taped to a box, like with most of the others.
Like the keepsake box she'd received on day seven, this one glowed warmly in the light. She ran her hand across its sleek top, where the kanji for her name had been painstakingly carved. Lifting the lid, she brightened at the sound of a popular lullaby about stars as she watched a delicate figurine of a woman dressed in a kimono and holding two fans spin around and around as if dancing.
"A music box," she breathed. "It's so beautiful." Every detail on the dancer, from her painted face to the flowers on her kimono, seemed alive. Hinata halfway expected the little figurine to come to life and step out of the box, ruffled and offended that she'd been miniaturized and confined.
When she finally looked up, she saw a slight smile on Itachi's face. "Sasuke's and my mother used to sing that lullaby to us when we were little," he said, his expression distant.
At his side, Temari hummed a few bars and nodded. "It sounds familiar, though I can't remember the words. I'll have to ask your mother to teach it to me, so I can sing it to our child." Absently, it seemed, her hand moved to smooth across her stomach.
"Natsuhiboshi," Hinata said. "The Red Star. My mother used to sing the same lullaby to me. And, after she died, I sang it to Hanabi." She hoped to be able to sing it to her own children someday as well: hers, and Sasuke's.
The three sat in comfortable silence for a while before Itachi cleared his throat and inquired, "So, where does your next clue lead you?"
Shaken out of her reverie, Hinata plucked the familiar white paper from the inside of the music box. Unfolding it, she read it quietly to herself before sharing it with Itachi and Temari.
When around this exuberant fellow
It's an effort! But try to stay mellow.
Though she gave no outward indication of it, Hinata felt the next present would be hard to face. Harder, even, than the Uchiha.
This would be the ultimate test of her own feelings.
*~To Be Continued~*
Author's Ending Notes: Congrats to everyone who guessed Itachi and Temari for this chapter! You all know my Naruto ship allegiences really well... And a slight extra note: I know Masashi Kishimoto once said that if a Hyuuga and Uchiha had a baby together, that child would have one Sharingan eye and one Byakugan eye. But the concept really freaks me out, so I prefer to think the children would have either one or the other, not both at once. So whenever I write semi-canonically (which I hardly ever do any more), I lean that way when I have SasuHina. So I know it's not supposed to be that way, but I prefer it. Sorry if that bothers anyone. Thank you so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope to see you again for tomorrow's - Christmas Eve! I'm so excited!