Universal Harmony hit 200k words recently, and I just wanted to share my excitement! For now, due to reasons, I will be taking a break from writing the story.
After this upcoming chapter (the reunion), I will be skipping an extra week until the final chapter of that arc.
After much deliberation, he settled on a diamond bracelet. Hinata was considered royalty in the village, so he couldn’t get her just anything. Besides, it wasn’t like his clan was tight on money, or himself. Even though the jeweler assured him it was a perfect pick for his girl, he still felt unsure about it.
But he was going to go for it.
He had to wait until later that night, after work because Naruto desperately needed his help. He was the best shinobi in the world, and could talk just about anyone off from any ledge. It was uncanny; however…he could not be diplomatic to save his life. He was charming enough to get away with it, but it was still valuable for him to know in the future, when it was no longer cute to the other nations.
He walked into the Hokage building and down toward the archives. It was quiet and secluded, which has been proven to help Naruto stay focused (nevermind that he couldn’t do that unless there was a powerful enemy in front of him).
“Ah, Shikamaru,” Kakashi greeted, standing over a groaning Naruto. “How was your lunch date?”
Naruto perked up with a sly grin. “Date, huh?”
Shikamaru sighed heavily. Kakashi knew damn well who he had gone on a date with, and just wanted to stir the pot for some entertainment. The current Hokage was pretty chill, and nice, but he lived for drama and gossip. It was usually funny.
Usually.
When it didn’t involve him.
“Yeah. I wanted to talk to you about it,” he said, taking the seat across from Naruto. “It’s Hinata.”
Naruto straightened up, his eyes widening slightly. “...Hinata?” Shikamaru nodded. “Oh.”
“Is that gonna be an issue?” He didn’t want to hurt the blonde, but he also wasn’t just going to back down. Naruto had made himself clear to Hinata.
He was silent for a moment before slowly shaking his head. “No, I… We’ve already talked. I can’t give her what she needs right now. My dedication is to being Hokage. I can’t, um, I can’t do both,” he explained. “I can’t be a good Hokage and husband.”
“All right, then. I’m pursuing her with marriage as the end goal.”
Naruto smiled, but he could see the sadness behind it and in his eyes. “Just treat her right. Hinata’s special, and she deserves every ounce of love you can give her.”
“I’m doing my best. She tossed my drink in my face just twenty minutes ago, so I can’t say I’m doing too great right now,” he admitted with a sigh.
The Uzumaki burst out into laughter. “Oh, man, I didn’t think she was capable of that! What the hell did you do?”
Shikamaru glared at him, but there wasn’t any real heat behind it. “I was a little too blunt. I’m gonna see her later tonight, and try to fix it. Any ideas?”
“Just be sincere. She’s never gotten angry at me though,” he teased smugly.
He waved him off. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s get started. We’ve got a lot of work to get through. Hokage-sama, you should get back to all that paperwork. I’ve got it from here.”
“Sure. Thanks, Shikamaru. And good luck facing the Hyuuga Heiress later tonight,” he said with a chuckle before he left the room.
“That man enjoys this kinda stuff way too much.”
Naruto laughed. “It’s all those books he reads by Ero-Sennin.”
Shikamaru grabbed him volume ten of Konoha politics and tossed it at him. “We’re starting on the laws implemented by the Nidaime, and discussing why some of them were a bad idea in the long run,” he explained.
The Uzumaki grabbed his pencil, notepad, and listened to Shikamaru as he began going over them.
I told y'all even the shikahina scene was pushing it on this last chapter
But to my commenters who are excited with each chapter, who love seeing Hinata being a realistic teen just trying to do her best, and who love her genuine friendships, you're the BEST and I would take a bullet for y'all. You're the ones I'm writing for 🩷
“Those injuries didn’t even scar,” she assured him, reaching out for his hand but stopping when he moved it away.
“Show me.”
She paused. “What?”
“Show me that they didn’t leave a mark.” He looked back into her eyes and she could see the barely hidden anguish in them. He needed to see that he hadn’t permanently marked her. “I’m aware two of them are in areas that make it difficult for you to—”
“I’ll show you,” she interrupted gently. “I know how important it is for you.”
She stood up and reached up to the neck of her top before unbuttoning it. Itachi’s eyes remained on hers and she took solace in the fact that this was all very clinical. If she let her mind wander, she knew her face would be heating up. She also felt assured that Sasuke had seen much of her chest in the Land of Waves, that she wasn’t somehow betraying him right now.
Once it was fully unbuttoned, with only her bra covering her breasts, Itachi’s eyes zeroed in on that spot on her abdomen and his eyes went softer when he saw not even a small blemish on her skin. Then, his gazed moved to her chest, pointedly ignoring the large scar left by Zabuza.
“Hinata,” he muttered, looking back up at her face. “I’m sorry. It hurt a lot, didn’t it?”
Her eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. “It didn’t hurt nearly as much as it would have if I had lost you instead,” she replied quietly. Itachi moved the fabric of her split skirt so he could easily see her thigh. Her shorts made it easy to see the spot he had stabbed and he finally felt himself relaxing at knowing he hadn’t scarred her. Ever since he left her bleeding on the ground, he hadn’t been able to rest easy.
He pulled her closer by the edges of her top and he slowly buttoned them up for her. “Thank you.”
She said nothing and only watched his fingers move slowly up her chest as he buttoned her top. It felt both sensual and clinical…and she wondered how that could be. When he was done, she made no move to back away.
The next day, Hinata stood in front of him with a small bouquet. He sat at a table in the diner, waiting for her, and was completely thrown off by her presentation of flowers. She held it out to him with an expectant smile.
He took them and set them down on the table. “What are you doing?” He asked with amusement.
She took a seat across from him with a smug smile. “I’m wooing you. Ino assured me you would love them,” she replied, looking at the menu.
He scoffed. He should’ve known Ino would play a role in this. “Of course she did.”
“Get anything you’d like, Shika. My treat.”
He shook his head. “Absolutely not. I draw the line there. My mom would kick my ass if she found out I let you pay for our date.” There was very little he was afraid of, but his mother was at the top of that short list.
“Then how else do you expect me to woo you?” She asked curiously, softly as though muttering to herself.
He grinned, happy that she was taking it seriously. “We’ll learn more about each other in—”
“Hinata?” The Hyuuga looked over and saw Tenten with a takeout bag. Hinata smiled at her friend and stood, hugging her. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”
“We saw each other just a few days ago,” she laughed.
“What are you doing here with Shikamaru?” She asked, smiling at the Nara.
“We’re on a date,” he replied, sipping his water.
Tenten’s brows nearly collided with her hairline. “A…date?” Hinata nodded. “I didn’t know you two were like that.” Shikamaru shrugged. Tenten looked at Hinata curiously. “D-does Naruto know?”
Hinata’s smile became slightly tight, uncomfortable with the question. “He’s busy with his studies, so I haven’t seen him in a few days but we have plans to meet tomorrow.”
“I’m planning on telling him myself, man to man and all that,” Shikamaru added. “I’m seeing him later today to help Kakashi-sensei train him politically.”
Tenten finally smiled, relaxing. “Good luck then. And, Hinata, I’m happy for you. I hope it all works out.” She hugged the Hyuuga again.
Hinata looked nervous after sitting back down, avoiding eye contact. She fiddled with the menu, looking down at it but not really reading the words.
Shikamaru raised a brow. “Do you not want me to tell him?” He asked, resting his chin on the palm of his hand with a slight tilt of his head.
“It’s not…really that,” she admitted quietly.
“Look, if you think there’s still a chance there for you, then I’m not gonna get in the way. But if you’re only thinking about waiting for him because that’s what you’re used to, then you need to move on,” he said bluntly.
Hinata’s eyes turned on him sharply. “Excuse me?” She asked, her voice gentle but with an edge.
“I heard about it. He loves you, but he’s too focused on being Hokage right now to truly focus on you. If you want to wait, then more power to you, but you really should move—” He spluttered as his drink was splashed in his face. He rubbed his eyes, looking at her with disbelief. She placed the cup down angrily, stood up, and left the cafe.
He took a napkin and wiped his face and neck down, wondering if, logically, his clothes could dry in his walk back to the Hokage Tower in time. Obviously not.
He looked out the window, watching Hinata’s retreating form with a small smile. She wasn’t as meek as he thought she was. He liked it. Maybe he was destined to like women who bullied him even a little. He sighed heavily and stood up, bowing to the owner with an apology.
“Did you break up with her, or something, Shikamaru?” The man asked with amusement.
“I was just honest about—”
“Ah, there’s your mistake,” the man interrupted with a laugh. “Your kind of honesty is rough on the ears, y’know. Better go buy her a gift and grovel, because she’s a real beauty. You’re not gonna do any better, buddy.”
Shikamaru frowned, and opened his mouth to argue when he realized he was right. He probably couldn’t do any better, especially right now. Hinata was the prettiest to come out of his generation, had a high standing in society, powerful on the battlefield, and wouldn’t simply just stand there and let someone insult her (even if someone didn’t meant it that way).
“Any ideas then?” He asked the older man, looking for some guidance.
“Well, women like jewelry, so maybe that,” the man suggested. “I know my wife always calms down when I get her something from the jeweler. Also a nice kiss.”
Shikamaru sighed. “Kissing isn’t an option, so I guess whatever I choose from the jeweler is gonna have to be big enough to make up for that.”
“That’s the spirit! Good luck, kid.”
He groaned as he left the cafe, in the opposite direction of his workplace and straight to the jewelers.
It didn’t come as a shock to him when Hinata was an exceptionally easy person to be with. Their conversations were easy, their silences weren’t uncomfortable, but it felt like they were out with Mirai again as friends. Both admitted it at the end of the night, when he was walking her home.
“Maybe doing something more romantic would help?” She offered.
“Maybe. Want to try holding hands or something?” He held his hand out to her as they continued walking. She took his hand, and they easily intertwined their fingers. It was a bit awkward, but it wasn’t unpleasant at all. “Not bad, huh?”
She laughed softly, looking up at the stars. “Yes. Not bad.”
“Let’s go on another date tomorrow. We can grab lunch at that place near the Hokage tower during my break.”
“That sounds nice.”
When they made it back to the Hyuuga Compound, Hiashi was waiting for them in front of the entrance. Hinata pulled her hand away from his when she saw him, putting more physical distance between them. Hiashi had caught it anyway, but said nothing as they stopped in front of him.
Shikamaru bowed deeply. “It’s a pleasure to see you, Hyuuga-sama,” he greeted politely.
“And you. It seems as though you’re enjoying your time with my daughter,” the older man pointed out.
The Nara straightened back up and looked into the man’s eyes. “Yes. Hinata is a wonderful person and friend. I’m hoping to become more.”
Hiashi tilted his head, a ghost of a smile on his face. “You may have her hand if you submit a marriage proposal to me.”
Hinata’s eyes widened.
“I’d like to date her first,” Shikamaru replied. “If she ends up not liking me, I don’t want to have forced her into a marriage.”
The Hyuuga head stared at him for a moment before turning away. “Very well. Hinata, you may continue dating him, and marry him if you wish to.” Then, he walked away, his pleased smile hidden to them both.
When they were alone again, Shikamaru took her hand again. “Your father likes me.”
She nodded. “I’m a bit surprised he agreed to a marriage so easily.” Though part of her felt a bit disappointed that he didn’t seem too concerned with her at the same time. He was able to give his blessing so easily.
He shook his head. “That was a test,” he assured her. “If I had picked to marry you right away, he wouldn’t have trusted me to see you as your own person with wants and needs.” He could read her mind clearly.
She smiled at him, thankful for his assessment. “Thanks, Shika.” She squeezed his hand before letting it go and waving. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He walked backward, smiling lazily at her. “Remember to woo me, too,” he teased. She giggled and nodded. “Good. I’ll be waiting, then.” He waved and turned, leaving her there with a satisfied smile.
The first time Hinata met Shisui, Itachi had just come back from a mission and was holding the lunch she made him. The older Uchiha brother was walking them to the training grounds to meet with Minato and Kushina, and he suddenly appeared behind them.
Aside from Itachi, they all jumped when he exclaimed a happy greeting.
"Aw, damn! I thought I was gonna get you this time," he said with a pout. Then he smiled at the three academy students. "But I did get these three to jump a mile high."
Sasuke sighed with annoyance. "I hate it when you do that."
He ignored Sasuke and leaned down closer to Hinata, taking in her face and her eyes. "So this is the one?" He glanced at Itachi. "She's adorable!" He stuck his hand out toward her. "I'm Shisui Uchiha, big cousin to Itachi and Sasuke."
She took it gingerly and shook it with some confusion. She had never shaken hands with someone in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm...Hinata Hyuuga."
He nearly squealed at her cute, mouse-like voice. "You're so cute, Hinata-chan!" He scooped her up in his arms, causing her to yelp. "I'm keeping you!" Then, he took off running.
Sasuke and Naruto both exclaimed and ran after him. "Shisui, stop!" Sasuke yelled.
Itachi could only sigh heavily.
Hinata's eyes were wide with terror at both being so high so suddenly, and being taken away by someone she had just met. All she could remember was nearly being taken by the Kumo nin, and she froze.
"Uchiha-san! Please let me go!" She said, squirming in his arms as he continued running.
"Tell me, does Itachi look surprised?" He asked from over his shoulder as he kept running.
She looked back to see her friends running after her, but Itachi remained further back, not even walking faster with concern. She wasn't sure how to feel about that. "Um, he looks the same," she replied.
He sighed with disappointment and slowed to a stop. "Bummer."
"Can you put me down, please?" She asked again, though this time she wasn't fearful. It was clear the older teen just wanted to shock Itachi.
He set her down on her feet. "There you go, kiddo. Sorry about that. I like to do what I can to annoy him," he explained, patting her head.
She nodded to Sasuke and Naruto, who were still running for them. "You succeeded with them, at least."
Shisui looked over and laughed loudly, holding his sides. "Look at their faces!"
Hinata smiled. "I think...it would be lovely to have an older cousin like you."
He stopped laughing and regarded her for a moment. "I guess the majority of Hyuugas tend to be very stoic. Well, no worries. I'll be your big cousin from now on!"
She smiled up at him. He stared down into her eyes—shining with happiness, hope, and a little apprehension. It was to be expected after the Hyuuga incident not too long ago. He hoped that childlike wonder stayed in her eyes, no matter what she went through.
And as Sasuke and his loud friend caught up to them, shouting about keeping his hands to himself, he thought the same about them.
His eyes went to Itachi's... wishing he could have saved his childhood.
After all, kids should remain kids as long as possible...
Shikamaru Nara had never been one to focus on romance. As such, it was understandable that he couldn’t tell when someone was into him. It was how he lost a chance with Temari from Suna. He didn’t know she was dropping hints left and right. He didn’t know how she felt about him until she came to him with tears of frustration in her eyes to inform him of her engagement.
He didn’t know he liked her until that moment, when she was gone to him forever.
While he was exceptionally smart on the field and academically, he clearly wasn’t in tune with romance. After losing his girl (who was never his), he decided to observe his peers. He felt a little too much like Sai, but he wouldn’t let himself think he was anywhere near that bad.
He began with the most obvious:
Sakura was in love with Sasuke.
Hinata was in love with Naruto.
Ino was in love with Sai, which was mutual.
Choji was really into that girl from the Cloud (who could give Sakura a run for her money in terms of temper).
Tenten and Lee suddenly became a thing at some point, too.
He kept these in mind as they got older, approaching their twenties. Sakura went off with Sasuke at some point, so he figured it was safe to assume that they were now together. Ino and Sai got married—it was a lovely ceremony—and were now trying for a baby. Karui and Choji were currently on their honeymoon, and he knew it wouldn’t be too long before they were announcing a pregnancy.
Now, Shikamaru was feeling pressure. No one mentioned anything, but two-thirds of the next Ino-Shika-Cho were in the process of being created, and he didn’t even have a partner. It was frustrating. There was no one in his friend group left…except—
Hinata.
She had confessed to Naruto one last time, but the Uzumaki let her down gently. He wasn’t interested in romance at the moment, only in his future position as Hokage. He told her it would be years before he could even begin thinking about being in a relationship, and it wasn’t fair to make her wait for him. He liked, possibly even loved, her, but it just wasn’t enough.
To her credit, she accepted it gracefully and remained friendly with him. She still took care of him in a way she had since the war ended. He doubted she would stop. It was in her nature to be extremely caring toward her loved ones.
Hinata wasn’t a bad choice for a romantic partner. Far from it, actually. She was gorgeous, elegant, kind, and loving—everything that would make for the perfect mother. With that, he decided to approach her. It wasn’t difficult. They spent a lot of time together with Mirai. They watched her together, took her on playdates, out to eat, and had sleepovers. If anything, he felt stupid for not thinking about her sooner.
“Hinata,” he said one night after they dropped Mirai off at home from an exhausting day at the park.
“Hm?” She asked, lightly kicking a pebble that came into her path, her shoes scuffing against the pavement.
“Wanna go on a date?” It was easier than he thought to ask someone out. Was it because he didn’t like her romantically yet?
She came to a complete stop as she looked up at him curiously. Her cheeks turned red as more time passed. “A date?”
He nodded.
“Uh…Wh-why?”
He sighed softly. “Well, we already spend a lot of time together, don’t you think? Besides, I’m sure your family is already pestering you to get married. I’m the head of my clan now. I’m a great candidate,” he listed off.
The look on her face was something he couldn’t decipher. It seemed to be a mix of disappointment and maybe even something like offense.
“You’re not asking me because you have feelings for me,” she stated. “It’s just…logical.”
“Dating is to see if we think we’re a good match,” he explained.
She smiled wryly. “I can’t argue with that.”
“I promise to treat you how women like to be treated.”
She laughed, relaxing again as they continued walking. “And how do women like to be treated?”
He shrugged, waving his hand in the air lazily. “You know. Bringing you flowers, surprising you with things, walking you home, talking with you often, and something about holding your bags while you shop.”
She laughed again, louder. “Did you research that? You sounded like you were reading off a sheet,” she giggled.
“So is that a yes?”
After a few moments, she nodded. “Yes. I’ll date you…to see if we’re a good match.”
"Come in," Minato said after a knock at his office door. He was still looking down at his paperwork, and trying to make a dent in it despite all interruptions. However, this one was one he had requested himself.
Inoichi walked in, stopping at his desk to bow deeply. "You wanted to see me, Hokage-sama?"
Minato glanced up at him, and began slowly putting the scroll aside. "Yes, that's right. I hear you're in the process of doing business with the Hyuuga Clan," he stated.
His discussion with Hinata had only happened earlier today, but he wanted to nip this in the bud.
"Yes, that's right." It was clear the man was confused at where this was going out what the point was, but hid it will.
"That would be a wonderful alliance." He leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped over his abdomen as his eyes went serious. "So why would you jeopardize it by forcefully using your ninjutsu on Hinata, the Hyuuga Heiress?"
Inoichi's eyes widened, and he remained quiet.
"That is not a rhetorical question. I expect an answer."
The Yamanaka Clan Head gulped. "B-because of her recent actions with Danzo, I found it incredibly difficult to trust her," he explained, his eyes moving to the ground in shame.
He knew their Hokage to be kind and gentle, but he also knew what he was capable of. All the stories of his triumphant battles, his moniker earned in the war, and especially his cutthroat way of handling things that needed to be...handled.
Minato hummed. "I understand your hesitation and reluctance. However, Hinata was once my pupil, and I would deal with her accordingly if I personally thought she was doing something bad," he explained.
He nodded. "Of course, Hokage-sama." He found it difficult to look into the young man's eyes. The Yellow Flash was terrifying, capable of looking at a person as though he was worth nothing.
"You will tell me exactly what you saw in her mind." No room for argument, no choice.
"I saw to the previous night. A conversation with Kakashi in her greenhouse. She opened up about some... sensitive feelings," he explained, reluctant to share the Hyuuga's private emotions.
"Sensitive emotions?" Minato asked, tilting his head. "Are you now trying to be considerate of her feelings after forcibly invading her mind?"
"I understand it was wrong—"
"Wrong? She's a child, Inoichi. Your jutsu could have severely damaged her psyche. Politically, you could have started a war with the Hyuuga Clan," he snapped, leaning forward over his desk. "You underestimate her because she's a child, that much is obvious."
"I needed to be sure. For Ino's safety. I don't want my daughter to be dragged into whatever nonsense she had planned with that man, " he clarified. "I knew it was wrong when I did it. I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate."
Minato stared at him for a long while. "Hinata is aware," he eventually settled on. "In fact, she only reported it to me, because she wasn't entirely sure what you had seen. She did it for your protection."
Inoichi finally looked up at him, eyes a mixture of emotions—confusion being one of them. "Even if I had wanted to see more, I wouldn't have been able to," he admitted.
"Explain."
"Her will is incredibly strong. If I hadn't canceled the jutsu, she would have succeeded in kicking me out herself. She's determined to keep her secrets safe."
Minato smiled with pride. "Yes. She is." Then, he sighed. "You've really forced my hand, Inoichi."
"I apologize, Hokage-sama."
The blonde waved it off. "I'm aware she wouldn't have been able to secure a deal with you otherwise. Now that she has your trust, the other clan heads will follow," he added. "I'm sure Hinata also knows this."
Logically, despite the moral ambiguity of the situation, Inoichi had done a good thing. If Hinata couldn't gain the trust of even one clan head, the progress she wanted to make for the Hyuuga could have come to a standstill. As awful as it was, getting her mind attacked had been a good thing.
Minato stood up, walking around his desk. "You broke one of the rules set for your clan, and against a chunin—someone below your rank, which is another penalty."
Inoichi bowed deeply again.
Minato stood tall in front of him, eyes looking down at him. Then, suddenly, the clan head dropped to his knees, the pressure of Minato's overpowering chakra forcing him down. He gasped for air, swallowing around the metallic taste of blood in the air, and coughing when it became too much. He lowered himself further.
"The penalty for breaking your terms is prison time. That's what had been decided since your clan joined the village," Minato reminded him, still keeping him down. "However, I'll settle with this. If this happens again, prison will be much more agreeable. You will not jeopardize the psyche of another young mind—especially not one so brilliant."
He reigned in his killing intent, the slightly older man panting with relief. "Y-yes, Hokage-sama," he rasped.
Minato smiled his usual gentle smile. "I'm glad we're in agreement!" He walked back to his seat and got back to work. "I expect you to treat Hinata with the respect she has earned. After all, she has been training your daughter in medical ninjutsu."
Inoichi slowly got back to his feet, still slightly trembling from the killing intent he had been subjected to. "Of course, Hokage-sama."
"You're dismissed." Then Minato was going back to his paperwork, not giving him another glance.
It was clear the man was still incredibly angry about what Inoichi had done, and for more than one reason. Not only was Hinata his old pupil, but she was, in fact, as smart as Shikamaru and an asset to the village. Inoichi finally understood just how deep whatever the Hyuuga was doing ran.
She had Kakashi at her side, yes, but having the Hokage in her corner was something else entirely. Inoichi bowed deeply to his village leader before leaving, a small smile on his face.
His daughter should learn as much from the Heiress as she could. A mind so brilliant, a soul so trusted, and psyche made of steel only came once in a generation.
