Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto because if I did, there would be a workout DVD with Rock Lee and Gai-sensei as you IOY. (Instructors Of Youth)
Neji looked at the Memorial Stone, tears falling freely down his face. His eyes kept searching the stone for a name that he knew would not be there. The little boy could not believe that his father was dead, let alone murdered.
He had heard the stories, the main branch yet again extending their power over the lowly branch members. The older Hyuugas had said something about Hizashi being just one of their play things, one that could be broken and no one would care. Neji cared though. Who would play, talk, or just be with him now? Surely not Hinata, for she was always too busy with training and becoming the perfect little heiress for the entire clan.
As his cheeks began to stain with tears, Neji couldn't help but feel truly afraid for the first time in his life. Not even when he had gotten his Caged Bird Seal a couple of weeks ago had he been this scared. Neji felt alone, and it wasn't a feeling that he particularly liked. No one would talk to him now, and no one would even care that his father was dead!
The Hokage didn't even know how Hizashi really died, because Hiashi told him that it had just been a training accident. His father, the man that had such complete control of his Byakugan, die in a friendly spar? That idea was almost laughable, if the subject matter wasn't so serious.
The thing that upset Neji, was that no one would ever know how great a man Hizashi was. How he had died for his older brother. How perfect of a father Hizashi was to Neji, how Neji had always looked up to him. No one would know how loved that man was, and how his life was really taken. Neji would never be able to forgive Hiashi or the Cloud-nin that committed that heinous crime.
Wiping his eyes, Neji turned around when he heard a voice speak out.
"Yo, you alright brat?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kakashi was tired. He had just come home from one of the worst ANBU missions that he had ever seen, and that was saying something because Kakashi had seen a lot of horrible stuff. He had seen ever one he loved die, or close themselves off to the world so it was as if they were dead.
Obito....Rin.....Minato-sensei.....Tou-san....Naruto.....Gai....
No one would ever believe Kakashi when he said that Gai was a mess but Kakashi knew better. You couldn't be friends with someone for so long and not know how a person really was. He had learned, that behind those eyebrows and talk of youth, was a man with a broken spirit. One that would take a lot of time to fix. Not saying that Kakashi was any better, but still.
Kakashi still couldn't help but blame himself for the deaths of his teammates, his sensei and his father. He kept on wondering, if he had just done something different, maybe everything would have turned out fine. Sure he wouldn't be 'Sharingan Kakashi' anymore, but he was okay with that. He was okay with not having a constant reminder of his deepest sin.
Because that's what it was, a sin. He had failed Obito, a man he was actually willing to call his friend, if only after the young man's death. That's why he kept on going back to the Memorial Stone, so he could try to make amends for what he had done, or rather what he hadn't done.
That was actually where he was heading now. After the hellish mission that he just had, Kakashi needed something to take the edge off, something to calm him down. Two of his men had died in the field today, and he blamed himself. He was their captain! He was supposed to be able to protect them dammit! Kakashi was supposed to be able to do anything.....
But how often did that actually happen?
He had failed, and he was going to pay for it someday. Someday he was going to gain Obito, Rin, Minato-sensei and Tou-san's forgiveness, even if it killed him first.
As Kakashi approached the memorial stone, he saw a small little boy, about four years old kneeling at the site. He had long brown hair, and was very pale for his age. The sight of the boy made Kakashi's heart clench, or at least what was left of his heart. No boy this young....should know the pain of losing a loved one. Slowly approaching the boy and putting on his neutral expression, the one that had put him in the Bingo Book, Kakashi called out to the kid.
"Yo, you alright brat?" As if the boy had been burned, he turned away from the stone, tears still glistening in his eyes. His white eyes. The boy was a Hyuuga, one of the most prestigious clans in all of Konoha. But that wasn't what made Kakashi stunned though, what made him shudder a bit, was that the little kid had the seal already put square on his forehead. That....was just inhumane!
Walking calmly to the boy, Kakashi put his arms around the boy when they met. Almost immediately the boy stiffened before relaxing into the comforting embrace. Drying his tears on Kakashi's shirt, the boy began to whisper.
"It...It wasn't supposed to happen to him. He was supposed to be around to play, and protect me. What's gonna happen to him now?" Kakashi felt himself pull the boy closer, when his tears began to flow again. The little boy must have lost his father, just like Kakashi had done so many years ago. He had been older though, not as unprepared. Placing a hand on the boy's head, Kakashi began to stroke his fingers through the soft brunet hair.
"What's your name little guy?"
"Neji Hyuuga, sir." The boy muffled out, his head still firmly lodged in the copy-nin's shirt. His voice was hoarse from all the crying, but it sounded innocent none the less. Kakashi hadn't heard such an innocent voice in such a long time. Not since Rin had died in the Kyuubi attack 3 years ago...
"Can you tell me what happened to your father, Neji? Maybe that would make you feel better?" The way that Neji's eyes lit up, only to dull again was painful to watch, as if someone told him he could have everything he ever wanted and then just told him he was joking around. The boy really did remind him so much of himself when he was little. So guarded, yet so naïve to the world around him.
"No, I can't say. Hiashi-sama said that I would be punished if I told anyone what happened to him. I don't wanna get hurt. Not anymore, my chest hurts enough." Neji said, clutching his yukata, right where his heart was. The sight was oddly cute, as if Neji thought he could fix it by pushing hard enough. Kakashi knew that he would kill the leader of the Hyuuga if he hurt this boy, and he would have no trouble in doing so. He was angry that such an innocent child had experienced this much pain.
"Maa, its alright. I promise that no one will hurt you, not even Hiashi. Trust me on this kid, I'm one tough cookie." Neji lips twisted up a little at Kakashi's statement, willing himself to trust the older man. There was no way that this man, this outsider, would ever be able to know what hell he had gone though, but maybe there was a chance he could. Maybe he would be able to help him remember his beloved father.
Kakashi smiled his one eyed smiled when he saw Neji grin. Maybe this would help pay of his debt to everyone, if he just helped this little boy get over the loss of his father. Maybe this would finally earn his forgiveness. Sitting them both down, Kakashi began to lose himself to Neji's tale.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Years later, when Kakashi would see the young Hyuuga prodigy at the Chunin Exams, fighting and almost killing his little cousin, he would realize just how little he actually helped the boy. And Neji would realize, just how much Kakashi had, because he would be able to remember what Neji would do to see his father proud. And they both would realize, at the end of the exam, how much it would take to truly realize a dead man's wish.
A/N: First real angst fic, right here. I wanted to use Neji and Kakashi because I really think that they have similar pasts, and similar beliefs. Hopefully, it didn't suck to badly. Please Review and tell me if you think the fic was trash or not. Till later my dears...:D