Hiashi walked swiftly down the hall, his face a mask of intense concentration. His strides were swift, yet so soft that none save a trained shinobi would have heard him approaching. The fact that his footsteps were heavy enough for anyone to hear him suggested he was in a particularly foul mood. The attendants and servants knew to keep out of his way, and they cringed sympathetically as Izanami bravely strode forward to make her report.
"Hiashi-sama," the tall woman said, dauntless of her master's countenance, "The arrangements have been made with Hinata-sama's dowry. Ryota-san has made the transfers and awaits further instructions." Hiashi stared at her coldly, his face seemingly carved in ice. Izanami stared back without blinking, her cool demeanor unwavering in the face of his freezing rage. Slowly, the tension seemed to seep out of Hiashi, and he sighed slightly before relaxing his eyes. Izanami's face did not change, but her posture relaxed slightly. The house staff collectively sighed with relief; it seemed for the present, Hiashi's temper would be reigned in.
"Very good," Hiashi replied softly, "I would like to speak with Ryota as soon as possible. Send him to my study." Izanami bowed and turned to leave, but Hiashi stopped her.
"Walk with me for a moment, Izanami," he said softly. Inclining her head, the Branch House member fell into step next to him. The swishing of their robes and their soft footfalls were the only sounds either made for a long time as they made their way out of the main compound, and meandered through the large garden set in the back.
"You're not going to ask me what the problem is?" Hiashi murmured without turning to face her. Izanami inclined her head, and smiled softly.
"It is not my place Hiashi-sama. I would not seek to advise you on matters above my station."
"Izanami-kun," Hiashi said with exasperation he would reveal to few others, "Your sense of propriety is presently only matched by your loyalty to the Hyuuga clan, but there is a time and place for decorum."
"What better time than when on duty with the leader of my clan?" Izanami replied softly. Hiashi turned away so she wouldn't see his smile.
"Do you remember the first day we met, Izanami?" The tall kunoichi came to an abrupt stop, her cheeks bright red. Hiashi stopped as well, an obvious glint of amusement danced in his pale eyes.
"Hi-Hiashi-sama," Izanami began uncertainly, "That was quite a long time ago…"
"Yes, it was," Hiashi replied with a smirk, "I was twenty-two and you were about six. I was overseeing a training session of the Branch House. Do you remember?"
"Yes," Izanami said quietly. Her expression was one of stoic acceptance as Hiashi sighed with uncharacteristic wistfulness. She was only six at the time, yet her intelligent competence in shinobi training had earned her a place with the House Guard that was charged with protecting Main House members.
"You were quite outspoken back then," Hiashi commented softly, "Though I can hardly blame you."
Izanami said nothing, choosing instead to stare at the ground. Hiashi smirked slightly at this and turned from her to watch the pattern of shadows that passing clouds were casting on the garden.
At the time of her meeting with Hiashi, Izanami had just lost her entire family during a raid against the Hyuuga compound by Hidden Mist shinobi intent on capturing a live specimen for research on Bloodline Limits. To prevent Main House members from being captured, the Branch House families were sent out to act as human shields until reinforcements from Konoha could arrive. More than fifty lives were lost in a single day, and as was the case with Izanami, entire families had been wiped out. The Branch House members who lost their lives were not exalted or honored in a ceremony, nor was any memorial raised in their memory. Their sacrifice was simply what was expected of those born into a fate that had been decided for them long ago.
In the end, the secrets of the Byakugan remained safe, but Izanami's faith in her clan was utterly shattered. Thoroughly embittered, she lashed out at Hiashi, who had just recently been appointed as Head only several weeks back.
"Do you remember what you said?"
"I called you an insensitive murderer more concerned about preserving a genetic peculiarity than the clan that owns it."
"You were the youngest person in attendance, but your words had more truth to them than any adviser that has served me since." Izanami kept staring at the ground, her face betraying nothing beyond the slight tic that had started near her left eye.
"Your candor was severely punished," Hiashi murmured, "I heard you spent a week bedridden during your recovery. The Elders suggested I have you removed from the House Guard, but I knew you were destined for greater things."
"You honor me beyond what I can give in return, Hiashi-sama," Izanami whispered.
"Your intelligence, your sense of duty, and your reliability are things I have come to take for granted, Izanami-kun," Hiashi replied matter-of-factly, "To be perfectly honest, I have never had much use for this division in our family. It is the same division that robbed me of a brother, and held my only nephew hostage for nearly eight years. I have always asked much of you Izanami, but that is only because I trust you. Now, I'm asking the most difficult favor of all."
"Hiashi-sama?" Izanami raised her eyes to the Hyuuga Head. Hiashi's pale eyes glittered with anticipation.
"I want you to be honest with me. No slip-talk or double-speak; I want you to converse with me as if we were truly family members. Can you do this for me, Izanami?"
"Hiashi-sama… I…" Izanami's voice wavered slightly, "I will try."
"What do you think of Uzumaki Naruto?"
"He is the strongest shinobi in Konoha, and quite possibly, the world," Izanami replied evenly, "If he were truly ambitious, it would be a simple matter for him to kill Tsunade-sama and take the title of Hokage for himself."
"Do you approve of his desire to wed my firstborn daughter?" Izanami hesitated until Hiashi cleared his throat harshly.
"Yes."
"Why is that?"
Still, the Hyuuga woman continued to hesitate. Hiashi placed his hand on her shoulder, jolting her up to look at him. Calmly, he looked into her eyes.
"Izanami?"
"Naruto… Naruto is the best thing that has ever happened to Hinata-sama."
"What do you mean?" Hiashi frowned slightly, puzzled by her words. If anything, Naruto's interest in his daughter had been a continual source of frustration for the clan Head.
"Hinata-sama… Hinata-sama is one of the strongest Hyuuga clan members I have ever met," Izanami replied unabashedly as Hiashi snorted incredulously, "Despite the complete lack of compassion or warmth in her family, she managed to stay true to herself, and became a better person because of it."
"But Izanami, surely you of the Branch House would be proud to call attention to Neji, the prodigy of our clan?"
Izanami actually snorted derisively, shocking both herself and Hiashi. Not willing to let up however, the tall woman continued on with passionate conviction.
"Neji? Neji was strong only in appearance. His anger with the injustice of his position never extended to include the rest of us. The righteous indignation which drove him was merely jealousy of a position he desired for himself. Were he a Main House member, his desire to seek equality would never have existed." Izanami stopped for a moment, hesitating before finding the courage to continue.
"Hinata-sama, in all her homely, inadequate weakness, found the inner-strength to defy what she viewed as unjust. Even before you chose to discard her in favor of Hanabi-sama, she would constantly visit the Branch House, bringing food and other gifts. She never said it outright, but we all knew it was her way of trying to heal the rift that had been tearing our clan apart for the last century."
"Hinata… she…"
"She's the best thing the Hyuuga clan has produced in the last fifty years," Izanami interrupted fiercely, "And letting her marry Uzumaki Naruto is the first good thing you've ever done for her as a parent." Hiashi rocked backwards on his heels upon hearing her words, his face momentarily clouded with shock before he swiftly masked it. A long, pregnant silence passed between them, before Izanami dropped to one knee.
"Forgive me if I have spoken out of turn, Hiashi-sama," she said softly, "However, you did wish for my honesty." Hiashi spared her a glance before smiling weakly.
"I did indeed, Izanami-kun, and as always, you proved yourself reliable to a fault. Thank you for your assistance. Please inform Ryota I will be in my study."
With a deep bow, the Hyuuga woman turned and departed without a whisper of sound. Hiashi turned his glance skyward and sighed softly. The clouds are nice today.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"You two didn't…. Please tell me you didn't," Tsunade groaned more to herself than at the two shinobi standing in front of her. Her desk lay in a heap of splinters; the replacement wouldn't arrive for another three days, so the Fifth Hokage chose to stand while she conducted her business. A blushing Hinata and a grinning Naruto returned her stare with a mixture of pride and trepidation.
"We did, Granny Tsunade… no point in pretending we didn't."
"Please accept our most sincere apologies," Hinata added after jabbing Naruto with her elbow, "Naruto-kun and I are in love, and Jiraiya-sama thought there was no point in delaying what comes naturally, so…"
"Jiraiya had his hand in this?" Tsunade snarled irritably, "It would figure, that insensitive, old bastard. Do you two realize the implications of your actions? This could quickly become a scandal if word got out!"
Hinata cringed slightly, but held her head high, while Naruto stuck out his lower lip and scowled at the older woman. He looked as if he were about to say something obnoxious, but Hinata placed a restraining hand on his arm and he quickly subsided. Tsunade could barely contain her smirk at the interplay between the two. No one in all of Konoha or anywhere in the world for that matter, could restrain Naruto's legendary impulsiveness. No one, save for the quiet, unassuming kunoichi standing next to him. Hinata gave Naruto a soft glance and unspoken communication flashed between the two of them. The blonde Jounin gave a monumental sigh, placed his hands behind his head, and glanced off to his side.
"Tsunade-sama," Hinata began firmly, "While Naruto-kun and I both appreciate your concern for our situation, we also feel that our personal lives are our own business and no one else's. We both gave the matter serious thought before acting upon it. Please do not dishonor our decision by second guessing us." She finished by placing her hand on top of Naruto's. The tall Jounin pulled her close, wrapping an arm around her.
"Fine, fine!" Tsunade growled as she tossed up her hands, "I should've know better than to try and control you two. I must be getting old…" She threw Naruto the dirtiest of looks when he started to snicker.
"I'll do what I can to put out the fires. You two just lay low for a while and wait for the scheduled ceremony. If you see Jiraiya, send him my way… I'd like to have a few words with him." The emphasis she placed on 'words' promised more agony than Naruto or Hinata cared to imagine. They both inclined their heads and stepped out of the room.
"I've never seen Tsunade-sama so upset before," Hinata murmured thoughtfully as they walked down the long corridor leading from the Hokage's office. Naruto glanced down at her and grinned impishly.
"Don't worry about it, Short Stuff, the Old Lady's just concerned about us. I'm her favorite, after all." Hinata's eyes narrowed at her significant other.
"I believe you rank somewhere below Shizune-san, Sakura-san and Ton-ton… and don't call me Short Stuff," she said a bit peevishly.
"Would you rather I call you Weirdo instead?" Naruto teased, causing Hinata's cheeks to puff out with indignation. His grin turned into laughter as he took a look at her angry face. "Maybe I should call you 'chipmunk,' the way your cheeks are puffed out like that, it looks like your storing some food for the winter." Hinata turned a bright red and sputtered something before calming down. With a bright smile, she tucked herself under his left arm, leaning into his chest affectionately.
Smugly, Naruto wrapped his arm around her; confident he had won. He was going to say something conciliatory, but suddenly, the chakra flow to his left leg ceased. Several crucial tenketsu had been sealed. With a strangled curse of surprise, he crashed to the floor, his left leg completely paralyzed. Belatedly, he looked up at Hinata, who returned his glare with a look of complete innocence.
"Naruto-kun," she exclaimed with feigned shock, "What happened? It's not like an accomplished Jounin such as yourself to simply trip over your feet! We can't have a future Hokage being so clumsy. What would people think?"
"Probably the same thing they've been thinking for the last decade or so," a wry voice commented from down the hall. Neji regarded his cousin and friend with a warm grin, uncrossed his arms, and strode over to greet them. Hinata smiled softly and let him plant a kiss on her cheek, while Naruto struggled to pick himself up.
"Neji! Watch where you put your lips!" Naruto barked up at the Hyuuga genius, "That's my woman, in case you forgot!"
"Naruto," Neji replied as if he hadn't heard the blonde's exclamation, "Ten Ten wants you and Hinata-sama over for dinner later on tonight. She's been in the kitchen all afternoon, getting something ready." Naruto blanched slightly, giving his friend a knowing look. Neji nodded in return, shivering with apprehension. Ten Ten's prowess as a weapons master was unmatched, and she was widely regarded as one of the most skilled kunoichi in the village. Her talent with bladed weapons however, did not extend into the kitchen. Lee once commented that by eating Ten Ten's cooking, he was actually training to deal with the Gentle Fist technique because it was toughening up his internal organs.
Hinata sighed with exasperation upon seeing the unspoken exchange between Naruto and her cousin. She kneeled down and pressed her fingers against several spots on Naruto's left leg, allowing green chakra to flow into him. The tenketsus abruptly opened, and the fox ninja pulled himself up with as much dignity as he could muster.
"Would you two please stop it," she said, amusement coloring her voice, "I'll go pay her a visit right now, and see if I can help her a little." Naruto's cerulean eyes glowed with relief and he gave his a wife a hug. Neji cleared his throat, looking extremely remorseful.
"Unfortunately, Hinata-sama, that won't be possible. I just received word that your father would like to speak with you at home. I would escort you myself, but I have to file a mission report." Naruto gave Neji a big grin and slapped him on the arm.
"How are the little squirts doing?"
"They are performing adequately," Neji said as he adjusted his forehead protector, "Though they have this bizarre habit of refusing to meet my eyes when we conduct lessons." Having since stepped down from his position with the ANBU several months ago, Neji had taken on the responsibility of training a group of Genin. Though considered young for teaching duties, his extensive experience gave the Hyuuga all the credentials he needed. Rumor had gotten out that Neji's skill with the Byakugan was so extensive that by using it, he could see through your soul and read your mind. His students lived in constant fear that eye contact with their instructor would lead to his extraction of all their secrets.
"Give 'em some time," Naruto returned happily, "They grow on you, I promise."
"I was a little scared of Kurenai-sensei at first," Hinata put in, "But now I regard her like family."
"I was a little disgusted with Gai at first," Neji replied with a snort, "But now I regard him with even greater contempt." Naruto laughed uproariously while Hinata gave her cousin a jaundiced look.
"Neji-niisan," she warned softly.
"Alright, alright," he said with both hands raised placatingly, "I was only joking. At any rate, Hinata-sama, you best return as soon as you can. Kanaye-san sounded extremely agitated when he told me to find you. I'll meet you back at the compound." He inclined his head to her and gave Naruto a brief smile before striding down the hall towards the Hokage's office. Hinata sighed morosely, then turned to look at Naruto, a glum expression on her face. Naruto's blue eyes lit up with concern, and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"Do you want me to go with you?"
"No, this is clan business… I'll take care of it myself, Naruto-kun. Hopefully for the last time." Naruto gave her a thumbs-up, which she returned with a giggle. After hugging him tightly, she turned and walked away, her head held high. Naruto watched her go, a proud expression plastered on his face.
"You keep staring like that and your face might get stuck the way it is," a mocking voice cut into his thoughts, "Though considering your looks, that might be an improvement." Naruto growled and rounded on the source of derision.
"Keep it up Dog Breath, and you won't be invited to the reception!" Kiba and Shino both stood in front of Naruto, their postures relaxed. Kiba laughed loudly, his voice echoing down the halls. Next to him, Akamaru gave a reproachful bark. The canine had grown considerably over the last five years, and could hardly be considered little anymore. Shino remained as inscrutable as ever, the only difference being the addition of a flak jacket under his large trench coat. Kiba was simply taller, and his hooded jacket had been traded in for a flak jacket.
"Naruto," Shino began in monotone, "Kiba and I were both headed out to get a drink. We were wondering if you'd like to join us." The blonde Jounin crossed his arms and regarded his old friends shrewdly.
"It really depends on who's buying," he said coolly. Kiba nudged his former teammate with his elbow.
"Someone's gotten real stingy ever since he bought himself a house. Good thing Shino and I are both heirs to powerful and rich clans. Unlike a certain orphan shinobi with unlimited stamina, we were raised with manners. Since your life as a free man is nearly at an end, Shino and I decided the least we could do is buy you a drink."
"Please excuse Kiba," Shino added matter-of-factly, "He's an idiot."
Naruto burst out laughing while Kiba sputtered with outrage. Shino's fore way into the realm of jokes was awkward at best, but Naruto was more than willing to let him try. Raising his hands and gesturing for them to lead, he followed them out the Hokage tower.
"When you said 'drink,' you meant ramen, right."
Kiba groaned with disgust.