FINALLY! For the first time in sixth months, I am posting a story. Please forgive me for not being more vigilant in my writing, damn, so many things have happened since the last time I wrote to all of you. I know that this isn't a new chapter of In your skin, but I'm taking things one step at a time. This is a new story that I hope I'll be working on. Hinata is the main character (a bit of a change, since I usually use Sakura). I'll remind everyone that this is a NejiHina (HinaNeji) fanfic, and as such incest is involved. I encourage everyone to read this and give it a chance, sometimes you'll find that you are open to more things than you thought. This is not my best work, but I tried very hard this time, and I even got a beta for the first time ever!! So, hopefully, the mistakes will be cut down to a minimum. Or else someone is going to die . . Thank you Megamanxx for both your help and encouragement!! I love you, always. I would also like to thank everyone who has read my stories in the past and welcome new readers! Please review, it really helps me out (there's not way I can get better if you don't tell me what I'm doing wrong!!) If no one reviews I will slink back quietly to my shell and cry myself to sleep every night :'[ (yeah... . , lets go with that). I won't delay you any longer (although I bet most of you just skipped this -.-). GO FORWARD AND READ!

Chapter 1: Life as I know it

People wonder why I don't say much. They might think I'm strange or morbidly shy. It's easy to stick a label on me and stick me in a box. The truth is, if you had my life, you'd be just as "shy" as me. Sitting at a table every night with all your relatives is not the best for any quiet girl's self esteem. I don't even know if I'm quiet naturally, anymore; it may just be a side effect to constantly being ignored.

The silence is unbearable. Sure, people are talking. I hear them, but they aren't saying anything! Meaningless babble, it's enough to drive anyone insane. So you get the picture, maybe I should describe the set up to you. At the head of the table, of course, is my father, Hiashi. I sit to his right and Hanabi sits across from me, to his left. This wouldn't be so bad, but I'm seated next to, who of all people? Neji. I don't know if the elders think that it's some kind of mercy to sit next to someone my age, or if they just want to try to protect their heiress, but it doesn't work, either way. I'm not doubting that he would protect me, Neji is an honorable and amazing person…but…he hates me. Have you ever looked someone in the eye and saw nothing but pure, undefiled hatred? I do, every day of my life. I don't know why, but I force myself to look up at him every day. Is it to punish my self? It certainly feels like a punishment. Every time I feel his anger, a little bit of me dies inside.

I stared down at my bowl, and pushed around the stuff in it with my chopsticks. "Family time" lasted for two hours. It's almost halfway over! but the thought didn't console me much. I half listened to a lame attempt to bring me into the conversation by my great aunt. "Little Hina has been doing great in her training, haven't you, sweetkums?" I watched her mouth move up and down with a little piece of rice that trembled as she talked. "You know, when I saw that girl fighting, she looked so dainty! Like a little flower! That stupid Sakura girl got the flower name! Well, my Hinata is far more ladylike than that gluttonous, obnoxious, prig! Mooning after that Uchiha! Hina-chan could show that little bitch up any day, couldn't you, baby cakes?" It was horrible to watch as she talked trash about a girl who had never been anything but nice to me. Oh god! She's addressing me! There's not way I could agree with her. Sakura is a really sweet girl…

I took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. "Th-that's not true." I said feebly, the conversation drew to a halt and I blushed at the attention, "Sakura is a nice girl, and very lady like. She is a strong shinobi." There was an expanse of silence, and for one terrifyingly exhilarating moment, I thought that I was going to cause a ripple in the discussion, make an argument, some kind of reaction. Aunt Mildred dashed my hopes instantly.

"Hogwash! You're such a sweet girl, Hinata! Never can say a bad word about anyone!" With that, everyone chuckled at my presumed geniality, and continued on with their conversation like I had never said a thing. Only one pair of eyes were still fixed on me. Neji, Neji was staring at me with fascination. Embarrassed, I turned away to look at my father instead.

Big mistake. What could be more embarrassing than a big, burly clan leader taking his sake glass and swinging it back and forth so it spilled on his lap? Oh, I know, when that very same clan leader was your father AND singing songs from musicals.

"One daaay oooverrr the raiinboww! Way up highhhh!" he screeched in an out of tune voice. He only drank sake on Friday nights, and for a reason. Hiashi did not down sake very well. Yep, it went straight to his head.

I thought I was going to die of humiliation, when one of the elders held up his sake glass and said, "come on everyone! Have a drink, there's more than enough!" He then began to stagger drunkenly around, filling everyone's glasses with sake, even the minors, well most of the minors. He stopped when he came to me.

"Oh! Sorry little Hinata, but no alcohol for the precious heiress!" He wagged his finger at me and proceeded to fill up Hanabi's glass. I blushed with shame; my sister was my superior in every way, she even was treated more maturely than me. And fuck, why is Neji still watching me?! I blushed a deeper shade of red at my own inappropriate use of language. I fiddled with my napkin in my hands nervously to try to hide the awkwardness of being the only person not able to toast. I was so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I didn't notice Neji's movements until I felt his breath against my ear.

"I didn't know you liked Sakura so much." He leaned back and swished into his chair in one motion…except his chair was only about half an inch away from mine.

"I-I don't, she just didn't deserve that to be said about her." Here it comes, he'll look away and pretend like I don't exist. But he didn't; he kept gazing steadfastly within my eyes.

"That's admirable of you." My heart beat harder in my chest. I wanted to bury my face in my hands so he couldn't see my blush, but I was paralyzed.

The smirk on Neji's face slowly grew into an expression of concern. "Hinata-Sama, are you alright?" I felt myself growing gradually fainter as my body heated up.

"I'm…fine…Nej-Neji…n-ni-san…." Well Neji certainly didn't listen to me when I said that.

Neji pulled me up by my arm and half carried me to the end of the table, When caught by Hiashi's questioning gaze, he addressed the whole family, "I'm taking Hinata-sama, to her room, the sake has gotten to her head." All of the drunken people nodded their heads and mumbled about how Neji was such a good protecter, conveniently forgetting that I was the only one who was NOT served sake.

With that, Neji picked me up for real and started to carry me upstairs, to my room, to be alone with him for the first time…ever.

Sooo...what did you think? Hate it? Love it? Make you want to shove a pencil up your ass?? TELL ME! (please) o: Flames are more than welcome, in fact, I am itching for one since I am a flame virgin (in receiving). This is my first time doing an unpopular pairing so I'm hoping it will get me a few flamers! Both praise and critiques would be great. And I promise I'll get back to every one of you. (If I don't PM me a flame that will send my ass flying to heaven. Again, thank you for sticking with me.

Love always,

Alerting Alliteration