The seconds tick on in silence. Kurenai is certain the pompous man is weighing his options against his disinterest against his public image. That's exactly the position Kurenai wanted to back him in. If she's truly too far gone and he's given up on her than her request shouldn't matter.
And should he deny her request, it's more clear than ever how much contempt he holds for her. Furthermore, the Hyga's image could not possibly appear weak. The Hyga are too proud to accept any outside assistance with one of their members, much less the heiress.
She's fortunate that's not an issue here since Kurenai is already her assigned sensei.
The tense silence seems to stretch on forever until Hiashi finally addresses her. "You play a dangerous game Yhi-san. Your attitude towards me is not as well hidden as you believe, not from my eyes; for no one can see better than the Hyga.
Regardless of your childish beliefs, you have a duty as her sensei. If it is professional prerogative that Hinata needs supplementary lessons, I will allow you to take a vested interest in her growth.
As the head of this great clan and her father, I am not so proud that I would deny my daughter additional aid, no matter how misplaced it may be. However, if I see no significant form of improvement by the end of the Chnin exams, Hanabi will succeed her as heiress."
He didn't have to say the rest for Kurenai to understand what's at stake. The Hyga clan needs only one heir.
Like Hizashi before her, born only seconds after Hiashi, Hinata too will be branded with the clan's cursed seal, despite being born of the main family branch, a fate no better than slavery by many accounts.
"You paint a lofty picture of my daughter," the man continued almost snidely. "Let it not be said that I did not give you the opportunity to realize such passionate claims."
It would be an undue waste to challenge the time stipulation, but she won't simply take such a concession lying down. She's never been the type to roll over and show her belly; not since her father. No, for her students, she'd slit the man's throat without hesitation.
With just as much tenacity as she's demonstrated thus far, Kurenai continues, "to further aid her progress, I request she stay with me in my home. It is a simple three bedroom home in the Shinobi District with all the amenities necessary for training."
Almost with a tooth-grinding growl, he responds, "you may house her for the week at your own expense. As for the weekends, unless she is training or on a mission, she stays with her clan."
Kurenai promptly bows, the cool steel of her forehead protector touching the back of her hands placed firmly on the floor. "Thank you for your time and consideration, Hyga-dono."
CHJI
"Shikamaru never needs anything," Chji points out.
"Not too unlike his father that one," she answers as she moves to the safe in the product room. Chji never really took note of the safe, nor was he ever curious of the contents within.
When his mother opened the steel security box, she watches his mother pull out a pill, unlike the three colored pills he's familiar with. It was slightly larger than even the red pill, but he couldn't help asking his mother, "why is it blue? I've never seen that pill before."
Closing the safe, and spinning the levers until it clicked, his mother stands at her full height. Eying the blue pill cautiously, she hums like she does when she's considering her words. The Akimichi clan aren't like the Nara clan.
They have a much less elegant way with words and can sometimes take a moment to gather their thoughts.
"Ahh, well, this is a special pill, so ninja boys and girls can be... friendly with each other," she answers as she picks up the pace on her way back. "Don't worry your beautiful little head about it. I'll, uh, have your father speak to you about it later, okay sweetie?"
Chji watched her scurry off, all the while thinking, questioning really, the possible existence of a 'friendship pill?' Chji wondered about such a pill and the secrecy behind it long and hard. Clearly, this was a clan secret, after all, why keep it in a safe if it wasn't?
But for his clan to need an actual friendship pill, can only mean it's harder for his clan to make friends than others. So difficult in fact, they needed a special chakra pill for it. Chji would not take this responsibility lightly. He loved his parents and would never want to disappoint them.
Without even being told, he knows he'll keep this secret for them and the clan, because, despite the teasing, shaming, and hazing, he was proud to be an Akimichi.
With designs slowly forming in his mind, he looks for a post-lunch, pre-dinner snack, as he considers the details of how this might help his newly formed team.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. As I said it's kind of like my practice story and I only have 3 chapters, so, after I've edited the other chapters, I'll post those. If there's enough positive buzz, I'll keep going after that.
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