"The White Nights describes the few weeks around the summer solstice during which sunsets are late, sunrises are early and darkness is never complete. The sun does not set until late at night, and twilight lasts much longer."
"You heard the news yet Sasuke? There's a new Hyuuga in town. "
The steely eyes that glared back at Inuzuka Kiba glowed red under the curtains of the darkened room. Kiba stiffened in response, flexing his rugged knotted hands.
He had to take care—this was not his home.
It was the Uchiha mansion.
"I should know. She is already attending school. "
Kiba recoiled.
"What? That soon? The nerve of them, having the disg… "
The reddish glowing eyes cut off his words, following up with a dull irritated tone:
"She sits next to me in Hatake's class. That sufficient information for you? "
Uchiha Sasuke closed his eyes irritably as a corner of Kiba's lips twitched—with his heightened senses, for now, he could detect the boy's amusement from meters away. His irritation mounted up into its peak when he actually felt Kiba's smile widening, his mirth spreading.
God forbid he should laugh.
Less than a second's time, he reminded himself, that's all he needed to dart out and take a lash… but he stopped himself, and wisely too.
Reason number one, the Inuzukas were ally, family friends. Have been and still are, for 600 years and more. Reason number two, Kiba had just been out after a 'hunt'—or so he said—and still vibrated a certain energetic mood, the exact right mood for excitement. Picking a fight would only make the boy happy, and Sasuke detested heightening even an inch more of Kiba's euphoria—he was already suffocating in it.
Reason number three. The Hyuuga girl, Sasuke thought in great distaste.
Having to sit with the atrocity pushed off his limits in tolerance so far out, that he actually believed he had cracked somewhere vital, or had a bust in the seams at the very least. He very much felt like killing someone, if someone should come along and pick a fight with him; somehow irritate him into going over the edge.
And yes, he was sure he would go over the edge if he clashed today. It was wise, not to risk it at all. He unclenched his whitening fist and settled back down into the soft leather.
Sensing Sasuke's minute distress, the maroon headed boy changed tactics and crouched down against the wall, glaring into a pinpoint spot out the paned window.
Searching for eavesdroppers. Constant vigilance.
Sensing no one, Kiba allowed himself to drop back his head and fiddle with the raw scar on his calf, still speaking in a low keyed down tone:
"The Hyuugas are getting laid back. Cautious alertness is out, at least in their home that is. You should see the way that Neji guy allows himself to strut around in school. If he crosses over our side once more… it would be nice to have a reason to pick a fight, wouldn't it? Breaks the dullness. But only when they start it. That new girl might be a part of a ruse to get us going. To have us riled u…"
"The Hyuugas are smart. The girl must have something to do with their plans, but nothing's happened so far, and I can't sense anything threatening. It does not really matter, does it? "
Sasuke wanted more than anything to pick a fight with the insufferable Hyuuga Neji, anything to just burn this flame off. Something about the Hyuuga girl had switched the manic irrational side of his mind on, and he could not throw it off.
But it was stupid to pick a fight when they did not even have a plan. He sided up with the rational perspective.
Sasuke shrugged, rising from his seat on the leather sofa—the queer red glow had disappeared from his coal black eyes.
"Itachi's planning something. "
Kiba smirked, this time, for the sake of Itachi's everyday toiling.
"Well in that case, I'll go home for today… call on me if anything comes up. I'll be glad for some excitement. Konoha is too dull. It only gets fun around here once in a blue moon… or rather, once every after the summer solstice. "
The sentence ended in a lilt, implying the meaning summer solstice had in bound for all of them.
Sasuke eyed Kiba skeptically as the boy jauntily sprinted forward and darted out the door in the fashion he had arrived, his tousle of maroon hair bristling in the wind. He was probably already halfway into the second flight of stairs when Sasuke muttered quietly under his breath:
"And Kiba? Clean up the blood beforehand… next time to decide to drop in, mind. "
Kiba heard.
White Nights: Summer Solstice
Chapter 1- Leviathan
(Session#2- Disturbance)
"You look so drawn. "
It was not Neji who said this time, but a worried Hiashi.
It was supper time in the Hyuuga residence, and for once, all eight members of the family were present.
Hinata drew back in acute embarrassment when all six identical raven haired Hyuugas halted from eating and looked down the table at her. Among them was Neji, who had a slight frown on his face and did not seem to entirely disagree with his father's observant comment.
Suddenly, a voice sprang up.
"Oh please, dad. She's a newbie at a school in the middle of the year. She's in a completely different surrounding form one she is used to. It would be weird if she didn't have a worry or two. "
The Hyuugas turned to look, this time, at the opposite end of the table now, at the person who had spoken up so melodically. There sat a lithe girl with the obvious features that marked a Hyuuga—long flowing black hair with pale skin and lavender eyes—but also with more finesse. There was a certain grace about her that almost seemed feline, although Hinata dismissed that thought as ridiculous.
Her name was Hyuuga Yurie and she was yet another cousin, Neji's older sister to be precise, and one Hinata was not too familiar with. She had never gotten acquainted, for Yurie had been living abroad in Paris at the time of Hinata's annual visits.
She was poised, took modern jazz and tap dance, and also seemed to be the only one among the Hyuuga family that called Hiashi 'dad', as opposed to the more formal 'father'.
Hiashi's brow creased at this swift interception, and he turned to speak to his eldest daughter.
"I do admit Hinata has plenty of reasons to be upset… but even so, I'm concerned. "
He turned this time, to face Hinata.
"Are you sure you're alright? Is everything okay at school…or is there someone or something bothering you? "
She could see out of the corner of her eye, Neji staring intensely at her reaction. The rest of the family had resumed eating, but it was obvious they were still listening and concentrating—no one else was making conversation. It stressed her.
"I…well. "
Hinata's mind instantly conjured up an image of a certain something…or to be precise, a someone that was bothering her very much, but she quickly erased the image out of pure desperation. It was enough that Hiashi had taken her in under his wing; she did not want to be seen as a complaining unsatisfied sulk.
"N,no… of course not. I'm fine…just a bit…tired. "
She put up a wide fake smile and Hiashi turned back to his plate, still looking a tad bit worried. Tucking in her lasagna, Hinata saw Neji exchange dark looks with Yurie.
"Hinata, wait! "
It was break time at school, and Hinata was panicking. She had PE for next period, and she hadn't packed her clothes. And she wasn't really that close to anyone else to be able to borrow any clothes—Tenten had PE with her.
And here was Neji, calling out for her at the wrong time; bad timing.
"Hinata? "
Neji curiously stared at Hinata rummaging out her locker in an apparent state of frenzy. He also noted that she hadn't bothered to turn and greet him shyly the way she usually did when they met accidentally in the halls or the cafeteria.
"H…hey, Neji. "
He eyed the thrown about books and files, and smothered a laughter.
"Bad time? "
She grimaced.
"Yes… I, I think I forgot to pack my clothes. "
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then bent down and picked off a paper that had fluttered out of her hands.
Neji dutifully helped picking her books and stray papers off from the floor and assisted in stacking them as well. When he was done, he stood up to his full height and took her hand. Hinata faltered.
"N…Neji? I'm going to be late…"
"You don't have anything to wear. "
"B…but I do still have to attend class. It's mandatory. "
Neji's eyes swerved to look down at hers in a manner in which he clearly thought of her as adorably naive. Hinata cast her eyes down, well aware of the looks she was getting from her classmates who stood to gawp at the sight of the newbie girl hand in hand with the older junior hotshot.
If it hadn't been so obvious that they were related, this might have been more enjoyable.
"Well I do have a way around at school… I could get you out of class for this one time. "
"D…do you mean cutting class? "
He made a mock-displeased face. Then grinned as he continued:
"Now Hinata, if you put it that way. But I should tell you, I'm part of the student council… and maybe we're looking for a new secretary. "
Hinata spluttered. Student council? Secretary?
"N…no, no. I …I think I'll just head to PE…"
"And get points off for not being ready? "
Hinata cringed—she hated getting points off. She wanted to do 'well', to somehow compensate for living in Hiashi's house… if she seemed competent, perhaps this situation wouldn't be so embarrassing.
But student council was another matter; she disliked and activity that forced her to become active, especially if it was concerned with school.
"B…but Neji, I suck. "
Neji spluttered out in laughter again, and a few freshman girls huddled about the water fountain gave her a curious look. Not exactly a friendly look, but more likely one that asked, 'Why is he with her? ', with an emphasize on the 'he' and 'her'.
"It doesn't matter if you suck… look, I'm just trying to help you here. It just happens so that this period is free period for me, and I could bail you out of Gai's PE class by bullshitting that I'm taking you off for a discussion on matters concerning the SC… and voila. Instant free period. "
Hinata was dubious; Neji must have another reason for dragging her off so suddenly.
She recalled the night before, the awkward silence that ensued after Hiashi's comment, and the odd looks she got from Neji and Yurie, all mingled with the smell of well-made Lasagna…
But it was better than having points off.
"…o, okay. I'll cut PE. "
"This isn't about my being upset, is it? "
Hinata sprung this on him as soon as they were out of the teacher's lounge; Neji had been true to his words. He bailed her out with no checked marks on her attendance sheet.
Neji swallowed his vending machine coke with a frown.
"…partially. But not as much. "
Hinata visibly drooped, unwilling to talk about the matter that had been boring down on her for the past few days. Neji crushed his can of coke and chucked it lightly into the bin as they walked out of the halls into the daylight.
"Don't worry. I won't dwell on it if it bothers you so much. "
There was a short moment of silence as they both casually walked down the normally populated fields—now, it was only occupied where PE classes was being held. Tenten gave her a quizzical look from afar as she threw a volleyball absentmindedly at her partner. She hadn't been aiming, and the ball flew straight into Lee's face.
It was Hinata who broke down first.
"Do you think…"
Neji waited with a patient ear.
"D…do you think I…I smell? "
A pause.
His eyes seemed to know it was an unwise time to laugh, but he did anyways.
"Why do you think that? Hinata, did someone tell you that you smell? "
Hinata blushed furiously.
She fastened her paced and lowered her head indignantly. Neji didn't have a problem with that; his long strides could overtake her in just two paces.
"I…It's just that. I have this class…Lit. "
A queer look entered Neji's eyes as he stared straight ahead and murmured:
"…continue. "
"Well…I, I have partner. Sitting partner…we, all have assigned seats. And…and, this guy… really hates me. "
"Does he have a reason to be so? "
Hinata thought it was odd that Neji did not press for the name of the guy, but perhaps he was being considerate. He sounded pressured.
"T…that's why I was asking you… maybe he thinks I smell? "
"That's not what's really bothering you, is it. "
Neji spoke quietly, and Hinata truly wished this moment would pass. She hadn't really wanted to talk about this, not when it might get back to Hiashi and prove her as inadequate.
"…no. I was just… worried that… the guy seemed to really…really... hate our… family name? "
She tried desperately to end it in a light note, but her voice broke at the end. It was her clear photographic memory that did it.
The past few days in lit class had been hell, even with the good looking teacher hovering in the front. Her partner, Uchiha Sasuke, barely looked at her, and at times he did, she could immediately feel the intense 'hate' that emanated from his eyes. It was uncanny; she did not know that it was possible to 'feel' the hate, but in this case, she could. It was hard not to.
Even Tenten did not speak of the issue, adeptly averting and avoiding discussing the matter.
"What do you mean by he hates our family name?"
"…he looked once at me… on the first day, and…and he knew right away that I was a Hyuuga. He was…mad? "
Mad did not quite even start to describe it. He literally convulsed in distaste and fury—the word livid might have done justice to what he was like that day, but not quite enough.
Neji suddenly stiffened beside her, refusing to walk further. Hinata stopped with him, looking up inquiringly.
He muttered rigidly:
"…speak of the devil. "
Hinata's eyes quickly swerved to the direction Neji was glaring at, and stiffened herself, her eyes widening in dread.
Two boys were coming this way, both obviously cutting class. She recognized one of them easily enough.
Raven hair that spiked oddly in the back, the uncannily perfect form of his face, the overwhelming presence; it was her angry lit partner.
Hinata's stomach did a double-take, and she took a step back. The two boys seemed to have been engaged in a deep discussion, but her tiny movement immediately alerted them. Both heads snapped up in a strangely uniform movement, and their eyes registered in the—it was weird she felt this way—imposters.
It brought instant reaction.
The second boy that Hinata did not recognize was goggling at her, his eyes snapping in less anger than surprise. But it was her lit partner that surprised her the most.
His eyes seemed to glow literally red with fury—that was ridiculous unless he had lenses—but the moment passed, and his eyes went back to onyx. He took a casual step forward, somehow approaching and curbing at the same time.
Hinata now saw that Neji was slightly taller, but the boy had the better build.
"Hyuuga. "
He spat. He then lifted the corner of his lips with some effort, the dark seething look never leaving his eyes.
It was only after a few seconds that Hinata realized it was something close to a sneer.
Neji smiled back mirthlessly; he had the identical smile, but only more cautious. But he spoke with less caution.
"We're at school. Behave. "
Uchiha Sasuke seemed to be thrown off by the condescending tone Neji used, but instead of being riled up, he went calm. The glare in his onyx eyes died out, replaced by a wary, ready look.
The other boy came to join Sasuke's side, a roguish athletic looking boy with a crop of maroon hair. He might have looked friendly with the mischievous eyes and cheerful smile, but it was a queer sort of exuberance.
Almost as if he was anticipating a fight.
"Don't mind me. "
His voice was playful, and Neji glowered.
"…I'd prefer it if you two move on.
Sasuke nodded at Neji's comment, a mock play of concurrence. The maroon head stood back, smirking and still eyeing Hinata.
"It is only midmorning. And I do have lit today. No need to get this day anymore nauseating than it is now. "
He spoke with more eloquence then Hinata had initially thought he would; she had naturally assumed he'd start cursing at the end of every sentence, seeing the way he looked at her disgustedly. Sasuke moved deliberately, carefully giving the Hyuugas a wide berth. The maroon head followed him, giving Hinata one last look of curiosity.
They curbed the corner and were out of sight. And the intense atmosphere died out.
Hinata let out a relieved sigh, completely unaware that she was doing so. She looked up at her still stiff cousin and inquired in a trembling voice:
"…y…he doesn't like you too? "
Neji looked down at her.
He put up a curious smile, a grimace and smirk rolled into one.
"That's an understatement. "
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