Hinata finally lost her patience and called their bluff. She waited for the speaker to stop rambling about what he interrupted her with, closed her folder, and sighed. "If we can't find a middle ground, then we will have to stop construction, and my husband and I will return home. If the plans can't be changed, you will have to find a way to build the compound without hiring Suna workers. You will have to transfer the uncommon materials and deal with the local laws on transporting them in and building on your own. If the structure falls, you will have no help repairing it. If you are not willing to work with Suna, we are not willing to work with you." She bowed her head, preparing to leave.

"You can't turn your back on your clan!" One of the elders squawked.

"I am no longer a Hyuga. I'm married now." Hinata flicked her eyes over the panicked faces of the council. "My involvement was unwanted. I came as a request of my sister to make peace, but if no peace can be made, my husband and I will still allow the Hyuga settlement as promised and help with it within our means. However, we will not help you build something that will not stand."

The speaker gaped at her.

"With no further word, we will leave the day after tomorrow and monitor your progress when you come to take over the work." Hinata walked out.

"Hinata-chan, wait!" Hanabi's panicked cry only furthered the panic silence as the door banged shut. Hinata continued to walk out of earshot before turning to her sister. "What are you doing!?"

"They are seeing how far they can push me. They've reached their limit." Hinata huffed, releasing the stress. "I'm not a puppet anymore, Hanabi-chan. My position and loyalty have to be to my village, not because I am married to Gaara, but because they have trusted me with the position they have. My being the head of the Suna-based clan was a nice thought to make this go smoothly, but I will not let the wants of the clans succeed the need of my village."

Hanabi's eyes filled with tears.

"No, no." Hinata tucked the folder under harm and held her sister's face. "I'm not abandoning you or the clan. They will call Gaara or me back by tomorrow, I promise you. This is a power play. They wanted to push their luck and are setting themselves back."

"You're sure?" Hanabi squeaked, bowing her head in her sister's hands.

"Trust me."

"Interesting," Gaara noted as Shukaku laughed maniacally. "Shukaku is amused."

Hinata sighed. "Hanabi-chan is tied in knots about it, but if they are so stubborn that they won't call me before we leave, they'll learn that the Suna people respect the hard way."

Gaara wouldn't think a clan with such power and respect would have such a temper tantrum over design changes for structural integrity. He was sure he was missing the real point of them picking this fight.

"I hope you agree, and I haven't stepped over a boundary." Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear. "I lost my temper."

"The Hyuga, public relations, and labor laws all fall under you. That is why we came." Gaara reminded her. She worried too much.

"Okay."

Naruto spoke loudly over dinner, mostly updates and mindless gossip she thought he would have at some point grown out of. She still enjoyed watching his enthusiasm even now.

Hinata received a note from the council by messenger before they got back.

Hinata smiled up at Gaara as they walked back, peering into a shop she didn't recognize. It must have been new. He stood back, letting her look, but she felt sand circle her middle. She braced as Shukaku yanked her back to Gaara's side. She activated her eyes and looked for the threat he had wanted her from. "Father?"

A much larger version of Shukaku formed at her side, about the size of Akamaru. Hinata stepped between both him and her father. This was not safe for anyone.

Why he was out? Hiashi never left the compound. His companions were likely his guards. Her stomach swirled with anxiety. The only time her father ever left the compound when she was a child was when she had done something gravely wrong.

Shukaku's massive head came under her arm to bare his fake teeth. "Shukaku-san," Hinata scolded. He didn't move his paws on either side of her feet. He fully towered over her as he grew.

Hiashi showed no fear, only more disappointment at her inability to control him.

"What are you doing out, father?" Hinata jittered.

"I need to speak to the Hokage," Hiashi told her flatly. "It seems you have made me another mess."

"Certainly not something that needs to be brought to the Hokage. It's a clan matter." The clan was trying to weasel their way through politics.

"We will see. Watch your dog. If it bites, people look to the owner for scorn." Hiashi warned.

Shukaku tensed. Anxious sand danced over her skin. Her father didn't know Shukaku didn't care. "He can understand your father. Please don't be rude." Hinata felt her face fall into a glare she didn't want as she put her arm around the massive head. The massive tail flick irritably.

Hiashi gave the Kazekage a respectful bow before continuing on his way.

"Shukaku-san." Hinata whimpered to the large, stiff-shouldered beast. His sand ears lower to flatten to its head. She pet him between his false ears. He wasn't remorseful, but he would act.

The incident somewhat soured the night. To heighten her mood, Shukaku refused to shrink down to his common size of a lapdog. This made it difficult for him to fit through the door. Shukaku struggled for a while before he dematerialized outside it and rematerialized inside, making her giggle.

Shukaku sat by the bathroom door and impatiently waited for her to finish her nightly routine, and then made a fuss over trying to get up on the bed.

It was interesting. Gaara wasn't sure what Shukaku was doing. Purposely inconveniencing her, getting in her way while she picked out clothes or moved to the bathroom. Trying to sit on her lap when he was much too big, resolving to sit next to the bed and placing his head on her lap instead.

Shukaku was inconveniencing her in the most irritating way possible, yet Hinata was smiling. She giggled and try to get around him, then when he blocked again, she huffed and pouted.

Cute.

Shukaku ignored his questions, with only a 'you don't understand humans, kid' as an answer.

What did that mean?