Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Finding Hyuuga ❯ Finding Hyuuga ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Finding Hyuuga

Author: Persephone-sings

Date: 12/1/04

Author's note: I can't decide if I want to take this story further or leave it as a one shot fic. If you're happy with the end, lemme know and I'll probably leave it where it is. If you want more, I have loads of ideas, so I think I can make this into a short multi-part.

Finding Hyuuga

"You are no Hyuuga, Hinata!"

Hinata flinched as the words echoed in the empty room. Her father glared at her from his position above her. Her nails dug into her palms to stop her habitual fidgeting; he always hated that she couldn't sit still very well. She felt the hard wood beneath her knees from where she was kneeling on the floor and the chill in the air from the open windows.

"How your mother could have given birth to a weakling such as you is beyond even my eyes' ability to see."

At the mention of her mother, Hinata's eyes filled with tears and she had to stifle a sob by biting sharply on the inside of her cheek. The tang of blood filled her mouth but the throbbing pain dried her tears before they could fall.

"How many years did it take you to become a Jounin? What the hell were you doing in between the exams? Picking flowers? Hanabi has been ANBU for two years! Why the Gods couldn't make her my heir, we shall never know."

Jounin . . . the word should have filled Hinata with pride, but that it had taken her five years since becoming a Chuunin to gain the title smashed her happiness. She could never be good enough for him. Ever. Even right before her first mission as a Jounin, he could not give her a word of encouragement. It was always disdain, anger, and cold hatred.

The fact that her team waited for her outside the door made her cheeks burn with shame and mortification. Once again, they would hear of her failures.

"I cannot bear the sight of you any longer! If the Gods shine down on us, you will not return from this mission and Hanabi can take her rightful place as our heir."

The breath whooshed out of her chest as his words faded in the cold room. You will not return from this mission . . . he wanted her dead?

She couldn't take it anymore, couldn't stand the abuse a second longer. Without a word to him, Hinata pushed herself to her feet and forced herself to exit the room slowly, as befitted a lady and the heir to the Hyuuga clan. Hanabi can take her rightful place as our heir.

One of the men stationed at the door slid it open for her and she nodded her thanks through blinding tears. She fumbled around the corner, where her teammates were waiting but stopped before they noticed her. She quickly scrubbed the tears from her cheeks, not wanting to make them nervous about her abilities for their first mission as jounin.

"Hinata?" Kurenai's voice was soft with worry and Hinata knew they had probably heard every word that had been said and it made her stomach clench to know they now knew what her father thought of her. Shino was calmly leaning against the wall next to Kurenai while Kiba crouched at their feet stroking Akamaru. The knot in her stomach eased as she saw them look up with concern. These were her teammates, her friends. They had always supported her and it wouldn't matter what her father said.

She pasted a smile on her face, "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, you guys. I hope this isn't going to put us behind in leaving. I just need to pack a few-" a warm hand on her upper arm stopped her jerky movements towards the stairs.

"Hinata," She hadn't noticed him rise from his crouch and Kiba's eyes were dark and angry. Akamaru sent a low growl towards the room where her father stood. "One word from you is all I need to go after him, I swear it."

She looked at him, speechless in the face of all that controlled fury. Looking to Shino for his advice on how to react, she was surprised to see his alert posture and the bugs crawling across the hands resting at his sides. He nodded in support of Kiba's statement and her eyes widened. .

"You guys, I don't understand, why would you fight my father?"

Kurenai sighed sadly, "Hinata, every time we come here all we see and hear is you being berated and insulted by your father. Kiba always wants to fight him and Shino is usually ready, but you've never looked this hurt before. I think they're ready to put a stop to it."

Hinata looked at her two closest friends, seeing their defensive postures in a new light. They were angry for her? They wanted to fight for her? Their images grew blurry as fresh tears dripped down her cheeks and Shino blinked in shock when he realized they were making her cry.

He looked to Kiba, who shrugged and patted her arm, which only made her cry harder. Baffled, they both turned to Kurenai who smiled and said, "I don't think she's used to people wanting to fight for her as much as you two do. I suggest you do something to make her stop though, we do have a mission." And with that, she trotted down the hall and went out into the yard to wait.

Shino, not knowing how to deal with a crying female, nodded to Kiba and with an awkward rub to Hinata's shoulder, he made his escape.

"Oi! Shino! What am I supposed to do?" He looked at Hinata, who was still crying into her hands and down at Akamaru, who barked encouragingly and nudged Hinata's foot.

And so, not knowing what else to do, and having seen his dad to this to his mom, Kiba pulled the unresisting young woman into his arms and decided to just let her have it out.

Hinata didn't realize she had moved until she felt Kiba's hand stroking her hair as she cried into his shoulder. Then she felt his other hand slide around her waist as he slid down to sit against the wall. Being held for the first time in a very long time, Hinata felt his warm embrace soothe her as nothing else could have.

Her tears easing off, she stayed relaxed against him, feeling his chest rise and fall against her cheek. Finally, feeling better after an encounter with her father than ever before, she pulled back and smiled brightly up at him.

Kiba stared at her, baffled at how quickly she could change from one mood to another. Then he shrugged mentally, chalked it up to his mental tally of things he didn't understand about women, and helped her stand.

He looked at her, taking in the tear stains and the reddened eyes, "I'm serious, you know that, right Hinata?"

"You mean about my father?" she grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door to meet up with their team.

"Yeah, him. If he makes you cry again, he won't just be dealing with you anymore, got it?" he nudged her when she just nodded in agreement. "I mean it, Hinata. We're a team, you and me and Shino. Your father has no right to say those things about you, especially when they aren't true!"

Hinata stopped dead in the middle of the entrance and looked up at him, "You think they aren't true? The things he says?"

          &nb sp; Kiba's eyebrows drew down in a frown, "Of course they aren't true! Look at how hard you try and how much better you've gotten in the last seven years! You, Hyuuga Hinata, are a Jounin of Konoha Village. Don't ever forget that."

          &nb sp; She laughed and whirled around in the sunshine, her arms thrown out wide and a half-grown pup barking excitedly at her feet. Kiba watched her, noticing if not for the first time, than for the first time finally realizing how truly beautiful she was. She caught his arm in an exuberant half embrace and dragged him along with her to the entrance of the village.

"Come on, Kiba! I feel like I can take on the world!"

"Oi, Hinata! Stop tugging on me, I can walk on my own, you know!"

Owari?