Konnichiwa konnichiwa, Planeshunter desu!
And here we go with the head splitting migraines again and had planned to seclude myself and write like crazy this weekend and everything… Why does it seem like one only gets sick during weekends? Oh well, next week's chapters are already written, at the very least, so we've staved off the worst again.
On a more positive note, thank you kindly for all the positive feedback from last chapter. I'll admit being a bit uneasy, since it's been real long since I last wrote that kind of scene. Your reviews made me puff out my chest a bit and made me feel a bit childish and really happy. Thank you!
Now, without further ado, Mystic Eyes of Reincarnation 始まります!
Chapter 54: Best Night Ever (2 of 2)
Being the father of a teenager girl isn't easy even in the best circumstances. You agonise over every little thing your little girl does, worrying about a thousand matters you don't really know about and always wondering how far exactly you should allow her to push in a certain direction before stepping in, or when you should be pushing yourself for her to try something she doesn't seem to be invested enough in.
When the girl in question doesn't have a mother to give her the… girl talks, things can get really uncomfortable, and a responsible parent might agonise more than necessary, especially if he's too prideful to request aid in spite of being painfully obvious he needs it.
Top it off with clashing responsibilities as a Clan Head training the Heiress and it's actually a miracle his little Hinata grew up as fine as she did. At that point, Hiashi Hyuuga isn't sure if inheriting the memories of Otsutsuki-sama was what counterbalanced all his mess ups while raising her or just another burden her daughter carried magnificently.
In any case, the resolve Hinata found some months prior, while a relief in many senses, brought up a terrible threat all parents have to dealt with sooner and later, but her princess had always been too meek to get involved in before: Boys.
It was painfully obvious what upstart brat held Hinata's interest and, if he thought that simply by virtue of being the Fourth's son he qualified as worthy of her, he was very, very wrong. If it was up to Hiashi, he'd sent him to at least slay a dragon and maybe single-handedly destroy an enemy Village before even being remotely acceptable.
Unfortunately, he had promised her wife certain things in her deathbed, including not to flay any of Hinata's pretenders without a reason she would've approved of. Nor boil them alive, or send assassins. Her dear wife had been very thorough in closing any loophole he might take advantage of.
Anyway, his Hinata was really fond of the boy, and he had to grudgingly admit he was a good boy with his heart in the right place, a real achievement, considering how the civilians have been treating him all this years. Not enough by far, but probably worth a chance. A very begrudging chance.
That's why he had arranged this evening. And heavens if it hadn't been more trouble that it was worth. First the Uchiha seemingly feeling inclined to accept his invitation. What's wrong with him? Eight years of being an unsociable brat to the point of rudeness and now that he counted on that his plans were almost ruined before they began!
The only reason he doesn't take that as a personal offense is because that change of heart is probably related to Hinata in some way, and thus something to take pride on. The Uchiha boy had a prior compromise anyway, so it all was well in the end.
The next step had been to have the Uzumaki boy to dress properly. Hinata, bless her soul, was incapable of pointing out to him how an eye-searing orange jumpsuit was far from being the attire-for-all-occasions he seemed to assume it was. He couldn't exactly be caught doing so though, he had a reputation to uphold.
That's why he had distracted his daughter's bodyguard while a [Kage Bunshin] made the delivery for him, a moderately sumptuous kimono for formal occasions he used to wear and favor himself when he was younger. When the clone dissipated, the memories that flooded to him of the encounter were…
The things a father does for his daughters.
And all for what? To receive a death glare when he tries to show some interest in the brat she's trying to tie her life to? How is he supposed to know whether the Uzumaki is taking his daughter as seriously as he should or not if he can't even ask? Now Hinata won't talk to him in days and he'll have to replace the table. Chakra-reinforced wood isn't cheap either.
But then again, isn't the adult's role to keep a cool head? Yes, Even if his daughter is behaving unreasonably he's the one supposed to look past that. Yes, Even if he has just stumbled into her eldest daughter sleeping in the porch, leaning into and holding hands with a boy he's still unsure he approves of or not. Yes, Even if he's feeling really irritated at how good and happy they look together.
Letting out a sigh, he takes off his overcoat and wraps the couple on it. Nights aren't specially cold in this season, but it won't do for them to catch a cold sleeping outside. He gives them a last look before huffing in annoyance and retreating. He has to make sure no one disturbs them until tomorrow morning.
A real shame Hinata didn't see the dress he'd hid inside her wardrobe. Her mother had worn it on their own first date and she'd been gorgeous. He was sure the Uzumaki brat would've turned into a stuttering mess if he'd seen Hinata on it. Well, he'll leave it there anyway, maybe she'll see it next time.
He freezes at his own thought. Next time. There'll be a next time, no matter how he feels about it, that much is clear. And next time he'll probably won't be around to make sure the brat doesn't get too touchy-feely with his daughter.
Back on his family quarters, he stops in front of his wife's shrine.
-"Are you sure I can't kill him a little bit, dear?"
Only silence answers him.
-"No, I guess not." -He resists the urge to try and spy Hinata from the window, looking at the stars instead- "But I can't help wondering if I this is the right thing to do."
Only time will tell.
After a long struggle, Hinata's eyes flutter open. She's feeling warm and nice and doesn't want to wake up. Then she realizes what exactly the warmth at her side is and her thoughts magically clear up. She kissed Naruto-kun. She kissed Naruto-kun! Just remembering it sends a shiver all the way to the tip of her toes.
She wants to take a hand to her lips and make sure it was all real, but they're both covered by a cloth that makes her feel safe for some reason but doesn't allow her much range of movements without waking up Naruto-kun, so she gazes at the stars instead.
She's… getting there, isn't her? Closer to follow through her feelings this time around, just as she promised Toneri-kun back when all this began. Granted, she did kiss Naruto-kun once, all those years ago in a timeline that now will never repeat, right after speaking her feelings and right before telling him they didn't have a future together. But that kiss was an end, and this one now was only the beginning.
Things will be way different now. They are way younger for one, and Naruto-kun hasn't spent three years traveling the world with a self-entitled super pervert, so he's bound to be more innocent and less aware. That's fine though, it's not like she's exactly an expert in romance either. This is their chance to have a relationship from start to end at their own pace and discover together without feeling overly conscious whether they should know this or do that already or whether they're going too fast or too slow.
Naruto-kun stirs besides her, has she done something to wake him up?
-"Hinata… chan?" -She turns her head to look at him and finds herself nose-to-nose with him. Before she has time to blush and retreat though...- "WHA-! Ouch!"
… Naruto-kun tries to stand up and retreat himself, tripping with the coat covering them and falling into the wooden floor. If nothing else that does a good job at making her laugh and, after a couple of blinks, he joins her. Any chance for them to feel awkward vanishes before the mood could settle, no she only needs to be careful with what she says and keep the conversation light.
-"So, Hinata-chan, did we really… I mean..." -Rats!- "Are we now...?"
-"I think…" -She looks away, feeling her cheeks grow hotter- "I would like that very much. Bu-!… But only if Naruto-kun thinks the same! It's no good if Naruto-kun feels forced just because we… Just because we ki-..."
She shuts up when he presses his lips against her cheek. That's the first time Naruto-kun has initiated anything like that! Or anything at all, to be honest. Does it mean...?
-"I think… I would like that too" -He says awkwardly, scratching his cheek- "But I don't really know what we are supposed to do..."
-"I don't know either. But maybe we can find out… together?"
Naruto-kun nods, and they spend some time awkwardly looking at each other, exactly as Hinata was hoping to avoid. Finally, he gulps with difficulty and make a question.
-"Say...I know we should probably go to bed but…" -He scratches his cheek again, looking sideways- "Do you think we could get under that coat again for a little while? It felt really nice and all..."
Hinata simply gets comfortable and lifts the coat invitingly. They spend another moment cuddled together before she makes her own question.
-"Hmm… Naruto-kun? How come you… I mean… You never seemed to hesitate like this when you were trying to get a date with Sakura-san…"
-"I… don't know?" -He pauses, frowning a bit in contemplation- "Now that you mention it, I never cared whether she rejected me or not, I used to think there was always next time."
-"But then why…?"
-"I'm not sure how to explain, but with Hinata-chan it was different. Getting rejected felt like it would be the end of the world or something" -He makes a difficult face- "Don't know why, but I really didn't want you to look at me with that kind of eyes…"
That sends her thinking. Didn't Kurama say something similar, a long time ago? In any case, she has her answer, and she feels a bit petty at how smug she feels right now over Sakura-san, but she can't help it. They let silence invade again. Until she breaks it again.
-"Naruto-kun?"
-"Hm?"
-"Thank you for taking this evening seriously. I was a bit worried you'd come dinner with your usual jumpsuit."
-"You mean this yukata? A strange old man with a mask calling himself [Mysterious Teenager Garyu X] offered it to me, saying I should dress the part if I was to be welcomed here. He spoke kinda funny and looked really suspicious, but somehow he didn't feel like a bad guy, so I went for it. Glad I did though, thinking back that dinner wasn't a place to dress orange!"
After that, they remain silent until they fall asleep again. Really, there's no way to retort that.
I do apologice for the lenght of this chapter being somewhat... lackluster. I honestly forgot it was that short until this morning, and then it was too late to do anything about it. Man, talk about embrassing...
Mysterious Teenager Garyuu X is a reference to a certain strongest disciple and his strongest master. My, what exactly did Hiashi-sama do to get Naruto to accept the clothes? I'm afraid we'll never know.
I feel like there are more things I should be mentioning here, but honestly? The only thing I can think about right now is running a drill through my head to try and make the pain stop, so maybe next time. Hope at least you guys are in good health!
