Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Mission Four: Stand in the Rain
あいしてる
Neji sat on the edge of his bed, silently pulling his shoes on so he could go on an early morning run. It was raining outside but he didn't care. Rain had always been refreshing to him, its cleansing abilities even able to wash away the blood from a battle field. Taking a deep breath, he opened his front door and stepped out into the rain.
The night before had been spent with his mother, sister and her family, but the happiness he had felt the night before had melted away like the rain washing away the filth of battle. Harumi had convinced him to play with his twin nephews that he hadn't seen since they were born. He had been leery at first then he slowly warmed up the idea. By the end of the evening he had them both wrapped around his finger, much to Sōsuke's disappointment and Harumi's amusement.
But the light atmosphere couldn't cling to him long and soon he was back in his dark, depressed state. Watching Kai and Riku had been like watching the sun lazily move through the sky, its warmth filling one and all, but as soon as that warmth was taken away, dark thoughts started to rise again.
As he watched his nephews play, he wondered what his child would have been like, if he would have been shy and reserved like Kai or loud and outspoken like Riku. Would he have had the Byakugan or would his eyes have been the same color as his mother's?
"Ah, Tenten," he sighed, the words escaping him without his notice. "How would you have reacted to being a mother?" His vision started to blur as he allowed himself to return to the beginning of their relationship, to a time that was more dream now than reality.
Their relationship had not started when they were genin as most assumed; it was years and one very confused heart later that they had started dating.
He had always wanted to be an ANBU because he had always thought them the best ninja. His father had spoken of the same dream to his mother several times when Neji was younger, but Hizashi Hyūga had never been allowed that dream, the protection of his elder brother all he was allowed to think about.
Hizashi had always told his son that he could be anything he wanted to be and then he could be free of the Hyūga. But everything had crumbled with his death.
Neji had been left all alone by his father, his idol, by one act of malice, every dream his father had given him a thousand miles away as he was thrust into new situations, training with an uncle he didn't know he had, playing with a cousin that was delicate and not allowed to do many of the things he was and then only months after his father's death there was a new sibling to deal with.
He had turned bitter towards everything, his hatred seemingly the only thing driving him until he had met Naruto Uzumaki and had sense pounded into him. After that he remembered the dream his father had given him, the dream of being the best of the best, of being an ANBU.
On the eve of his sixteenth birthday he had boldly entered the Hokage's office and told Tsunade of his dream. She had listened patiently and with without explanations she had said no. When he protested she told him to leave her office.
On his walk home he had been hit upside the head and knocked unconscious. He had woken slowly to find a man with shaggy brown hair, silvery eyes and a smirk on his face sitting across from him. His first reaction was to try to escape but it became painfully clear that he wasn't going to any time soon.
The man had watched him struggle for several minutes before finally telling him to stop.
Neji had frozen immediately and glared at the man, hoping that he would survive whatever was going to happen.
The man's smirk got larger when he stopped struggling, a kunai appearing in his hand as he walked over to Neji and without a word he swung his arm; and embedded the kunai in the wall above Neji's head.
"So you want to be an ANBU," his gravelly voice asked.
Neji nodded once and the man grinned. "It's going to be the hardest thing you have ever done," he stated as he untied Neji. And he was right, it was the hardest thing Neji had ever done, but it was also the most rewarding.
His name was Joji Shiomi but-you-can-call-me-Sir, he had told Neji the first day and soon Neji had come to both love and hate that name. By the end of the month Neji had been in the worst health he had ever been in and his mother had practically begged him to stop, but he wouldn't give up. He couldn't.
The second month had been better, his body slowly getting used to the harsh conditioning it was being put through. The months that followed started running together in his mind. He was given the title of ANBU foot soldier at age seventeen, his birthday marked by an insane battle that he still wasn't sure how he had survived it.
In those years he had started seeing his mother and sister less; it was easier to live in the barracks than at the Hyūga compound. He could ignore everyone and no one had to know how close he had been to death after the latest mission; he always made sure that he was mostly healed or the wounds couldn't been seen under his clothing before he visited his mother. It was easier that way because it didn't cause her as much worry as it did when he was covered with wounds.
His foot came down into a deep puddle and he stopped, gazing down at his drenched shoe for several seconds before he glanced up and got his bearings. He saw that once again he was in front of the Academy. It seemed to be calling to him because he had never spent this much time staring at it before. He went over to the swing hanging on the tree that stood out front.
"Ten, do you remember our first day here?" He asked the wind as he closed his eyes and let his memories take hold.
Tenten Shiomi was the daughter of the man that had put his life through hell all those years, but she was as different as different could be form her father. She was gentle where he was gruff, soft spoken when he was loud and crude, thoughtful to her father's straightforwardness. She was Joji Shiomi's princess and no one was allowed to touch her. Neji ignored this rule at every turn and got to know her better. At first he had never connected the fact his teammate was the daughter of that dragon but when he did it added a new dimension to Joji. He had to admit to himself that while she was his teammate he had never tried to get information about her family life believing that if she wanted him to know it she would tell him.
She was the first and only child of her parents, he discovered, her mother having died years before from an unknown illness. Her mother's death had crushed both father and daughter but had strengthened their bonds to the point they held no secret from each other.
Joji had been aware of her crush and his intentions from the very beginning of their renewed relationship but he had let the relationship continue, realizing that for the first time since her mother's death she had opened up to someone else.
At first Neji was scared that Joji was going to find out and kill him, but as the weeks went along he forgot his fear and took delight in just being near her. She was a balm to the wounds he had received at his clan's vindictive attitudes without him realizing it.
His mother and sister had started seeing a change in his attitude and commented on it and that's when he had realized that for better or worse, he had fallen in love with Tenten Shiomi.
The day he walked up to his boss's door with the intention of declaring his love had been the hardest thing he had ever done up till that point. Joji had been sitting behind his desk like always, the stacks of paperwork waiting to be done rivaling the Hokage's. His eyes had narrowed slightly at the sight of his best agent and he motioned to Neji to sit.
"Well?" Joji started, his hawk eyes taking in how nervous Neji was.
"Sir," Neji started, hi voice catching in his throat. Neji took a deep breath and gave a small cough, gathering together his courage to speak again. "Sir, I would like to speak with you about something important."
"What you view as important and what I view as important are two different things," Joji had stated dryly.
"Sir, I think this time we will be on the same page," Neji said softly, preparing for his death.
"Oh? How so?" Joji raised an eyebrow in the way that had always annoyed Neji during his training.
"Sir, I would like your permission to take Tenten on a date," with those words he sealed his doom, or so he thought.
"Oh? Who would Tenten be?" Joji asked.
"Your daughter, sir," Neji replied.
Joji was silent for several seconds and Neji wondered if he had summoned his personal guard to take care of his Hyūga problem but then he spoke. "Neji," Joji sighed, standing and going over to the single window in the secret base. "I've known you were going out with my daughter from the beginning. I haven't said anything because she is happy, but if you do anything to my little girl, you will die."
"Sir?" Neji asked wide eyed.
"You didn't think that I would have noticed? Tenten has been acting happier recently and she does not keep secrets from me. She told me about her little crush on you and how you had never noticed her before that point. You think I took you under my wing because you were the 'genius-like-has-never-been-seen-and-never-will-again-Hyūga'? No, I did it because of my daughter. I made a promise to her when she was little that I would always be open with her if she was open with me. She told me that you had suddenly grown a decent set of eyes and now you were interested in her. I had you kidnapped that day because of it, you know. Your interest in becoming an ANBU was only an added bonus." Joji frowned at Neji. "While I do not approve, you make her happy, something I have always wished for her. Treat my daughter right, Hyūga or I will personally track you down and kill you."
"Yes, sir," Neji stood. "Always, sir."
"Good. You may take her out, but she has her own ANBU guards. If you break this promise, or you do something I would not like with her, they will tell me. You are dismissed." Joji waved his hand in dismissal.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Neji said as he turned and left the office. He hadn't been killed or banished from Konoha; in fact he had been given begrudging approval to date Tenten. It had been his lucky day.
Later that week had been their first official date, ANBU squad included.
He had taken her to the dumpling place, not because he liked it but because she seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with them. He had watched her consume almost three plates of the in only a minute, shocked. That was the first and only time he took her there when he was paying. The rest of the night was mostly uneventful, a walk through the botanical gardens and watching the sunset from Hokage Mountain were the only things he really remembered about that fateful night other than the fact he had wanted to kiss her but knew it was something he would regret later.
"I had fun," he said instead.
"Me too," she said with the grin that could get any guy to do anything for her. Why had he never noticed it before?
"Can I see you again soon?" He whispered the statement so the ANBU couldn't hear him hoping he could go out with her alone. It had been one thing when they were just teammates but now he was courting her, her father was much stricter. She was, after all, his little girl.
"Of course, dummy," she grinned. "Tomorrow night works."
"Okay," he raised his hand and gently touched her cheek. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she laughed, waving as the ANBU guards appeared, ready to escort her home.
That night was the first of countless other nights and other memories, but always held a special place in his heart as the night that his purpose in life finally made sense.
あいしてる
"Hisoka," Hinata called, placing breakfast on the table. "Hurry."
"Mom, it's raining," he moaned as he came into the room, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Yes, I know," she said as she kissed him on the forehead and quickly brushed his hair with her fingers. She would have to get a comb after it before they could leave. "Don't worry, everything will be okay," she pointed at the table and his breakfast.
"How do you know?" He pouted as he slid into his chair and started poking at his food.
"Don't play with your food," she reminded him. "Because some of the best things in my life have happened on rainy days," she grinned as she sat down across from him. "You were born on a rainy day."
"I was?" his eyes lit up.
"Yes," Hinata motioned to his breakfast. "Eat. You'll need your strength. Lots of shuriken and kunai practice and figuring out strategy problems and making new friends…I'm almost jealous."
"But you've already been to the 'cademy, Mom," Hisoka grinned as he took a big bite.
"I have? Are you sure?" She teased.
"Yep. Mom was the best and she got put with Uncle Kiba and Uncle Shino," Hisoka said around bites.
"Yes, I did," Hinata sighed, thinking back to her Academy days as she sipped her tea. "Finish up quickly," she said suddenly before she could get caught up in memories. "We need to leave soon."
"Yes, ma'am," Hisoka grinned.
"Remember to wash your face and brush your hair," she called as he stood and dashed back to his room. "Ah, little boys," she sighed as she spent the next five minutes gathering all the paperwork she had brought home with her. "Are we ready to go?"
"Beat you!" he exclaimed when she turned to the door.
"Yes, you did," she grinned as he went out the door. "Okay, let's go. Off to the Academy for new adventures," she said dramatically as she closed and locked the door.
"Do you think I'll make any friends?" He asked nervously.
"Of course. Who wouldn't like you?" She put her arm around his shoulders. "You'll make lots of friends."
"If you say so…"
"I know so. Stop worrying. You're hair'll go grey," she joked.
"I'm not going grey!" He protested. "I'm six!"
"But you know who is?" She giggled.
"Grandpa," he replied with a straight face then burst out laughing.
"Grandpa," she laughed with him.
They left the Hyūga district and made their way along the main road, passing other children that Hinata assumed were also starting their first day at the Academy. They arrived in front of the building that had taught countless numbers of ninja, the façade one of the most recognizable in the village.
"Mom, it's that guy," Hisoka pulled on her hand and pointed.
Hinata's gaze followed his finger and took in Neji's form, bent forward on the swing hanging from the great tree in the Academy courtyard, his expression telling her that he was thinking about something sad.
"Yes," Hinata turned away, hoping he would drop the subject.
"He's a Hyūga, isn't he?" Hisoka asked.
"Yes, Hisoka, he is," Hinata muttered unhappily.
"Then why have I never seen him 'afore?" Hisoka frowned.
"Before," Hinata corrected. "He doesn't live in the compound."
"What's his name?" Hisoka pressed.
"Hisoka," she said warningly. "His name is Neji, okay?"
"Who's his family?"
"Why do you want to know all the sudden?" Hinata countered.
"'Cause I've never seen him 'afore," the boy replied.
"Before," Hinata sighed. "He's Harumi's brother, okay? Now you know. Let's go inside and meet your teachers."
"Yeah," he grinned and followed his mother but not before he gave the man on the swing one last look.
あいしてる
"Ten," Neji sighed from his position on the swing. "Why did you leave me?" He let out a low moan and looked up, the Academy façade no longer any comfort. He was about to stand and leave when he saw the little boy from before who appeared in his line of vision with Hinata, his mother.
"Hinata's a mother," he said thoughtfully as the pair studied the building. "Seems strange."
The boy turned toward him and pointed, and Hinata turned and took in the fact he was sitting there. Neji saw her wince then say something to the boy, obviously trying to move towards the building. Only the boy said something else that had her looking back at Neji.
"Hinata, it has been a long time. You are still like you were then, something I can't claim. You son is cute and from what Harumi has told me he's a natural genius." If anyone had passed him at that minute they would have instantly reported him to the hospital and had him committed. Men sitting around in front of buildings where children were trained would be cause for alarm alone but he was also muttering to himself.
"So how is the clan dealing with that? Your blood was strong enough to produce him. I'm sure you get a good laugh out of that," Neji chuckled as he watched Hinata finally succeed in pulling the boy inside the Academy, the boy going with one last glance. "I'm happy that you found happiness, but I will always hope that one day we can be friends again, when we can speak without hate between us."
He took a deep breath and slowly released it as he stood and gazed at the door, he could feel the touch of metal on his hand that the metal doorknob had imprinted on his memory and he almost went over to it but thought better of it.
"I'm sorry, Hinata," he sighed, turning around and then he was running again, his feet taking him away from his past but even further away from his future.
あいしてる
"I would like to keep Hisoka with his extra lesson training regimen," Shikamaru told Hinata when she came into his office a week later.
"Extra lessons still? Why?" Hinata glanced up from the paperwork she was signing.
"Because," Shikamaru explained, "Since he is the Heir to his clan he must learn any and all secret techniques of the clan on top of his Academy lessons. Academy policy," the pineapple haired man said.
"Funny, there was no such policy when I was at the Academy," Hinata frowned as she handed Shikamaru the papers. "Who will be teaching the lessons?"
"Preferably someone from your clan that knows all the techniques," Shikamaru said dryly.
She gave him a glare. "He already gets lessons from his aunt and when available, my father," Hinata informed the head of the Academy.
"Yes, but I was thinking someone different," Shikamaru replied. The Nara shinobi still couldn't believe that Naruto had talked him into this. When Naruto had burst through his office door and casually informed him about the new bylaw for the Academy about clan heirs Shikamaru could tell he was up to something, but he wasn't quite sure what. Even though his IQ was over 200, Naruto still baffled him. Nothing like that had ever been needed at the Academy before and Shikamaru wondered if Naruto had gotten into some of Sakura's herbs, but then the blond man had explained why he had created the new law.
Hisoka Hyūga, the only child of Hinata was coming to the Academy and he needed help with the Jūken and Byakugan, help that his grandfather and aunt weren't providing apparently. Hinata did her best, Shikamaru knew, but she couldn't do everything and the process to teach secret ninjutsu to novices took a finesse and long afternoons she didn't have, but another recently returned to the village ninja did.
"I am going to assign him to be mentored by a member of the Hyūga clan and currently there is one that isn't doing anything, I'm told."
"Who?" She frowned.
"Neji Hyūga," he replied as he handed her all the paperwork he had drawn up earlier.
"But, Neji, he's," she gave him a flustered look. "He's not here to stay. He's just passing through."
Shikamaru shook his head. "No, he's staying. And he's already agreed to this. It will be good for Hisoka. After all, Neji is the genius of your clan."
Hinata sat there with a disbelieving look on her face. "I…but…then…I don't know. Are you sure, Shikamaru? Is Neji the best for this job?"
"Absolutely," Shikamaru nodded.
Hinata bit her lower lip. "I have to think about his, Shikamaru. You say he's here to stay but what if he's not? What if Hisoka gets attached to him and then he moves on? I can't let that happen. Hisoka's already lost his father."
"I understand, but I do believe that Neji is the best for this job," Shikamaru gave her a gentle smile. When Naruto had explained this crazy plot to him he had almost laughed in his face until he had realized Naruto was dead serious. Neji Hyūga was to be assigned to Hinata Hyūga's child as an extra mentor. He would, on paper, join the Academy staff so they boy could be mentored. Shikamaru had sniffed something beneath the plot and had gotten Naruto to confess the whole story. Shikamaru's grin got bigger. He liked Neji and Hinata and had seen how they were both hurting. And he hoped for one little boy's sake that Naruto's crazy plot worked.
あいしてる
"I've never heard of this before," Hinata groaned as she paced her office, wearing a path in the tatami. Her father was sitting next to her desk and sipping the tea Harumi had brought for Hinata. Hanabi, to her credit, was sitting by the door and studying the kunai she had in her hand. "What do you think?" She questioned her father.
"I actually think it sounds like a good idea," Hiashi replied as he studied the wagashi on the tray.
"Why do you think it sounds like a good idea?" Hinata questioned him.
"It does," Hiashi replied as he bit into the snack.
"When I was a child you wouldn't let me answer so vaguely," Hinata said dryly.
"I believe that it will be to the benefit of the Heir if he receives special training from someone who knows the Jūken. And who isn't quite as old as I am," Hiashi explained.
"And isn't as busy and impatient as me," Hanabi said bluntly.
"Both of you are just stalling," Hinata growled.
"Sit Hinata, before you wear a hole in the floor."
She gave her father a snarky look before dropping into seiza. "Convince me. Tell me of a person you believe could train my son better than his own grandfather and aunt."
"Hiroshi Hyūga," Hiashi said instantly. "He is younger than me by ten years, he has trained many in the secret arts of the Jūken, and he will see it as a great honor to serve the Hyūga in this way."
"You also forgot he likes little boys," Hinata said with narrowed eyes. "Didn't we have to pay a lot of money so the village wouldn't know that?"
"Himitsu Hyūga," Hanabi said. "He is a little older than you; he's married and has two young children. He has been on the most missions for someone in that graduate year, he has been an exemplary part of the Hyūga patrol, you can't find anything wrong with him."
"I can't let him take weeks off at a time just to fulfill some silly graduation requirement. I need him protecting us," Hinata sighed, closing her eyes. Would they ever figure someone out that wasn't a pervert, too over qualified or just plain wrong for the job?
"Kaori Hyūga. Granted she is female, but she is at the dojo everyday and is very diligent in her training regimen. Her father was a former council member, she was trained by one of the best," Hiashi stated.
"It would work if it wasn't for the fact she is blind now," Hinata said dryly. "She was wounded on that mission, what was it? Five months ago? Tsunade-sama doesn't think she will ever regain her sight."
"Fujimi Hyūga," Hiashi said dryly. "I think he would work."
"He's also ninety-six years old and believes that everyone is the First Hokage who he needs to battle," Hinata moaned. "I thought we were looking for actual good people, not drawing their names out of hats."
Hanabi straightened and looked at their father. "Neji is back in town."
Hiashi's eyes started glowing. "Neji will work."
"Like hell he won't!" Hinata yelled then she realized that both her father and sister were staring at her with shocked expressions. She felt the blood rush to her face. "It's just…" she protested lamely. "I don't trust him."
"Why ever not?" Hiashi asked as he finished his snack.
"Dad," Hinata rolled her eyes. "He hasn't been back in the village since her death and all reports I've had say he is mentally unstable. I can't have my son placed into the care of a crazy person. I thought we had gone over this."
"He's grieving, Hinata. There is a difference between sadness and insanity," Hiashi pointed out.
"I lost my husband and you don't see me moping around day by day as if my heart was ripped out," she countered.
Hanabi glanced over at Hiashi with a worried look. "Hinata, this is not about losing a spouse, this is about your son's training. Personally I think Neji's the best person for the job."
"I do as well," Hiashi said. "Hinata, I do not think you will find a more suitable person for this. And perhaps by doing this he will also be healed."
Hinata glared at the both of them. Who did they think they were, talking to her like that? Hisoka was her son and she had every right to deny people she didn't like access to him.
"Please tell me this isn't because you have some grudge against him, Hinata. Think it over logically," Hanabi pleaded.
"I have been," Hinata groaned, her sister's voice of reason winning out over her misgivings. Of course she shouldn't discount Neji because of some personal grudge. That made no sense what so ever and she would even admit that Neji would be the best persons for the job. She just didn't want her son to get close to another man and have him leave as well.
"Alright," she sighed. "The two of you win. Neji will be the person training him but if Neji does something I don't like, he's gone."
"I knew you'd see reason," Hanabi grinned.
"Don't press your luck," Hinata said sourly.
Could she really do this? Could she let Neji get that close again? The stakes were much higher this time. It wasn't just her that would get hurt if and when Neji left, her son would, too.
And she wouldn't be able to deal with that heartbreak.
あいしてる
Thank you for all the wonderful reviews: sama101, hinata-fan2, rose-of-alabaster, ImCutePoison, winterkaguya
The next chapter will be the last of the dark and depressing ones (but will have humor in the form of Hiashi and a plate of dango) and after that onward with the HUMOR! of trying to get Neji and Hinata together. Thank you for reading.