This is my first attempt at fanfiction, I finally managed the courage to post (yeah!) so please be gentle with your reviews.
Warning this story does contain Hyuugacest. If you don't like that then don't read it.
Standard Disclaimer:
I don't own Naruto or any facsimile there of. But the minute those bitches go public I'm getting on that.
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Chapter 2
"Hinata-sama!"
Neji could hear the servant calling Hinata's name through the thin walls distracting him from his thoughts.
"Hinata", the word escaped his mouth.
He had finished up his toiletries and had put on a comfortable white kimono and now he was simply staring out the window looking at the waning moon. Thinking of so many things at once, his past, present, future…their future.
After hearing her name all thoughts came to a head, her…
Flashback+
Neji was sitting in one of the taller trees near the training field, it was his favorite place to think and he had been spending a lot of time there of late.
Hinata was fifteen now and he had finally admitted to her and himself of his mistakes regarding his anger and judgment towards her. It was time he started to mend the wounds he helped create. He had been giving this a great deal of thought maybe because he saw great potential in her that was being repressed because of her floundering confidence. Confidence stifled by the family, her father, and even himself.
As a jounin, protector, and dare he say a possible friend, he had decided he was going to take Hinata under his wing to teach her fighting techniques of their family that had been denied her at such a young age. He truly believed her capable of becoming a strong respected jounin in the future. She only needed to be handed the tools in a proper manner.
Her father had reared her in a way that had squashed her type of spirit. He had tried to demean and reprimand her into a harsh ninja but that wasn't Hinata. She was of a loving and caring nature that craved those feelings in return from her family. Hiashi-sama just couldn't see that, perhaps he could only apply love the way he had received it, harsh and demanding. However when she did not respond to his style he had pronounced her weak, unfit, and he cast her aside. Her father alone had done so much damage to her.
She had had no one to comfort her or shield her from the cruelties of the family. Neji physically winced at that thought. Wasn't that supposed to be his role? Protector of the heiress. There was a time he had swore to his father and himself that he would protect her to the end.
He had to ask himself, "What kind of man am I, if I can't keep a promise of that caliber?"
Neji looked down at his hands and curled them into fist. If he had to answer that question now, he knew what that answer would be and he felt shame.
With a long sigh Neji jumped down from the tree to go and find Hinata. He figured his the best place to start looking would be her herb garden where she spent a lot of her free time in solitude. Lucky for him his first guess was correct.
He found her on her knees pulling weeds here and there. He allowed himself a smirk, "How Hinata like" he thought.
"Hinata-sama may I speak with you?" Hinata was startled to hear her cousin's voice yet again call her name. She had felt a presence approach but she thought it was a servant coming to ask her to come in. She chided herself; she would have to pay more attention. Slowly turning around Hinata tried to prepare herself for anything.
"Good Afternoon Neji-nisan. What do you wish to talk about?" Hinata found herself at more ease looking at her cousin since he had apologized to her.
Neji was surprised to say the least that Hinata seemed to genuinely smile at him, though he still managed to keep his stoic face in place.
"Hinata-sama, I have talked with your father and he has agreed to allow me to start training you for the more upper level fighting styles of our family."
What Neji didn't mention was her father's initial reaction of aversion to his idea, as Hiashi had put it "I don't understand you Neji, she has no value what could you possibly gain by wasting you time on this weakling?"
Neji had been disgusted with his attend but in the end Hiashi had came to allow the training seeing no true harm in it and it seemed to placate his nephew.
Neji was amused to find the shock and blush spread across her face. He had predicted this.
"Unfortunately Hinata-sama my evenings are unpredictable at best given my ANBU duties so mornings will have to do for us. I expect to see you at 5AM starting tomorrow morning at the old training grounds near the edge of the forest."
When Neji was finished with his instructions he watched a myriad of expressions cross Hinata's face stirring from shock to amusement and then disbelief.
"I..I…um, this would be most beneficial for me Neji-nisan I must concede but how or why was this so suddenly decided?"
A simple response was all Neji gave, "It is my duty. Good afternoon Hinata-sama." And with that Neji disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Reappearing back in his favorite tree Neji settled down and began to think of the proper tactics he would have to use with his gentle cousin.
She was capable to be sure, but how was he ever going to bring her out of that damn shell she kept herself locked away in. He knew his main source was going to be patience but he was going to need more. Affirmations of her skills, maybe some understanding, but he was afraid that was all he could offer. He was not a gentle man by nature nothing about him came close but he would try for her, she deserved that much.
End of Flashback+
Suddenly Neji was pulled from his thoughts by the chiming of the courtyard clock.
He took a deep breath and ran a long calloused finger over his right temple. The time was drawing near.
To the continued…….
