A/N: Yay! New chapter, written with difficulty due to a huge-ass inspiration block... My bestie read it and said it's awesome but then again, she says the same for everything I write! Please be more cruel judges than her, I want to correct my mistakes. k, thx!
-Chapter 2-
A few weeks after the incident in the woods, the head of the Hyuga clan, Hyuga Hiashi, had a very important meeting with the head of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Fugaku.
Since theirs' were the strongest clans in Konoha, their friendly relations had to be assured, especially after how close the Uchiha came to a total massacre. Fortunately, the issue was solved without a pointless bloodshed but the prestige of the ancient clan had suffered a great blow. They were now working to rebuilt it and the help of the Hyuga was essential.
Each of the two men was accompanied by the elders, councillors and various other people of the clans to take the minutes of the meeting. But they had also with them their youngsters. Neji, Hinata and Hanabi, Itachi and Sasuke entered the conference hall, close behind the men.
Neji had decided that he would become the best, not only of the branch family but of all the Hyuga. And if that required that he had to attend this kind of meetings, he would make sure to pay attention to every single word that was going to be said.
His resolution weakened though, when he saw who was behind the Uchiha head. His pale eyes widened and he halted, a small gasp escaped from his lips.
It was the beautiful angel!
Neji couldn't believe his eyes!
He had thought that he would never see the older boy again but here he was now, smiling like the first time he appeared before him. Itachi raised his hand and waved at Neji. His younger brother looked curiously, first at him and then at Neji.
"Nii-san…" Sasuke whispered, tugging his brother's shirt to get his attention.
"Who's that?"
"A friend…" Itachi answered and they sat down next to their father as the meeting began.
Neji couldn't concentrate on the meeting, he just couldn't! As much as he wanted to prove himself worthy and even better than the main family, he kept glancing at the boy sitting opposite from him. Everything the adults were saying about treaties, attacks and alliances, were simply going in one ear and out the other. The little boy a few times caught the other looking at him too. When that was happening, Neji was averting his eyes quickly, pretending to be interested in the vivid discussions of the clan leaders.
A couple of hours passed like that when they all decided to take a break. Even serious adults were in need of a pause now and then.
"Neji nii-san…" a soft girl's voice was heard when the others left the room.
It was Hinata.
But Neji didn't want to talk to her. He would never do that again. She still had a father while his was dead. Dead in order for the main family to live happily ever after. He hated her for that. He hated everyone in the main family. Neji knew he had to protect her, but still… He shrugged the younger girl off.
There were more important things that he had to do. The long-haired boy walked towards Itachi. He finally had the chance to talk to him, ask him more things, learn more.
Why had he stopped him?
Why not let him commit suicide? It's not like he knew him or that he was his friend…
Friend…
Even though Neji didn't knew him either, he was feeling a strange pull from the older boy. It was like gravity, a force of that magnitude. Neji couldn't help but walk towards him, the angel of Death.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked when he was standing in front of him.
Their conversation could surely have started more smoothly. Itachi studied him for a couple of minutes, then turned to his brother.
"Sasuke, go keep company at the little girls."
"But nii-san!"
"Please…"
"Hmph…" the little boy grunted and complied, shooting an angry look at the pale eyed boy.
Itachi looked back at Neji, studying his face again. The younger boy stood straight, returning the gaze steadily. Seeing the determination of that look, Itachi sighed.
"Telling you who I was wouldn't mean anything, given the nature of the situation you were into." he said seriously and added in a softer voice:
"Would it matter?"
"A little bit…" Neji answered and took a step closer to the boy.
"Why?"
"You wouldn't understand…" Neji said and looked down at his feet.
"Give it a try." Itachi urged him softly.
"You… You are the heir of the Uchiha clan…" the little boy spoke, his voice low and bitter.
"I'm only one member of the Hyuga's branch family…" he continued in a whisper.
"I shouldn't talk to someone like you… My position is to serve the main family…"
"Yet, here you are." Itachi said and placed his hand on the boy's cheek, making him look up.
"You don't agree with the main and branch family discrimination but, unconsciously, you still practise what you were taught to do since you were a baby."
Neji frowned angrily and clenched his fists. He teared his chin from Itachi's hand and stepped back.
"I'll change that!" he growled.
"What? Your behaviour or the whole family?"
"All of the Hyuga! I'll make them see that main and branch aren't different."
Itachi smiled and patted the little boy's head.
"Good. Do you see now why didn't I tell you who I was?"
"Yes…" Neji murmured.
"Yours and mine… It's just names. They don't show who we really are."
"You're right…"
"Do you understand what I'm saying?" the older boy said and lowered his body so that his face was in the same level as Neji's.
"I think I do." the younger one answered and look deeply at the black eyes.
"You don't agree with your family's ways either…" Neji realised.
"I believe some of them could be altered for the best. We're not perfect even though the elders seem to believe that our choices are always the right ones."
He sighed again and motioned for the boy to go sit down on one of the benches outside the big hall. Once they were comfortable, Neji turned to the older boy again.
"But you're the heir. Everything should be perfect for you."
Itachi smiled at the boy but the warmness didn't reach his eyes.
"It's because I'm the heir that I'm twice as pressured as everyone else in the clan."
His hands gripped the wood of the bench and he leaned forward.
"I want to help. I want to make my clan better. That's why I don't mind the pressure. But above all, I want to make everyone understand that a name doesn't mean anything at all if our actions are not the right ones."
He raised his eyes, seeing something that only the eyes of his mind could see. Neji was listening mesmerised by the words of his angel. They were so close to what his young mind was thinking lately.
No. Not just close. They were the same.
They both wanted to change the retrogressive ways of their clans. They both felt the weight of duty on their shoulders, the one being the heir of one of the strongest clans of their world and the other being obliged to serve the supposed superior members of his family. They were both decided to fight in order to achieve what they wanted.
Itachi turned his head to face the younger boy and smiled for real this time, seeing the awestruck expression on Neji's face.
"Are my words that fascinating, little one?" he asked amused.
Neji nodded and smiled too, his cheeks painted a nice pink colour.
"Let's do it together?" he said happily.
"And what is that, Neji?"
"Change our families! It's not something you can do alone and I…" he paused.
"You what?" Itachi asked softly, brushing a strand of long brown hair off the boy's face.
"I want to help you…" Neji said, his heart beating frantically in his chest.
Why was that? His young mind couldn't comprehend why the organ in his chest was sending blood to his body three times more quickly when the older boy was doing that simple movement of pushing his hair aside. Or when he was saying his name. Or when he was looking at him with his black eyes.
"I want to help you…" Neji said again, his pale eyes staring into black ones.
"I would appreciate your help, little one." Itachi said and patted the boy's head like had done before.
Neji grinned, feeling that he now had a solid purpose. He was lost after his father's death but now, after meeting and talking with Itachi, he was more at ease. It's like a gap in him has been filled.
"Does that mean that we're friends now?" the younger boy asked shyly.
Itachi laughed and tousled the boy's hair.
"Yes, we're friends!"
He caressed the disarranged brown locks and leaned closer to the boy.
"You'll help me and I'll help you. That's what friends do, right?"
"Yes!" Neji nodded eagerly and raised his hand, sticking out his pinkie finger.
"Promise?" he asked sweetly.
"Of course." Itachi said and tangled his own little finger with Neji's.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, as if to strengthen their promise. But the meeting was about to continue, so they stood up and took their places on the tatami mats, trying to pay attention at the discussions.
The meeting ended late in the evening after many hours of continuous talking and arguing, sighing and glaring. The Hyuga agreed to help the Uchiha built their reputation back to its former greatness. From their part, the Uchiha had to accept a Hyuga representative, appointed to make sure that the relations of the two clans would run smoothly from now on. The pride of the ancient clan's people prevented that condition from getting accepted at first, but their dire state forced them to agree to the terms laid before them. One question remained without an answer.
Who would be the representative?
Hyuga Hiashi was very troubled about who he should appoint. He was pacing back and forth while waiting for his assistants to prepare for leaving, pondering on the issue. The older members of the clan were out of question, since they were too fixed on the past and the controversies between the clans to care for the progress of both families. No, someone young and open minded was needed, someone who would be able to devote his or her life to the maintenance of peace. He was thinking of some possible options, but none of them was good enough for him.
Both teams had gathered their stuff and were about to head back to their compounds, when Uchiha Fugaku took the Hyuga leader aside.
"The matter of the representative still remains unsolved." he said when they were far from curious ears, his voice stern.
"It does indeed. But I'm close to finding a solution." the other man said just as sternly.
"Do you have someone in mind? Do tell me· I'm most interested in hearing who will be the one to keep such a close eye to my clan's matters."
The two leaders glared at each other. Old rivalries were not so easy to forget after all, not even when alliance treaties have been just signed. Hiashi took a deep breath to calm himself and answered, his eyes never turning away from the Uchiha's cold ones.
"None of them are satisfying options."
Fugaku frowned and covered the lower part of his face with one hand, lost in deep thought.
"It will not be an easy task. The one you will choose must be ready to accept the difficulties of his position. He must not have attachments to your clan that will prevent him from being impartial." he said, still thinking deeply.
"As much as you want a puppet that will move according to where you point it to, the one chosen will be working for the Hyuga, not for you." Hiashi hissed to the other man.
The Uchiha leader landed furiously his fist to the closest tree.
"Don't mess with me Hyuga. You know exactly what I mean!" he yelled and his black eyes flashed red for a moment.
"I'm aware of the significance this position will hold and I don't need you to tell me how to choose from my men." Hiashi spat back.
They stood glaring at each other like wild animals for a few seconds. One wrong word or action and the whole treaty would be blown up! They slowly straightened their bodies, since they had taken their hunched attacking stances, thinking twice about the possible catastrophe their clash would bring. What a shame would it be to throw everything away just because they didn't agree on this matter. Their bodies relaxed and they returned to the exchange of cold looks.
"May I suggest someone?" Fugaku spoke, trying to keep his tone neutral.
Hiashi gave a slight nod, studying the other man's face through narrowed eyes. What could he possibly have in mind?
"That boy who was with today… I noticed he has quite the connection with my eldest son."
"Neji? Yes, I noticed too. Do you believe he would be ideal?" Hiashi asked a little bit surprised.
"Yes, I do. He's young and having a friendly relationship with Itachi will prove beneficial in many ways. Besides, my son loves peace and will eagerly help him to keep the balance between the clans."
"And he will also prove that the future head of the Uchiha as well as the whole young generation truly believe in collaboration between our clans. Hmm…" Hiashi thought about it for a couple of minutes, looking to where Neji and the two Uchiha boys were talking lively.
"It makes sense…" he said after a while. "Neji recently lost his father, and my brother, so I believe giving him that responsibility will help him get over his grief."
The Hyuga turned to the Uchiha and steadily extended his right hand. The other man took it and they shaked hands, sealing their decision.
The representative would be Neji Hyuga.
A/N: I hope I depicted the leaders' personalities and actions well enough... Argggghghghgh, older people are hard to write T_T
There's one more chapter of innocent child years and then boomshakalaka... the teenage future, yesh! And I think we all know what teenage years mean, especially if one is a stressed ninja... durrrhurrrr :3
See ya next chapter! - JZA
