Early Bloom

Chapter 1

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A/N: This is my first ever fanfiction… So go easy on me… This first chapter isn't as long as I planned it to be, and Neji's a bit OOC, but PLEASE! I need criticism, but you have to know the limit! So, enjoy!

P.S… Italics indicate thought

P.S.S.. No, I do not own Naruto or any other characters, but I DO own Torii Miikasu!

It was a clear day. The sun was brightly shining over the horizon, and the cherry blossom trees were in bloom; their light pink petals were scattered throughout the village of Konoha. These days were particularly hot…

Torii Miikasu, age 15, was sleeping soundly. Like most other people, she didn't like the annoying buzzing of an electric fan, so to cool her of at night, she left her window open. And carefully, a small sakura petal gracefully ambled into her room, blown by the hazy currents of spring. It drifted around a bit, slowly floating lower and lower, until it finally found a place to land.

Torii blinked a few times and breathed a long yawn. She stared forward at the pink petal resting on her nose. She quickly swatted it away and looked out the window as fast as possible. Incredulously, the many cherry blossom trees that resided around her house were in bloom! Occasionally, a stray petal or two would fall off its origin and be carried by the wind.

She sighed. In her family's words, 'The day when the Cherry Blossoms bloom early, trouble comes a brew.' Today was one of those days. She walked over to the right wall of her room, where an important 'book' was nailed to the wall. Torii hastily flipped through her calendar… she was right!

She blankly stared at the small note inscribed in her calendar in blue ink, 'Today the Cherry Blossoms come out of their shell!' …That day was a week from now.

Trying to ignore the omen (But she couldn't), Torii made her bed and put on her clothes in no hurry. Her calendar had nothing in particular for today… But possibly… She hopped over to her desk, one leg only half way through one of her pants legs. She flipped through her agenda and looked through the plans she machinated for today…

12pm- Get some Groceries.

1pm- Call Ani.

1:15pm- Start Lunch

2pm- Meet Neji at the park.

3pm- Check for a mission

That's all her Planner said… Torii smiled a 'thank-goodness' kind of smile and closed her planner, carefully placing it beneath her box of weapons. She zipped her pants and shifted her gaze to her clock on the corner of her desk. It read 11am…

Torii flashed a smirk. She had enough time to walk around a bit. That was something that she usually didn't have time to do… being one of those people who slept in normally… It was a surprise that she had woken up when she did… She was at Club Konoha (A/N: Sorry for the lousy name…) last night with 'the usual' people last night… She had reached the warmth of her bed at about 3 am… Only 9 hours of sleep… That was quite a shocker!

(If you're wondering, club Konoha was a dance club. Torii loves going there with Ani and Shikamaru, but lately she's convinced Neji to join them… She never knew he could dance…)

When Torii was prim and proper in a few minutes… No make-up, only a bit of lip-gloss. She had on her usual clothes and today she had her 'bag' with her (It was a purse, but she hated the word 'purse'). She checked herself once more in her mirror hanging on the back of her door before leaving her small house.

She ambled down the pebble-paved road that lead from her house to the main part of the village, where all the hustle and bustle is located. It took 5 minutes, but when she got there, she browsed around. She saw some people she knew, and she waved or greeted some of them. But once she saw a familiar face in the crowd, she made her way to them as fast as she could.

She smiled as she put a soft hand on their shoulder. "Neji? You there?"

He turned around, a vacant look on his face. If you looked carefully, you could see a slight look of tiredness in his face, and a bit of anguish, and a bit of… nausea?

Torii's hand slowly made a way to his shoulder. "Neji…are you…okay?"

He weakly smiled. "Heh, I'm not feeling so hot, but I'll live...how'd you guess?"

She smiled and pointed to his ashen face. "You're looking kind of pallid and a bit green…" She pondered a moment, then smirked one of those wide smirks. "Does this have to do with the party last night?"

He looked away. "Yeah, and that dumb ass Shikamaru…"

"What did he do this time?" Torii sighed. Now-a-days, Shikamaru and Neji have been quarreling, and in her opinion and point of view, it was completely futile.

Neji pouted an angry pout. "He forced a bottle of beer on me..." He sighed. "Not only did I not sleep well, I threw up several times and I still feel like pukeing…"

Torii poked him straight in the chest. "That's what you get for listening to him… He's selfish, he's a jerk, he's a-" She felt Neji grasp her wrist.

"Then why in hell are you dating him?" His grip tightened which each word.

She scowled. "Neji, you've been my friend for about ten years, and we've known each other for twelve, I've told you this time and time before."

"Yeah, you've always said, ever since you were seven, 'Hey Neji! Do you think Shika-kun likes me?', or 'Neji-sama! Did you see Shikamaru! He actually talked to me!' … 8 years of hearing that, and once he finally asks you out, you start thinking he's an asshole. It's been half a year Torii! If you really want to keep at it, fine!" His hold tightened once more.

Torii flinched in pain. "You're right." She gave up. "It's either I stop complaining or break up with him…"

Neji obviously saw the flinch and let go of her wrist, which was now ashen. That obviously riveted his attention, but they kept quiet, which brought a eerie silence, so only the busyness around them was heard, not each other's voices.

He finally broke the silence. "What are you supposed to do today, other than meet me at the park later…" His voice was slightly monotonous.

She gave a frail smile. "Well, I'm supposed to buy some groceries today…"

He patted her shoulder, being good friends and all. "If you want, all come along."

That perked her attention. She looked up at her rather tall friend. "You're sure? You don't look so well…actually you look kind of anemic…"

"Actually, I need to buy some broth, and the pharmacy's nearby!" He flashed a grin.

Torii shrugged. "Whatever." She started walking towards the direction of the grocery store, followed up by Neji.

After a few seconds, about twenty, Torii decided to talk a bit… keep the air animated.

"So…how's Tenten?" She gave off another smirk. She could see that on that pale and green face (though now it's better than before…) there was a tint of pink.

"Heh, I kissed her for the first time this morning, she was probably in shock because she didn't notice my face…"

Torii chuckled a bit under her breath. It was actually a funny image that she now had portrayed in her mind, but she didn't dare tell that to Neji… You never knew what he would do to you.

The rather short chat actually lasted them to the store.

(I don't really want to write about two people grocery shopping, so I'll skip that part… heh, call me lazy!)

After they were out of the store with about 5 bags, they stopped by the pharmacy and Neji bought some typical nausea medicine, a week's worth, though she new that that this wouldn't last a week…

On their way out, Torii ran ahead and twirled a bit. For once shopping was actually fun! A strange sound filled the air. She stopped a bit and listened again. It was… a groan? A rather sickly one…

She quickly turned around, only to see Neji, leaned up against a pole, looking really sick and even more pallid. His ashen face made her realize how sick he really was. The two bags that he held were on the floor, one of his hands was planted on his forehead.

Torii rushed over, extremely worried. She grabbed the bags and wound an arm under both of his; the other unoccupied hand was holding the 5 heavy bags.

"T-torii… I don't fell so good…" he was heavily breathing; he obviously wasn't feeling well…

"I can see… Just hang on there Neji…"

After 5 long minutes, they finally arrived at Torii's house, a small house, but it was neatly kept.

Torii put down the bags, unlocked and opened the door, then picked up the bags again. She slowly led Neji into her bedroom and laid him down on her neatly kept bed. Her room wasn't pink like most kunoichi's; actually it was beige…

Neji now closed his eyes… He was sweating, he obviously wasn't okay…

Without hesitation, she quickly took 2 pills from one of the containers of medicine that he had bought, and gently shoved it in his mouth. He slowly chewed, and cringed to the bitter taste, but still swallowed. He wouldn't be the one to complain…

Neji' P.O.V

My stomach was churning…I felt like I was going to faint at any minute while I was walking, but I tried to force myself not to… Torii would be better off if I at least semi-walked.

"…"

What's that sound…? A door? The air's slightly cooler here… there's a sweet smell of cinnamon…It has to be… Torii's house…

Hmm… I hear the bags set on the floor… Torii seemed to have let her grip on me loosen as she now sat down… she's guiding me to sit down…

I feel kind of embarrassed as she helps me lay down. Not because of any other reason, but because Torii has to help Me

…

I feel her squeeze in two pills in my mouth… As I slowly chew them, their bitter taste surrounds my whole mouth… It's utterly disgusting, but I swallow anyways…

Hmm…

I feel light… I'm drifting off…

An hour later, I wake up. I slowly look around at my surroundings… Yep, it was Torii's room… I gaze at the mirror behind her opened door… I was actually looking a lot better, minus the bed head… H-hey! I don't feel so sick now!

My nose catches a wafting smell that's wandered the room… food… Then I hear a sound… footsteps and soft, calming humming…

Seconds later, Torii enters the room through the open door. Her gaze shifted from the door to me, and it took me a while to realize that.

She set the two bowls she had on her desk and pulled up a nearby chair and placed it near her bed, where I was resting. She picked up a bowl of nice hot broth and flashed a sweet smile at me… How sickly…

…I think I'm going to like this…

End of P.O.V

Torii sighed. "Can you feed yourself, or shall I feed you?" there was a slight blush on her face…

They've been friends for years… Though they weren't the closest of friends, they were friends… But this was kind of degrading… more so than the fact that he let Shikamaru lay a beer on him… rather strong beer… not to mention that he was underage at the age of 16.

"Uh, no thanks… I think it be best if I actually left… It'd be awkward if anyone saw you…taking care of me." He smirked. "But, unless you want me to stay, for any particular reason."

Instead of an angry Torii, he got a whack on the head and a blush. "I was fucking worried about you, made the best homemade broth I knew, and you're just going to leave?! I don't care if people think stuff, because it's not true!"

Neji smirked as he placed his right hand on his head. "I never knew you had such profanity-based language…For a young girl…"

Torii started to get angry as she roughly placed the bowl back on her end table, drops spilling onto the wooden surface. "I liked you a lot better when you were damn sick… You weren't as obnoxious. Now you're too self-confident…"

"Heh, Getting angry now are we? You shouldn't lose your temper; it's not so pretty… Not that you were pretty in the first place." He shrugged it off, but then his gaze hovered to Torii. "…"

Her head hung and she stood up. "I never said I was pretty, I don't want to, and if I get pissed off, it's not your problem…" Neji was startled when he felt a hot drop of water fall on his hand. "A tear?"

He made his way up and stood next to Torii. He was a good 5 centimeters taller than her…

Neji lifted her face up level to his, to reveal tears streaming down her face. "What do you want now?" She snapped, it actually surprised him…

He sighed. "Fine, I'll be going now… It'll be better if Tenten took care of me…" He walked out of the room, and Torii could hear him picking up two plastic bags as he left…

She couldn't handle it… She threw herself on her bed and started sobbing a bit more… 'Why can't I understand him for once…?'

Neji stood outside Torii's door, motionless… 'Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!' He chastised himself. 'Why did I say that?! She had suffered to carry me t- You know what, no use crying over spilt milk… Best to go on…' He flung the bags over his shoulder and walked towards Tenten's house, a confident look on his face.

Half an Hour later, Neji knocked on Torii's door once more…

When she opened it, she had her phone in one hand, and the other was up against the door. Instead of either glaring at him or scowling, she gazed at the red hand-shaped mark in his right cheek.

Her eyebrows rose… "Let me guess…" she stared as the hand that was leaning against the door now covered the phone's 'microphone'. "Tenten got angry because of the whole beer thing…?"

Neji slowly nodded, his hand slightly touching the red mark. "And because I went to the club in the first place."

Torii sighed and gestured for him to come in, even though he uttered those words before he smugly left before. She picked up the phone, and under her breath, she muttered, "Ani, I'll have to call you back…" You then heard the shrill 'beep' of the off button.

She dropped on her couch, one hand in her long brown hair. She let a long sigh creep out as she started talking. "Why'd you come back here…?"
He let out a breath and leaned against the couch. "Because, my initial plan was to go to Tenten's…" He pointed to the mark "…and as you see, that plan worked out so well. And, Hiashi has a 'temper' today… I wouldn't even want to think what would happen to me if he found out I was drinking…" He shuddered at the thought.

"So I guess I'm your last resort?"

"Yeah, pretty much…" As he finished those last words, a long moan let out from his stomach as a blush crept up on his face. "Heh… I guess I'm hungry…"

Torii, instead of laughing like she usually would, frowned and led him to the kitchen where a pot of soup and a kettle of warm tea were placed on the simple stove. "I threw away the broth, so I guess you'll have to settle for Niwatori (chicken) soup and Herbal tea…" She pulled out a bowl and two mugs. She set the bowl and mugs on the counter and took a mug for herself and filled it to the brim with tea before exiting.

He wondered what her problem was, but just shrugged it off as he filled his bowl with a content amount of soup and his mug half-way with tea. He went to the dining table where Torii sat, and ate slowly, trying to make it last, since dinner was 6 hours away…

A stray sakura blossom wandered in the room and caught Neji's attention as it fell in Torii's tea. She just watched it float on the surface before you saw the flash of her hand sweep it away. "Heh…"

She sipped up the last of the tea and left the cup on the wooden table. "Make yourself at home…I really need to take a shower…" She walked off, her sandals tapping on the hardwood floor.

As she walked into the bathroom, Neji could hear the hot water valve opening and her footsteps splash on the wet shower tile. Though, as much as he wanted to, refrained from activating his Byakugan (A/N: Bad Neji! Bad Perv! )

To be continued later... I'm tired of writing now! XD

A/N:::Sorry for my shabby first chapter, but please!!! R&R (Read and Review!!!)