Koishii (Beloved) Part X
By: Rylolynn
This is the sequel to Shadow of Hinata continuing after Shino and Hinata's first kiss.
Summary: Hinata and Shino share an empathic bond that is tied to their feelings for each other. (If the premise sounds familiar it is loosely based on Imzadi.)
Team 8 are now all Chuunin ranked ninja. (Timeline wise, Tsunade is Hokage, Naruto is away training, Sauske is a expletive who ran away with Orochimaru—basically a little before the Shipuuden series, pre-time-skip.)
Warning: lovey dovey fluff, WAF (warm and fuzzy) prolly a little angsty too. Takes a different direction then the canon.
A/N: Imzadi belongs to Peter David, Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Italics: Thoughts
Koishii (Beloved/yearned for)
Shitawashii (beloved/dear)
Okasa (Mother)
Oneesan (older sister)
Otosan (Father)
Juin (Seal)
Previously
"I'm the one who is sorry. I was not able to heal the part of you that died when Okasa died." A small and quavering hand took Hiashi's hand.
"Otosan I love you…"
Hiashi's cold and clammy grip slipped slowly through tiny fingers.
Part 10
Hinata's tears fell until she had no more to give. Her head lay on her father as she listened for that steady rhythm of heartbeat.
All she could hear was her own uneven breathing.
Slowly a raven blanket of hair rose from Haishi's chest. Hinata's tight grip of her father's kimono finally loosened. Her fingers uncurled sweeping away strands of hair that clung to her tear stained cheeks.
Standing up she left to find her sister.
"Shino…I need you."
The Hyuuga heiress collapsed into his arms. A warm and soft hand smoothed down her long ebony hair while she shifted in Shino's embrace. Hinata let out a small sigh as he gracefully lifted up her small form and carried her to her room.
They slept close together like they had many times before. In missions their bodies would unconsciously find each other so that they would wake in a heat of embarrassment. Now they could knowingly be by the other's side without the pretence of ignorance.
"Shino I need you to find Neji-niisan and bring him back from his mission. I will also need the council of Kakashi, and Tsunade."
Hinata spoke with the calm formality of a Hyuuga clan leader. Shino responded with a slight bow and quickly disappeared in a small puff of smoke.
Sakura stepped in and bowed in respect, "Is there anything else I can do to be of service Hyuuga-sama?"
Hinata winced internally.
"Please tend to Hanabi-chan. She is… making preparations for our father."
The pink haired kunoichi bowed again. "Of course Hyuuga-sama."
Hinata listened as the echo of Sakura's footsteps faded away. The main room was empty and silent. With a deep breath she steadied herself. Her posture stiffened as her eyelids slowly closed.
An image of her father standing in the very spot she was fluttered in her mind. She was a little girl again twiddling her fingers and her shoulders were slack. She was the picture of doubt, her posture giving away her lack of self-confidence.
A firm sideways glance from Hiashi and she hid her hands behind her back and straightened her shoulders.
"Show him you are proud to be a Hyuuga heir."
All of Hinata's nervousness melted away with her mother's soft whisper.
"I'm going to be leader one day, I have to watch Otosan and learn." The small heiress thought as she began to regain her resolve.
A gentle smile mirrored in mother and daughter. And if it was at all possible Hiashi was standing a little taller still.
Hinata thought he might snap if his posture was any more rigid.
"I am proud."
Hinata opened her eyes. She felt the cool tile against her cheek.
"Wh-what? I d-don't remember fainting." Her pale eyes found the sun shining in the windows.
"How much time has passed?" The quite kunoichi smoothed the front of her kimono as she walked towards her fathers table. A small and hesitant hand placed itself on the chair.
She had not felt any different. The chair had not felt any different from since the last time she had touched it. But now she was clan leader. It was her chair now.
She had wanted to hurl it across the room.
The light smell of expensive cologne snapped her out of her thoughts. Quietly she pulled the chair from under the table. Her eyes remained trained on the large ebony desk while she sat down.
She stared at the scrolls and parchment on the table. Her eyes roved the surface of the wood grain and scattered paper. She finally traced the outline of her father's signature on several documents.
"Kakashi-sensei… I will be needing your expertise on the use of sealing jutsus."
A finely shaped silver eyebrow shot up at Hinata's request.
Kakashi's memories flashed before Hinata's eyes. It was during the first chuunin exams she participated in. Sasuke had just won a preliminary match and Kakashi had followed him until they were in a secluded area. While the Uchiha genius had his back turned Kakashi made several hand signs. Dark symbols spread across the floor in intricate designs. He had performed Fūja Hōin the Evil Sealing Method.
"I am aware of more then you know Copycat Ninja of Kohona." The Hyuuga leader calmly responded to Hatake's silent inquire.
Hinata could faintly recognize a smile showing through his mask. There was a glint in his visible eye.
Kakashi brought up a hand to scratch the back of his head.
"Of course Hinata-sama…" The Blade of Kohona bowed, his expression solemn.
"…I'm sorry for your lost." The elite jounin spoke these last few words softly.
At that moment Shino entered followed by the Hokage Tsunade.
"Koishii, are you ok? You..you..look… pale." Instantly two kikaichu were on Hinata checking her chakra and well being.
Opal eyes passed from a blond hokage to the scarecrow jounin and finally to her beloved chuunin.
"As my birthright, the passing of my father has brought me the responsibility of my clan." There was a brief pause where silence filled the room.
"I am proud to be a Hyuuga heir—" Hinata's face winced. "…Leader." She added softly.
Neji had arrived finally and caught the last word of his cousin's sentence.
Twin opal eyes met.
"In the space of minutes a clan's fate was decided. One brother to be heir of the main house, one brother caste to the branch house."
Neji's pale eyes widened.
"The juin jutsu is a seal placed on branch house members. It is a curse that binds them into servitude and obedience."
Shino could feel waves of sorrow and embarrassment rippling off of Hinata.
"It shames me that my family would practice such a cruel tradition."
"Hanabi join us in the main room." Hinata silently called to her sister.
Hanabi obayed instantly, never questioning the way she was summoned. The youngest Hyuuga's mouth was agape but she remained silent.
Three sets of white eyes regarded each other.
"I-I think…most of my life…I have not been an example of a Hyuuga." Hinata clenched her hands into fists in an attempt to stop them from shaking.
"I don't even know what it means to be a Hyuuga. It's supposed to mean 'towards the sun'... but other than that... what does it mean to have the byakugan."
"I don't claim to know anything. But I do know what it is like to be caged in bars of traditions."
"I have seen the greatness of my father and I have seen his weaknesses. I have been ignored but I still witnessed what it takes to be a leader."
"You must possess strength, not only physical but e-em-otional. You must have a-a vision..."
A small brief smile graced the pale Hyuuga's lips. "Okasa used to say, 'Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.' I am far from dreaming now. This nightmare that is juin jutsu is going to end."
Hinata took in several long and deep breaths. She had never spoken out loud for so long.
"And lastly patience and endurance…"
Two long blond pig tails swung around as the Hokage's gaze snapped from Neji's to Hinata's. Wide hazel eyes narrowed at the young Hyuuga clan leader.
The two kikaichu that were inspecting Hinata returned to Shino.
"NO!!!!" Shino's mind was screaming. The kikaichu had to be wrong. If something was wrong he would have known it first. He had imprinted himself to her and his bond to her would tell him so.
"My first (and last)—" Hinata's cynical mind added without thinking. "…act as clan leader is to dispel the practice of juin jutsu."
A/n:
Ok…. Don't kill me. I know I haven't updated in awhile, but I've been busy. I got a new job and then I got caught up reading HP 7 then I got into the anime Tsubasa Chronicles. But I'm back now… I hope you like it.
Review and Shino will fetch whichever Naruto character you desire.
More long winded authors notes:
Ok so my beta pointed out the Kakashi is a jounin and can't have cologne because he'd be sniffed out on missions...
My thinking is that when he isn't out on missions Kakashi, the P. i. M. P that he is wares cologne. (Maybe Shino called him in the middle of a date or something)
:evillaugh:
:) ok so I haven't written it yet but coming up next chapter... a good 'ol Neji lecture/monologue you know long winded soliloquy style!