Naruto | Naruto/Hinata | Grandchild
Fandom: Naruto
Title: The ABCs of NaruHina - "Grandchild"
Characters: Hiashi, Hinata, Naruto
Pairings: Naruto/Hinata
Rating: G
Word Count: 606
Summary: "Nothing melts a heart like a grandchild will."
Notes/Warnings: This is the first ficlet in a (hopefully) 26-part series, "ABCs of NaruHina." I'm sure no one believes that I'll really do 26, but I CAN DREAM. This one popped into my head based on a line (the summary) in this song.
~
It was no secret that Hiashi disapproved of Hinata's choice of husband. The clan tolerated the match - it was of little concern to them, now that she was no longer the heiress. He and his eldest daughter had never been close by any stretch of the imagination, but the distance between them became even greater on the day of her marriage to Naruto.
The first time he spoke to her after that day, nearly three years later, she had scheduled an appointment with him - an abrupt reminder that she wasn't much a part of the Hyuuga clan anymore. She told him quietly - though resolutely - that she was with child, that she thought he ought to know. Hiashi thought she had wanted to say more, but he interrupted her with unemotional congratulations and a stiff bow. Their conference ended shortly thereafter. Hiashi watched her go with what might have been regret, if he had been sentimental enough to give a name to the twist in his gut.
~
The day of the child's birth, Hiashi found himself crowded into Hinata's hospital room with several others. She looked exhausted but happy, with an expression he couldn't recall having ever seen on her face before. Hiashi waited patiently, silent for the most part, except for the few words he exchanged with Hanabi and Neji. He waited until no one remained except his daughter, sitting propped up with several pillows on her hospital bed, and Naruto, who was rocking his new daughter gently in his arms.
They seemed oblivious to his presence until he cleared his throat. Hinata made a faint noise of surprise. Naruto merely looked up, glaring at him, daring him to say something to insult his happiness, his family. Hiashi met his gaze with an even stare. He had never liked Naruto, but he still found Naruto's apparent hatred of him fairly unwarranted. He turned towards his daughter.
"May I hold her?"
Hinata sucked in a quiet breath. She nodded at Naruto, who deposited the child slowly and carefully into Hiashi's arms, as if he was afraid the older man would run off with her as soon as he had the chance.
At once Hinata witnessed a great change in her father's appearance, a sort serene happiness, as though recalling a very pleasant memory. She felt the makings of tears in her eyes and looked away quickly, before he could take notice of her reaction. Naruto, features softening with concern for his wife, promptly stopped glaring at Hiashi and moved to her side. Sensing her nervousness, Naruto let his hand slip down next to hers on the bed. She gripped it tightly, silently thanking him.
It seemed an eternity before anyone spoke. Eventually Hiashi began with, "I would like - to visit my granddaughter, if you find that agreeable." Hinata stared at her father, but he wouldn't quite meet her gaze. She realized at once as she looked at him that it had been emotion that had caused the break in his voice. It was a foreign concept to associate with him, but she knew it to be so. Her grip on Naruto's hand slackened, and she smiled softly.
"Of course," she began. "You will always be welcome at our home. And I hope that she--"
Hiashi interrupted before she could finish. "She will have all the privileges of a Hyuuga," he said decisively. Hinata looked away from him, finally, and rested her forehead against her husband's arm in a gesture of relief and happiness.
Title: The ABCs of NaruHina - "Grandchild"
Characters: Hiashi, Hinata, Naruto
Pairings: Naruto/Hinata
Rating: G
Word Count: 606
Summary: "Nothing melts a heart like a grandchild will."
Notes/Warnings: This is the first ficlet in a (hopefully) 26-part series, "ABCs of NaruHina." I'm sure no one believes that I'll really do 26, but I CAN DREAM. This one popped into my head based on a line (the summary) in this song.
~
It was no secret that Hiashi disapproved of Hinata's choice of husband. The clan tolerated the match - it was of little concern to them, now that she was no longer the heiress. He and his eldest daughter had never been close by any stretch of the imagination, but the distance between them became even greater on the day of her marriage to Naruto.
The first time he spoke to her after that day, nearly three years later, she had scheduled an appointment with him - an abrupt reminder that she wasn't much a part of the Hyuuga clan anymore. She told him quietly - though resolutely - that she was with child, that she thought he ought to know. Hiashi thought she had wanted to say more, but he interrupted her with unemotional congratulations and a stiff bow. Their conference ended shortly thereafter. Hiashi watched her go with what might have been regret, if he had been sentimental enough to give a name to the twist in his gut.
~
The day of the child's birth, Hiashi found himself crowded into Hinata's hospital room with several others. She looked exhausted but happy, with an expression he couldn't recall having ever seen on her face before. Hiashi waited patiently, silent for the most part, except for the few words he exchanged with Hanabi and Neji. He waited until no one remained except his daughter, sitting propped up with several pillows on her hospital bed, and Naruto, who was rocking his new daughter gently in his arms.
They seemed oblivious to his presence until he cleared his throat. Hinata made a faint noise of surprise. Naruto merely looked up, glaring at him, daring him to say something to insult his happiness, his family. Hiashi met his gaze with an even stare. He had never liked Naruto, but he still found Naruto's apparent hatred of him fairly unwarranted. He turned towards his daughter.
"May I hold her?"
Hinata sucked in a quiet breath. She nodded at Naruto, who deposited the child slowly and carefully into Hiashi's arms, as if he was afraid the older man would run off with her as soon as he had the chance.
At once Hinata witnessed a great change in her father's appearance, a sort serene happiness, as though recalling a very pleasant memory. She felt the makings of tears in her eyes and looked away quickly, before he could take notice of her reaction. Naruto, features softening with concern for his wife, promptly stopped glaring at Hiashi and moved to her side. Sensing her nervousness, Naruto let his hand slip down next to hers on the bed. She gripped it tightly, silently thanking him.
It seemed an eternity before anyone spoke. Eventually Hiashi began with, "I would like - to visit my granddaughter, if you find that agreeable." Hinata stared at her father, but he wouldn't quite meet her gaze. She realized at once as she looked at him that it had been emotion that had caused the break in his voice. It was a foreign concept to associate with him, but she knew it to be so. Her grip on Naruto's hand slackened, and she smiled softly.
"Of course," she began. "You will always be welcome at our home. And I hope that she--"
Hiashi interrupted before she could finish. "She will have all the privileges of a Hyuuga," he said decisively. Hinata looked away from him, finally, and rested her forehead against her husband's arm in a gesture of relief and happiness.