A/N: So this chapter is light and has taken a turn for the humorous side. I just went with the flow and this is what I came up with. Also, I'm trying to make people understand Naruto more and not dislike him. After all, he is trying to fix things. But for some reason I don't know what's happening, lol, and people are getting majorly pissed at him. I hope at least this chapter makes readers empathise with him more :P
Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Note: This chapter has NaruHina.
Chapter 6:
A Piece of Mind
"Any children you have will be called Hyūga, as my daughter hails from a noble and prestigious clan, the strongest in Konoha." Hiashi demanded. "Furthermore, you are to live in the Hyūga compound till you become worthy of supporting your own name."
Naruto blinked, unable to argue. He might still be a gennin, but he was a war hero! Everyone around the five countries knew of his name. He had sealed Kaguya, but standing in front of Hiashi and asking for his daughter's hand in marriage, Naruto felt a different kind of fear altogether.
At this moment, Naruto really wished he was battling Kaguya again rather than facing Hiashi, whose glare chilled him to the bone.
As if he heard him, Hiashi spoke, "You may be a hero in the village, but at this moment you are in my house, under my hospitality, and as only one of my daughter's many suitors. It is my daughter's future at stake and I will work in earnest to make sure she gets the best she deserves with regards to her value. You will listen to my conditions and then decide for yourself if you want allegiance and future ties with the Hyūga. Our clan would back and support you, finance your steps, and work hard to have you sit in the seat of Hokage."
No matter how many times Hinata and him had gone over and rehearsed this conversation and moment of confrontation, Hyūga Hiashi still managed to bore holes into him with his plain, deactivated eyes which even the kyubi inside him felt and shuddered. Had it been this hard the first time as well? Why was he so nervous when he knew that he was going to end up with her all the same?
I'm moving away from the family and thus branching out, Hinata had said. The topic of the cursed seal is sure to come up but I know Father would try to avoid its placement. You have to agree to anything my father says to avoid any argument otherwise Hanabi's first child when he or she turns three means the cursed seal for me or my first born if Neji doesn't have a child before me.
Like hell I'd even let them touch you or my children, Naruto had said, outraged.
Hinata had looked at him sadly. I know you won't. But Father would never agree otherwise. I have always known that my father wanted me to marry Neji. I'm already breaking off that arrangement and thus disappointing him once more because I love you. Don't you want to live a happy and carefree life with me forever, Naruto-kun?
Naruto cursed, not knowing how much patience he could maintain. He knew that the support of the Hyūga had actually mattered a lot and had been the deciding factor when the council, village elders, feudal lords, and the panel met to choose the next Hokage. Hiashi, as an influential part of the panel, had spoken on his behalf and given a highly convincing speech about his capabilities and achievements, backed by the previous Hokage Hatake Kakashi and his senior advisor Nara Shikamaru.
Right now, Hiashi stood glowering down at Naruto, holding a staff with both hands while Naruto bowed in front of him. He had no idea how much longer his knees would support him. Hanabi stood to Hiashi's right while Neji stood to his left. Hinata was with them, but stood a little closer to Naruto, twiddling her thumbs.
Naruto thought all Hiashi had left to do was hold a whip and lash it on the floor to complete the image of terror he was inflicting.
"Hyūga Neji would remain to serve as my daughter's guardian and protector," Hiashi said, the knives in his eyes sharper than his tongue. "I'd arrange for his quarters to be next to your room."
Naruto understood the underlying meaning very well. I have my eyes on you. Try anything funny and I'll know before anyone can say "hakkeshō."
Naruto gritted his teeth and kept a smile plastered on his face. He bowed slightly, feeling four pairs of Hyūga eyes on him, one pair belonging to his Hinata. Jeez, how had she managed to live like this all her life?
"Furthermore, you'll not be attending meetings within or outside the family which require my daughter's presence. She'd be escorted by Neji to any functions which require her to bring an escort as he is her protector."
Naruto opened his mouth to argue but a pleading look from Hinata made him close it again. Well, maybe this could work out. He didn't want to be a part of their stupid clan politics anyway.
"In meetings which do require your presence as compulsory, formal or informal, you'd also do well not take your seat before my daughter does, lift your spoon before she does, or enter any room before her."
Naruto thought he might be joking, but Hiashi's expression made it look like he had never smiled before in his life. Naruto looked at Neji for support but his face remained set in stone. Hanabi had a smirk on her face which Naruto wanted to knock off, maybe breaking a few teeth in the process. He also wanted to gauge Neji's eyes out for having a stick shoved up his ass and not speaking up for him.
"It'd be my honour, Hiashi-sama," Naruto let out finally.
"That's Hyūga-sama for you boy," Hiashi said. Naruto and Hinata both cringed as Hanabi looked away and hid her almost-giggle behind her fingers and Neji continued to look at them with all the expressions of a rock.
"If that would be all, can I leave?" Naruto mumbled and realized his mistake when Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji all flinched. Dammit! You were not to leave till Hiashi dismissed you, he remembered Hinata telling him. But surprisingly enough, Hiashi did not comment on this.
"A full contract would be given to you with all the conditions listed which you are free to go through in your spare time. If you agree with all the principles, you'll provide your signature and submit a copy of your ninja ID card. Only then I will leave my daughter in your hopefully capable but undeserving hands. Till then, you are dismissed."
Naruto got up finally, his knees wobbling. He had a word or two to say, maybe more, but for Hinata's sake he kept quiet. He turned and slowly exited the room, looking behind him. Hinata encouraged him by nodding her head.
Once he was out, he wanted to punch a wall but he remembered how he was in a house full of Hyūgas who could see each of his reactions through walls. He was escorted out by a servant. Hinata had told him to wait for her at Ichiraku's ramen where she'd join him after fifteen minutes or half an hour.
He was met by the former team 7, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai, who were sitting there enjoying their lunch, oblivious to the verbal punches Naruto had just taken in the gut and hadn't even recovered from yet.
"Oh, Naruto!" Sakura greeted him. Sai looked over and smiled while Sasuke just continued to eat his lunch.
"Oh, hey Sakura-chan, Sai, Sasuke," Naruto said gloomily, taking a stool and sitting down.
"What's up with the face?" Sakura asks.
"It's nothing," Naruto mumbled, frowning deeply.
"According to the book, one makes a frown when one is angry, annoyed, upset, or otherwise pre-occupied in thinking," Sai elaborated. "It's better to leave him or her alone and wait for the individual to tell you him or herself what's on their mind. Otherwise, the person might lash out and affront you with a rage-consumed mind blocking one's rationality. If you're a close friend, you can ask what's bothering the individual because you can then accept the inevitable result of the amplified and offending tone associated with the behavior of the said individual and offer advice, if you have any, or just continue to offer him or her your shoulder till one lets out the burden of the emotions consuming him or her and touch the individual's shoulder, hold a hand, or pat his or her back occasionally."
Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and even Teuchi and Ayame stopped to stare at Sai, unable to say a single word. Sai looked at them all and shrugged.
"I see I have caused what is called an awkward silence and made you all uncomfortable. Following the pre-requisites, I'll be taking my leave," Sai says, getting up and paying the bill to an open-mouthed Ayame. "Bye-bye everyone. I'll see you later when the issue I've created becomes stale, forgotten, or otherwise resolved."
Everyone continued to stare at him for a few more seconds, their mouths open.
"What a freak," Sasuke says, turning back to his meal. "Hard to believe he was my replacement."
Teuchi and Ayame went to serve another customer and Sakura blinked, looking back at Naruto.
"So uh. You wanna tell us something?" she says.
Naruto clicked his tongue. "It's those damn Hyūga! Who do they think they are anyway? Noble, prestigious, strongest," Naruto mimicked the last three words in sarcasm.
Sasuke grunted. "They are an unchallenged clan. If the Uchiha clan was still standing, they'd know of their place or at least have challenge. They've let it get to their heads."
"Oh, so what's gotten you angry all of a sudden about them?" Sakura asks Naruto.
"I went to meet Hinata-chan's father today," Naruto says grimly.
"Oh," was all Sakura replied.
Naruto gave them both a rough sketch of what had transpired at the Hyūga lodgings.
"I finally got up the courage to go. I mean, Hinata-chan and I have been going out for two years now and we've been practicing how to approach her father formally for a month at least! But still, it went as well as Sasuke's plan to destroy Konoha."
"Hey!" Sasuke objected.
"And no one even spoke up to defend me! I couldn't even bring you guys with me because old man Hiashi would've gotten pissed. He likes to corner people and make them cry uncle. I bet he's the type who burnt butterflies with a magnifying glass when he was a child. His screws are wound way too tight!" Naruto grumbled.
"Already speaking that way about your future father in-law?" Sakura chided.
"Your father on the other hand has a few screws too loose," Sasuke commented to Sakura, sipping on his noodles.
"I don't disagree on that though," Sakura admits.
"Anyway, they are all creepy! So creepy! Imagine turning around and finding the same blank eyes staring at you from each direction!" Naruto yells.
Sakura chuckled. "But Naruto, aren't you always saying how beautiful Hinata's eyes are?"
"She's different! Trust me; she does not fit in with that rude and uptight family. She's completely different! If I didn't love her, I'd be doing her a favor for taking her away from there."
"Taking her away? Didn't you just say you had to stay in their house with them for a while till you become someone?" Sasuke said snidely.
"Ah! I don't know how I'll manage! Imagine encountering those eyes every minute of every day! How do they even have privacy? How would I know someone is not peeking at me changing or taking a leak or having a shower or even spending time with my wife?"
A light cough made them all turn around. Hinata and Hanabi had arrived, and Naruto gulped, wondering how long they had been standing there and how much they had heard.
Sakura, apparently thinking the same thing, stood up.
"Ah, hi Hinata, Hanabi-san," she greeted them, smiling nervously. "Sasuke and I were just leaving." She hurriedly paid the bill and looked at Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, we're leaving."
"But I haven't finished my…" Sasuke tried to say before Sakura grabbed his ear and pulled him away from the shop.
An awkward silence was created again as Hinata meekly took a seat. Hanabi, however, slapped a hand on her thigh and guffawed.
"Well, it went well with my father don't you think?" she asked Naruto.
"Went… went well?" Naruto stammered.
"Of course!" Hanabi exclaimed. "I can already tell Chichiue likes you."
"L-likes me?"
Hanabi smacks her head in exasperation. "Of course silly! He hasn't gotten this happy and excited to hammer someone since Hinata brought home Kiba-san and Shino-san at home for the first time. He called Kiba-san a "wild ruffian" and kept pulling his leg, tapping his cane on his butt to make him correct his posture and knocking the back of his head occasionally to remind him to cover his fang."
Naruto just gaped at her.
"And he actually thought Shino-san would be a good match for Hinata, seeing as he belongs to the noble clan of Aburame, but he forgot that he was even there when Kiba-san sat down for dinner and showed us his table manners. Actually, I doubt he even knew Shino-san was even there anyway."
Naruto just looked at her, speechless.
"I can't wait for you to move in. Oh it's gonna be so entertaining!" Hanabi finished, laughing evilly.
"Hanabi, stop it. You're making Naruto-kun nervous," Hinata scolded her sister who wasn't listening.
"Hey! Old man Teuchi! A large miso-ramen for me please! Naruto's treating," Hanabi said, placing her order.
"What?" Naruto argued, but he was distracted by Hinata, who was lightly tugging at his sleeve. He melted at once and gave her his full attention.
"N-Naruto-kun… You did fine," Hinata assured him.
Naruto smiled at her, still a bit unsure. A few seconds passed before Hinata leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"I can't wait to spend our lives together. I'm so happy."
"Right here you know," Hanabi teased.
Naruto ignored her and held Hinata's hand. He looked deeply into her eyes, which were shining brightly.
Hyūga Hinata was definitely worth fighting for.
