AN: Just a heads up, because I want Hinata to be the youngest in the family, Hanabi has become an older sister instead of her younger sister.

Enjoy & DFTBA


Chapter Five:

October: Mr. Fuzz, I Need Some Comfort

Hinata curled up in her circular chair with her big, fuzzy, gray blanket. It reminded her of her ancient cat, dubbed Mr. Fuzz through the creativity of her five-year-old self. She missed him and his comforting purr. Sighing, she turned Skype on and dialed her brother Neji. It rang through the first time, but he immediately called back. Hinata answered and a big, damp head appeared on her laptop screen.

"Hey, chica, give me a sec. I'm just getting dressed." Without waiting for a reply, he clicked off the video feed.

Hinata waited as she listened to his fluid mixture of español and italiano curses. She smiled. Neji may be the most elegant musician she knew, but he was by far the klutziest dresser out of all her siblings. As her closest sibling in age, Neji's room was always next to hers and on many mornings she had been awoken by his mantra of curses. Oddly enough, her next sibling up, Hanabi, was l'esempio di purezza cattolica romana—paragon of Roman Catholic purity—and had never sworn in her life—unless, of course, you counted when she had had far too much wine.

"Back," Neji announced as he reappeared on her screen. "How're you doing, chica? You look like mierda."

Hinata rolled her eyes. "You're not so pretty yourself, nottambulo."

"Hey! I'm gorgeous."

"Of course you are." Hinata giggled. "You're getting ready pretty late tonight. It's nearly nine. Got a gig or something?"

"Yeah, the band's playing at the Usual. I have to leave in half an hour. What's up?"

Hinata took a deep breath. "I told Naruto I was pregnant."

"How'd it go?"

"Horrible."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say you'd want to matar him if I told you, but I handled it."

"I'm coming over!" She saw him stand, knocking his chair over in the process.

"It's fine! Neji! Neji!" Hinata hurriedly said. "I gave him a black eye. It's fine! Siediti!"

Neji righted his chair and sat back down. "Next time I see him, I'm going to give him a hell of a lot worse. No one messes with mia sorella preferita, Campanilla."

Hinata smiled softly. "Ti voglio bene, fratello, but it's fine. I promise. I'm going to be a madre, I need to learn how to handle the big, scary things on my own."

"You're going to keep it then?" Neji frowned.

"I think so." Hinata wrapped her arms around her flat stomach. "I know an abortion would be the right thing to do, not just because I'm no where near mature enough, but I'm also broke, unemployed, and not even halfway through uni, but I just…"

Hinata looked down. She wasn't ready to be a madre, but she didn't have the courage to have an abortion. All of her life her family had always been extremely close knit, and the role of the madre had always been very important, she even ruled over the father. The madre was an honoured position, and even though she didn't deserve it yet, she couldn't throw it away as if it was meaningless when it had been thrust upon her by Fate.

"What about an adoption?" Neji asked.

"I don't think I'll be able to give it up after carrying it for nine months."

"But you're single, completely on your own."

"I know," she admitted solemnly, "but I know I can depend on mi familia to keep me from falling, right?"

Neji smiled sadly. "Of course, chica, ti vogliamo bene."

"I love you too, Neji." Hinata pretended to blow him a kiss. "I should crash, got an early class."

"Okay. I have to head out for my gig anyway."

"Buono fortuna!"

"Gracias. Night, Campanilla."

"Night, nottambulo." Hinata quit Skype, turned off her computer, and crawled into bed.


AN: Translations. I figure these out through research, so feel free to correct them!

Mierda– shit (Spanish)

Nottambulo – Night owl (Italian) Hinata's nickname for Neji

Matar – kill (Spanish)

Siediti!- Sit down! (Italian)

Mia sorella preferita - my favourite sister (Italian)

Campanilla - Morning glory (Spanish) Neji's nickname for Hinata

Ti voglio bene, fratello - I love you, brother (Italian, nonromantic)

Mi familia – my family (Spanish)

Ti vogliamo bene – We love you (Italian, nonromantic)

Buono fortuna! – Good luck! (Italian)

Gracias – Thanks (Spanish)