… I wonder what encouragement I'd find.
Hiashi knocked lightly on the door of the den. "Hey, Neji?" He waited a moment, opened it, and stood in the doorway, blinking, mouth opening and closing – not sure how to react.
Hinata and Neji were stretched across the couch. Her arms were wrapped around his head, which was nestled against her chest, hair splayed out across her shirt. They were sound asleep, clinging to each other.
Don't jump to conclusions. Hiashi kept telling himself that over and over, creeping forward and shaking his nephew's shoulder gently. "Neji." The younger Hyuuga's eyes blinked open, shifted to his uncle's. "Your father called. He wants you home."
Neji nodded, pulled himself lazily up, then turned to his cousin, saying her name to wake her. "Hey, I'm leaving."
Hinata smiled sleepily, fondly, slurring out, "See you t'morrow," before rolling over and drifting off again.
Neji straightened, stretched, nodded at Hiashi once, and left the room, leaving his very confused uncle standing staring at his daughter.
Neji hadn't seemed guilty, Hiashi realized. He hadn't acted like he had been doing anything wrong, and neither had Hinata. He hadn't jumped off of her as soon as he saw him, she hadn't pushed him away. And all that did was worry her father more.
0
Hinata's mother's eyebrow lifted. "You're overreacting."
Hiashi's mouth fell open. "How can you say that? They were all over each other!"
She sighed, shaking her head, and stirred the pot that sat before her on the stove. "It sounds to me like they were watching TV and fell asleep."
"In each other's arms?"
She rolled her eyes. "They were probably sitting next to each other and ended up cuddling up. It's like hugging a pillow in your sleep."
Somehow, her always-together and sophisticated husband managed to pull off a frazzled Hanabi-on-a-bad-hair-day expression. "I'm not buying it." He persisted stubbornly. "There are so many signs that they're doing something they shouldn't be. They're awfully close for cousins."
His wife leaned on the counter, a hand on her hip. "Are you going to approach her about it?"
"Are you kidding?" He seemed positively insulted by the idea. "Of course not!"
"So you're going to watch them like a hawk." It wasn't a question.
"Damn right I am."
She shook her head again. "At least be subtle enough to not embarrass her."
Hiashi scoffed. "I live for subtlety."
"You? Subtle. Ha!" Hanabi bounded into the kitchen, to her father's side. "You're about as subtle as a nuclear bomb."
Hiashi scowled, then brightened. "Say, Hanabi, what do you know about Hinata's relationship with Neji?"
"Ooh. Real subtle." His daughter hopped up to sit on the counter and sniff at the pot on the stove. She sat back on her hands and gave her father a knowing look. "From what I understand, Hinata-nee-chan considers Neji-nii-san her best friend. She feels like she can trust him with anything, and I think it's good that she can look to family for that." She was lying through her teeth, but it was for her sister, so she didn't care. "And I think it's kind of pathetic that you don't trust her to make good decisions."
"My sentiments exactly." Her mom spoke up, beaming and handing her a stack of dishes to set on the table. "You see, Hiashi? You're being ridiculous."
He huffed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. I get it."
Hanabi grinned, hugging her dad around the neck. "Good. It was weird being more mature than my dad."