Midsummer Afterglow: Hello readers! It feels like it's been forever since I've posted anything on FF. I have two weeks left of school and I've been working hard to finish my senior year with good grades so that's why I've been MIA for so long. Well It just so happens that I had a little time to write and while I am working on my current Fic, For Always, I veered to write something that just came to my mind. In a way I just need to write after not doing so for so long. Honestly this is probably the strangest thing I've ever written but when the idea came to me, it seemed pretty interesting.

So, until I can resume my duties to my main story, for now enjoy this short story. Oh and for those who know and love K-pop then you will probably recognize the title of the story. It comes from a line from the song Monster by Big Bang. That song was my inspiration for this story.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Baby I'm not a Monster

Hinata held back chocked sobs as she slowly scraped off the dried blood clinging to her pale arms. The condensed air was slowly suffocating her as she worked to erase the detestable memory from her skin. So much had happened throughout the night that it was difficult to remember when or how it had all begun.

From the moment she had stepped into Neji's presence, the man had lost control of himself; standing still one moment, then unexpectedly grasping her by the neck the next. Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Hinata dug her nails into her flesh, completely focusing on the painful pressure her ministrations were causing. Her arms burned beneath her fingers as she raked the stubborn dirt and blood off. From what she could tell, the blood was not her own, but whether that was a blessing or a curse, she could not say.

It all occurred in the blink of an eye, Neji charging towards her with a beastly look in his eyes. His entire body had seemed enraged and the way he had spoken Hinata's name, with disgust and loathing, had caused the young woman to fear like she never had before.

All Hinata wanted to do now was set him straight as to why she had not been able to be there for him. When he had barged in on her, it had resulted in her finding him in a completely broken and haphazard state. How had things gone so miserably wrong? How could he have left with such pure feelings lacing his heart to only return mysteriously cajoled into such a freighting state?

As a child, Neji had never believed in anything he could not control. He always aimed to understand the working force behind every being, human or otherwise. The only time he really grew to possess faith in something was when he met Hinata. The young girl had prodded at his feelings slowly and before he could begin to protest, all types of foreign emotions began to caress his heart of stone.

The indescribable warmth that flooded his entire being shook him up and he shivered just remembering how close he had been to falling.

A heavy fog had suddenly closed in around him and as he desperately tried to break through the gray clouds, a familiar pair of hands kept pulling him back and away from the festering darkness. Blind and disoriented, Neji fought against the hands holding him back. Angrily, he attempted to strike them over and over but it was to no avail. Whomever it was, had their hands on Neji and was determined and clearly unwilling to set him free.

Up until the time he had met Hinata, Neji had been unable to truly realize what it was his life had been missing; but when those hands brought his form out from the hazy darkness, he swore that in that moment, the emptiness he felt disappeared as if had never existed.

Hinata dug through the rubbish in her single room, searching for the memento Neji had given to her so long ago. If she could find it, she might be able to explain to him what had happened. A painful ache surged from inside her; the heart she had promised to him had been deeply affected by his psychotic episode. As she sat alone amidst a pile of training clothes and bed sheets, Hinata buried her face into her hands.

A small hiccup escaped her mouth as salty tears trailed down her cheeks. No matter how hard she looked or how long she searched, it was lost and nowhere to be found. Perhaps soon, Neji would be too.

Scrambling towards a large tree, Neji repressed the urge to go after the young women who had fled from his sight. He had not meant to turn his anger on her but seeing her heart shaped face, colorless eyes, and curtain of blue berry hair, set his heart aflame with boiling frustration. Everything he thought he loved in her had been washed away with the last of his sanity.

All he had wanted to do was conceal himself from her, but there had been nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Each of the joyful moments they had shared faded from his thoughts to become distant memories as the small woman he used to lovingly wrap his arms around had squirmed in terror beneath his touch.

Gazing down at his blood stained hands, Neji's eyes shut tight. He swallowed a mix of dirt and saliva as he clawed his raw throat. Waiting for him behind the massive form of the tree, was an all consuming darkness.

Getting back on her feet, Hinata sloppily wiped fresh tears from her swollen eyes with the back of her wrists. She had found the teasingly small locket that had gone missing three days ago. Glad to finally have the silver pendant around her neck again, Hinata made the decision to find Neji. She would grow sick if she stayed in the room any longer.

Pulling on a white sweater to shield her from the cold, Hinata sighed and walked out into the chilly night. As small breaths left her mouth, she quickly made her way to where she hoped Neji might be.

As she stalked towards a tall oak tree, Hinata stopped to gaze at the scenery a couple of feet away from her. Just beyond her still form stood a low metal fence, separating the living from the dead.

An eerie wind blew past him and he looked up instinctively. There she stood, the petite woman his heart belonged to, gazing unknowingly in his general direction.

"Are you here Neji?" Hinata questioned softly, her voice trembling.

A dead silence echoed around her.

"Even if you refuse to respond, I know you're here," Hinata began, a bit intimidated by the all encompassing silence. "I can feel you Neji."

The sound of her gentle voice filled his ears. How he had longed to hear her again. The sight of her filled his eyes. How he longed to see her again.

Neji stepped out from behind the giant oak. Standing before Hinata, he reached out to touch her.

Hinata smiled as she felt the familiar hand on her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Neji," Hinata whispered against the cold.

"I promise not to leave you alone in the dark again."

Neji observed the matured woman before him. Her eyes were swollen and red and her cheeks were tear- stained. His gaze softened at the sight of the vulnerable woman. For so long it had been her smile that had given him strength and now, she was suffering and hardly ever smiled.

It was all because of him. He had left her. After promising to keep her safe, he had disappeared from her side. Now their roles had been reversed and she was the one protecting him.

Grasping the silver chain around her neck, Hinata asked, "Can you forgive me?"

Again, silence filtered the night air.

Above, a starlight sky covered her.

He knew she had misplaced the pendant. He had tried several times to let her know but somehow life had gotten in the way and Hinata had not paid any attentions to his signs.

He could not blame her for forgetting about it; about him. Time was healing the emptiness he had left in her heart.

Silently he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her and as he did so, a small smile graced her lips. How could he apologize after hurting and scaring her? He had only done so because he was desperate to get her attention.

He knew that he needed to let her go but he did not want to.

Every time the darkness came for him, it was her love that pulled him away from it. But when she had misplaced the pendant, she had misplaced him and all over again the darkness engulfed his soul.

His spirit raged against it but in a twisted way, it called to him. Hinata was the only one who could lead him back into the light.

Hinata basked in Neji's subtle presence. He was certainly near her again. Somehow he had calmed down and now his energy seemed peaceful. Hinata smiled, happy that he was himself again.

"Dearest, no matter how much time passes, I will always keep you close to my heart," Hinata said aloud, keeping her hand over the silver pendant which hung around her neck.

She needed Neji to know that she had not forgotten about him. When she had misplaced the pendant, she had been terribly worried but she never once thought that any harm would come to him because of the incident. If she had known this would happen, she would have made looking for the pendant her first priority.

Sighing, Hinata took one last look at the giant oak before turning away from it. The pendant felt warm, where it lay against her chest. She took this as a sign that Neji had forgiven her and was with her once again. He needed her, she knew that, and she needed him.

Even if she had to sacrifice her happiness for his own, Hinata felt content that she could help her beloved. Just because he was gone, did that truly mean they could no longer be together?

Death was not the end. And even if it was, her love for Neji was stronger than any force on earth. Surely that was enough to bring him back. It had to be, if not for his sake, then for hers.

Neji walked beside Hinata, accompanying her back to her apartment. This was truly where he belonged and nothing could keep him away from her. Like a selfish man he would hold on to her for as long as he could.

One day he would be forced to let go when she moved on but until then, he would not.

Was it wrong to shadow her day and night? Was it wrong to force her to sacrifice for him simply because his happiness depended on her?

No, the answer had to be no, if not for her sake, then his own.

THE END

A/N: Hey guys! Well I know this story was really strange and it probably didn't make any sense, so to those who are like really confused as to what the heck was going on I apologize and am sorry I did not do a very good job of making it clear. I really have to get back to working on my assignments for school though so if you would like to have a better understanding of this piece then send me a message and I'll take the time to explain it in full. ^_^

Thanks to any who favorite or comment! I love you all! I promise to be back as soon as school finishes. I am dying to resume For Always!