[FIC] Punked (N x H)

[dd]

The wind blew softly through the cheery trees, dislodging a small number of blossoms.

Holding out his hand, Hyuuga Hiashi caught a few petals, wondering at their exquisite symmetry. He sighed, thinking about the days he would walk in this serenity garden with his dear departed wife.

No guards intruded on his quiet moments of reflection. They all stayed back at a respectful distance, keeping an eye on the estate grounds. The lawn area was one of the largest in Konoha, as befitted the clan?s social status, and the fact that the Hyuuga?s had been among the first homesteaders in this region of the Fire Country..

The softer side of the Hyuuga clan leader rarely manifested outside of the quietude of his private chambers. He wondered if he had forgotten how to laugh, in the years since his soul mate?s death at the hands of an incurable disease. It was one of his greatest sins in life, his losing the ability to share the warm of kinship with his two daughters. They were the only things remaining of Tsuki, and for that reason alone the two of them deserved better treatment.

?I am getting better.? Hiashi walked over to a well kept grave stone. His wife was buried in the small family plot, along with his brother and sister who had died when the Kyuubi struck the village. ?I laughed the other day. I shocked Hanabi as much as I surprised myself, telling that joke.? He sighed, brushing a few leaves away and running his hand through the engraved name. ?I think Hinata may have smiled.?

For too many years, the health and welfare of the clan had taken precedent over his children and their happiness. He had no doubt what his wife would say, if she had been watching over them all, and had the ability to speak from beyond the realm of death. She would scold him, in a way that no one else had ever been able to, icluding his parents.

?I make this vow,? he said, bowing his head. ?I will treat our daughters better. I will start today.? He sighed, closing his eyes. There was a scent of lilac on the breeze. No doubt, seeing that the bushed were in bloom, Hinata would cut of some of the flower-laden branches and spread them throughout the house, if she hadn?t dne so already. ?She isn?t what I hoped,? he told his wife. ?But? maybe she is more than I ever had reason to suspect??

Hyuuga Hinata had been harsher on Hinata than anyone else, Neji included. She had been born the Heir. But, she never showed any of the traits that a clan leader should show. He was never a patient man in matters of importance. That being said, he still could have stomached slow improvement. When she was younger, Hinata didn?t show the slightest aptitude at all. Not only that, but her spirit was lacking, and she was more timid than anyone in the Branch family should be, much less the Main family.

?I turned her away.? He felt a brief moment of shame. A moment later, his mind conjured a number of reasons that explained away his decision. As he knelt there, those reasons did not seem all that convincing. ?I did not wish her dead. But? in some ways? she was dead to me?? That was true. There was no dishonor in any Hyuuga training to be a shinobi. In fact, it was expected of many boys and girls, especially those in whom the Blood Limit ran strongly. There was one exception. The Heir would never go on missions, and was traditionally trained at home, by the best teachers available. That would keep the youth safely out of the clutches of anyone who might wish to steal the secrets of the Byakugan and other advanced techniques. ?Saving her from that kind of plot cost me Hizashi.? His brother was buried elsewhere, in a plot containing Branch family members. That was another decision that haunted him at times. Hizashi had taken his place, after Sinobi Gashir had been killed, and the Hidden Cloud village demanded Hiashi?s death, and his corpse. When the tide of alliances changed again, his brother?s remains were returned to Konoha, the Blood Limit secrets safe because of the curse seal placed on Branch family members.

Brushing himself after he stood, he made his way out from under the awning of tree branches, and headed towards another part of the nicely landscaped garden. After watching the chuunin exam three years ago, he had come to terms with a number of things, taking an entirely different approach in his relationship with Neji, his brother?s only son. Doing so, he had taken Hinata back into the family home. She was no longer the Heir; but, she was part of his life again.

?It had been that boy.? Hiashi frowned. He looked at the roof of the main building. One half of the roof tiles still looked younger than the others. They had been replaced, after the Nine Tails had damaged numerous structures with an errant touch of one tail. Things could have been much worse, seeing that the terrible youma could toss trees like jackstraws, and tear down mountains with little effort at all. ?Uzumaki Naruto. Yondaime?s legacy.? He closed his eyes, thinking back to the fight against the demon. So much fire. So much blood. Too much death. ?But? I hear he has done the village proud??

Nodding to one of the guards, he took in a number of nostalgic sites about the state, things he had noticed during his early childhood for one reason or another. That boy was never allowed to have that kind of life. There had been no great privilege. There had been no living relatives. There had been many townspeople who had wanted him dead. For a time, he had been the most vocal amongst them.

?If he had died, Neji would still be arrogant and alone? and I would be to blame...? His nephew had changed a great deal, after losing that fight to the young Jinchuriiki. He had been able to catch a good many word the two genin had exchanged; but, there was much that he had been unable to make out. He had never asked Neji to tell him those words, and the young man had never volunteered that information. ?Still? the fox boy is not the best example?? He had heard the stories. Headstrong. Impulsive. Unmannered. Having read the reports of the chuunin exams, he knew how the boy had defeated the Inuzuka boy, one of Hinata?s teammates. ?Neji is of a different opinion, however.? He still wasn?t certain why.

?Sir.? One of the guards approached, bowing. ?Your eldest daughter is looking for you. She is near the front gate.?

?Thank you.? Hiashi looked towards the front of the main house. What could Hinata want? She knew that he was not to be disturbed during these rare quiet moments. He didn?t relish the idea of any trouble, especially not now. No doubt she would have kept searching for him personally, had there been some threat to the clan. He hoped that it wasn?t something less timely, but just as worrisome. The last thing he wanted was a scandal of sorts. ?I best get this over with. I will do it with grace and patience. I promise.?

Picking up his step, he passed by a number of gardeners, watering flowers with large bamboo pitchers and pails of water. Other workers were carefully removing weeds, trying their best not to damage the large numbers of exotic flowers. One man was industriously scraping moss off of the largest of the stone fountains.

?F-F-Father?? Hinata stood by a large tree, partially shielded by it. Her shyness could only be a bad sign, seeing that she had managed to overcome that kind of behavior around him in the past few years.

?Yes?? Hiashi stood tall, looking very imperial at the moment. He couldn?t help himself. Narrowing his eyes, he felt his cheeks tighten some. She was stammering again. That had been another thing that she had worked hard to stop doing. ?Is there a problem that needs my attention.? He didn?t add ?At this hour?? He didn?t have to.

?It?s?? Hinata slid even further behind the huge trunk. ?I?? She was shivering. But, the sun was out, and it was a warm spring day. ?Yes??

?And?? Hiashi clenched his fists. He forced himself to relax his hands. He had promised. He began tapping one foot, just the same. ?Well?? He saw another guard signal him. Why? Maybe some of the clan elders had arrived early, awaiting audience with him before the quarterly meeting. Now was definitely not the time for any kind of serious dilemma. ?I don?t have long??

?I?m?? Hinata took one step away from the tree. ?I?m sorry?? She looked ready to cry. ?I?m truly sorry, Father?? She began rubbing her fingers together.

?For what?? Hiashi began to feel exasperated. He wanted the facts. He wanted them now, if not sooner. This was definitely a hard pledge to keep.

?I?m s-s-so s-s-sorry.? Hinata placed her hands on her belly. ?I d-d-didn?t mean for it to happen?? She stepped all of the way behind the tree. From there, she couldn?t hear her father?s growl.

Dignity be damned! Hiashi walked around the tree, so he could see his daughter?s face. ?What did you do? What could be so bad that you can?t face me?? He went stiff again. A suspicion began forming in his mind. No. It couldn?t be that. It most certainly wouldn?t be that! ?You?re not? you can?t mean to tell me that??

Hinata nodded, and then turned completely away. She brought both hands up to cover her eyes. ?It? it isn?t his fault?? Her voice was muffled. She paused for a moment, hearing the inrush of her father?s breath. ?He didn?t? it wasn?t? no one forced me??

?HYUUGA HINATA!? Hiashi clenched his fists again, making no effort to stop himself. ?COME OUT WITH IT. NO MORE INNUENDO. SPEAK, NOW!? He ignored the fact that the gardeners looked in their direction, or that a number of arriving elders paid more than due attention themselves.

?You?? Hinata squared her shoulders, made a Herculean effort, and turned back to face her angry sire. ?You?re going to be a?? She paused again. ?Grandfather.?

?Wh-Wh-What?? Hyuuga Hiashi hadn?t stuttered in over thirty years. ?What did you say?? He saw red. He felt his pulse beating strong at his temples. He fought for breath. ?WHAT!?

?Pl-? Pl-? Please don?t be angry, Father.? Hinata took a few steps back, tripping and falling over a large tree root. ?I know you taught me better?? She swallowed hard. ?I was so lonely. I love him so much. It just happened.?

?Wh-?? Hiashi closed his mouth, took a deep breath, and willed his stuttering to go away. ?Who? Who did this to you? You can bet that there will be an investigation, to make certain he didn?t force you.? He was trembling with rage. ?Give me the boy?s name.?

?It? you see? he?s?? Hinata scooted along the leaf strewn ground on her rump, not caring that she was getting twigs and pebbles down her pants. ?He?s the world to me, Father?? She watched as her father advanced on her, his face white as a sheet, as if he had been drained of all his blood by a vampire or mortician.

?WHO? WHO IS THE WORLD TO YOU?? Hiashi was practically frothing at the mouth now. All thoughts of the serenity garden were long gone. ?WHO DID THIS THING!?

?You don?t need to shout at her that way?? That was a young man?s voice. ?You know, you look a lot like Granny Tsunade when you get mad.? It was Naruto, dressed in his customary orange and black jump suit. ?The veins on your face bulge out. Almost the way Neji?s do, when he?s doing the Byakugan.?

?Him?? Hiashi looked as if he had seen a ghost. ?Him!? Hinata didn?t think he could get any paler. She was wrong. ?The boy with the fox?? What kind of trick was Fate playing on him? He had just been thinking of the boy not too long ago. The boy, and the monster sealed behind his navel. ?How could you??

?Father? I? we?? Hinata hung her head.

?How could she?? Naruto made a face. ?You make it sound like I?m some kind of loser.? He put his hands on his hips. ?I?ve heard that kind of crap all my life. It isn?t fair. I didn?t ask for this!? He worked a few fasteners and showed Hiashi his abdomen. ??Don?t let your kid play with him!? ?He won?t ever be a ninja.? ?Why is he still in the village?? ?We should have killed the demon when we had the chance?.? He stared at Hinata?s father. ?That was real great stuff for a little kid to grow up hearing. Right??

?That?s not the issue here.? Hiashi was not about to be spoken to in that manner, least of all by a young man like that. ?She is the issue here.? He pointed to a cowering Hinata. ?HER, AND WHAT YOU DID TO HER!?

?Father? please?? Hinata said. ?He?s going to be the father of my child??

?What I did?? Naruto walked closer to Hiashi, not afraid to stand toe to toe with him. ?First of all, I care about Hinata. Second of all, it was something we did, not just me.? He thumbed his nose. ?And if anyone did it, it was you.? he folded his arms over his chest.

?Me?? Hiashi looked as if he was staring at a lunatic, a boy driven crazy by prolonged sunstroke or a dementing illness. ?Me?? He fought the urge to call the guards and have the boy dragged by the hair all the way to the village prison. ?HOW CAN YOU TRY TO BLAME THIS ON ME?? His voice carried well beyond the boundaries of the Hyuuga estate. A number of passersby, their arms filled with groceries or small children, stopped to listen.

?Easy!? Naruto spread his legs apart, managed an unexpected smile, and placed one hand behind his neck. He was Uzumaki Naruto. This was his way. He couldn?t let something like this get to him ?You threw her away? you treated her like garbage?you made her feel like she was worthless? weak?unwanted?? He thumped his chest. ?I did the opposite, without even knowing.?

?H-? H-? He?s right, Father?? Hinata walked over and took Naruto?s arm. ?He?s the reason I?m stronger today. Naruto is the one who made me try hard, in the fight against Neji. He was the one I wanted to make proud of me these past years.?

?THAT?? Hiashi was now red in the face. A tomato would look on with envy. ?YOU?? If he had been a mercury thermometer, the mercury would have shot beyond the top of the glass tubing. ?THIS?? He couldn?t get the words out, tongue-tied as he was by his growing rage. He didn?t even notice the guards converging on their location, followed by some of the elders who wanted to know what was going on. Disturbed from her studies, Hanabi had made her way outside as well.

?I know you?re going to be angry, later.? Naruto made a hand signal. ?I hope you won?t take this out on Hinata.? He ran a hand through his hair, not realizing just how tense he had felt. This had not been without its share of real danger.

?That?s right, father. I apologize. But, this was also the Hokage?s idea.? Hinata looked down at her feet. ?S-S-Sort of.? Hinata bowed to her father. ?She said that it was her professional opinion. You have too much anger bottled up. It was a good idea to let some out, while you still can.?

?What?? Hiashi didn?t notice the movement behind him. The guards did, a puzzled look on their faces. ?Are you trying to tell me it was Tsunade?s idea?? He looked ready to thrash someone within an inch of their life. ?I?M SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT SHE TOLD YOU TO GET PREGNANT!?

?Hinata?s not pregnant,? Naruto said, a wide smile on his face. ?At least if she is, it isn?t by me.? He waved his arms, calling certain people over to where they stood. ?We haven?t even kissed.?

?W-? W-? We are dating?? Hinata flinched. She wasn?t acting this time. It had been very difficult, doing what she had done. It was very easy, being scraed to admit her relationship with Naruto. ?We started last week??

?Then?? Hiashi stood stunned. He didn?t know what to believe. Looking around him, he wondered if he had been drugged by an enemy, or had tripped and banged his head on one of the grave markers. ?Why did you??

?Hyuuga Hiashi, you?ve been Punk?d!? A man walked over in long worn-looking robes. He had a lit cigarette in his mouth, and was surrounded by a number of fawning and subservient helpers. Behind him, there were a number of men with large cameras, along with a sound man with a telescoping microphone, and a very satisfied looking script writer.

?Someone had better explain to me what this means!? To say that Hiashi wasn?t happy was the understatement of the year.

?Sure!? The one man spoke, the cigarette miraculously balancing on his lip. ?I?m Fusen Konnyaku, director and producer of ?Punk?d,? one of the Leaf?s popular new TV shows.? He went on to explain how people of note were fooled in some fashion, while being filmed for the enjoyment of the television audience.

?We don?t have a television,? Hiashi said. He had no use for the usual programming that passed as the standard fare. All of his news was brought to him by other means, more up to date than most broadcasts.

?No problem!? Mr. Konnyaku smiled, misinterpreting the clan leader?s condemnation of television in general. ?I?m sure one of the neighbors will let you watch.? He told the one the camera-men to find a spot with better light. ?This is going to be a great episode! How man parents worry about their daughters, right? Perfect! Wham, a one two punch to the gut and chin.? He babbled on profusely after that, occasionally trying to pump Hiashi for some background information. ?I?m sure you?ll be showing up in reruns and holiday specials for years to come!?

It took all of Hiashi?s willpower, not to have the interlopers forcibly thrown off of his property. It would look bad on film. That was inexcusable! He would have words with Tsunade, wanting to make quite clear where a Hokage?s influence began and ended.

When the cameras were finally gone, and the guards made certain that there were no remaining devices hidden about the premises, Hisahi went off to the scheduled clan meeting. He left orders for Hinata to stay in her room until he was finished. Naruto was to leave the estate, doing so with knowledge that he could be called back to the house at a moment?s notice. If he was nowhere to be found, things would go very poorly for him in the future!

The meeting ran its course. Not surprising, Hiashi?s mind wandered, and a number of important issues were tabled for a future date. As the proceedings neared an end, he sent a runner to find Uzumaki Naruto, and bring him back to the estate, maybe for the last time. Hinata was told to meet her father outside.

It was dark out. The Hyuuga guards were not visible; but, they saw everything that took place on the estate grounds, and on the streets that bordered the family land. A large light was turned on, illuminating an area of the lawn. To a criminal, it might have looked a lot like an interrogation lamp. Hiashi stood in the center of the illuminated circle, his face looking as if it had been carved out of flint.

Hinata was the first to arrive. She stood just outside of the light, head bowed, waiting for permission to speak. It had been difficult, doing what she had done. Speaking didn?t come easily, especially not in front of cameras. Acting was foreign too, as she couldn?t help but view it as a kind of dishonesty. But, wanting to please Naruto, she had agreed to go along with things. If the Hokage approved, it was OK, wasn?t it? Part of her was proud, happy that she could step outside of the narrow world she lived in. Mostly, however, she was feeling the sting of regret, almost feeling as if she had betrayed her father. It would be alright, if he found things amusing. But, if he felt that his honor had been compromised, he might never forgive her.

?Hey! Hinata!? Naruto made his way through the dark, escorted by a guard and a bevy of retainers. He had no regrets on his own behalf. But, after leaving, he had wondered just how things might affect Hinata. He still needed to think things through better, even though he was nowhere near as rash as he once had been. ?What are you doing standing in the dark??

?The two of you may step into the light.? It was not a request. The crack of Hiashi?s voice left no doubt about that whatsoever. He walked backward into the darkness, as the two teenagers took their places in the circle. It looked like something out of a stylistic court room drama. ?The rest of you may go about your duties.?

?You bet!? Naruto stepped into the center of the circle, a brash look about him. He batted at a couple of moths that flew too close to his face. ?I?ve got nothing to be ashamed of.? He had taken on Orochimaru. He had faced the best that Akatsuki had to offer. He had gone a whole week with Ramen. He could do this. ?Come on, Hinata!? He would stand up for Hinata. She had lived a difficult childhood, too. That was one of his motivations for doing this. Part of him was still very angry at the way Hinata had been treated.

?OK? Naruto-kun?? Hinata stepped over next to Naruto. She wanted to be courageous in front of him, but also wanted to be respectful in front of her father. ?Father?? She stood as tall as she could. The urge to run and hide was strong, but she was getting better at fighting that kind of thing. Bowing, she waited for the coming storm of words.

Hiashi did not shout. He did not rant. The calm quiet of his words actually made them seem more potent than any amount of yelling might. He touched upon family honor. He spoke about his personal feelings. He asked about motivation, and challenged them to accept the consequences.

About to ask Hinata if she could give him one good reason why he shouldn?t turn her out from the home again, he frowned when something hit him on the cheek. At first, he thought it might be one of the insects. By luck, the item fell down into his hand. Holding his palm out into the light, he saw that it had been a wind blown cherry blossom. Involuntarily, he thought back to his time at the grave site. He froze, staring at the pink flower. What would his wife have thought about all this?

?I was very surprised,? Hiashi said. ?I never would have guessed that you would agree to be part of something like this.? He stepped into the light himself. ?I also never thought you might have the ability to carry it off successfully.? He looked at Hinata, as if seeing her for the first time. He had taken a lot of things about her for granted.

?I apologize, Father.? Hinata hung her head.

?I think that your mother would have found this very amusing.? Hiashi said. She would have. A wonderful woman, she always tried to find the good in everything, without glossing over the bad. ?Tsuki would have been mortified by the method; but, she would have been happy to see a spark of life in you. We will discuss this more tomorrow.? He needed to think things through. ?Please leave the two of us alone, now.?

?I? yes, Father?? Hinata nodded, looking over at Naruto. ?Good night, Naruto-kun.? With that, she disappeared into the darkness.

?Good night, Hinata!? Naruto felt the chill air cause the hair on the back of his neck to stand. That was the reason, right. He told himself that he didn?t really have anything to worry about here. ?Hinata?s a really great girl.? He couldn?t see Hiashi?s eyes. In fact, with the light shining in his own eyes, Hinata?s father looking like some kind of specter, a dark form outlined by brightness. ?I?m glad you?re going to take things well.? He would win Hiashi over, eventually. He had that effect on people.

?What gave you that idea?? Hiashi?s voice was even lower than before. ?You interrupted my quiet time? you put my daughter up to this outrageous stunt? you embarrassed me in front of countless strangers?? He paused. ?You began dating Hinata without my permission??

?Yes? well? when you put it that way?? Naruto suddenly didn?t feel so confident anymore. ?I suppose I can see where you might be coming from?? Hey, it might have been his idea, but Old Lady Tsunade had given him her blessing. Then again, she did say that he would have to accept responsibility for things. He tugged on an earlobe and made a face. ?But, it?s nothing like the things I had to put up with.?

?Tell me?? Hiashi spoke in a conversational matter. ?Have you ever considered the benefit in becoming a missing ninja??

At the moment, Naruto couldn't tell if Hiashi was joking or not.

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