CCNote: Guess who's back! Did ya miss me? I missed ya'll for sure! Being back home was just what I needed and I brought back tons of stuff to Japan. Your suitcase gets really weird when you live abroad. I dragged two suitcases (one of which was nearly empty) across the world just so I could fill them with vanilla coke, velveta, candy, candles, toothpaste, HOT SAUCE, hand sanitizer, and other stuff. I even brought back a bottle of spicy mustard and my fiancé shook his head in shame lol. I digress.
Here's the latest chapter! Have you ever been around a four to six year old extensively? If so you will identify with this chapter and Hiroto who has a one-track mind. I hope you enjoy it!
Side note, a few people have reached out to me about the program I'm on here in Japan and a couple have actually applied. If you're a US applicant interview invitations were sent out yesterday so be sure to check your emails! Good luck!
In any case, this chapter is kinda long to make up for my absence. Enjoy and don't forget to leave a REVIEW! I really want to know what you think of the twins!
R is for Babies
December 24 2023 10:15am
Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House
...
Hiroto frowned as his mother adjusted his red scarf around his neck for the one billionth time. Maybe it hadn't been one billion times, more like seven, but it felt like a billion. Plus he'd just learned the number billion and it was bigger than a million and meant that it was better than any number his brother could come up with. Hajime couldn't even count to a billion and well…neither could he but he knew it had a bunch of zeros. His mother tugged worriedly at his scarf and adjusted the matching knitted hat on his head.
"He looks fine Hinata." His father's baritone chided and his mother sighed before letting him go. "You shouldn't be so nervous."
"I…I'm not nervous." His mother countered as she smoothed down the front of her black winter coat. His father narrowed his eyes and rang the doorbell.
"Yes, you are. Whenever it comes to him you always get like this."
Hiroto rolled his eyes and shuffled closer to his brother for warmth. Their parents had been speaking in code the entire car ride up to the Winter Estate. It was really annoying not understanding what they were talking about and they didn't explain no matter how many times he and his brother asked. It wasn't that big of a deal though. They were both excited about returning to the Winter Estate. It didn't snow in Konoha, although it did get really really cold, but there was tons of snow here. The snow and the fact that they got a bunch of presents made visiting the Winter Estate the highlight of their year.
They didn't even get to come last year which put a real damper on Christmas and the Christmas before that his favorite aunt and uncle had been missing or at least that's what he'd overheard his father saying over the phone yesterday in an effort to make sure that Uncle Chi actually showed up for Christmas this year. The young Uchiha hoped that his uncle would show, he always made everything more fun and was able to get his father to make funny faces.
Hiroto let out a breath and marveled at the white smoke that escaped from his mouth just as the front door to the main house opened. The promise of warmth spilled out onto the doorstep and the twins rushed inside past the startled Hyuuga Branch member.
"Oh, my!" the middle-aged woman gasped in surprise.
"Boys." Their father reprimanded tersely and the twins turned sheepishly back to their parents.
Hiroto puckered his lips and tried not to make eye contact with what he knew was a hard look on his father's face.
"Boys." His mother's soft voice spoke up. "What do you do when someone invites you in?"
Simultaneously he and his brother bowed the way their mother had taught them, although Hiroto thought that he'd done a better job than Hajime.
"Thank you for having us!" they said together before straightening.
"So polite!" the woman cooed as she kneeled down to the five-year-olds' level. "We're happy to have you!"
Much to Hiroto and Hajime's mutual disdain, the older woman pulled at their cheeks and gushed about how cute they were. Hiroto really wanted to smack the lady's hands away from his face but he knew that his mother wouldn't like that. She always looked really sad when he did things like that even when people deserved it. Fortunately, the woman was distracted by a call from the kitchen and relieved himself and his brother from her clutches.
"What's going on?" Hajime asked as their mother and father started removing all of their winter gear. It was much too hot inside of the main house to keep it on. "Why are there so many people here?"
All around them Hyuuga Branch members were rushing from door to door with armloads of everything from blankets to decorations to food. Hiroto had never seen the Winter Estate so busy! Usually, it was only his uncles and aunts running around. Now there were tons of people who had eyes like his mother and whose names he'd never bothered to remember.
"This is a very important time for the family." their mother said as she removed his brother's hat and proceeded to unzip his puffy coat.
Hiroto pouted at how gentle his mother was with removing Hajime's coat. His father was a little too rough. Large hands quickly slipped off his gloves and unbuttoned his coat faster than he ever could. How was it possible that his father was so good with buttons?
"Important day?" Hajime asked and their mother nodded her head, a soft smile on her lips.
"Yes. Very important. This is Honoka's first birthday."
Hiroto rolled his eyes and knew that his brother was doing the same even though his back was to him. The slight wrinkle of his mother's brow told him so. It wasn't that they didn't like Honoka. It was just that she was…well, boring. All she did was poop and cry and sleep. She was nothing special in his opinion so he didn't understand why all of the adults made such a big fuss about her.
"Come on, let's go say hello to everyone." Their mother said and stood up with a huff as she addressed their father. "Don't antagonize Neji too much."
The twins giggled as their father grunted and turned away to head down the west wing of the main house. They repeatedly mimicked his 'hn' and it only earned them a soft sigh of defeat from their mother.
...
December 24 2023 11:05am
Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House Nursery
...
"She's gotten so big!" his mother gushed as she held their squirming cousin in her arms.
The newly minted one year old wanted nothing to do with being held and wasn't constrained at all by the poofy crème colored dress she was wearing. His mother repeatedly kissed the top of the girl's curly brunette head despite Honoka's energy. Eventually, she put the wiggling girl on the ground and squealed happily as Honoka immediately began crawling away. Hajime laughed behind his hand as his brother pretended to make himself vomit. Their Aunt Tenten gave them a curious side-eye from her seat in the nursery room's rocking chair and they immediately stopped pantomiming.
"She really has. She'll be running around the compound soon if Lee has anything to say about it." She said with a sigh as she leaned to one side of the rocking chair, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "However, I'm sure Neji is going to put her in a straight jacket if that ever happens. Did I ever tell you he belongs in the loonie bin?"
"Only every time I see you!" their mother laughed and absently ran her fingers through her long dark hair.
"What's a 'loonie bin'?" Hajime whispered to his brother who flashed a knowing smirk.
"Its where they keep all the loonies." He answered.
Hajime nodded his head at the practical response. It made sense. Trash went into a trash bin. Their toys went into their toy bin. Of course, loonies went to a loonie bin…but what was a loonie? Apparently, their Uncle Neji was a loonie but why?
"Don't worry." Their mother continued. "He'll get better as she gets older."
"One can only hope. At least the elders have finally been satisfied. You'd think they believed that babies materialized from thin air."
"Where do babies come from?" Hajime whispered.
Yet again Hiroto smirked and opened his mouth, however, nothing came out. His eyebrows knitted together which was a clear sign that he was trying to figure out an answer which took the other twin by surprise. Hiroto usually had an answer for everything. As his mother continued to talk with their aunt, Hajime felt a small tug on the edge of his dark blue sweater. He looked down at Honoka. Big white eyes blinked back at him, a bit of drool dribbling onto her chin. He tried to remove the sweater from her grip but she only tugged harder.
"Stop it." He whined but Honoka didn't listen.
She continued to grunt and tug at his sweater for reasons he couldn't understand. His Grandmother had bought him this sweater and he wasn't about to let a drooling baby mess it up. Hajime tried to get his brother's attention but he was too lost in his own mind to even look at him.
"Stop Honoka." He whispered, although this time with a bit more insistence.
His cousin still refused to listen and instead tugged even harder. Her legs curled underneath her as a look of determination set in her eyes. He continued to try to take his sweater away but Honoka was pretty strong for a baby. Soon her pudgy little hands started to grip higher as though she was trying to climb. Frightened, Hajime tapped his brother to deal with the situation but he was still thinking.
"Oh my god! Ten look!" his mother gasped as her attention finally turned from Aunt Tenten. "She's standing!"
Hajime breathed a sigh of relief when his aunt bounded from her rocking chair and immediately picked his cousin up. The girl had no choice but to let go of his sweater when she was being smothered with her mother's affection. He smoothed out his sweater, irritated at the discovery that where she grabbed was a little wet and also at the fact that his mother was back to gushing over the baby. Babies were gross and dumb. Wherever they came from they needed to be sent back.
"Let's go show Neji! He's going to flip!" Tenten giggled and rushed out of the nursery with his mother hot on her heels.
Just when he thought his mother was gone she popped her head back into the room, pale eyes scanning them up and down.
"Ito will be here soon so wait for him downstairs. Don't leave the main house." She said, a rare edge of authority seeping into her voice.
Hajime nodded his head and stiffened. His mother hardly ever sounded so strict but when she did it was best to listen. That was a lesson that came easily to him, Hiroto, on the other hand, was another story. He might have all the answers but he didn't listen very well. Just as his mother disappeared from the doorway, the doorbell rang which could only mean that Ito and his family had arrived. Now excited at the prospect of doing something fun, Hajime grabbed Hiroto's hand and tried to drag him out of the nursery but he didn't budge.
"Come on Hiro!" Hajime groused as he pulled his brother's hand. Downstairs he could hear his Uncle Naruto's boisterous voice and his Aunt Ino urging him to not be so loud. "See! Ito is here let's go!"
Hiroto only mumbled incoherently under his breath but allowed Hajime to lead him down the stairs. Hajime shook his head at his brother's distraction. What was he thinking about so hard?
...
December 24 2023 12:30pm
Hyuuga Winter Estate- Cottage 8
...
Hiroto huffed as he, his brother, and Ito sprinted down the ice-covered awnings leading away from the main house. It was much colder now than it had been when they arrived and he regretted not grabbing his hat and scarf when they'd left the main house. Hajime had told him to take it but he'd refused. He looked much cooler without the silly red hat his grandmother had bought for him. However, he hadn't thought about the fact that his ears felt like they were about to fall off.
"Hiro! Hiro slow down! Whoa!" Ito shouted from behind him, the sound of him falling on his butt immediately following it.
Hiroto glanced over his shoulder to see his brother helping the teary blonde back up to his feet. If Ito wasn't going to be able to keep up then he shouldn't have followed them outside.
"Hiro just slow down a little." Hajime whined and Hiroto rolled his eyes before running down the covered path again.
"Last one there has to eat a dirty sock!" he shouted over his shoulder.
He heard the initial groans from his brother and Ito but soon they were gaining ground. It didn't take long for his brother to run past him and Ito was even faster. The idea of eating a dirty sock was more than enough to motivate the two. Hiroto smirked, he knew that the threat would work. He always overheard his father threatening people over the phone and it seemed to work for him. Not one to lose to his own challenge, Hiroto picked up his speed.
It didn't take long for them to reach their destination. In fact, they may have gotten there faster if they hadn't been elbowing each other out of the way the whole time to take the lead. In the end, they were left at a three-way tie and had no choice but to agree that no one had to eat a dirty sock. Once that was settled, Hiroto reached up to grab the cottage's doorknob and twisted it to let himself and his companions in. Just as the door opened there was a loud thump and groan as a body hit the hardwood floor.
Once the heavy door was fully opened, the three boys were greeted with a sight akin to Christmas throwing up inside of the small living room cottage. Reams of green and red wrapping paper were rolled out on the floor and ribbons haphazardly dotted the floor. There were bags stuffed with sparkly gold tissue paper and more tinsel than could ever be considered necessary. A giant pile of gifts, some wrapped but most not, sat in front of the fireplace just begging to be played with.
"What the hell was that for- oh!" the voice from the floor called as they sat upright. "Hi boys!"
Hiroto cocked his head to one side at his bedraggled aunt from the door. Her long brunette hair was a mess with bows sticking to the tangles and she was still wearing her pajamas even though it was the middle of the day! How was it possible that she was even related to his mother?
"What are you doing on the floor?" he asked, Hiroto and Ito snickering on either side of him before jostling past to sit by the brightly lit fireplace and dig into the gift pile.
His pale-eyed aunt glared at his uncle who was righting himself on the couch and putting his hair into a ponytail.
"Your aunt has no comprehension of self-control." His uncle said flatly much to his aunt's chagrin.
"Compre-what?" Hajime said, confused by their uncle's words. Even though he wouldn't show it, Hiroto also didn't understand.
"Comprehension." Their uncle said with a wry smirk. "It means she does not have an understanding of something. In this case, it's self-control."
"My mommy says that my daddy has no self-control." Ito said as he started pulling bright gold tissue paper out of a bag and plunging his hand into its contents. "She says that he would eat ramen every night if he could!"
Hiroto snickered as his aunt scramble up from the floor and snatched the gift away from his sneaky fingers. Ito puffed out his cheeks and glared back at her. The Uchiha shook his head at the weak glare before climbing onto the couch to sit with his uncle.
"Don't lump me in with that guy. I have a perfect 'comprehension' of self-control." She said and picked up the gold tissue paper that Ito had tossed. He could feel the bad attitude rolling off of his aunt in waves. She probably needed a nap. "I just don't see the need to deprive myself of what I want like some people."
"What does deapewive mean?" Hajime asked as he scooted towards a large red bag.
"Deprive." Their aunt corrected, nudging the red bag out of his reach with her foot. "It means someone is being stupid."
"That's not what it…" Their uncle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb before letting their aunt's statement pass. A heavy hand patted the top of his head, ruffling the dark locks his mother had spent the better part of their morning trying to cull. "What can I do for you boys? You really shouldn't be in here right now since I am the one on wrapping duty this year. Do your mothers know you've left the main house?"
Hiroto tensed as Hajime opened his mouth to answer. His brother couldn't tell a lie to save his life so he had to think fast.
"Yes!" Hiroto spoke up, cutting his brother off before he could get a word in.
"Is that so?" his uncle said, a dark eyebrow rising skeptically.
Hiroto nodded his head, hoping that more he nodded, the more convinced his uncle would be. Black eyes looked him up and down and for a moment, Hiroto swore his uncle could read his mind.
"Well, then Hiro. What could be so important that you came all the way out here in the cold?" he asked.
The Uchiha tore his eyes away from his elder and played with the stiff buttons on his coat. He could feel the eyes of his brother on him, waiting for him to speak. Hiroto disliked not knowing something. He especially hated admitting that he didn't know something in front of his brother and Ito who knew nothing. However the fact that he didn't know this one thing bothered him. Where did babies come from? As his aunt Tenten had said, they didn't just appear from thin air. If they didn't just appear that meant that they had to come from somewhere. Everyone started off as a baby and got big but how did that happen? How did he end up with his mother and father and not someone elses? How did someone even get a baby? Did they go to a baby store? He'd never seen a baby store before but there had to be a place to buy them. Maybe the internet? His grandmother bought things on the internet all the time.
"Well?" his uncle asked, breaking him from his thoughts. Hiroto looked up from his buttons and sat up straight like his father did when he was talking to important people.
"Uncle Chi…where do babies come from?" he asked the adults in the room froze.
Hajime and Ito didn't really care about the question. They were more interested in the opening that it had provided and were taking advantage of their aunt's momentary distraction. His uncle's brow furrowed a bit as he ran a hand over his face.
"Why do you want to know?" his aunt asked and Hiroto crossed his arms over his chest.
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Because, because, because, because!"
"Hiroto," his uncle interjected and the boy backed down from his aunt's prying. It was already bad enough he had to admit that he didn't know something. "You'll find out when you get older."
Hiroto frowned. He wanted to know now.
"Why?"
"You're too young-" he started to explain but his aunt snorted.
"Everyone is too young to you." She quipped as she remembered the other boys pilfering through the pile of presents. She picked up both of them by the back of their coats and walked them over to the couch. "If you're going to explain something you need to do better than that tired old excuse."
"Hanabi they're five." His uncle said flatly and his aunt placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Although, it was hard to take her seriously when there were bright red ribbons stuck in her hair.
"If they can ask the question they deserve an answer."
Hiroto scooted close to the edge of the couch. Excited to hear what his aunt had to say. It must be really important if his Uncle Itachi was unwilling to tell him.
"When two people love each other very very very much. They can have a baby." His aunt explained and Hiroto blinked back at her.
Love? What did that mean? His mother told him that she loved him all the time but they didn't have a baby. Love wasn't like money. You couldn't take love to the store and buy things. If love could buy a baby then it could only be used at the baby store. How much love could buy a baby? Five 'I love you's'? A hundred? It must be a lot since it took two people's 'I love you's to buy one baby. How much did it cost for his parents to have him and his brother?
"How much love can buy a baby? Where do two people go to buy a baby? Why does it have to be two people? Can't one person who has a lot of love have a baby? How does the baby store make the babies?" he asked and his aunt paused, surprised by his questions.
"Erm…well-" she stammered, her face turning increasingly red.
"Alright, boys. I think you need to head back to the main house before your mother and Ino realize you're gone." His uncle said as he stood up from the couch. He walked over to the pile of presents and grabbed the first bag he saw. He then pulled out a bunch of coloring books and handed one to each of them.
"But Uncle Chi-" Hiroto protested, unhappy that his questions were being ignored. His uncle was supposed to know everything!
Hajime and Ito were already scrambling off of the couch and heading towards the front door. They didn't care that their aunt and uncle were being unfair. All they cared about were coloring books!
"Come on Hiro." Hajime said as he took his hand.
Hiroto resisted the urge to yank his hand away. Even if his aunt and uncle wouldn't tell him, he'd find the answer out one way or another.
...
December 24 2023 1:10pm
Hyuuga Winter Estate- Courtyard
...
Naruto sucked in a worried breath as he hurriedly made his way down the icy awning pathway. The sharp intake of frigid air didn't help to assuage his nerves. If anything it only heightened them. Flashbacks of carrying Sasuke and Hanabi's shivering bodies ran through his mind and caused a mild panic to set in. He'd only looked the other way for a few minutes and the next thing he knew Ito was gone. He hadn't thought much of it in the beginning. His son and the Uchiha twins were always running off places and there were plenty of people milling about the main house to keep an eye on them. However, after five minutes without the usual ruckus they created, a paranoia had crept into the back of his mind. He knew it was irrational. Everyone else was going about the house as content and they'd always been and even though he plastered a smile on his face he could help but worry. Perhaps it was the recent loss of his parents that made him feel so frantic. He'd shaken the thought away and tried to stay engaged with the people around him. It wouldn't do for people to know just how anxious he'd become.
So he waited. Five minutes turned into fifteen, fifteen into a half hour, and now he found himself sprinting through the maze of covered awnings to find his son. He could only hope that they'd just gone to one of the cottages to play and not out in the woods somewhere. Naruto rounded a corner, careful not to slip on an icy patch of wood, and made his way towards Itachi's usual cottage. He was on gift wrapping duty this year and maybe the boys had gone to visit him to get an early peek at their gifts. If they weren't there he'd have to return to the main house and organize a search party. That was the last thing he wanted to do because it would worry Ino and stress was something she certainly didn't need right now-
"Daddy!" a little voice shouted, bolting around the corner and launching themselves at his midsection.
A feeling of relief washed over him as he picked up his son and placed him on his hip. His cheeks were a ruddy red and his nose definitely needed to be wiped but overall there was nothing wrong with him. He even had a coloring book in his hand which he could only assume had been pilfered from Itachi. With a shaky chuckle, he wiped the snotty nose with his gloved hand despite Ito's wiggles of protest.
"Daddy stop!" he whined.
"Hey Uncle Naruto!" another little voice called from down below.
Naruto looked down to see the Uchiha twins coming up the path. Hajime was all smiles, clutching his coloring book to his chest, while Hiroto looked like an angry little Sasuke. He stalked right past him without saying hello like his brother and a dark cloud hanging over his head.
"What's up with him?" Naruto asked in a loud whisper, stooping down to pick up the happier twin. He followed close behind Hiroto just to make sure that he didn't wander off elsewhere.
"He's mad because Uncle Chi and Aunt Hana didn't answer his questions." Hajime said as he clutched the front of Naruto's coat.
"And what questions are those?"
"Where babies come from."
Naruto nearly dropped both boys from his arms at the nonchalant statement but somehow managed to keep his composure. In front of him, Hiroto started grumble but he couldn't make out much of what he was saying outside of 'stupid' and 'riddles'.
"I don't think they even know." Hajime said, oblivious to Naruto's discomfort. "Father says Aunt Hana 'is too stubborn for reason'. I think that means she's not smart."
"My Daddy knows everything because he's the Hokage." Ito gushed. "Daddy where do babies come from?"
"Um well…" Naruto started, unsure of how to continue.
They were only five and he didn't think he'd have to deal with this question so early. In front of him, Hiroto had ceased his grumbling and was now slowing his pace so that he could listen in on their conversation. Ito pulled at his collar expectantly, eager for an answer from him and there wasn't much he could deny his son. With a sigh, Naruto adjusted the boys in his arms as he continued to walk. Sasuke was going to kill him for sure.
"Babies come from bellies." He explained.
"That doesn't make any sense." Hiroto quipped from below. "Aunt Hana says it takes two people. How can one baby come from two bellies?"
"Well it does take two people but only one belly-"
"A baby will come from my belly?" Ito asked and Naruto shook his head.
"Only girl bellies. Your mom grew to the size of a house when she had you."
"That's not fair! I want to get big too."
"If you keep sneaking potato chips out of the kitchen you will."
"But what about love?" Hajime interrupted. "Aunt Hana says that you have to have a lot a lot of love."
Naruto's left eye twitched.
"That's true." He said, hesitant to even continue the conversation but Hiroto had finally turned around and was looking up at him with inquisitive black eyes.
The elder Uzumaki picked up his speed towards the house. The last time he'd gotten really serious about finding an answer was when he wanted to know why the sky was blue. It had taken calling Shikamaru on the phone to explain the refraction of light to get the boy off of their backs. Not that he particularly understood the explanation because he fell asleep on the phone but he seemed to be satisfied afterward.
When Hiroto wanted something he got it, especially when it came to answering his never-ending line of questions. The Hokage just wasn't equipped to handle this particular set at the moment. Hopefully, once they got inside the boys could be distracted by something else or a better person than him could take over.
"So you can't buy a baby?" Hiroto asked, his little feet picking up speed to keep up with Naruto's increasingly elongated strides.
"Well yes, I mean no. Sometimes."
"How does the baby get into the belly? Does it have to crawl up? Is it painful? Why does the baby have to live in a belly? Why only girl bellies?"
"Naruto!" Ino called from the back deck of the main house.
Naruto let out a sigh of relief at the sight of his wife waving at them, providing the escape he needed to get away from Hiroto's questions. He was nearly sprinting to the door for refugee, all along the way Hiroto kept spouting off rapid-fire questions. None of which he could answer of course but Ito and Hajime enjoyed his speed and encouraged him to go faster. He quickly reached the back door and Ino stared up at him suspiciously.
"Naruto," Ino said as she took Ito from his arms. "Everyone's been looking for you guys."
"Mommy, look what I got!" Ito said excitedly, shoving the coloring book under his mother's nose.
Ino shot him a pointed 'how the hell did he get this' look and all Naruto could do was smile and shrug. He put Hajime down on the deck, gently pushing towards the door, before turning back to see a frustrated Hiroto. With a resigned sigh, he knelt down in front of the pouting boy and placed a hand on top of his dark hair.
"You should ask your father these questions." Naruto said and Hiroto snorted.
"He's not going to answer."
"Well, you have a lot of questions. I'm sure he can answer at least some of them."
"So Father is smarter than you?"
Naruto's left eye twitched again and his smile faltered a bit. Never in life did he imagine that he'd have to concede something to his best friend and rival. He stiffly nodded his head and Hiroto's pout turned into a mischevious smirk.
"I knew it!" he said smugly and marched proudly into the house, more than likely in search of Sasuke.
There was obviously something about knowing his father was smarter than the Hokage that made the little Uchiha stand a little taller. Naruto smiled and straightened himself out before he followed the boy inside. Even though he had to falsely admit that his best friend knew more than him he couldn't help but feel pity for the man. Tonight was going to be a long night.
...
December 24 2023 2:21pm
Hyuuga Winter Estate- Main House Library
...
"I believe the quarterly earnings for this year ended well. We should start thinking about the expansion of some of the branches when the new year begins. Many of them are overworked as it is." Neji said pensively as he closed his manilla folder and tossed it onto the coffee table.
"HR has been hounding me about increasing hiring for a few weeks now. I guess we have to give in to them now." Sasuke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the impending headache that came with thinking about his HR department.
"Our profit margins allow for an increase. Plus it will be good press to hire more workers."
"You Hyuugas and your image."
Neji smirked and leaned back against the couch.
"Image is everything."
Sasuke rolled his eyes at the man and mentally cursed himself for doing so. It was a bad habit of his that the twins had picked up and they had no problem rolling their eyes at anyone. He didn't see it as a big deal but Hinata thought it was rude. He really had to watch himself now as his children got older. They were worse than sponges. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder where they picked up their mannerisms or misguided information but every other day there was another 'bad behavior' fire he had to put out. He could only hope that the child Hinata was carrying was a girl because he would go insane if another troublesome boy came along.
"Knock, knock." A soft voice from the library doorway called. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important."
The Uchiha and Hyuuga looked up to see Hinata standing across the room with a soft smile on her face and a hand on the doorknob. Unconsciously he looked her up and down, mindful of the fact that he'd only just seen her a couple of hours ago but he could help himself. There was nothing special she had on. Only a pair of blue jeans and a bulky white cable knit sweater but he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. Pregnancy suited her even though she wasn't showing much just yet.
"Not at all. Come in." Neji said, waving her over to where they were sitting. "We were just discussing an increase in hiring in the new year. What do you think?"
"Actually, Neji…" she started hesitantly as she approached them. "I'd like to speak with Sasuke alone."
Neji cocked his head to the side for a moment before giving his male companion a side eye. No matter how many years he and Hinata had been married he still didn't trust him completely. With a short huff, he got up from the couch and complied with Hinata's request for privacy. Once he'd left the room, Hinata took a seat next to him on the couch. She fiddled with her hands in her lap and chewed on her bottom lip, a sign that she didn't want to say what she had on her mind. He frowned and reached out to gently grip her chin with his forefinger and thumb. Slowly he turned her face so that she would look him directly in the eyes and was surprised. Her eyes weren't glassy the way he thought they'd be…the way he predicted they should be.
"Well?" he asked, running his thumb under her bottom lip to pull it away from her teeth.
"It went…poorly…"
…Hinata paused just outside of the door to her father's assigned cottage. It was the furthest away from all of the other, almost touching the tree line to the forest. Despite its separation it was just as well maintained as all of the others. Inside she knew that there would a be a fire burning, constantly tended to by diligent branch members. The floors had been polished no less than twice and brand new linens had been purchased to his liking. She knew how meticulously Neji had worked to get the cottage to the former head's liking but according to Tenten, he hadn't uttered a word of thanks. Not that Hinata or Neji expected him to but Tenten didn't appreciate his attitude.
Hinata sniffed as she recalled her best friend's rant about how ungrateful her father was. The words she said were true but sometimes it was too easy for Tenten to forget that Hiashi was her father. As such he still held a special place in her heart even though he'd closed himself off. Even though after five years he still didn't want anything to do with her. Frowning she lifted her fist up to knock on the door but paused just before her knuckles touched the wood.
Was she an idiot for even going through this trouble? Sasuke hadn't given voice to such a sentiment but she recognized the disapproving look in his eyes. Her father barely acknowledged his current grandchildren, it was a miracle that he even visited the hospital when Honoka was born. Why would he care about another grandchild being brought into the world? Another Uchiha at that… Maybe he wouldn't care. Maybe he would go on ignoring her and her sons like he always did. It didn't matter what he decided to do. All that mattered was that she at least put forth the effort to reach out to him, to make their family whole again. It's what her mother would have wanted.
The thought of her mother brought a bit more resolve to her spine and she raised her hand to knock once more. This time she didn't hesitate. It took a moment but she finally heard a muffled invitation to enter so she opened the door. Inside was dimly lit despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. All of the curtains had been drawn and the only light source in the room was the dying embers inside of the fireplace. Her father stood over the weak hearth, a glass half full of dark liquid in one hand and the other holding something she couldn't quite see.
"I thought I said I wasn't hungry." He father growled without looking up. Hinata gulped and took several steps further into the room.
"Father…it's me." She said and he turned his head.
His eyes stared back at her. Hard. Unfeeling. Just like they always were but there was something else that flashed in them when he'd initially looked up. The fear she'd seen only once before…a little over five years ago when she'd worn one of her mother's kimono. The look made her heart beat faster and she wanted desperately to avert her gaze elsewhere. Swiftly she crossed the room towards the fireplace and grabbed an iron poker from its stand and crouched down to stoke the fire back to life. It didn't take long to revive it and soon the room became brighter.
"Hinata." He said with a tongue that had not uttered her name in years. At least not to her own ears. "Have you come to deliver news?"
"Father?" she replied.
Did he already know what she'd come to tell him? How was that possible? The only people they'd informed of her pregnancy were Fugaku and Mikoto and neither one of them were on speaking terms with her father. She and Sasuke wanted to inform the rest of the family as well but it didn't seem right without sharing the news with her father first.
"Your sister came by as well last night." He said flatly, his voice betraying no emotion. "She tended the fire the same as you although she got soot everywhere."
Hinata smiled as she imagined Hanabi trying to perform a filial duty and not quite hitting the mark. Her sister excelled in most things but grace certainly wasn't her forte.
"Did you know she's been accepted to medical school?"
Hinata's smile faltered and she slowly stood up from her crouched position. She'd known. She'd been the one to help her with her applications and one of the first people Hanabi had called with the news. Neji knew. Tenten knew. Hanabi had even called Sasuke to tell him that one day she'd be able to poison him if he kept being a jerk. The only other person that hadn't been informed was their father, a fact that clearly didn't sit right with him.
As her father brought his glass to his lips, an uneasy feeling settled into her stomach. He must have still expected Hanabi to join the company. Even after her repeated protests against the prospect her father had probably hoped that she would change her mind.
"Of course you knew this already." He said, breaking Hinata from her thoughts. His lips twitched with the start of a grimace but he took another sip of his drink to keep his mask from cracking.
"Yes."
"You two used to be so easy to predict. There was a future for both of you that was something most little girls dream about yet you act as if it's the worst thing in the world."
"Father. Hanabi worked really hard to get accepted and it's one of the best schools in the country. She deserves our support." Hinata replied and Hiashi polished off his drink.
"Deserve?" he growled, moving over to the shelf of drinks on the other side of the room. "What does it mean to be a Hyuuga?"
"Duty to the cause. Honor what is right. Family above all else."
The words tumbled off of her tongue easily without having to think about them. He filled his glass almost to the rim with expensive whiskey and took a large gulp before he'd even placed the bottle back on the shelf.
"And where in that does it say what one deserves?"
"Nowhere." She replied, her eyes narrowing despite herself. "If she is happy does it really matter what a century old motto say?"
"I do not have the patience for your insolence today. What is your news?" he snapped. Hinata bristled at his tone but stamped down her irritation. Keeping her eyes on her father, she held her head high with the pride of the Uchiha she'd become.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm pregnant."
Her words hung heavy in the air and her father's eyes narrowed. Slowly he returned to her perch by the fireplace, tearing his eyes away from her to glare at the flames.
"He's turned you into a broodmare."…
…"A broodmare? A fucking broodmare?" Sasuke spat, jumping to his feet.
He was no longer able to sit through his wife's recounting of her conversation with her father. It was one thing when Hiashi made jabs at him but an entirely different situation when that venom was turned towards something he cared about.
"Stop." she said firmly, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back to the couch.
"Hinata let me go."
"No." she said softly with a sad smile on her lips. "He drunk and asleep in his bed now. There's no point."
Sasuke frowned at the information and glanced down at the watch on his wrist. It wasn't even five yet and the former Hyuuga head was already passed out drunk. Despite the disdain, he held for the resentful man he couldn't help but pity him.
"Why did you go to him? What was the point?" Sasuke asked, sinking back down onto the couch with a sigh.
Hinata smiled at him and scooted closer so that she could rest her head on his shoulder.
"Because we will make mistakes too. We will say or do the wrong thing and think it's right. We will want what we think is best but it might not be the reality our children wish for. One day we will be old and stubborn and I hope that our children will still reach out to us." She said. "Maybe one day he'll come around."
"We don't need his acceptance."
"No…but that doesn't mean we stop caring."
Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. His wife was too forgiving for her own good. No matter how many times people hurt her she still kept reaching out to them with that same genuine smile. It was because of that gentle nature that he fell in love with her. He turned his head to press a frustrated kiss on the top of her head and she leaned closer into his side.
He didn't understand her. When someone slighted him that was it. He didn't believe in second chances. Hinata, on the other hand, believed in fifth and sixth chances. It was no wonder Neji was so protective of her because she never protected herself. At least now that her father had been informed they would be free to tell the rest of the family the news of a new addition after the Christmas holidays had passed. Once Hinata actually started getting visibly larger they would tell the twins-
"Father!" a faint voice yelled from down the hall. "Father!"
Sasuke groaned and buried his face in the crook of Hinata's neck. His wife giggled at his impending doom and the end of their peace together. The reaction only further served to confirm that his wife was crazy. She wasn't there when Hiroto asked what a shadow was or how fish breathed underwater. Somehow she managed to escape Hiroto's hardest questions and was instead offered monster checking duty and ensuring that the twins didn't drown themselves during bath time. Anytime she was presented with an obscure question, like where the sky ended, she could distract their son effectively enough that the next poor soul was subjected to having to answer. Not only was his wife crazy but she created terrible children. As Hiroto marched up to the couch, he pressed a hand against the slight bulge hidden underneath Hinata's sweater and prayed that their next child wasn't psychotic.
"He's in here!" she yelled back and little feet scrambled down the hall.
"Hinata." He whined but she only giggled.
"Finally!" Hiroto exclaimed breathlessly popping into the doorway.
Peeking through his wife's hair he watched as his second son marched into the small library with his chest puffed out and a fierce determination in his eyes. Mentally Sasuke groaned. When Hiroto had that look on his face it could only mean one thing. He had a question and he wouldn't stop until he got an answer that satisfied him.
"Uncle Naruto say that you're smarter than he is." Hiroto exclaimed as he placed crossed his arms over his chest,
Sasuke frowned at the declaration. Naruto saying he was 'smarter' was a red flag. Whatever Hiroto was asking was something not even he could answer. He'd known Naruto for a majority of his life and there was no way he would admit to not knowing something willingly. Hinata shifted away from him slightly as their son climbed up onto his lap.
"Father, where do babies come from?"
To be continued...
S is for Concessions
There wasn't much in this world that he was able to deny her...