Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy this next chapter :)

- Chapter Start -

When the doorbell rang, Hinata was taking out the tray of fried chicken from the oven. By the time she set it down on the counter and shut the oven door, the living room had emptied. She hurried out to the hallway to see everyone crowded at the door with her father's broad back almost blocking the view.

"What is he doing here?"

His furious voice brought her up short.

Age and two decades of peace after the Fourth Great Ninja War had mellowed Hiashi Hyuuga. Nowadays, he acted just like any grandfather who was happy to have his children visit him and who doted on his grandchildren.

It was easy to forget that he was still the leader of one of the strongest clans in the Leaf Village, and that he had been a very strict and unbending father to his own two daughters.

"Otou-sama, Orochimaru-san is joining us for dinner," Hinata said as calmly as she could.

"I gathered as much seeing as no one has chased him away yet. What I want to know is why."

Sakura shot Hinata a look and they both turned to their respective husbands.

Naruto looked like he wanted to flee back to the Hokage Tower. Sasuke looked like he wanted to join him there. Boruto, Sarada and Mitsuki looked wary, their gazes going from one adult to another. Himawari's eyes were huge as she did the same and then she reached out and grabbed Orochimaru's free hand.

"Please come in, Orochimaru-san," she said in a formal voice. "It's cold out."

Her words roused Naruto from his shock. In an instant, his expression firmed and his shoulders squared under his orange jacket.

"Himawari-chan is right, you know! Come in before all the warm air escapes," he said with hearty cheer and nudged Sasuke in the ribs just as Sakura did the same on his other side.

"Hn," Sasuke agreed with a pained sounding cough.

"Naruto, are you inviting him in?" Hiashi demanded, looking appalled.

"Yes, I am," Naturo replied. "He's our guest."

Himawari gave Orochimaru's hand another tug.

"Ojii-chan, Orochimaru-chan is having dinner with us!" She announced, making everyone wince at the honorific. "I invited him myself!"

"Orochimaru-chan?" Hiashi echoed, looking even more appalled.

"Uh-huh!" Bracing her feet, Himawari gave another tug until Orochimaru, looking both resigned and defensive, stepped inside.

The others all backed up a step as Mitsuki went to close the door. Hinata would have smiled if she weren't so worried. She couldn't help wondering if her daughter had any idea of the effort it took for Orochimaru to enter their home when every last bit of him looked like he wanted to flee instead.

"Merry Christmas, Father."

"Merry Christmas, Mitsuki," Orochimaru acknowledged, tearing his gaze away from Hiashi's unblinking one.

"Merry Christmas, Orochimaru-san!" Boruto and Sarada chorused in unison.

"Merry Christmas, Boruto-kun, Sarada-chan."

"Is that it?" Hiashi's harsh voice sounded. "Not only are the Hokage, my daughter and their friends supporting him, the younger generation is as well? I shouldn't be surprised. They don't know the Orochimaru my peers and I know, the one the Sandaime knew."

His voice was heavy with meaning, causing another round of worried looks.

"Father, let's discuss this later," Naruto said in a quiet voice.

"How much later?" Hiashi demanded. "After dinner with Orochimaru? After the children open their presents? I refuse to sit at the same table as him!"

"Otou-sama, please," Hinata began. "Orochimaru-san is Himawari's friend."

That didn't make it any better.

"FRIEND?!" Hiashi roared.

- o -

The hallway of the Uzumaki home seemed too small to contain all the rising voices that ricocheted painfully on Orochimaru's eardrums. He stood very still as the cacophony of voices grew and swelled, as he watched the faces around him turn red with anger and embarrassment.

It was almost like being on trial except with Mitsuki on one side of him, shoulder touching his arm while Himawari pressed close to his other side, her small hand clutching his like a lifeline.

Hiashi Hyuga was loudly denouncing him by bringing up his past. Everything, from the shady experiments Orochimaru had done, the alliances he had created, the betrayal that had resulted in the Sandaime's death, joining the Akatsuki and many more.

Throughout it all, Orochimaru kept silent. He had thought the hardest persons to convince that he meant Himawari-chan no harm were Naruto and Sasuke, even though Naruto believed in a person's inherent goodness, and Orochimaru had helped Sasuke find answers about the Uchiha massacre.

He should have known it was the older generation who would oppose him the most; the ones old enough to witness his crimes and remember them. He had thought he knew what regret felt like - the acid of remorse burning into his soul and the taste of bile rising in his throat... but this felt a thousand times worse.

Something tugged at his hand, rousing him from his thoughts.

"Just listen, Shiro-chan," Himawari said.

"Believe me, Father, I thought exactly like you did."

"Sakura and I didn't trust him with Himawari-chan either."

"But so far, he's been good, otou-sama."

"Yes, he's been polite."

"Ojii-chan, he protected Himawari-chan in the park, you know!"

"He's Mitsuki's parent. You know Mitsuki's our teammate."

"You should've seen those bullies run when he stretched out his neck and stuck out his tongue. That was awesome, you know!"

"Boruto-nii-chan, w-what do you mean?"

"Eh, it was nothing, Himawari-chan!"

"Otou-sama, please be reasonable."

Orochimaru stared at them, a tiny, flickering warmth taking hold in his chest to see Hokage and his family and friends defending him. It made his throat ache with an unaccustomed tightness. It made him feel small, humble and unworthy.

Of her.

Orochimaru looked down at Himawari, sniffling and pressed close to his side as she stared up at her beloved grandfather. Hiashi Hyuuga had blood ties to her. Orochimaru didn't.

When she released his hand to rub at her eyes, he saw his chance.

"Merry Christmas, little one," he whispered and opened the front door just enough to slip out.

- o -

A couple of minutes later...

"Either he goes or I will!" Hiashi Hyuuga delivered that ultimatum in a booming voice that brought about an abrupt silence.

Sasuke looked around, eyes narrowing.

"Orochimaru's already left," he said.

"So has Mitsuki," Sarada said with a frown.

"Wait - where's Himawari-chan?" Hinata looked around.

So did everyone, Boruto even bounding upstairs to check and Sakura peeping in the living room. It was Sarada who noticed the front door was ajar and pulled it open.

"There!" She pointed and they all turned to look, Boruto almost falling down the stairs in his haste.

Himawari was slowly making her way down the long driveway, snow up to her waist. She had almost reached the main road.

Naruto and Hinata exchanged stunned looks and looked back out the door.

"Shiro-chan! Mitsuki-nii-chan!" Himawari called tearfully. "Come back!"

"Himawari-chan!" Naruto and Hinata said at the same time and rushed to the door, Sarada quickly leaping to one side.

Then - floomph! - Himawari lost her balance and fell face down in the snow.

"Himawari-chan!" Naruto and Hinata shouted.

Orochimaru reached Himawari first, lifting her to her feet and then carrying her when she threw herself into his arms while Mitsuki patted her leg.

"Himawari-chan!"

There was a little skirmish as five adults and two teenagers tried to squeeze out the door at the same time and got stuck there. Boruto and Sarada slipped through first, having the advantage of being smaller than the adults, and hurried down the driveway.

Boruto decided to take a leaf out of Naruto's book and cleared the way with a powerful Wind Release that made the snow churn about like a snowstorm.

"Boruto!" Sarada wiped at her glasses in exasperation, but Boruto didn't hear her. He was staring wide eyed at the sight of his little sister clinging to Orochimaru.

"Don't cry, little one," Orochimaru said, patting her back rather awkwardly.

"I don't want you to go," Himawari-chan sobbed into his ear, her arms wound tight around his neck.

"You have your family and grandfather with you," he tried to soothe her. "And friends."

Himawari pulled back enough to glare at him with tearful blue eyes.

"I want Shiro-chan too!" She insisted, holding his face with her small hands for good measure.

"Well, uh, Mitsuki-kun can eat with you all," Orochimaru tried again.

"Shiro-chan and Mitsuki-nii-chan!" Himawari insisted. She patted his cheek. "Please?"

Orochimaru and Mitsuki exchanged a helpless look.

Someone cleared their throat and Orochimaru turned to see everyone standing a few feet away, Hinata in front of them with her arms outstretched as if keeping them back. It was Naruto who stood before him, blue eyes not narrowed in distrust or anger, but wide and earnest.

"Orochimaru-san. Please have dinner with us."

The addition of the honorific wasn't lost on Orochimaru. He inclined his head, all too aware of the clingy girl in his arms.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. But my past exploits would only cause indigestion. Hinata-san's excellent dishes deserve to be enjoyed to the fullest."

Hinata came to stand beside Naruto.

"By all my guests including you, Orochimaru-san," she said firmly. "And the food is getting cold."

Sasuke and Sakura walked up to join them.

"While my salad is getting warm," Sakura said with a wry smile.

"Hn." Sasuke said when she poked him in the side.

Boruto and Sarada were next.

"Mitsuki, you and your fath- uh, moth- eh, parent need to join us," Boruto blushed at his faux pas while Sarada sighed and shook her head.

"Yes, please do," she added.

Mitsuki nodded at Orochimaru, looking hopeful.

"May I?" Naruto held out his arms.

Orochimaru tried to hand Himawari over but she clung even tighter to him, wrapping her legs around his chest for good measure.

Naruto sighed and let his arms drop.

"Guess she wants to make sure you come with us," he said and laughed, shaking his head. "Let's all go back, you know."

"Yes, her clothes are wet," Hinata fretted, touching her leggings. "I need to get her changed right away."

Orochimaru looked around at their solemn faces and then at the silent figure standing behind them, arms folded across his chest, radiating disapproval.

"If you're sure," he said cautiously.

"We are," Naruto said at once. "I've heard about your past. I'm not commending or condemning them right now because you're not here on trial. You're here for a Christmas Eve dinner as Himawari's special friend."

"Please, Shiro-chan?" Himawari asked, now patting his hair.

Orochimaru sighed and gave her a small smile.

"If it pleases you, little one."

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you enjoyed it and take care :)