Our stipend had increased a bit after we entered our second year at the academy, so I’d recently bought a bunch of needles and was practicing freezing and unfreezing them while I waited for Hinata to arrive, as she was already running a bit late.
She was planning to stay over this weekend, though I’m still a bit shocked her father allowed it considering how strict he is with her. She claimed she convinced him by saying that we would be studying, but personally I suspect it’s at least partly because of parental concerns about her lack of friends.
I heard a knock at the door so I shouted “one second!” as I went over to answer it.
Upon opening it, I started to ask “Hinata, you’re late. What took you so-” before I noticed that the person who stood before me was not Hinata but instead looked like Hinata when she was younger and as I was trying to figure out what was going on, she pointed at me and said “are you the thieving cat?”
“thieving...cat?”
“onee-sama said she was going to be staying over at her ‘Sister Dearest’s house’. Are you the witch who is conspiring to steal my sister from me?”
“...witch?” an amusing idea came to me, so I raised my voice as high as it would go before declaring “That’s right. I’m the big bad evil witch, so good little children should run off now or else” I stepped through the doorway and raised my arms in front of me like a bear “I might eat you up.” and cackled in the most witchy way I could
Clearly my witch impression did not go unnoticed as Naruto appeared in the doorway behind me and asked “what’s with the weird voice?” before noticing the little girl and exclaiming “Sakuya, what do we do?! Hinata Shrunk!”
(“and here I thought I had succeeded at preventing him from being an idiot”) I considered continuing my witch act and claiming it was me, but I was now concerned he might believe it.
Thankfully, it was at the moment that Hinata arrived to the rescue. Seeing me outside our appointment already, she immediately started talking to me “Sorry I’m late, you didn’t have to wait out here in the cold for me.” before noticing the little girl in front of me and asking her “Hanabi? What are you doing here?” (“oh right, her name was Hanabi”)
“I’m here to defeat the thieving cat” (“I thought I was promoted to witch”)
“thieving...cat?” (“she had the same reaction as me, huh?”) “how did you even know where they live?”
Hanabi then put her hands on her waist before she pointed at Hinata and proudly declared “I followed you the last time you came here.”
Hinata sighed and put a hand to her forehead, before placing her hands on her sister’s shoulder and turning her gaze to me “I’m so sorry about this, Sister Dearests” Hanabi’s eyes snapped to me, and if looks could kill I’d definitely be dead “do you mind if I take her home?”
I realized this was a perfect opportunity to tease her and Naruto “I don’t mind if she stay’s over too, she can sleep in my room.”
Hinata paused, clearly considering it before realizing “wasn’t I going to stay there as well though? Won’t it be too crowded with three people”
“oh, there’s no problem” I smirked, causing her to recoil (“my smile wasn’t that evil was it?”) “you can sleep in Naruto’s room”
she went red as a tomato while the peanut gallery chimed in “What?! That’s”
Turning to Naruto, I cut him off “surely you don’t mind, do you? Or do you plan to have her sister sleep in your room?” I mustered up the most disgusted look I could “Onee-chan didn’t know you were like that.”
“It’s not like that, that’s not what I meant. It’s just-”
Smiling widely, I clapped my hands to cut him off “then there’s no problem then.” I swiftly moved behind Hinata, putting my hands on her shoulders to lead her inside “c’mon, there’s no need to continue this conversation out in the cold” and with her hands still on Hanabi’s shoulders she got led in as well.
Once were inside, I led them over to the couch, placing Hanabi next to her. While Naruto sat in the chair across from them, I went to get us drinks before sitting down on the other side of Hanabi. After a bit of effort I finally managed to convince her that it was fine for her sister to stay over “besides, if your father gets worried about her, he knows where you are so he’ll likely come straight here”
“sigh. Very well, but where will she even sleep? I know you were joking earlier, but you can’t seriously intend for us all to sleep in your room”
“oh, that? Yeah, I was serious. I’ll get out the extra bedding and Naruto can sleep on the couch. As for Hanabi” I grabbed her and put her on my lap “She can sleep in my bed with Onee-chan”
“Sakuya?!/Sister Dearest?!”
“what? This is finally my opportunity to spoil a little sibling. Naruto refuses to accept the truth and Hinata is too shy to be spoiled.”
Hanabi jumped off of me as Naruto jumped up exclaimed “wouldn’t it make more sense though for you to sleep in my room then?”
I gasped in feigned shock and asked “So that’s why you refuse to call me Onee-chan?” before looking at him with pity “I’m sorry Naruto, but I’ll only ever see you as a little brother”
suddenly a sound of glass shattered, and looking over I saw Hinata shivering in shock looking at Naruto “Na...Naruto… is that really true? Is that how you see Sakuya?” (“crap, I may have taken my joke too far”)
“Sorry Hinata, I took my joke a bit too far. Don’t worry, Naruto isn’t a sis-con. After all, the one he really likes is-”
“Sakuya!” Naruto quickly cut me of,
“what is it Naruto? No need to shout”
Returning to the original topic as a distraction, he announced “I’ll sleep on the couch, so Hinata can stay in my room”
but his distraction failed as Hanabi decided this was the perfect moment to chime in “Oy, thieving cat”
ignoring her, I addressed Naruto “all right, I’ll get out the extra bedding”
but as I walked away, Hanabi called after me “Hey! Evil witch! I know you can hear me” so I turned around and informed her “if you have something to say you have to call me onee-chan”
(“It’s my victory either way, either I get a cute little sister figure calling me onee-chan or I have a valid excuse to ignore being called a thieving cat. Ahhh, I hope it’s the former”)
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That night as initially planned, Naruto slept on the couch, Hinata in his room and Hanabi with me. Though she seemed somewhat opposed at first, when I made it clear I wasn’t going to force her and she could sleep with her sister she denied it saying “I don’t want to me any more of a bother for onee-chan”.
In the middle of the night, I awoke to Hanabi calling out for her mother. Seeing her crying in her sleep, I pulled her into a hug and whispered softly to her “Don’t worry, I'm here. I’m right here” hoping to calm her down, before I drifted back to sleep. I didn’t really remember waking up in the middle the night, so when I awoke the next morning, I was very shocked to see her face right in front of mine.
After urging her to get up so we could have breakfast, I left my room to do my morning routine before making breakfast. When I got to the kitchen, noticing I still had a small follower, I asked Hanabi to go wake up her sister causing her to go run off.
Hinata came into the kitchen together with Naruto just as the food was ready, both looking like they lacked sleep. They may have still been children but I was still concerned, so I stared at Naruto and asked “Where did you sleep last night?”
looking confused, he responded “on the couch, why?”
just in case I turned to Hanabi and asked “Hanabi, when you woke up your sister, was Naruto in there?”
and I completely ignored Naruto's "What are you trying to say?!" as I waited for an answer
after a moment of waiting as Hanabi looked confused at my question, she turned to me and said “Onee-chan was alone”
I sighed in relief as I turned to Naruto “that’s good, you’re still far too young for Onee-chan to approve of you sleeping together”
As Hinata turned beet red, Naruto stammered out “Can… can we just eat” so I just gestured for them to sit down.
While we were about halfway through our meal, Hanabi turned to her sister “Onee-chan?”
curious Hinata asked “what’s up”
she gestured to me “are you in love with her?” causing Naruto to snort and choke on his food
Hinata gave her sister a gentle smile that did not reach her eyes “Hanabi. I merely see her as wonderful elder sister. What gave you that idea?”
I smiled as I took another bite of food while she responded “I was just checking, I don’t want to get in Onee-chan’s way. If you aren't in love with her, then” she pointed at me and shouted “I’m going to marry onee-sama” making it my turn to choke on my food.
“Ahhhh...haha” I couldn’t help but nervously laugh (“how did I go from thieving cat to onee-sama?”)
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It seemed that this time it was me who gained the Hyūga stalker. Every time I went out shopping, or even when I was walking hope from the academy, it seemed there was a little girl following me. Today I had decided it need to end, so I decided I had no choice but to confront her. While it should definitely have been difficult sneaking up on someone with a byakugan, it seems I got lucky.
Before she could run away, I grabbed her shoulder and told her we need to talk. Though she looked like she was about to cry, she nodded her head. When we found a place to sit, I explained to her that the stalking had to stop, and there was no way I could see her as a potential love interest. I tried to explain as directly as possible, though it was certainly difficult due to her age
“not only are you 5 years younger than me, but you know almost nothing about me. You don’t want to end up doing something you could regret later, don’t waste your time on me. I’m more than happy for you to call me onee-sama if that’s what you want, and I’ll happily spoil you as my little sister, but you’re going to have to accept that I will never see a child as a potential partner.”
“umm, onee-sama. Does that mean that when I’m an adult you’ll consider me? Does that mean if I wait until then you’ll marry me”
I sighed, but then I decided that considering how young she is she won’t remember it anyway, so I told her “let’s see… if you treat me as a no more than a big sister until then, if you still feel the same way then... sure, why not?.” (“hopefully she forgets and the only thing she remembers is that she has always called me onee-sama”)
she grabbed my pinky with her own and shook it saying “that’s a promise” (“...she’ll forget… right?”)
It certainly feels forced, however I like the implications it can have for the plot. Hanabi's relationship with Hinata can improve for one, and even if she "grows out of it" that won't change. Also as a less happy plot possibility, Hiashi could wonder where his daughters are running off to, find them "consorting with the demons" and force them to stay home, which could trigger Hinata's rebellious phase and make her a lot more driven and confident than in canon. Or maybe another clan will complain that the two daughters of the Hyuuga clan head are trying to control the Jinchuuriki, and force them to stay away, if you want Hiashi to be nice.
Or maybe another clan will complain that the two daughters of the Hyuuga clan head are trying to control the Jinchuuriki, and force them to stay away, if you want Hiashi to be nice.
I'm planning to head more in this direction, but I don't intend for that type of conflict to arise for at least a little while as I have a general idea of where I want it to happen
eskerrik asko kapituluagatik