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Where The Birds Are

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Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto


She sat and stared at the blue sky. It was clear, charming, and bright today, with few streaks of floating clouds that seemed too soft to exist. The never-ending blue stretched above the town of Konoha, so wide and vast. Is there another world up there, she wondered, one that men's knowledge does not record?

What lies beyond the sky?

"Hey, what are you looking at?"

Hanabi placed a tray with tea for two on the wooden floor, and settled herself next to her sister. Hinata smiled as a greeting, but not looking away from up above. Under the morning sun, their white kimonos shone.

She contemplated a bit before replying. "Where the birds are."

"Birds?"

"Yes," Hinata gave her a gentle look. "The free birds."

Hanabi glanced at the bird-less sky, and somehow she understood. If it was in the normal circumstance a few months back, she would have remarked that her sister was being too vague and melancholic and odd like she often was, but it wasn't the normal circumstance. It was normal minus one. The war left a little space in their house that no one could fill. But they didn't want it to be filled, in a way, because they wanted to remember it as someone's and nothing or no one could replace it. Ever.

Hinata held her sister's hand. They stayed that way for a while.

"Sister," Hanabi whispered, as though the air was a fragile thing, "do you think he's happy there?"

A soft breeze played with the wind chimes as Hinata smiled, hand squeezing her sister's smaller one. There was faint sadness in their eyes, but hope and affection were much, much bigger.

"There's no doubt."

Hanabi scooted until their arms touched and rested her head on her sister's shoulder.

"Then I'm glad," she said. She waved at the blue sky and for a moment she thought maybe she was the odd one after all, but who cares. "I bet he's Byakugan-ing from the Heaven right now, watching us."

Hinata laughed quite hard.

"Oh, that sounds just like something he would do."


Author's Notes:

Thank you very much for reading this little piece! Haven't written in a long while, but I've always wanted to write about sister-to-sister moments between Hinata and Hanabi. And Neji, brave awesome Neji, in remembrance. That is why this drabble is born. Personally, I think the Hyuuga family needs more story. ;v;

Hope you enjoyed it!