Naruto had a change of heart halfway through his training with Jiraiya. He came back to the village ready to tell Hinata exactly how he felt about her.
He never disclosed this to his mentor, who was becoming more and more insistent about discussing his love life as the months wore on.
…This however was not the first time one of Naruto's elders approached him about Hinata.
Years ago right before he became a genin, old man Sarutobi insisted that Naruto attempt to form a friendship with Hinata, as he was about to graduate from the academy with only a few tolerant acquaintances but no actual friends.
After the hokage continued to pester him, Naruto eventually started to talk to her.
At first, he did all the talking… which he was ok with him, because Hinata actually seemed to want to listen. Then after a few months, Hinata started to speak back. They even had a few adventures –or mishaps, while trying to win Sakura's heart.
Now Naruto just wanted to track Jiraiya down and tell him to go shove his love advise where the sun don't shine. He was not sure why he was even tempted to take advise from the perpetual bachelor anyway.
"Stupid, pervy sage!" Naruto mumbled to himself, still kicking rocks in the street.
Jiraiya stood with Kakashi in front of the hokage's desk. Tsunade rested her chin on her hands, thinking intently. "So you think they will come to the conclusion on their own?"
"Naruto already has." Jiraiya replied. "He thinks I don't know, but I saw him heading towards the Hyuga compound soon after we returned to the village."
"He had a rather significant crush on Sakura when he left." Kakashi mentioned. "Do you really think he is over it?"
"Yeah well. She's never been that nice to him, and I just happened to point out how kind Hinata has always been to him." Jiraiya chuckled, reveling in his cleverness.
"I'm not sure kindness is the attribute that attracts a man." Tsunade scoffed. She had been a complete hag to Jiraiya when they were younger, and yet he still insisted on having an annoyingly obvious crush on her.
Jiraiya frowned, thinking about this. "That's true…"
"What about the seals that are already in place?" Tsunade asked, interrupting.
"They are weakening." Jiraiya said gravely. "The nine tail managed to come out –to take over, twice while we were traveling. The first time I was able to calm him down pretty quickly. The second time… well…"
Jiraiya opened his shirt a bit to show them the large scar from the wound he sustained from the nine tailed fox. "I almost died."
Kakashi eyed the scar. "What about the wood style user?"
"That will work temporarily." Jiraiya replied, "But it's not permanent and it may not always work. Mito Uzumaki was sealed and bound to a couple of different byakugan users throughout her life time.
They are the only ones with proven skill to stop the nine tail's chakra without fail when it attempts to gain control of its host. Kushina was never bound to a Hyuga, and we all know how that ended... the nine tailed fox gets loose, destroys the village and kills her and the hokage."
"So what if Naruto and Hinata don't choose each other?" Tsunade asked, frowning. "That's a very real possibility."
"They don't have to be lovers for the sealing. None of those who shared chakra with your grandmother were. She only married Lord First. The Hyugas seal couples within their own clan only because the bond is much stronger and there are less unnecessary interferences." Jiraiya replied. "But whatever happens. We'll have to tell them about the sealing soon.
The nine tails is becoming stronger and Naruto is becoming more and more dependent on its power."
Hiashi Hyuga watched his oldest daughter enter the house and place her shoes at the door. She was such a good girl. It was not her fault that she was born as a tribute to a demon.
During the time that Hiashi grew up, before he took over as the leader of the hyuga clan, the jinchuuriki lived away from the Konohagakure. And much to his relief, the tradition of sealing a child from the main family to the demon's host, appeared to have died out for good.
Once the nine tailed fox was released during Naruto's birth and it destroyed the village, the tradition came back in full force.
Lord third approached Hiashi soon after Hinata's birth. He was informed that his first born daughter was the same age as Kushina's son, who was the new jinchuuriki.
The hokage advised the Hyuga clan leader that Hinata would be sealed to Naruto on her sixteenth birthday, so Hiashi should plan to have more children, who he could make his heir.
Hiashi was a stubborn man however, and he did not like being told what to do. So he resisted at first.
He watched fearfully as Hinata developed feelings for the jinchuuriki anyway. But she did not know what Naruto was, nor what he would one day be to her. Hiashi tried to scare her away from Naruto.
He threatened to disown her as heir. Still, she would not listen. Eventually, Hiashi gave into both the hokage and his daughter. He finally disowned her as his heir and took Hanabi instead.
He still felt guilty about it. He worried that Hinata would be shunned like the boy. Her entire life would be lived at the whim of an angry and some times cruel demon.
But he had left things far too long. Hinata was turning sixteen soon. The new hokage would come for her soon, and she would expect him to have passed on the skills necessary to subdue the beast.
He had alllowed his father to discreetly teach her a few skills. But for the rest, he had been procrastinating. She should have already had years of training.
He called to his daughter. "Come here Hinata!"
She looked up and smiled at her father. "Hi Father!"
"Hurry. There are a few things I need to teach you."