Chapter 29
Her father waits up
Hinata spent the next week in the same way she had spent that day with Naruto. She helped him to get used to cooking and cleaning using only one arm, and he practiced movements with is other arm to try to get some mobility in it.
At the end of the week Lord Hiashi waited up for his daughter, she had been coming home later and later and he couldn't ignore their relationship much longer. It was very late in the evening when Hinata had finally come home.
She opened the front door and walked lightly past him towards her room. He was sitting in the dark so she hadn't noticed him sitting there.
"Hinata," he whispered so as not to wake his other daughter up.
She froze, "yes father?" she asked "why are you in the dark?"
He turned on the light beside him, "please sit down, I think we need to talk."
She sat down and smiled apprehensively at her father. She knew what was probably coming.
"You've been spending a lot of time with Uzamaki Naruto. Is he almost recovered?" he asked.
"He still has a ways to go before he's completely recovered, but he's doing much better." She sifted in her chair.
"Hmmm," he replied. "Hinata, I want to ask you something and I want you to answer me," he asked.
She nodded her head at her father.
"Are you two," he broke off "are you and him dating?" he asked.
"No father," she paused as she added in an unhappy tone "I think we're just friends,"
"I doubt that Hinata," he mentioned in an even tone "friends don't hold hands all over the village," he pointed out.
"Maybe not," she conceded and looked away. It was complicated.
"Well, I have no problem with you dating Hinata," he paused "even after everything that happened in the war I know Naruto is the strongest Shinobi in this village and has a kind heart. No matter who you wanted to date the idea is difficult for me." He paused again, searching for the right words "however, I expect you home at a reasonable time, and want to remind you about your other hobbies. Don't stop everything just because you're in love."
Hinata blushed and became embarrassed, she couldn't believe her father would talk to her about guys. "I'm more uncomfortable than you are, Hinata, and I have two daughters to have this talk with," he said as he rubbed his forehead. It wasn't so easy being a single father of two young girls, but it wasn't always difficult either. "This talk though" he thought, "was awkward."
She tried her best to do a half smile but still had a mortified look on her face. "I don't know if he loves me, so…" she faltered
"Oh, I see, but you love him. You've had feelings for him for a long time though, haven't you, even since you were a child."
"Yes," she admitted, "how did you know?"
"I know you Hinata," he added "I could see the way you looked at him and stopped talking every time he came near you. I almost died when you threw yourself in front of pain to spare him. I tired to hate him after that, just like I did when Neji did the same thing, but" he held his hand up to silence his daughter's protest "It's not his fault. It's good to know you have a loyal heart, your feelings haven't changed much?"
"No," she answered, still feeling awkward.
"When was the last time you went training, or tended to your garden?" he asked her. "It's like you've dropped everything and that isn't exactly healthy. I want you to take a break from him tomorrow, okay Hinata," at this she looked up at her father, an unhappy look on her face, "take care of some other things for a day," he finished.
She told Naruto that she would come by tomorrow and cook him lunch and they could go out to visit with Lee and Tenten. She guessed she would have to visit some other time.
"Okay father," she promised "I will."
"That was all Hinata," he said as she stood up to leave the room.
"See you tomorrow father," she added
"That will be a nice change," he said as he smiled at her and left the room.
After he left she had a deep sigh and sat there for a few minutes to think about what her father had said. She was concentrating all of her time on Naruto but she enjoyed her time with him. On the other hand, she did have her own life and incorporating her time with him into that would be important. She also kept thinking about what he had said about love. Was is possible that Naruto might love her? He had shown that he liked her and he seemed like he wanted to be around her as much as she wanted to be around him, but again, it all felt so complicated. There was nothing official between them, he hadn't asked her to be his girlfriend or anything.
That last thought struck a chord with her and she wondered why that might be. She had told him her feelings for him before and had even been public about it, but he hadn't even told her that he liked her or asked her to be his girlfriend. She had been saying that they were just friends so that she didn't feel disappointed imagining more, but it looked like more was happening and she realized she did want something official. If she really thought about it they weren't just friends. She had never been only his friend, she had always wanted something more. Was she just leading herself down a path of denial? She started to get frustrated, thinking of the label of what they were and wanting to find a word that would couple them but couldn't.
"I'm over doing it," she concluded and got up to go to bed. She resolved that some space probably would help her figure out what direction she wanted to go.
In the morning she woke up and quickly ate. She said hi to her sister and father before heading out the door.
"Where are you off to now?" her father asked, hoping to have breakfast with both of his daughters.
"Training," she answered "you were right father, it's been too long," she said as she smiled and closed the door.
She walked to her training field and started practicing her juitsu. She couldn't get her mind off of Naruto and she couldn't ignore the thoughts that kept plaguing her mind, she used this for fuel for training and had a similar result as last time she trained.
While Hinata was training, Naruto was expecting her and she never came. He started to get worried so he walked to her house to see if she was okay. He came up and knocked on the door and Lord Hiashi answered.
He looked Naruto up and down, "I figured you would come," he said, "please come in and have a seat." He offered.
"Uh, sure," he said, it was obvious Hinata's father wanted to talk with him and he was sure he knew about what. He hoped her father wouldn't ask him not to see his daughter anymore.
"So Uzamaki Naruto, what brings you to my house today," he asked, knowing the answer.
Naruto started to answer even though, he too, knew this was obvious "Hinata."
"She's very busy today," he responded, "She's been out training and then she will be working on her garden, so she probably won't be free," Lord Hiashi said in a happy tone.
"Her garden," Naruto repeated.
"That's right," Lord Hiashi added
"Can I see it?" he asked in a polite tone, looking at her father in the eyes.
He paused for a moment and considered
"Okay," he stood up, "it's this way," he lead as Naruto followed him out to Hinata's garden.
It was beautiful, she had many different kinds of flowers and plants, as well as herbs for cooking. Naruto was surprised that she was so talented with plants.
"What do you think," her father asked him.
"It's beautiful," his voice changed from before when they were talking. Lord Hiashi could hear something in his voice and knew it meant one thing.
"So, you love my daughter?" he asked as he stared at Naruto, Naruto's eyes widened in shock and he took a step backwards, he didn't want to make things complicated for Hinata at home. It looked like it was probably too late for that. Even if her father didn't like it, Naruto would have to stand his ground, it was true, he did love her. He'd known for some time now.
"yes," he answered with a whisper, fearing any threats that might come next.
"Hmm," he answered, "All that I ask is that you are honorable with your intentions for my daughter, she comes from a respectable family," he added.
"I understand," Naruto nodded.
Lord Hiashi took a step closer to him, "be sure that you do."
Their conversation was interrupted when the front door opened and closed. Lord Hiashi peered inside "Hi father," Hinata nodded.
"again, Hinata," he scolded, "why do you keep doing that to your hands."
Naruto walked in from her garden and she was caught off guard.
"Naruto, what are you doing here," she blushed and she tried to wipe up her hands.
He walked over to her side and picked up one of her hands, "What the heck happened to you?" he asked with concern.
"I…um…" she faltered "was training today." Her father was watching Naruto hold her hand and she slid it away from his grasp. He had forgotten about her father and stepped back to give her some space.
There was an awkward silence and Naruto spoke "your garden, it's amazing," he added.
"I just took him out to show him all the work you've done," Lord Hiashi explained, he saw Hinata had started to prepare lunch. She was so immersed in her own thoughts that she paid little attention to either of them.
"Would you like to stay for lunch?" he said in a friendly tone. After seeing the way he and Hinata were with his own eyes he felt it was time to get to know Naruto better.
"I'm not hungry," Hinata piped in, both of them turned to look at her and got the message. She was uninviting him.
"On second thought," he added, "I probably better head back…" he faltered
"It's alright," Lord Hiashi cut in, "maybe another time,"
"I'll see you later Hinata," he added as he turned to go, he waited for her reply before leaving.
"Yeah, see you later Naruto," she added, not even looking up to say goodbye.
He could tell something was bothering her but didn't want to ask her in front of her father. He tried to make eye contact with her because he was puzzled by her behavior. When she didn't look at him he nodded at Lord Hiashi, took one last fleeting look at Hinata, and left.
