For the Good of the Village: Final
Ch 14 Meetings
It was impossible for him to not see how easy it would be for Hinata to just slip right into being Mrs. Uzumaki-Namikaze (He still wasn't sure if he wanted to keep his newfound father's name or keep his mother's name). When he saw her at the door, he was so happy to see her he just hugged her. He didn't want to think about how warm she felt, how good she smelled, or how soft her body molded to him when he shamelessly aligned her's with his. Well, to take that back, he did want to think about it, he just didn't want to remember how she politely, but firmly, pushed him away and said, "I really need to talk to you, Naruto-kun."
He invited her in and ran into the kitchen, calling out what she would like to drink or eat. She said anything would be fine, patiently settling herself on the couch with her hands folded neatly on her lap. Even though he knew he could be loud and…okay, really loud and a bit clumsy, he was admittedly thankful when Hinata came into the kitchen a few minutes later to ask if everything was okay.
It wasn't. It really wasn't.
He had been rummaging through the scrolls, making a mess and a ruckus that would normally not bother him. As his luck would have it, he had started to feel a mediocre amount of concern when he had all the scrolls unrolled looking for a proper breakfast dish that didn't have the words 'ramen' in it. He wasn't successful. Hinata had, after a muffled giggle into her fingers, helped him tidy up and took over in preparing their breakfast.
Did he feel any shame knowing that she had done countless hours of work for him and was now preparing a meal that he should be able to prepare himself? Yeah, a bit. Did he feel guilty that as she worked he could see a blond haired little boy holding onto her skirt and blue haired little girl sucking her thumb while cradled in Hinata's arms? Nope. Did he feel even a little disrespectful that he thought she looked sexy as hell in an apron and that she would look devastatingly sinful with only the apron on? Hell no.
A glitter of light reflected off her engagement ring.
Did his naughty little daydream come crashing down that Hinata probably prepared Sasuke's meals every day after spending the night with each other in bed? He'd rather not follow that train of thought. It didn't lead to anywhere good, and it felt like acid in his blood.
Instead, he watched her work. She had obviously spent a lot of time in his kitchen. Her hands reached for spices, for scrolls, for utensils without even looking. He smelled egg, fish, a small bowl of miso and rice. She ladled out food into small bowls and serving plates. He jumped to help her and she politely thanked him for it.
"Well now, isn't this cozy?"
Hinata and Naruto started in surprise at the scruffy and ragged Jiraiya smirking at them from the hallway.
"Good morning, Lord Jiraiya. Are you hungry?" Hinata asked merrily. Depositing her plates, she started to get another serving for their guest.
"The great Toad Sage never turns down an offer from a pretty woman." Jiraiya teased, making Hinata blush.
"Hey, pervert! Get Hinata out of your thoughts!"
"Kid, kids, c'mon! Lighten up!" Tackling Naruto into a playful headlock, he whispered conspiratorially. "I have to admit, you certainly showed me. What a looker! You put blonde hair on her and a grouchy attitude, and you're looking at a slightly slimmer Tsunade. Kami blessed her, kid. Trust me, I've seen more than a normal man's share of the fairer sex, and I can honestly say you hit the jackpot. Congrats, kid."
Giving Naruto a heavy handed slap on the back, Naruto almost tumbled over the chair.
"Jiraiya-sama, would you like juice or coffee?" Hinata sifted through a few scrolls, holding one in each of her hands.
"A real man drinks sake, no matter what time of the day it is!" He thundered, slapping his hand on the table.
"What he's really saying is he's blocked up and some prune juice would work wonders for him." Naruto grouched, narrowing a stink eye at his mentor.
"A man of my stature and legendary status has tried to mold this disrespectful boy into a proper gentleman, Miss Hyuuga-chan. As you can see, even someone as great as I can only do so much with what I've got." Jiraiya tossed his long white hair dramatically.
"This same gentleman has also been banned from every bath house and hot spring in seventeen cities and enjoys several bounties on his head for peeking, cat calling, and lewd behavior." Naruto accused under his breath.
"Some people just can't appreciate a compliment anymore. Help me out, Hyuuga-chan," Jiraiya leaned at her, his eyes unabashedly gleaning over her generous form. "If I was to look at you and say, 'Pretty lady, you make every single one of my primitive male urges scream to the high heavens that the images I get after just looking at you drives me wild with lust and every fiber of my body wants to worship with kisses, with long slow sensual massages and erotic penetrations till you are molded putty in my hands!' Wouldn't you feel…what are you doing?"
Hinata poised with her hands like talons in front of her, her chakra claws threateningly humming with lethal power. Naruto stood in front of her with a ladle gripped like a samurai sword ready to defend his lady fair. "Step away from my woman!"
"Aww…now you're just trying to make blush," Jiraiya guffawed, snatching Naruto and Hinata around their shoulders faster than they would have imagined the old man could move. "You guys remind me of Minato and Kushina." He turned to Naruto and whispered loudly into his ear." I can't tell you how many times your mom threatened to cut my balls off."
"Hey, watch your language! There's a lady present."
"Excuse me, Hyuuga-chan. Snip my boys."
Naruto grumbled despite the bear crushing bro hug.
"Either way, look at you two, all domesticated and happy." The study built Toad Sage sighed, content and a little wistful. "So when's the big day, huh? I see you already got the ring and she's accepted. Way to go, champ."
Naruto sheepishly ducked his head, turning to look at Hinata for some clue what to tell his sensei. She was unable to meet his eye, deciding a certain spot on the counter needed a lot of cleaning.
"I was there when your father showed me the ring he was going to give your mother. Pretty little thing. Anyways, if there was one thing I was as sure of, just as I am sure of my very next breath, is that you love this woman as much as he loved your momma. All that work and searching for that ring you gave her had a hell of a story, didn't it? I doubt any woman will be able to tell that tale like your pretty little fiancée, huh? What can I say? You certainly didn't pull any stops for her. I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit envious, but I'm sure when the Great Jiraiya-sama is done playing the field for the next twenty or thirty years, I might let Old Lady Tsunade make an honest man out of me. But that's for another day." Jiraiya started chowing down, eating with more grace than his student normally would. "So tell me, did he propose to you like he said he would, on the Hokage Mountain? He kept going on and on about you two having a special spot and he was going to tell you when the sun sets and all. Seriously, I'm glad you scooped him up so he can tell me he told me so. I've been warning him that you probably found someone else and weren't pining for him for as long as he has for you. Not to say your heart would immediately go searching out for another as soon as he left the gates, but ten years away from each other is a long time. I even went so far as to say he might find you already settled up with someone else…"
"Hey, Jiraiya," Naruto cut him off, staring down at his food, feeling his throat go dry and any kind of exceptional flavor the eggs and fish may have had suddenly got very bland. "It was eight years, and, yeah, you were right."
He couldn't think of another way to put it.
Jiraiya stopped with his chopsticks hovering in front of his mouth, unable to eat anymore. Wiping his face with a napkin, he immediately turned to Hinata. The towel in her hand stopped oscillating over the counter.
"Yeah, eight years." Jiraiya cleared his throat, flicking at the uncomfortable silence that was growing heavier and heavier by the moment. "So, tough break, huh? Well, it's good to see that you two are still friends and can look past it. Who is the lucky guy?"
"Sasuke," Naruto pushed the plate away from him. He really didn't have a stomach for food at this point in time.
"When he says he's going to take care of your girl, he really took it to heart, huh? Sorry, bad choice of words." Jiraiya held up his hand apologetically when Naruto glared at him, itching to get physical. "Well, that certainly sets the family up pretty good, huh, Hinata?"
Naruto picked up on her flinch, sensing his sensei's words were leading to a deeper meaning. "She's already a Hyuuga and Sasuke-teme's has his family's estates. Hinata has never sought out that kind of stuff. She's better than that. Tell him, Hinata."
Hinata folded the towel in her hands and placed it on the edge of the counter. "That's not what he means, Naruto-kun."
Naruto scoot his chair away from the table and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Is this what you came to talk to me about?"
"No, but it is something that you should probably know. Jiraiya-sama is right though. It does put my family in a very good position."
"Your family? You mean like your sister and your dad?"
"No, the Hyuuga's." Hinata exhaled a soft sigh. "I don't know if you know this, but it seems like Uchiha Itachi has been selected to be Hokage."
Naruto's jaw worked, about to say he had seen his sempai's picture hanging on the Hokage's wall. He was even going to try and seek him out to congratulate him and tell him there could only be great things to come of such a great man leading Konoha before he took it from him. It was Naruto's dream, of course, to become the next Hokage, but if he had to wait till he could enjoy a few years with Hinata as her husband and get a few kids under their name to fill the house, he could wait.
"Just so you know, I was asked first," Jiraiya started in on his plate, getting his appetite back. "I would have accepted, mind you, but everyone seemed to have a problem with my conditions that I would require my own personal harem, Tsunade being my secretary and having to wear a leotard two sizes too tight, her personally having to give me a sponge bath when I ask of it, and, of course, I would require every kunoichi not married or engaged and over the age of eighteen but under the age of thirty-five to test their seduction skills for me on an annual basis." Jiraiya crossed his arms and sighed disappointedly. "Yeah, for some reason it didn't take. I think it may have been the comment about not accepting any kunoichi over the age of thirty-five. Tsunade got grouchy when I brought that up. Those walls certainly felt sturdier than the last time I went through'em." He nodded, agreeing with himself as he rubbed his chin at the memory. "I'm sure of it, it was probably the age thing. It's kind of a touchy subject for her."
"If you didn't want the job, why didn't you just say so?" Naruto asked, unable to believe his sensei would go through all that trouble just to tease the hell out of the one woman he knew would put Jiraiya in a hospital bed.
"What can I say, kid? An angry woman is a beautiful and deadly thing. I like to live on the edge." Jiraiya winked at him. "So now that you know who is being put on the Hokage's hat, do things start to come into focus?"
Naruto knew that Itachi was one of the candidates for Hokage when he found himself inside the Hokage's office and saw his sempai's picture on the wall, but what did that have to do with Hinata and Sasuke? None of it really seem to fall into place no matter how many angles he tried to look at it. The only thing they had in common was Sasuke and Itachi were brothers. Hinata wouldn't care one way or another about being the Hokage's wife, so who could take advantage of their union?
Wait a minute…
"Are you telling me the Hyuuga's are trying to earn favor with the next Hokage by getting Hinata to marry Sasuke?"
"I'm not in their circle, Naruto." Jiraiya jutted his chin at Hinata. "But I know someone who is."
Naruto didn't have to turn his head far to see Hinata cheeks flushed, her fingers tapping and her shoulders scrunched up meekly.
"Hinata-chan?"
Large Hyuuga eyes danced between them, one inquisitive and the other accusing.
"There are a lot of family politics I can't really get involved in yet, Naruto-kun. A year and a half ago, after you were thought to be killed, I made a promise to myself and to my father to strengthen the only family I had left. Sasuke was the prominent Jounin-"
"He's a Jounin?" Naruto sputtered in disbelief.
"Of course. He made it three years after you left." Hinata continued. "Even after all this time, I've had to re-earn the family's trust to show that I will not only support the family as a Main Branch member but I will be able to provide them with strong children to continue the Hyuuga line. Considering my condition, they weren't very forthcoming."
Naruto tried to look at her and see the girl he knew back in Wave, back in the Hokage's office, back when it seemed him holding her hand was the greatest joy in her world. Now, she seemed tainted somehow. Her brightness darkened by flicks of shadows and mystery. It wasn't supposed to be like that with her. She was supposed to be as open and honest with him as he was with her. He knew there was more going on between her and Sasuke and that there had to be an ulterior motive, but Hinata let her heart get involved with family politics and political leveraging? She put her soul and her body into Sasuke's and her family's hands for their betterment? Why would she do this to herself? A part of him acknowledged that he was supposed to be dead and she had to move on with her life…but all this?
Then he remembered something that he had asked her no so long ago, just the day before. He had asked her if she loved Sasuke.
She said she had.
Naruto pushed the plate away from him and to the side. "Why are you here, Hinata-chan?"
Hinata played with the ends of her hair, nervously twirling her fingers around the long locks and then straightening them out only to repeat it. "My father pushed for Sasuke and I to marry when he caught wind of Itachi's possible candidacy for Hokage back then. When he came back and the village had been told of the losses…" Hinata clutched at her chest. Whatever dark memories she had reflected painfully in her eyes. "…we had suffered, not only had he been acclaimed as a hero but a shoe in for the Hokage's seat. I still can't have children." Naruto saw a vein start to pulse along the side of her neck and her jaw tighten angrily. "This would have helped my family. Since I couldn't continue the line as a woman, I could use my position as the wife of his little brother."
Naruto mulled everything over. He even glanced over at his sensei, seeing if the old pervert would offer some insight to what was revealed. Jiraiya looked right back at him and shrugged, as if to say the same thing that had annoyed him the most when they were travelling: You want to become Hokage. Figure it out and then get back to me.
It wasn't the first time he gave him that look.
"Then why Sasuke? Wouldn't it have been better to go straight for the next Hokage candidate instead of his little brother?"
Hinata agreed with nod. "My father had considered it, but it was too obvious a move. Itachi-san has made it clear he will not marry. Besides, Sasuke and I were already seeing each other."
Naruto could see Jiraiya weighing his reaction. These were not easy things to hear let alone accept.
"You didn't answer my question, Hinata-chan." Naruto couldn't think past how little Hinata valued herself or what kind of predicament she was now involved in. All he knew was that she had made promises to align herself with her family in a way that didn't evoke the most positive images of her as he had remembered her.
It made him doubt if the girl he really knew was here in front of him. Was she right to be as standoffish as she has been? Was she actually trying to protect him as much as she was trying to protect herself?
Was she actually being helpful by being distant with him? Fuck…
"The family asked me to pursue an unorthodox way of getting healed...as a woman. This is why I came to talk to you." Hinata's hands flattened low against her belly. Her teeth chewed her lip uncomfortably.
"And you want me to somehow help you and Sasuke have these kids?" The words came out through gritted teeth.
Hinata shook her head so fast her hair rippled, her hands waving shakily in front of her to dismiss his suggestion. "N-no, Naruto-kun, not at all! The family sees you as a great asset now that your true ancestry has been revealed. Having the opportunity to have both the Uchiha and the Uzumaki/Namikaze heirs is an unprecedented chance to hold the greatest families in Konoha's name under the Hyuuga bloodline. To my family, it would bring them back into an amazing standing in the shinobi nation-"
"Wait, wait, wait," Naruto pinched his nose and looked under his brows at her. "You want to marry us both?"
Hinata blushed so dark she nearly turned scarlet.
Jiraiya spoke under her breath. "She's picturing it in her head."
"I-I-I'm n-not!" Hinata stuttered indignantly. Holding her hand out so he could give her a moment to speak, she breathed in and out to calm herself. When she did speak, it was with more control. "Sasuke and I were going to be married in about a month and a half from now, but since you've come back and everyone has been speaking about…us…"
"Us?" Naruto repeated, turning his lips in confusion.
"You know, us, Naruto-kun." Hinata responded shyly, looking under her eyelashes at him, her fingers tapping.
Naruto ran his fingers through his hair, sighing in frustration. Even though he wanted to point out all of that he had heard from this point was her following her father's or the family's lead to make them stronger or that she and Sasuke were dating, he was curious of one very important thing that just didn't make sense: Where was her loyalty to Sasuke at this point? Why was she so indecisive when she was around him? He had to admit, he had been pressing her kind of hard to be with him…okay, he had straight out begged her. While he did want her and this direction of conversation seemed to be in his favor, there was just something vague and unclear about what she had said so far. This was just too abrupt. He needed to find out more.
"I'm listening."
He noticed Jiraiya had pulled out a pad and pen. Naruto knew the old man liked to get ideas for a story anytime something interesting came up.
"The family needs an heir with the Uchiha and Hyuuga blood in them. Since I am-" She waved her hand over her belly. "Like this, there is a strong possibility I won't be able to give them that, so the next capable is my sister, Hanabi-chan."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "So your little sister is going to get handed off to Sasuke and he's going to accept?"
Hinata shrugged, uncomfortable in revealing this bit of news to him.
"Just like that." He wanted to make sure her life and happiness, as well as her sisters, were so easily traded off like a pair of cards in a game.
Hinata fidgeted with her sleeves.
"Naruto, remember when the Hyuuga's were shuffling through suitors for her cousin?" Jiraiya pointed out with the tip of his pen. "This is basically the same thing." He turned to Hinata with a disarming grin. "He wouldn't shut up about how glad he was that you weren't set up with anyone then…but…as of now…well…heh, this is good stuff."
Jiraiya's pen scribbled ideas on his notepad.
"And you're okay with that?" Naruto wasn't even sure where her heart was at this moment.
Hinata shrugged again. He could see it in her eyes how she must appear to him. In a way, this was leading to everything he had wanted, everything he had dreamed about for years, but it was too…convenient. It was so convenient it was almost sloppy. Another question came to mind.
"But you're supposed to marry Sasuke in a month and a half, right?" Naruto added another set of questions to his inquiry before she could answer. "Wouldn't they want to stop us from being together? Wouldn't they lose their political leverage?"
Hinata started to speak, but Jiraiya cut her off.
"Those are excellent questions, Naruto, but what did I teach you about looking underneath the underneath if something seems blatantly wrong like this?"
If there was one thing Naruto didn't really excel at it was looking past the obvious. A horrible trait for a future Hokage, he was sure. Actions spoke louder than words and all he knew about this whole Hyuuga family business were they manipulated and contorted people to do their bidding or what was good for their family. A part of him wondered if his Hinata-chan had actually succumbed to their ways they had tried to indoctrinate in her when she was a little girl, and she was doing nothing more than following her family's traditions. What contradicted this was what he knew of her way back then. Easily bullied and unable to keep up with the Hyuuga's expectations, she was left to fend for herself…or to be scooped up by a devastatingly handsome blond with blue eyes…a-hem! But now, with this casual talk (it seemed casual to him even though she seemed uncomfortable) he couldn't wrap his head around why this sudden change?
He shook his head and tried to think back a bit.
Okay, she said she had come to talk to him about getting healed. That was good. He didn't want her to endure who knows what for as long as she had. She would be able to get her Byuakugan back, so her family wouldn't look at her as a cripple anymore. She could have kids again, yeah for him should it go that way. Not so good if it was for Sasuke. Honestly, he wasn't even sure he would want to stay in Konoha if it worked out that way. Jiraiya's reason for being gone all the time kind of brought things into perspective now that he thought about it. He felt a bit more forgiveness for the old man than he had before. Still, there was just something else missing…the Hyuugas wanted her to marry Sasuke, because they assumed there would be some political leveraging now that the Hyuugas were part of the family and Itachi was going to be the Hokage.
Why would they let that go?
Unless…
"-there was something that could get them even closer to Itachi?" Naruto finished his own trail of thoughts out loud.
Jiraiya slowly clapped, smirking in what he assumed was pride.
"That can't be it," Naruto refuted, thinking that had to be a mistake.
Hinata agreed with a nod, but she held up a hand placate him. "What I had mentioned before about having the Namikaze and Uzumaki bloodline within the fold of the Hyuuga's is still true, Naruto-kun, however my treatments have been going on for a long time. There is always the chance that I may never have children."
He wanted to hold her so badly. Every time she said something like that he could tell was a new cut to her soul. If only she would let him lover her. Thinking of which, had that been what Sasuke did to earn her favor? He didn't seem like someone that coddled or cuddled.
What exactly was the appeal there?
"So…you're saying Itachi holds me in deeper regards than Sasuke?" Naruto was sure that was a huge oversight. Out of all the Uchihas that he killed, Sasuke was the only one he let live. He circumvented a direct order from the Hokage, something Itachi would never do unless he truly, deeply cared about Sasuke.
And he held Naruto's value above Sasuke's? That can't be right.
"So how does that help the family if you can never have children, Hinata? It kind of defeats that part of it."
"The family believes there might be a way to fix me, but it will require a little trip to Suna."
Suna. He and Jiraiya had passed through or near it several times. Each time, Naruto had been forced to spend most of his time away from the city and enjoy the hospitality of their elite guard and seal masters that usually keep Gaara under watch. It was very annoying. Still, he was able to catch some of the tumultuous uproar that many of the residents expected from Neji and Temari. Their many heated bouts usually had her in an uproar and Neji petulantly muttering about Fate only prevented him from one hell to live in another.
He hoped that bastard was hurting.
"So you're leaving?" Naruto could understand why she would come by. He would miss her. It would give him some time to take in everything she told him. He had to admit, even though he had just came back home and wanted to spend every moment with Hinata, after the revelation of her and Sasuke's engagement and all these weird twists, it would probably be best to have some time apart and get his head on straight. He had a lot to take in after come back from the war and all. How were his other friends doing? What was he going to do with himself now that Hinata may not be a part of his life anymore? How was Ayame and her father doing and had the menu changed over the years?
Something just clicked in his head.
"So you and Neji are on good terms then? You're off to see him?"
Hinata rubbed her palms together. "Yes, I'm off to see him, Temari, and my niece, Kensura."
"Neice? Neice, as in a baby girl? That would mean him and Temari…" Naruto looked at one of his hands and pointed a single digit at his other hand, which had an 'O'. Moving the two together, he shuddered, flapping his hands away from the other to try and erase the image. As pissed off and unsocial Neji was Naruto was sure he was a eunuch.
Hinata fingers twisted against each other, knotting and threading till it looked like she was going to tie her hands together. He wondered what she could be thinking. This had to be painful for her. Whatever reason she was going down there, she was going to see the man who took her ability away to have kids, to have an elite position in the shinobi ranks, properly give any man she would marry a child, and be able to enjoy the natural process of being pregnant.
She really was taking all this pretty well.
"Then I'll see you when you get back."
"I see…" Hinata responded despondently, reaching for the apron ties at her back. "I hope I haven't bothered you, Naruto-kun."
Okay, Naruto had been utterly clueless for the longest time about her feelings for him, but he had grown a little more perceptive since then. He knew she was emotionally conflicted about many things involving her family, about Sasuke, and about him. He wanted her to be happy…okay, that was bullshit. He wanted her to be happy with him, but he hoped he was mature enough to not be too openly hostile about it. The dejected way she turned away from him and started to fold her apron sent warning flags that he had just said something stupid. He expect to see Sakura come charging out of the nearest room and slug him.
He touched her arm, "What is it?"
"Eh?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine. I should let you-"
"Hey," Now he took her face with his hands, made her look right into his eyes. "What did I do?"
Dear Kami, she was beautiful. Her eyes reminded him of pearls, sea shells, and moonlight. How had he not fallen in love with her earlier? He knew how precious and amazing she was now and that Sasuke had his most desired woman at his side. She had been his, damn it.
When she covered her hands with his, she swallowed. He felt it. "I never told you what I wanted to talk to you about."
Hadn't she? He was sure that after all they talked about that it had to have come out…right?
"It wasn't about you marrying Sasuke sets the family up?"
She shook her head.
"About wanting to have both the Uzumaki and Uchihas under your family name?"
She shook her head.
"About Sasuke possibly marrying your sister?"
She shook her head.
"About how Itachi holds me, rightfully so, in higher regards than Sasuke?"
She shook her head.
"About you leaving to go to Suna?"
She chewed her lip, shaking her head again.
Sheepishly, he rubbed his head. "I guess I kind of bowled you over and didn't give you a chance to ask, huh?"
Hinata shrugged, folding her hands in front of her, smiling in forgiveness…at least he hoped it was.
Moving from her cheeks to her shoulders, he gingerly twirled his fingers into her straight indigo blue-black hair. "I'm sorry. What did you want to tell me?"
"Would you like to meet our children?"
·