wingedloverpainter-blog

[wingedloverpainter-blog]

So it's been years since I even log in, let alone post anything. And I wrote this real quick cause I wanted to publish it on #NejiHinaWeek2021, it may be full of mistakes, I promise to edit as soon as I have the chance, but for now I hope you can enjoy.

So this fic heavily involves astrology, I understand not everybody likes it, but if you do, I hope you can read it and tell.me what you think

Opposites and Complementaries

'About the other day, I do agree with her on something'

'Huh?'

'I also think that you are stronger than you believe, Hinata-sama'

'...Neji-nii-san....'

Hinata and Neji had finished one more of their arduous training sessions in the art of the soft palm in the yard of th Hyuuga compound quite a while ago, but sometimes, when there was time, they would indulge into their break together, often chatting about anything, often sharing the quiet, like that time; the last moments of a chill twilight, both sitting on the engawa, watching the first stars appear on the darkened sky dyed in several shades from bright red to violet to deep blue, sipping a cup of hot tea, only the brush of the wind in the tree leaves and singing of the crickets and cicadas were to be heard

Unbeknownst to one another, the two shinobis were submerging slow but steady into the memories of the mission that had triggered such spontaneous comment from the young man, the same that made them concur only two days ago and had concluded an evening much like that one

A rush of white coats ran along the sunset's reddish beams that covered the Rock Village, jumping from building to building until reaching the great central premise of the small town, in which the misterious runners had been instructed to deliver, as soon as they recovered, an item of crucial importance to the security of the whole country

The boss of the village in person was waiting for them patiently sitting in his office. The nine persons group entered neat and silently, then in order placed themselves in front of the old man, bending one knee

'Tsuchikage-sama, the ninjas of the Village hidden between the Rocks, along with the ninjas of the Village hidden between the Leaves, have succeeded with the mission entrusted, together we vanquish the traitors who stole from you, they have been already incarcerated; we are happy and relieved to bring back to your hands the precious artifact' said a firm female voice coming out from the figure in front of the group, extending a small wooden box towards the leading man in a white tunic and a matching white kasa, the man grabbed the box, opened it a checked the content, maneuvering it so it changed the angle for a few minutes, then gave it to another younger man next to his right side, possibly his personal assistant

'Kanami-san, as always, your team has fulfilled the mission brilliantly and much sooner than expected. Well done, thank heavens, the item is untouched. Shinobis of the Land of Fire, our whole country is in debt with you'

'It's been an honor to colaborate with you and so reinforce the aliance between our countries and villages!' responded a man behind the first speaker, deferentially, but with a little extra energy. This person was in charge of conducting the ninjas of Konoha

Once the group was released from duty and exited the building as a whole, the elements of the foreign nation settled to say good bye. Konoha's Might Guy, Rock Lee, Tenten, Hyuuga Neji, to which Hyuuga Hinata joined as a reinforcement, needed to return home and report the mission to their own village boss. Guy-sensei adressed the person who had spoken and delivered the misterious box, an astonishingly beautiful, tall, deep dark skinned woman with white, tomboy short hair and artic blue eyes

'Kanami-san...'started Guy, taking a few seconds to breathe and gather the fire his signature flashing smile and youthful speech required 'working with you has filled us all with joy and success, we will await full of vigour the day that you visit our home and reencounter with all the power of youth!' he proclaimed with voice of thunder. An enlongated silence was the reaction of both teams, but the enthusiast man didn't seem to notice

Kanami shook out her confusion as fast as she could before replying 'Guy-san, I hope you're not planning to leave already, you should be tired from the mission, please stay the night here'

The green tights dressed man contemplated the thought rubbing his chin with a thumb and a soft growl 'We are very sorry, but there are matters we shall attend as soon as possible'. Secretly, the sensei was planning to start a special two weeks training as soon as they arrive to the village

'Guy-sensei' said a charming girl with brown skin, golden hair and amber eyes, behind the tall woman, an exotic beauty that paired up with her adorable personality 'today is Ichigo and Ichi'e's birthday' said pointing at her twin teamates, two strong looking boys with wavy brown hair to the shoulders 'and we're taking them out to celebrate, please join us, only a few hours' she asked sporting a gracious smile. Her sensei and teamates grinned in amusement, for the visitors stood mute at the girl's charisma, including rambunctuous Guy, who gulped with difficulty, and turned to collect any negative, but being that only Neji looked displeased with the idea, as he mostly was with any chance of socializing, and the rest of his precious youths seemed eager to attend, he rectified with yet another brigth smile

'Miyuri-chan' such was the name of the little enchantress 'we will be delighted to join you and make a toast to the burning youth of Ichigo-san and Ichi'e-san, count with us!'

The place of reunion was a small bar, rustic and cozy in one of the outer sides of the town, which, acording to the gorgeous subordinate, was the only place of her teamates' taste, who weren't too inclined to party at all, and nevertheless, both of the twins looked happy and grateful with the small comite.

The mood was joyful and relaxed, and everybody drank and chatted and giggled. Guy and Lee were the ones more invested in the birthday boys, much to their chagrin, for they couldn't make them stop talking about training and waving triumphant fists into the air. Hinata and Tenten were delighted with Miyuri's jokes, laughing non stop, they seemed to be having quite a girls time, and Neji who shared the interest in meditation and knowledge with Kanami, was enjoying a conversation with just enough dialogues and long pauses. This was the dinamic of the table for a fair while, until the three females decided to join the sensei and the genius, drunk with silliness and fun, especially the blonde one who tended to lose control over her social skills

'Kanami-sensei! Can you tell me what the stars had set on my destiny for today?' she asked ebulliently bending a little too close towards her menthor

'Miyuri-chan, I've told you a thousand times, I do not pratice divinatory astrology' the beauty responded frowing 'and I've also told you, as a Libra, you are too much into socializing just like now, you should seek balance by making contact with your inner self, which you could do right now by staying quiet'

The pupil lost every bit of the hint and went on exclaiming 'Kanami-sensei is wonderful!' elbowing the girls by her side and then wrapping each neck with her arms 'won't you tell my friends here their future?'

'Oh, for Kami's sake!' the ninja grumbled, but then decided to let go of her nuisance with a huff and laxed laughter, looking at the goofy grinning trio with warm eyes. She inhaled

'Tenten-chan, you were born on the first days of March, isn't it?' she asked nonchalantly

'The ninth, March nine! How did you know?!' the first consultant exclaimed

'I know a Pisces when I see one, they long for a perfect world, so they expect too much of the people around them, and when people do not meet their expectations, they get moody, isn't this your case?' Hinata and Miyuri, who spent the mission hearing her nag at her team, covered their laughs with their hands

'What? of course not! I'm not like that!' she objected, not willing to accept her reading

'but then again, pisceans are good for understanding other people's emotions, so open up to know your friends better, not their past, but their present, this will help you cope better with their peculiarities and feel more at ease around them'

'Oh' was the only thing Tenten could say after that, then turned to watch Guy and Lee, for some reason they were crying melodramatically, but this time she didn't roll her eyes

'Next one is Hinata-chan! isn't she lovely?' said Miyuri hugging the violet haired girl enough to difficult her breathing 'please, Kanami-sensei, designate a good fate for her' and the blonde went serious on her petition

The menthor hunched in despair 'Hinata-chan, my bird headed pupil here' she eyed Miyuri severely 'doesn't seem to understand that I can't predict the future, I can only tell you certain traits that I see in your personality that match the ones of your zodiac sign, so you may take into acount for personal growing, is that understood?' said Kanami in such way that sounded like a plea

'Yes' Hinata whispered smiling shyly

'Alright then, I see the influence of Saturn in you, born in the last days of December?'

'December twenty seventh' Hinata confirmed

'Yes...Capricorn...your shyness is the result of the things you've had to overcome, people with this sign often get harsh lives, but they come to the world with the strenght to persevere and thrive no matter what, I see all of this in you. You just have to believe in the strenght of your heart, cause it is greater than you think, it may be they key to your success'

'Thank you, that was very beautiful, Kanami-sensei'

Hinata blushed as she thanked her, not able to look her in the eye but attempting every few seconds.

'Oh, you are beautiful, Hina-chan!' praised Miyuri laying her head on Hinata's shoulder affectionately 'and so strong! and talented! can you do that thing with your eyes'

'Uhmm...that...thing?'

'Yes! the one Neji-kun does too!' she insisted pointing at Neji, who spent all that time trying to avoid attention, and had just lost the battle.

The girl gasped 'Neji-kun!!! sensei, you haven't told Neji about his sign!'

'Neji is probably not interested in that, are you, Neji-san?'

'Not in the slightest' he said, warning the earth kunoichi with a cold glance to leave him alone

'N-neji-nii-san...would you mind if Kanami told a few things of what she thinks about you?' Hinata asked half covering her mouth with one of her hands 'I'm sure it would be all good things' she smiled tremorously to him. Neji looked rather uncomfortable, as if someone was tightening a rope around his body, he grunted, then he crossed his arms and nodded one time. Kanami contemplated incredulous the whole scene and then hid a little laughter behind her hand. However she proceeded coyly, her voice much more delicate than before

'Neji-san, by any chance you were born on the firsts days of July?' the prodigy nodded again, without more confirmation or detail.

'You're a Cancer, and as a shinobi, the great intuition of this sign has come in handy to decipher people around you'

'That has nothing to do with my birthday, it is an ability that I cultivated and perfected with own intelligence and kekke genkai' Neji argued with a frown

'Of course, but are you sure you didn't decide to do so cause you realised you already had impressions when meeting someone? not every ninja does what you do, even though many are in possesion of eyesight abilities, but you see things not only with your eyes, there is something else you feel, isn't it?' Kanami replied calmly. Neji frown harder and then turned his head away

'Like a crab's shell, your exterior is impenetrable, it's almost impossible to find a weakness in you...almost impossible' she ended, drinking from her cup of sake. Neji contemplated her discretly, as if she was a strange creature

'Neji-nii-san might be tough on the outside' Hinata added suddenly 'but he's got a great heart' the smile that crossed her face was soft and warm as well as her eyes, she was inside her own world. Neji smiled too.

After the awkward astrological session, Miyuri took her interest and the girls somewhere else, Kanami and Neji stood silent for a while, then reinitiated their previous conversation, Guy and Lee were still harasing the twins and everything was as in the beginning until the group decided to call it a night.

Konoha's team headed to the hostal in charge of keeping ninjas from other villages, not too far from the bar. Guy and Lee walked on their hands balancing the backpacks on their feet as they liked so much to do. Hinata and Tenten walked behind them, looking weary from hanging out too long with Miyuri. Neji guarded the group from some yards behind

'Neji-san' he turned around 'you should consider telling her how you feel'. He watched the kunoichi in front of him, her white hair shining with the moonlight

'There's no point in that' he confessed with a resignful grin

'You already know she feels the same'

'I...cannot hurt her again, it would kill me'

'Love is a rocky road she's strong enough to take. And you are not all sharp and rough, you can be sensitive and gentle too'

Neji looked at her with a sarcastic grimace 'What else does astrology say?'

'I'm not involving astrology in this conversation. I'm talking about what I've seen in you two, while on the mission and tonight as well. You guide her to be better as a ninja, and she guides you to be a better person, am I wrong?' Neji stood silent with a sad look on his face

'Stars do not dictate fate, nothing does but ourselves' Kanami smiled graciously 'but to answer your previous question, a Cancer and a Capricorn like you two would make a wonderful couple. Since you're opposites, you are also complementaries'

The two Hyuugas had watched in silence the first shine of every star come out in that nightsky of November, until the glittering lights populated the entire dome. It was one of the last clear nights before the firsts snowfalls of the season. The were both well protected from the cold by the blankets the cautious heiress had dispossed before the training. The teapot and cups laid empty aside them

Neji's heavy breath took them both out of their thoughts. Hinata turned to find him tense, his hands clenching the fabric of his pants and his jaws tightened

'Hinata-sama....' he looked at her with much difficulty 'Hinata, I want you to know that...I love you...I have loved you for so long'

Hinata stood awhile mouth opened in confusion, but didn't flinch, didn't move, didn't make a sound until saying 'I know'

Neji did flinch a little, confused as much as Hinata had been after his revelation 'How?'

'You are the only person I can read as you do with everyone else, because I've watched you so closely...' her voice began to sound shaky 'so I started to notice...certain gestures you have only with me, they way you look at me, speak to me, smile at me... but, I was scared of saying something and find it was only my imagination' she said drawing her attention to tighten the blanket around. A hand grabbed her chin and turned her face to look to the eyes staring at her eagerly

'Now you know you read me right' Neji got closer to Hinata without letting her chin go, lowering his voice into a whisper as their clash became inminent 'what you saw in me is my truth' she was quivering 'believe in yourself, Hinata' his breath caressed her lips, and the quarter of an inch between them was extinguished by Hinata, who took the tempting offer in front of her, closing her eyes to feel the soft, moist texture of his mouth, attacking hers slowly, sucking her lips, stealing the little air she could grab, such sweet suffocation. The kiss lasted more than a minute until Hinata parted from him a little

'What will happen if we can't work it out?'

Neji widened the space between them and looked into the stars once more 'We don't have a way to know that, but if it is of any use to you, we got the stars on our side'

Hinata stood incredulous after Neji's last phrase and then laughed overtly, he did as well 'Do you believe in such things now?'

Neji grabbed her nape and broke the distance once again 'I think we complement each other' he said earnestly

#NejiHinaWeek2021, #NejiHinata

[wingedloverpainter-blog]

Day 3 - Shattered

Kintsukuroi

*Kintsukuroi: (golden repair) it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise

*Furoshiki: Traditional Japanese wrapping art using a piece of cloth

Hyuuga clan used to be like the remaining pieces of some porcelain antique, all of them part of a once same object, but they were not a unit anymore and neither have they functioned as one for a long time; they were just pilled in one spot for someone to pick them up, and ultimately face one of two destinies, get thrown into the garbage, or get repaired, knowing that it would never be the same as before.

The Village of Metal was famous for his versatile works and visited for many reasons by people from all around the world

“Excuse me, but Kintsukuroi is used mostly in pottery, not in dolls” responded the head of the best business for repairing porcelain with this peculiar technique

“Must I look for someone else to do it?” asked the stranger calmly, but there was something unsettling in that voice

“There is no someone else” the man reacted proud and tall “we are the best in the village! if someone can do it, it’s us, but these two are wrecked nearly to dust. It will be pricey and it will take many months, even more than a year”

“I know, I’m patient and I came prepared for your highest price”

They were two dolls once, one of a shinobi and one of a geisha, a gift from her uncle Hizashi on her third birthday. They weren’t really a delicate and rare work, even Hizashi didn’t think too highly of them, but surprisingly, Hinata favored them amongst all of her expensive presents, she used to giggle and raise them into the air making them dance together, running around the Hyuuga compound, absorbed and ignorant of all the misery that house held.

At age eight, her father took the dolls away. She begged long and hard she could keep them just as a mere ornament. She had her way after two months of daily insisting. She received the dolls from her father and got immediately back to her room

One day she returned to her room from practicing with her father, and the dolls weren’t in their place, she desperately looked for them everywhere. She found them in the front yard, held in Neji’s hands

“Ne-n-neji-nii-san, onegai give back the dolls to me”

“Life is not one of your fantasies, and it will never be, so you might as well grow up” he spat to her before smash them into the ground and grind every big piece with his feet, delighted in her face red and the trail of her tears. She didn’t make any questions nor yelled, she didn’t accuse him, she didn’t make a sound apart from her silent weeping; she just waited until he was done and let him walk away. She picked up all the pieces and instead of discarding them for good, she buried them as close to her room as she could

Ten years passed since then, the two youngsters passed many things in that time, including an almost deadly battle for one of them and a world war. After Hiashi died due to injuries, Hanabi did the unthinkable and rejected her place as heir to yield it to her sister.

The elders claimed Hinata as their new leader looking for a real leader to marry her and save them from her soft head and warm heart, but she refused every suitor, contrary to the whole clan belief, she turned out to be as firm as a mountain

“How is the repairing going?” asked the stranger six months after the commission

“The repair is doing mostly well, but some of the pieces are missing or just too little or fragile to resist the procedure and they have to be removed. I hope this is not an inconvenient for you” explained the artisan gingerly

“This is not an inconvenient, get rid of useless pieces as you judge it necessary, I’m confident of your work”

“Wakari mashita”

No one could believe the story of how one day a servant opened the door to the room where Hinata gathered with the elders and members of the Souke to receive yet another complaint about her methods to find all the lords spread in the floor and her, handling a cup of tea, impassive to the mess around her.

She didn’t kill them as such, but none of them were able to live by themselves ever again. The secret of the torturing seal was sealed in their damaged brains and unspeaking mouths, no one ever saw a scroll or a single clue to how to inflict pain through the seal ever again.

“They’re almost done; they just need a replacement for the lost pieces. Which material would you like to use?”

“This one, this is perfect, and more thing…”

After that, she gave the cursed mark to every member of the Souke, including herself; she marked every forehead responsible for perpetuating the unfairness of having brothers and sisters treated like slaves, so they would never forget.

It was so bizarre for Neji to watch the once proud lords and ladies of the clan walk so belittled, so full of shame, hiding their whole faces with curtains of long hair, and all the members of the bouke acting almost freely, while Hinata got rid of her fringes and showed the whole world her new marks, walking tall and full of confidence like never before, as if she didn’t fear vengeance.

One night after a bath, while Neji was tiding up his hair in front of the mirror he realized he had stopped staring at his forehead for over a month, he used to watch it every day, almost inevitably. And in that moment he decided two things, he would shut down any plan of vengeance on Hinata before it was conceived and he would stop using the hitai-ate on his forehead.

“Hinata-sama, may I speak to you?” he asked that very day

“Hai, Neji-nii-san, what is it?” she answered kind and gentle, interrupting the paper job at her desk

“I need to ask your permission to stay in the compound and watch over you and the clan, especially the former Souke members” he firmly stated

“Do you have any suspects on them?” she didn’t look even frightened

“No, but is important to notice any early sign of discontent before anything happens”

“I don’t think they’re too content with losing privileges…but Neji, you’re the right hand of Kakashi-sama, I can’t ask you to stay locked in here now that you’re free to do whatever you want”

“I want to protect you, that’s why I’m asking to do this, and Kakashi has Shikamaru. I want to help change this clan too”

“nii-san” she blushed

As he expected, there were some rebellion attempts, but all of them controlled easily thanks to some eyes sharp as a laser, a brilliant mind, a good caring leadership and the unison of the entire clan.

Nearly two years after such revolution, a package arrived at the Hyuuga compound

“Hinata-sama, I have something for you” he announced with a sincere grin on his face

“For me?” she was more surprised by his attitude than by the fact that he had a gift for her. She carefully opened the beautiful furoshiki envelope and the wooden box. Just as when he shattered the porcelain dolls, he carefully picked up how her features changed when she opened the box to see the same dolls, except they had golden veins where they were broken before; in some parts, the figures had patches of jade, it was obvious that the ones in the forehead were added on purpose

“These are…” she turned her eyes shining in tears to Neji, he was bending over

“Hinata-sama… gomenasai”

“Neji, please rise” he rose, leaving his face down “Arigatou nii-san, you have no idea what this means to me” he could tell for the sound of her voice that she was crying

“It’s me who should thank you, Hinata-sama”

“What I did was only what any decent person would’ve done, you have nothing to thank for…”

“I’m not talking about the clan, although I will be thankful forever for that as well”

“Then, what are you…”

“Thank you for not hating me, after I caused you so much pain”

“Neji” she whispered, she took his face in her hands and kissed his lips briefly. A brief spontaneous and natural moment, very Hyuuga unlikely

“Sumi-masen! Neji, I didn’t mean…!” she got terrified of her own deed and ran away. He held her hand before she could escape

“Hinata”

 “Otou-san, why those dolls have golden wrinkles?” a little Hyuuga boy asked his father

“To remember that once they were broken, and now that they have been repaired, they’re even more valuable” replied Neji

“And why they weren’t thrown away?”

“Because sometimes things are worth restoring, Noboru-chan” Hinata answered reaching her husband and son from behind “Don’t you think they’re beautiful?”

#NejiHina NejiHinaweek2017 day3 fanfic

[wingedloverpainter-blog]

My version of Hyuuga Neji as the Golden Saint of Cancer