Log: Complete

[hyuuga-hime.livejournal.com]

When; Dec. 26th, evening (backdated, I know.)
Rating; PG
Characters; Hyuuga Hinatahyuuga_hime, Kazama Arashiyellow_flash
Summary; Hinata goes to visit the Yondaime to give him his Christmas gift and hopefully get a little bit of advice about something.
Log;

Hinata made her way carefully up the steps to the door of the apartment. She'd given most of her Christmas gifts already, but...mitigating circumstances had delayed her with some of them. This being one. Standing in front of the door, she reached out and knocked softly.

The Yondaime had been straightening up the apartment from Christmas dinner. Normally it was a touch messy anyway, but at some point Naruto and Sasuke would be moving in and he didn't want to do massive cleaning when that happened. Hearing the knock, he moved to the door, recognizing Hinata's chakra and a bit curious as to why she was here. Opening the door, he greeted, "Hinata, good evening. Come inside, you must be cold."

Though she knew perfectly well that he was here and alive in the City, it was still enough of a shock seeing the man to make her pale eyes widen slightly for a moment. Smiling, she nodded and stepped inside at his invitation. "Good evening, Yondaime-sama. I..hope I'm not bothering you."

"You aren't bothering me, would you care for some tea?" He asked, closing the door behind her. The inside of the apartment was warm and a fire was going in the hearth as he ushered her out of the foyer and towards the chairs so she might sit if she liked.

She nodded. "Tea would be lovely, thank you." Taking a seat in the proffered chair, she folded her hands over the simply wrapped package in her lap.

"I'll make some then," He replied and moved to the kitchen, setting the water to boil and getting out some tea and cups. "Is everything all right?" He was curious as to the visit, after all, the Hyuuga hadn't struck him as someone entirely inclined to social calls.

She nodded hesitantly. "H..hai. I just...I didn't get a chance to give this to you earlier. I...I wanted to come by, for that." Though it wasn't the only thing on her mind, she wasn't sure how to broach the problem of her dark-haired friend who seemed to be falling in with the wrong crowd.

"Oh?" He asked with a smile, "That's very thoughtful of you." Then tilted his head slightly. "Is there something on your mind? You look a bit troubled." And, as the water boiled, removed it from the oven, turning it off and setting the tea strainer into it. After a moment, he poured two steaming cups and set one down in front of Hinata, taking a seat across from her.

She bit her lip for a moment, as though trying to decide whether to say anything or not. Finally, sense won out and she nodded. "I...I have a friend. You..you probably know her, in a way. Her name is Tomoe Hotaru."

His expression shifted for a fraction of a second from it's calm and caring demeanor, then back, "I see. Then you know of what she has done for Itachi."

Hinata shook her head. "I..I know what Shizune-sensei said, but I just....I can't believe it! Hotaru-chan is a good person!"

Arashi smiled at her, "Good people are often the victim of evil because good people are more willing to put themselves out for others and more willing to believe that others are good as well."

"But no one believes that she's a good person! They..they'll hurt her! She's just..she doesn't know who to trust. And...and the way everyone is acting isn't helping that!" She sighed, staring down at fists clenched in her lap. "She...she's like Naruto-kun...."

"No one will hurt her, Hinata," Arashi replied. "She's as much a victim of Itachi as anyone else. I only hope he won't harm her when he is finished with her."

Hinata nodded. Although she was still unsure, it made her feel a bit better to hear from his own lips the promise not to hurt the girl. "She...she's so scared and distrustful of everyone. But...at the same time she still smiled and tried to be kind to those around her. She...she reminds me of Naruto-kun, when he was younger. When no one would acknowledge him."

"Is that what she is seeking? Acknowledgement?" He asked, curious. Arashi had not yet spoken to the girl, at first he had been to angry and worried that he had not been able to think of anything that wouldn't further heighten her mistrust. But after having a few days to calm, he was back in the correct mindset.

"I...I think so. She...she didn't tell me what, but I get the feeling that she's like Naruto-kun. That she's spent her life being shunned and mistreated because of the power she has. I...I think something awful happened to her. Before she came here. And...she blames herself for it. She always seemed like she wanted to meet someone who knew all her secrets, yet still looked at her the same way. As though she were just a normal girl."

"I see," Arashi replied. "She must be quite impressionable at this moment to someone who has the appearence of the same circumstances as herself, I would guess. And the vehemence through which we have tried to reach her has undoubtably been percieved as hostile."

Hinata nodded. "I..I think so, Yondaime-sama. I think that...right now, even without Itachi's lies, she would still see us as her enemies. Just because she's been so mistreated. And then....it's like she sees him as someone who understands."

"The poor girl, to be so young and percieve everyone as hostile," Had that been Naruto's life when he was young? Oh, he did not wish to think about that, especially not right now.

"The only one I think she really trusts is Archer. Well...and Itachi, of course. Archer takes care of her. He...He seems to really love her. But...I don't know if she sees it." Hinata didn't know much of Archer, she'd just seen the way that he was always lurking protectively around the girl, the soft glances he cast her way when she wasn't looking, the way Hotaru easily leaned into his embrace whenever she seemed frightened. Hinata had seen it before. It was the same way that Neji sometimes acted around her, when he thought she wasn't looking.

"At least she has him, then. Does he seem to agree with her on Itachi being a reliable and decent person? And do you think he could protect her if Itachi turned violent once he has finished with her?" Arashi asked.

Hinata shook her head. "No, he doesn't like Itachi. That's fairly obvious. As for if he could protect her....I think he'd either succeed or die trying."

"At least he has sense." Then shook his head, "I don't know if it would do more harm than good, but. . I think I will try to speak to her. I won't ask you to prevail upon her with the ties of your friendship. That would be unfair to both of you."

The Hyuuga nodded. "I...thank you, Yondaime-sama. Oh.." She reached over to the side of the chair, picking up the package. "I..I brought this for you. For Christmas."

The Yondaime accepted the gift with a smile and replied, "Thank you, Hinata, you did not have to." And opened the the package.

Inside the wrapping was a framed photo, in a dark wooden frame. It was a picture of Naruto, taken a few years earlier. From the angle of the shot, it appeared to have been taken without his knowledge. He stood on the top of the Hokage tower, glancing slightly over his shoulder at the carved head of the Yondaime, posing with the trademark "Nice-guy pose". "I...I thought that..since you never got to see Naruto-kun grow up, that...this was a little like having a picture of the two of you. He...he always really looked up to you, you know."

Everything he could even think of saying left his mind as he looked at that picture, eyes starting to water. His voice cracked ever so slightly as he said, "I- thank you Hinata, this is the best gift anyone could get." Trying very, VERY hard not to break down in front of the girl.

She smiled slightly and nodded. "I just...I thought that I shouldn't be the only one who got something memorable for Christmas. And...because of you, Naruto-kun exists. He's one of us, and even though he doesn't realize it, he inspires so many people. He...he taught me so much, about being strong and about never giving up."

He was practically cracking enamal on his teeth from clenching his jaw so hard in effort to keep from crying. That would be terribly undignified and yet. . . "Sorry, I . . think I have something in my eye."

"It's ok to cry, you know. Naruto-kun told me that, once." She raised an eyebrow slightly at him. Hinata didn't want to offend the man, but she certainly didn't want him to be trying so hard to hold in his emotions all for her.

He gave a laugh at that, well, a half laugh and half sob, wiping away the tears that did manage to fall, "He's pretty bright for someone his age. I'm glad he has friends like you, Hinata."

Hinata nodded. "I'm glad to have him as a friend."