Chapter Eight - What's Best For the Clan
"Typical, you can't remember where we left off, so now your going to try and act like I don't know, have you been hanging around Naruto lately?" he said as sarcastically as he could, not liking the fact that he was insulting himself, but he figured that had to work, well at least Naruto thought it would.
Kiba yawned and stretched nonchalantly. "As a matter of fact, I have." He turned away from him. "Well, if you don't have anything to say that I care to hear, I mean, as much as I'm loving hearing my friends and I being insulted and degraded, I have better things to do so I'll talk to you later."
Hinata wasn't sure what to do anymore, and so she did the rashest thing possible, without even thinking, and took off out of the household and into the woods leading away from the village. Her father sighed and turned to return to the training room.
"Wait Kiba!" Naruto said and turned back into himself. "It's just me, I guess I did a good job of pretending to be Sasuke since that's generally how people react to him, and YOU didn't even notice, and sorry if I insulted you, I was just training, but I think I'm gonna go see Hinata now, she is at her house right?" Naruto asked just to be sure, and to be positive he had heard correctly.
"Oh, Naruto!" He acted surprised. "I had no idea it was you! You're getting very good at that!" He looked over towards Hinata's house. "Yeah, she should be home. That's where she was headed, anyways." He crossed his arms and grinned. "You know, Naruto, just letting you know, you've made Hinata really happy."
Hinata sighed and rested against one of the branches near the top of the tree she was in as she felt like she had gained ample ground and was far away from her home. She was in a large area, easy to lose yourself in. She smiled hopelessly as she realized that no one would find her out here if she got lost.
"Yeah, I guess I kinda did, and Neji won't be a problem anymore I had a talk with him he's okay with us, he said he would let us bring it to her father and everything," Naruto said with a smile. "Well I'd love to stay and chat but I'm going to go to Hinata's house and visit with her, bye!" Naruto said then ran in the direction of Hinata's house.
Kiba waved slightly and continued walking his own way home, thinking about everything that had happened. "That may be kinda hard, confronting her father...oh well, if anyone can get past that, it's him, eh Akamaru?" And that earned him a short bark.
Hinata sighed and pulled out the remainders of the snack Kiba had bought her earlier. She had forgotten that she still hadn't eaten a full meal and was becoming very hungry. She sat and thought about how stupid she had been to run, knowing that it would only anger her father, but she felt like she just had to get away from there. She sighed as she tried to figure how long she should wait before she returned home.
Naruto arrived at Hinata's residence and knocked on the door, and waited quietly, thinking of what he would say if anyone but Neji or Hinata answered the door, how he would explain himself, he thought of some lies and excuses he could use for the time being while he waited. He shuddered at the thought of her father opening the door, but he figured he could handle anybody that revealed themself when the door opened.
Hinata decided that sitting in a tree waiting for her father to cool down was pointless, so she decided to stretch a little bit and practice some with her Byakugan. It probably wouldn't help much, but it would give her something to do.
The house was silent apart from Naruto's knock, and the door remained closed and unattended. No one answered, and nothing could be heard from within.
He stood there still, waiting. 'What is taking so long?' he thought, he opened the door and stepped in a little. "Hello is anybody home, sorry to intrude but is Hinata here?" he shouted into the house and waited for a response knowing that what he was doing was oh so very stupid, but he did not care, it was not the first, or the last stupid thing he had done or would do.
A kunai knife embedded itself into the wall an inch away from Naruto's face - trained to warn, showing no hesitance to kill. The head Hyuuga leader stood poised at a distance with a second kunai, stanced to attack. "Who calls for my daughter?" His eyes narrowed as he took in Naruto's appearance. "Uzumaki Naruto?" he asked, teeth clenched, weapon still held for attack.
"I was not expecting a welcoming committee, but this is even less expected, and yes this is Naruto, I just came to say hello and to tell her Kiba was looking for her," he lied, the last thing he wanted was to 'talk' with Hinata's father about his relationship with her, especially when he looked as if he would kill him with a wrong move. He slowly positioned his hand near his equipment pouch in case of an attack.
Master Hyuuga's Byakugan showed in his eyes, and he motioned his kunai towards Naruto's hand. "I suggest you cease your movement to your pouch if you enjoy life." He slowly stood up and held his weapon down to his side, taking a more relaxed but still alert and serious pose. "Hinata is not here right now...I will be sure to tell her, Kiba, you say? is looking for her." He didn't bother to say he would mention Naruto's dropby. He glared as his Byakugan slowly began to recede. His voice dropped down low, venom dripping from his words. "Take my advice and do what is best for my daughter...stay away from her."
'I'm going to regret this, why am I about to talk, just leave LEAVE, no DON'T' This is what was going on in Naruto's mind before he opened his mouth. "I lied, Kiba was not looking for her I am, me, Uzumaki Naruto, and I will not take your advice I like your daughter and she likes me, and that is what is important NOT what you think!" The second he was done talking his thought sounded something like this: 'YOU DOLT WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, WHY DO YOU TALK AND SAY THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO GET YOU KILLED, APOLOGIZE NOW!' But he did not he stood steadfast with his arms crossed and ready to dodge any weapons that might come flying at him.
Surprisingly the Hyuuga leader deposited his kunai into his pouch, a showing that he meant no harm. He stared at the teen before him, his eyes boring through him as if he could sense everything that went through the boy's head. He sighed and his stance finally became one of total relaxation, almost weariness. "Uzumaki-san, are you a wise boy?" As absurd as his question seemed when asked, his tone betrayed no humor; seriousness laced every word.
Naruto stood there confused, did him standing up for himself actually work? But he knew he was not out of the woods yet, he was confused by the question, did he mean wise as in knowing the ways of the world or wise as in sarcastic? He decided that it was the first one and answered, "Well I don't know if I would say wise, but I'm not oblivious to the world around me, and I think I make good choices when it comes down to it, like choosing your daughter over a much easier path, if that helps." Naruto relaxed a little as well but still stood near the door, but closed it.
The elder smiled sadly and almost regretted denying his daughter this boy, but knew that it was required. "Then you will understand what I have to say." He beckoned for him to follow him into the visiting room, as if they had moments ago not had weapons ready to attack. "Don't worry, I'm not going to attack. But this will require some time for what I have to say, and you will probably want to sit and have something to eat." He looked at the teen expectantly and walked into the next room, expecting to be followed.
Naruto followed him into the visiting room, in an almost zombie-like manner for a moment. Everything that was happening to him was from one extreme to another, first Sakura was yelling at him then was kissing him, now Hinata's father went from almost killing him to inviting him into his house for some food. After a second or two of walking in a confused state, he continued following him in a normal manner. "Thank you, I'll just take some water, I'm not too hungry," he said. When he arrived in the guest area he took a seat and waited for what Hinata's father had to say.
He nodded and got a cup of water for Naruto and handed it to him, then proceeded to sit down himself. After a few moments of silence, he looked down at his lap and then out the window. He finally looked back towards Naruto and began to speak. "My daughter Hinata is, as I'm sure you know, the eldest of my children. And as such she carries a large responsibility." He looked directly at Naruto. "Because of her status as the eldest, and the fact that she is of the main branch, she will be due to inherit the leadership of our clan after my death." He closed his eyes. "Hinata understands her responsibilities, or at least she did at one point." He reopened his eyes to look at Naruto once again. "My daughter is...easily swayed, as callous as that may sound. She knows that she must marry someone suitable as seen by the clan, else an uprising could be feared. A confident leader, loyal to the clan, is what we've tried to raise her as. But, as you've seen, her confidence severely lacks. You've influenced her greatly, Naruto, and for that I will forever be grateful. She's become stronger, more confident, and with that more respected throughout the clan." He sighed once more. "However, you must understand that our family would most likely protest at the thought of my daughter with you, as cruel as it may sound. But you are not noble, refined, and not suitable as a fellow leader of our long bloodline. She is meant to marry within the line, and I fear that her being with you could make her forget that duty. Do you understand what I am saying, Naruto?"
"I think it is easy to see what you're saying, that I have been a positive influence on Hinata, and that is all I will ever be if this clan has anything to say about it, because I'm a lower-class orphan with the nine-tailed fox sealed in me, and thus could never live up to this clan's unrealistically high expectations, is that about right?" he said with anger in his voice, but no violent intent, he was just mad that he was being judged, because of his liniage, rather then who he was as a person.
The Hyuuga leader looked away from Naruto, not saying anything but solemnly acknowledging that what Naruto said was exactly what he meant. He allowed his gaze to return to the boy. "Please understand, I think only of the best interests of my daughter, my clan, and, although it may not seem so, yourself." He looked at Naruto hopefully, looking for some kind of reaction.
"Well I think you're part right, you are doing what is right for the CLAN, and that's all, you care about nothing else, but the preservation of the clan! Well guess what? If you do that you're going to create another Itachi somewhere down the line, you can't control someone's emotions and force them to marry someone they hate." Naruto said standing up then headed towards the exit He stopped at the doorway to leave the room he was in, then spoke again. "I love Hinata, and I'm not going to stop loving her because your clan thinks I'm worthless, the only way you're going to get me out of her life is by killing me, and if your clan is willing to go that far then, tell them I'm ready for anything they can throw at me."
The Hyuuga leader abruptly stood up, trying to keep calm. "Please rethink what you are saying. You want Hinata to be happy? Leave her alone. Stay away from her. She may be sad for a while but she will realize that it is for the best, as will you!" He stood with his fists clenched. "Forget about her. Do what you know is right."
"Do you honestly expect me to roll over and give up just because you're asking me to! I know what is right, and guess what? I'm doing it right now by not giving up despite everything that stands in my way, so good-bye, I'm going to find Hinata, and you're not going to stop me," Naruto said defiantly and headed for the exit.
Hinata's father merely stood in place and watched as Naruto left, shaking his head sadly. "I was hoping you would...but I see now that your bond is just too strong..." He walked off into his own room, contemplating the events sure to come. 'The clan will not be pleased...that boy will not be safe if he continues this way...' He sat down on his bed and massaged his forehead, waiting for his daughter's return.
Outside the door of the room, Neji stood and listened to his uncle's every movement, knowing everything, having listened to the entire confrontation between Naruto and Hinata's father.
N A R U H I N A
Thanks to this update's reviewers!
naruto-uzumakifan: Thanks! I'm glad you like it! You'll find out really soon if he tells or not! Either in this update or the next. Thanks for reading our story!
darkheart1992: Your bluntness impresses me! Lol, well, here's our next update, so enjoy!
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Skidoodle and Wobbleman