Chapter 3: Hinata

"Hyuga sama, Hizashi sama has returned.", said the attendant.

"Thank you Hikari, tell him that if he wishes to see me, I will recieve him in my study."

Hikari bowed and left.

Hiashi was no fool. He knew that Hizashi had, until recently,been meeting Hanako. He also knew that Hanako pined for Hizashi and the feeling was mutual. It ate at him inside to see his beloved long for another man's touch. He knew, no matter how willing she was in bed, he would never make her breath catch in rapture. He observed her in secret and had learned that she was naturally passionate about the things that she loved. Her face would light up at sight of Hizashi's son. She would sigh in pleasure holding little Neji in her arms. She would laugh uninhibited at any antic Hizashi's brat would do. It tore at his heart to know that she would always deny him her passion. She may have willingly given him her admiration, respect and regard but her face would turn rigid, when he kissed her. The light would go from her dazzling eyes.

Hiashi tried valiantly to win her heart. He always made it a point to smile and wish her good morning. He would send her flowers on her birthday. He would smile and pretend to be amused when she animatedly told him about Hizashi's child. He even tried writing a Haiku poem in her honour but soon abandoned the project.

Ater Hizashi's wife died, he stopped his illicit rendezvous with Hanako. At first, he felt happy that his wife wasn't meeting Hizashi anymore. But he saw, how unhappy she was . She sighed wistfully, whenever she caught a glimpse of him. He tried being equaminous about it, but the famous Hyuga stoicism, was failing him. His jealousy and resentment toward Hizashi seemed to warp into hatred.

He shut his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb. He willed his evil thoughts about Hizashi away. It had been over an hour since the attendant had informed him of Hizashi's arrival. It seemed like, his brother wouldn't speak with him today.

-x-

Hizashi limped to the Hyuga nursery. His last mission hadn't gone well. The sound-nins had been lying in an ambush and promptly pounced on him and Fugaku. It had been messy business. The sound nins were dangerous. Two of them even had Orochimaru's cursed seals. If it weren't for Fugaku's covering for him, Hizashi would have been dead. Fighting in closed spaces was always a difficulty and in dark underground passages, Without Hizashi's byakugan, they wouldn't have been able to see anything. In the end, they were able to eliminate them all. Fugaku hacked off the head of the leader and carried it back to the Hokage.

The only thing on Hizashi's mind right then was his son. Neji was all that was left to him. He decided that the only way he could redeem himself was by giving his all for his son.

The sight that met his eyes stunned him. Hanako was cradling his son and humming to herself. He swallowed. There she was: the object of his guilt. He hesitated before entering the nursery.

"You might as well come in.", Hanako said without turning to him.

He flinched at hearing her voice. He entered the nursery staring at the ground, ceiling, walls: anywhere but in her direction.

"He has his mother's eyes.", she said conversationally. She seemed hopeful.

"Aye, my lady. He does.", he said lifting his face up. Her heart sank at the even tone of his voice.

There it was: His expressionless mask; rigid, impersonal, distant. She hated that face.

Silently, she appraised the rest of his appearance. His flak jacket was riddled with puncture marks. There was huge purple bruise on his right cheek. The right sleeve of his white Hyuga robes was soaked with blood just below the shoulder. His left hand and right shin was covered with bandages, both seeping copious amounts of blood.

"You should visit the infirmary. You're in no shape to be walking about.", she said; her voice faltering a little.

"I know... I just thought I should see my son first.", he muttered.

She sighed, defeated. When the Hokage had informed them that Hizashi had been dispatched on a Priority-one S-class mission, she had gasped. She knew he was in no mental condition to be executing S-class missions. And Priority-one meant that, the mission was a matter of village security; thus even more dangerous. The Hokage assured her that Fugaku Uchiha had been assigned to assist him but he had never gotten along well with the young leader of the Uchiha clan. They were both extremely deadly killers in their own right but they were a disaster as a team. Somehow despite their mutual lack of trust, he had managed to return alive after competing the mission.

"So you decided to name him 'Neji'? It sound very unique.", she said with false cheer.

He nodded mutely.

She waited for him to speak. After a few moments, she sighed and turned away.

"Thank you for visiting my son, my lady.", he said in barely a whisper and turned away to leave.

"Hizashi, wait!", Hanako said; panic laced in her voice.

"I would rather not, my lady.", he said hollowly; his eyes turned away and left her presence hurriedly.

-x-

"My lord, I am with child", Hanako said quietly.

Hiashi was startled for a few moments but soon recovered his false smile. He forced himself to part his lips and grin.

"Well, you bring happy news early in the morning, my dear."

His mind was racing. He had visited her chambers only twice. That too, fairly recently. He had graciously not forced her to perform her wifely duties on the night of their marriage. He had stopped entering her chambers when he heard her stiffled sobs. He had though to win her trust by not forcing his attentions on her just after their marriage, hoping to get her accustomed to him. Then, the whole Hizashi affair began...

No no, he mustn't let his thoughts wander into thinking of Hizashi's rough hands on Hanako's soft pale flesh. Besides, there is no guarantee that the child isn't his. His thoughts bombarded him. He willed himself to believe that the child was his.

"Have you decided on a name, my dear?", he said with a cloying sweetness that made him cringe inwardly.

"I do not know whether it is a boy or a girl, my lord.", Hanako said quietly.

"heavens! How stupid of me!", he exclaimed and gave a low chuckle.

She didn't respond to his self-deprecating quip. He sighed inwardly.

-x-

A few months later.

Lady Hyuga Hanako gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Lord Hyuga named her Hinata.

Hizashi bowed stiffly. It seemed that stiffly was the only way Hizashi would behave with him.

"Felicitations, Lord Hiashi, on the birth of your heir and future head of the clan."

Hiashi nodded graciously.

"Hizashi, my lady wife is waiting to see you in her chambers."

Hizashi nodded. He knew, it was not a request but a command.

He entered her chambers. He noted that there were no servants or attendants.

Hanako's eyes lit up at the sight of him.

"Welcome, Hizashi.", she said smiling.

"I wish to offer felicitations..."

"She is your daughter, Hizashi.", she said cutting him off.

Hizashi opened his eyes wide. He seemed at a loss for words.

"My lady... I... I am sorr..."

"Don't you dare apologise for the existence of our child Hizashi Hyuga!", Hanako hissed with unbridled fury and then continuing in a milder tone, "She is the most beautiful creature in the world and I want you to feel the same way about her as I do."

Hizashi could only stare stupefied at her.