In Your Shadows.
Part 10.
She watched in hesitation and dread as Naruto threw his arm around Neji's edgy shoulders. Shoulders that are so tense as if he was in battle and his reproachful, angry gaze burned her conscious. Her beats became rapid, breathe faster and muscles ready to escape the upcoming wrath. It was as if her body knew she should flee but she was nailed to the spot with fear.
"You're lucky that we still hadn't eaten the cake yet."
Neji twisted his neck to stare at the blonde. Studying him so thoroughly. Then fixed his white orbs back at her. "What flavor?" he asked her.
T o say that that she was surprised was an understatement. Who was he kidding, acting all tranquil. But as she stared at him as his body relaxed, shoulders dropped slightly and fist unclenched. She would have relaxed too, if she didn't know any better.
His eyes still had a hard edge in them.
"Oi, Hinata-chan." Naruto asked, looking worriedly at her. "Something's wrong?"
She gave him a little weak smile.
He gave her a knowing, teasing smile and poked Neji's ribs with the other hand that was still carrying the bags. "Maybe she just misses you, Neji."
She saw his fury explode. Something she hadn't witnessed in the last few months. He threw Naruto's arm off his shoulder and pushed him back. Caught of guard, the other tripped over a pair of slippers but hurried and pivoted himself by using the wall behind, dropping all the gift bags in his arm in the process. Anger dissolved his bewilderment and he frowned in annoyance.
"What the hell was that for?"
"You dare mock me? You think I'm stupid."
Back to confusion and uncertainty, "Mock you? What? What did I say?" When no body answered, Neji, too busy breathing out fire and Hinata has moved so fast to end of the entrance when she first realized that this was going to turn ugly. He frowned again. "Just what is he saying, Hinata?"
She took a step forward towards Neji, a hesitant one. She felt her fingers tremble as the brushed by her thigh.
"Neji, please…"
"What's with all the noise?"
She swirled around to find Kiba right behind her, with Sakura right on his toes. Sakura took a brief glance around the scene and placed her fist on her hips.
"Ok, Who killed whose father?"
It was a stupid question, regarding that both fathers were either unknown or had been dead for more fifteen years.
"Not funny, Sakura-chan."
"And they say I'm stupid." Kiba muttered.
"Oh, I was just trying to see how serious this is." She offhandedly, "With you men, its hard to tell a friendly clash from a 'I'll-kill-you-or-die-trying' sort of fight."
"Hinata, tell everyone to leave." Neji said a bit calmer than before.
Sakura gasped, "How rude."
"No insult intended, Haruno." He said.
"What? Tired? From a D-ranked mission?" She taunted. "You're getting rusty, Neji-senpai."
Hinata wished Sakura would stop trying to get him riled up more than he already is. "Sakura…" She pleaded.
"Fine, fine. I'll go tell the others that the party is over." She turned back in. "A shame no body had the chance to try the cake Ino-chan's made."
"You don't think its God's mercy?" Kiba suggested, trying to rid a bit of the tension.
Sakura laughter faded as she went inside.
"Well," Kiba said after a moments silence. "I'll be the first to leave."
"Do I stay to finish this? Whatever that is.." Naruto said, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall. As Kiba was wearing his shoes.
Neji dismissed him with a careless as he walked inside. They waited for a slam or a crash but it never came.
"He got it out of his system already?" Naruto mused.
"Sorry, Naruto-kun." Hinata sighed, more in relief than anything else.
"What was up his ass anyways?"
"He…We had a fight before he left. I thought he would have forgotten about it by now."
She was getting very good at lying to save face.
"You mean he's kicking us out cuz you had a lover's quarrel." Tenten exclaimed in annoyance. She had just walked back out to the entrance.
Hinata winced inwardly.Lover's indeed.
"Just thinking about those stairs makes my back ach." She continued.
"Sorry, Tenten."
"No worries, I'll just have Lee carry me down. And besides, we're already used to his insensitivity."
They were making him the bad guy?
If they only knew.
"Hanabi," She called, "see the others out for me, Ok?"
She didn't wait for a response and rushed inside, passing those who were still gathering their stuff. She knocked once before entering their room.
He was sitting on the edge bed, taking of his gear. With his forehead uncovered and feet bare. He was watching her as her untied the knot of his hand bandages. She suddenly realized that she didn't know what to say.
"Are they gone yet?" He asked, standing and taking of his vest, throwing it away.
"No, not all of them." She answered quietly. "How was the mission?"
"Babysitting genins is not hard." He said, grasping the hem of his black shirt and pulled it over his head. "I'm not rusty enough to not know when use a firm hand with a few brats."
Did that have a double meaning? Or was she just expecting insults to come hurling.
"The cake…" She said, in attempt to change the subject. She moved inside and leaned against the drawers, she was just tall enough to sit on it without taking her feet off the floor. "I asked Ino to make it plain. Since you didn't like chocolate much."
"How considerate."
She stiffened and curled her fingers on the edge of the drawers. He back was to her. he was stretching "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean at least we have a bit of consideration in this marriage. But not much though, because you didn't consider twice throwing a blow at my pride. playing with other men with my house being full of strangers."
She said nothing. Trying to figure out and take in what he was saying.
He stood in silence for a moment. Thinking. Shoulders dropped, back bent a bit and his hand still held his shirt to his side. His hair covered his face, preventing her from reading his feelings. His dejected form give clenched her heart into unbearable hurt.
"Neji…"
He turned a bit towards her, indicating he heard her whispered plea for his attention. She pushed herself of the drawers and walked to stand behind him. Hesitantly, she reached for his hand, felt him stiffen his hold on his shirt, but didn't let go.
"I'm sorry."
He twisted around and without giving her a warning he dominated her hold on his hand in a grip that almost grinded her fingers to powder. His other hand dug into her shoulder. He growled at her, imitating an animal.
"Do you even know what you're sorry for?"
Her fear-filled eyes stared at him. Pain tied her tongue to tight knots. She wasn't even aware he had backed her up until he slammed her not so gently on to a wall. She let out a loud moan as the breath was knocked out of her.
"Do you know why I'm angry?"
She tried to left her bent head to look at him and answer but was trying hard to breathe deeply so her old won't act up again. She felt him let go of her hand and moved his to cup her chin. She coughed twice, felt the blood beginning to gathered at the back of her throat and tears at the rims of her eyes. Her vision began to turn unfocused.
She saw his lips moving but couldn't hear what he was saying. She chocked and began to cough. "Please…never"
Please, forgive me. I never meant to…
She felt him give her a shake. He jerked her bloodied chin a bit to bring her back something of her sinking senses then let go of it. He slipped his hands under her arms and brought her down to sit on the floor. "…hurt."
Hurt you.
Her head settled against her shoulder. She was faintly trying to stay awake, refusing to surrender to sleep. There is till forgiveness to beg for, things to clear up and welcoming home.
She saw someone else move into her line vision. Feet. Feminine feet. She raised her eyes to see who is it. And saw her sister. Speaking. To her? maybe. But she couldn't make out what she was saying.
Her instincts screamed when she recognized the seal of her sister's hand.
And the darkness and horror of what would happen engulfed her.
TBC…