- Dreams of Summery Laze -
By habit, Sasuke would look to the southeast when the intruders would come to the house. He knew they came for a show, a scare, and he could only manage to give it to them when his eyes were set in the direction of where his family had died. Watery screams filled his chest, puncturing needles into his lungs, and the terror of it all was enough to put him into a growling, shaking frenzy. He'd leap from shadow to shadow, stalking the assholes that dared step foot into his terrain, and the only pleasure he ever felt came from the overwhelming fear in their eyes when they'd get a glance, or a whisper, of his torture. Sometimes, when he managed to get close without being noticed, he'd have to battle with the shattering need to wrap his hand around their neck and drag them into the past, where a boy with one arm fought for survival as crashing waves slammed the air out of his lungs.
Not once did he touch them.
He didn't want to take the risk.
But for years - was it six years? Seven? Ten? - he gave them exactly what they wanted. And it was the beginning of June, with the sun slowly peeking over the horizon, that he was about to do it again.
The second the wood of the porch creaked, he knew. Kakashi only came around breakfast, and even if he did, for some reason, show up early, he would have just waltzed in, as if he owned the place. But this intruder hovered on the porch, their weight shifting, causing the old floorboards to sing in protest. Sasuke already had himself bent in the corner between the staircase that led to the top floor and the front wall, pulling his hair over his right shoulder to keep it from sweeping into his face. The windows were cracked and dirty, not giving him a good look at whoever was on his porch. For all he knew, it could be a group of the fuckers who were messing around, destroying the already ruined property. But after a while of waiting and listening, the lack of noise told him either it was a very quiet group, or a single person.
What the hell were they waiting for?
Patience was not something he had much of, despite hiding out in a house for a decade. If they weren't going to come to him, then he'd go to them.
Tsking, frowning, growl already bubbling up in his throat, he left the corner, passed a few windows, and stopped in front of the door. His hand gripped the knob, and a passing thought wondered, if things had been different and he hadn't been practically starving himself for years, would he have been able to break the thing?
Did it really matter?
No.
What mattered was that this piece of shit needed to get off of his porch.
Sasuke nearly had the mind to throw the door open and scare the shit out of the intruder, but he knew he'd have to stay subtle to not warrant any more unwanted attention. Holding back a sigh, he slowly turned the knob and cracked the door open, making sure to avoid any noise in his actions.
No one.
That's what he saw, at first.
But then he looked down and -
Hi . . . nata?
He recognized her instantly. There was no mistaking it. Even with her eyes closed, he knew it was her.
But . . .
Why was she there?
Why was she lying on his porch?
And . . . and why did -
Something whispered past her lips. An agonized melody that he knew well. A pale hand lifted to grip at her chest, and he watched. What is she doing? A bit of him was nervous that she had found him out. Did Kakashi let something slip? But if that were the case, why was she doing nothing?
Something's wrong.
"I can't do that. I'll die."
Without warning, the past blasted through his skull, and he hissed and glared at the Southeast, at the glowing horizon. His left shoulder burned like Hell, and he was suddenly extremely pissed off. Who the hell did she think she was, showing her damn face and forcing those memories back on him, memories he had trained himself for years to forget!?
I won't let her see me.
He closed the door and turned, scowling.
If she sees me, I'll -
"Come on, heart." That quiet voice gripped him, pulled him back, stapled him to the floor. He couldn't move. He knew that voice. The one that shyly asked him to be her friend, the one that whispered about his loss, the one that made him feel like he had two arms.
The one that made him stay, no matter how much he wanted to leave and play soccer with Itachi again.
That was Hinata's voice, and it was as desperate as the day she had found him staring off at the docks.
"Just stop."
What?
And with those words, his heart did.
Because she said she was dying, and now -
And he had hated her just seconds ago, and had nearly left her on that porch, but now -
And - and - and sure he wanted to be dead and forgotten, but not her. Not Hinata. Hinata couldn't die. She had his arm. She made him stay. If she wasn't here, then all this time, all these years of loneliness, of pain, of fear, of guilt, of anguish, of thirst, of yearning - all of it would have been for - for -
Nothing!
"Hinata!"
He barely recognized his own voice, and it made every organ in his body curl. Spinning around, barely able to keep his balance, Sasuke slammed his shoulder into the door and yanked at the old knob. It wouldn't budge. Maybe if he had two arms, it would, but -
Fuck.
The weight of the world fell on his shoulders, and Sasuke was on his knees, barely breathing, like he and Hinata suddenly shared the same heart.
"Hinata, stop!" he screamed through the wood, though feeling like it did nothing but soak up his words.
Terror shot through his system. His shoulders hurt like hell. His chest hurt like hell. It was like that day all over again; like he was drowning, but this time not in water. And instead of his family being the ones in trouble, it was her, the one who forced him to remain on this fucking planet!
Giving up on the door, he moved to a nearby window, gripping the sill and lifting his torso up so that he could squint through. He made out her body, glowing in the red sunrise, still and frozen.
Was she dead?
Was he too late?
"HINATA!"
His eyes stayed on her, never to leave again, and never again did he look to the docks.
...
He was upstairs, laying in a cot.
Oh shit -
And then, he was downstairs, racing to the front door.
Don't tell me I'm -
He flung it open and found an empty porch.
"It's okay, Sasuke." A firm hand fell on his right shoulder, and he suddenly became aware of how out-of-breath he felt. Wobbling a bit, he leaned into the hand, and Kakashi moved closer, watching his face. "Hinata's coming when she always does. She's fine."
Words clung together and got stuck in his throat, and it was hard not to choke on them. Mute, he nodded, grabbed the knob, noticed the shake in his fingers, frowned, and closed the door on the awakening, aware world.
Epilogue
One year later ~
Once again, the Hyuga cottage was in havoc.
Because they were coming back. All of them. Temari, Kankuro, Gaara.
Shikamaru.
It was the beginning of July, and with the two older siblings finally out of university, they were now on the hunt for jobs. And what better place to get a job in boat mechanics than in Cassoday, right? It was May when the Hyuga family had gotten the news over the phone: Temari and Kankuro had gotten their Masters, and now they wanted to come back. To live there, they had mentioned, though the goal of it being in their own homes was set back to beyond the summer holiday. And as it was Hyuga hospitality, Hanabi and Hinata immediately worked on setting up spare rooms and beds, already thrilled at the prospect of the second half of their family coming back to stay.
As for Shikamaru, well -
It was no surprise he graduated and got his degree in aerospace engineering. With flying colors. Nor was it a surprise that it seemed that everyone from the moon and back wanted him, but he did what he often saw fit and simply followed the clouds to his next destination.
"And would you look at that," he had told Hinata over the phone one, late night, grin very apparent in his tone, "the clouds are takin' me to you."
...
11:00 in the morning, Hinata waited by the bus stop with her face in the sky, basking in the sunlight as her eyes danced along the roaming figures of white, wispy clouds. Next to her stood her cousin, who twisted his wrist to glance at his clock, nodding to himself and musing that the bus would be coming around soon. It had been a long wait, and though they had arrived just fifteen minutes ago, Hinata felt like years had passed, and it was tough to ignore the itch to jump in her spot. But she kept still, knowing no amount of twiddling or jumping or pacing would make the time go by any faster.
Yet, despite her best efforts, Neji seemed well aware of her state, and he smirked at her after pulling away from his watch.
"Four more minutes, Hinata," he said, glancing down the road that the bus would come from. "You can wait that long, can't you?"
Sure she could. But that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she didn't want to wait even a second more. Sighing, she bowed her chin slightly. "I reckon I'm just excited."
He managed a smile. "We all are."
And it was true. Hanabi was stoked to have more hands to help with the twins, and though she hid it well, Hinata knew her sister missed nagging on the siblings - especially on one in particular. And Neji, though he now had Kiba and sometimes Asuma to help on the farm, didn't have that subtle glow that he had a year back, when Temari was out there with him. And sometimes, when Hinata was at her garden, she'd expect to look over her shoulder to see Gaara by the porch, little Chiyo in hand.
They really had become something akin to family.
"Hinata." She was snapped out of her musing by the strong baritone of her cousin. Blinking, she looked at him, and he rolled a shoulder down the road. "There they are."
The bus was chugging down the road, and with every centimeter closer it got, Hinata found her heartbeat speeding up. By the time it had stopped in front of them, her heart felt like it could just fly out of her chest. But upon seeing them all race out of the bus, grinning and laughing, it slammed back against her ribs, and she nearly felt like crying.
"Oh, I knew it!" Temari laughed, wrapping her arms around Hinata's shoulders in a strong, almost bone-crushing hug. "I knew you'd start cryin'. Pay up, Kankuro!"
Still in the middle of dragging the luggage off the bus, Kankuro wiped at his forehead, making sure to leave his face-paint alone, and grumbled, "Fuck, Hinata, couldn't you have hold it in for a few more minutes? You just lost me ten bucks."
"Actually, Kankuro, it's twenty." That voice made every organ in her body buzz, and as she pulled away from Temari, she saw him at the top of the bus's stairs, grinning madly with a healthy flush to his cheeks. The stars in his eyes shimmered at the sight of her, and Hinata had to focus to keep her skin from glowing. "Ten for Temari, and ten for me."
The second his shoes met the pavement, she was in his arms, soaking up his body heat. "You bidded on me crying?" she asked into the collar of his shirt, ear pressed against his chest to hear the low laugh vibrating within.
"Temari started it," he said, pulling her away just enough to see her face. "I just went along for the easy money."
She smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to greet Gaara, who -
Wasn't . . . there?
"Wh-Where -"
"Oh!" Temari pulled away from the hug she was giving Neji to notice Hinata's questioning look. "He's coming on the two o'clock ferry. Gaara had to stay behind a bit to, well, help his friend get packed 'nd ready."
Oh, right. She'd nearly forgot that Gaara had been coming with his friend - Hinata assumed it was the one who had written him the note from last year. At first, there had been worry that they wouldn't have room in the cottage for another guest, but then Hinata realized that she wouldn't, exactly, be staying at the house anyways.
Because, well . . .
"Have you packed at all?" Shikamaru asked her as they moved to the side, allowing others to get on and off the bus. She nodded, and he sighed, though still looking a bit restless. "Did you pack sunscreen? An umbrella? Remember, it rains more in the city, and -"
"Don't worry," she said, taking his hand and giggling. "I remembered everything."
"Gawd, I can't believe y'all are leavin' tomorrow," Temari said, smiling. "I mean, we just got here. I only get to see ya for a day, and then you up 'nd leave us."
Shikamaru snorted as the bus shuddered and left. "It'll just be for the week."
"What I'm tryin' to say is that your ass is so impatient that you can't even -"
"Ten minutes." Everyone turned to Neji, who was once again looking at his watch. "Asuma 'nd Kurenai will be here with the car in ten minutes, so make sure everythin' is ready."
Temari frowned, puzzled about something, while Shikamaru tried to wipe away his blazing blush with a hand to his face. Even Kankuro seemed amused about something, and Hinata suddenly felt out of the loop.
"What -"
"Oh!" Temari was suddenly on her knees, pulling out a plastic bag from her suitcase. "Actually, that works fine. I have an interview here at 12:30, so I gotta get changed as soon as we get home."
Hinata gasped and came over to Temari's side, peering at the bag, which looked to have clothes inside. "You already scheduled an interview?"
"Yup!" Temari cheered, standing proudly.
"O-Oh, congratulations!"
"Don't congratulate her yet," Kankuro said, smirking, totally unfazed by the nast glare his sister sent him. "She's gotta get the job, first."
"What, you think I can't?"
"I'm just sayin' -"
"Kankuro, you are seriously two sentences away from me kickin' the shit out of you!"
And there it was - the teasing and poking that Hinata had, strangely enough, missed since they had left. Neji sighed and rubbed at his forehead, already preparing for whatever migraine their yapping may give him, and Hinata laughed and leaned into Shikamaru, already excited about everything to come from the future.
About seven months ago ~
Sometimes, when Hinata was really missing Shikamaru, and he was too busy with midterms or exams to call her, she'd go visit Asuma.
Not because they were essentially the same person, nor did they look totally similar (though, she would admit, they both had that down-to-earth, rugged handsomeness to them that just sent her spiraling at times), but because their mannerisms were so keenly alike that, at times, Hinata wondered how they weren't even remotely blood related.
Example 1: at the hospital, in the midst of Kurenai giving birth to their daughter, Asuma looked damn terrified.
And -
"Damnit," he hissed, pacing past Hinata to stare at the door that led to the parking lot, "I really should have brought a pack."
And he wanted to smoke. And somehow, that was so distinctly Shikamaru that, for a moment, Hinata had forgotten that she had been watching Asuma. Shifting in the hospital seat, not sure how to comfort the stressed man, Hinata twiddled her fingers and gazed at the door that led to Kurenai's room. There was groaning and yelling inside, with some calm talking in the background, and it was hard to not relate this to . . . past circumstances. Thankfully (or, maybe, it should be the opposite), Kurenai didn't want her husband to be in the room with her - "I ain't about to give birth and have to deal with you passin' out on me at the same time, so just stay in the damn hallway." - so Hinata had the pacing, blubbering man to keep her mind occupied.
"U-Um." Starting to get antsy, herself, Hinata tried to call out to him. "She'll be fine, Asuma. I promise."
He stopped for a second, nodding, humming. "I know, I know. But I just -" A shaky, tan hand ran through his hair, and his eyes scanned the outside world once again. "That's my wife in there, Hinata. And my daughter. There's no way I can stand still in a time like this." His hands flexed, and he cursed. "Shit. I really should have brought a pack."
Hand to her mouth, not daring to laugh in front of the anxious man, Hinata finally stood and walked over to him. She reached out and gripped his trembling hands, smiling when his head shot her way.
"You stopped for them," she said. "Do you really want to start again?"
He frowned, then tilted his head to the side as his shoulders fell. "I reckon you're right."
He really is just like Shikamaru.
The door to the room opened, and a nurse peeked out. "Everythin' went perfectly," she said. "Your daughter is beautiful and healthy, sir. Both of you can come in now."
Like lightning - no, something much faster - Asuma left the hallway, and Hinata was close behind him. Kurenai sat in her bed, holding her child, smiling at them both as they entered the room. "Asuma," she whispered as he came to her side, "she's beautiful." Hinata leaned forward to get a glance at the small, red face snuggled into Kurenai's chest, and she grinned. The man next to her, however, was dead silent. "Asuma?"
A thud, and some of the nurses squeaked as the giant man collapsed to the ground.
"Oh my God," Kurenai groaned, peeking over the side of the bed, "he still fainted."
And as the nurses fetched water for the passed out man, Hinata loomed by, wondering. I hope . . . Shikamaru doesn't do that.
Kankuro was not too fond of kids.
It was like that for a while - most, if not all, of his life, in fact. And, in most circumstances, he still had a strong annoyance with the little bastards.
But . . .
"Kaka!"
Sometimes, on rare occasions, he didn't 100% hate them.
...
Enra and Enma were . . . bigger . . . since the last time he saw them, which he supposed shouldn't be as much of a shock. It had been a year since he last saw them, and back then, they were no bigger than his forearm, wrapped in blankets with tufts of hair sprouting from their noggins. They were . . . well - not cute, because Kankuro refused to call goblins like them cute. But there was . . . some charm to them, he supposed.
But now, they were big, and standing, and . . .
"Oh my God!" he yelled upon stepping into the house, luggage crammed behind him. He hadn't even gotten a foot in when he heard little footfalls, and to his shock, he saw two, wild toddlers with haystacks of brown locks running at him, screaming his name. "H-Hanabi, they can walk!"
There was a booming laughter as Hanabi stepped out of the kitchen, snapping a towel over her shoulder, grinning as she watched him hastily bend down to grab the two kids, scared they might lose balance and break their little noses on the hard floor. "Of course they can," she said, rolling her eyes, "I told you that over the phone a week ago."
She had? He really couldn't remember. With two toddler wiggling in his arms, Kankuro struggled to push his stuff to the side so that the rest of the family could get inside. Asuma and Neji came in with the rest of the luggage, Temari quickly breezed past everyone with a bag in hand, muttering about getting ready for her interview, and Kurenai stepped inside with little Mirai slumbering in her arms. Hinata and Shikamaru were the last to walk inside, and Enra and Enma left momentarily to hug Hinata's legs before turning back to trap Kankuro.
"Good to see they remember ya," Asuma chuckled, patting his grandnephews' heads as he passed them. "They always get excited when the phone rings, always thinkin' it's you."
Kankuro rolled his eyes as he managed to get to his feet without hurting anyone. Hanabi, who had left the kitchen to show Kurenai the room with the extra bed for Mirai, snorted and called over her shoulder, "I think they like him more than their own momma."
...
About an hour later, things had finally settled. Kurenai and Hanabi were in the kitchen, making dinner and chatting about town gossip and childcare tips, while Hinata had left to go help Temari get ready for her interview. Neji and Asuma left for the pasture, and Shikamaru was napping on the porch, basking in the sun and enjoying the peace and quiet.
Not that he was really avoiding any noise, because the boys had settled down a good twenty minutes ago. Sat on the sofa with the television playing some sports game in the background, Kankuro was trapped between the two. Enma was snoozing on his lap while Enra quietly sat at his side, playing with his toys. Despite them being twins, they acted vastly different from one another, and Kankuro sighed as he moved some of Enma's wild hair out of his slumbering face.
"Kaka." Enra tugged at his sleeve as his bright, white eyes bowed to the blue sippy cup on the floor. "Wawa. Wawa."
Moving slowly, being sure to not disturb the sleeping twin, Kankuro bent over and grabbed the cup, handing it to Enra, who smiled before taking it. There was a small laugh, and Kankuro looked up to see Hanabi at the kitchen entrance, smirking.
"We've been tryin' to work on a new name for you," she said, leaning her shoulder against the wall. "They always sound like they're callin' you shit in Spanish."
The front door sprung open, revealing Neji and a sleepy-eyed Shikamaru.
"I like it," Neji said. "It's fittin'."
"Go to hell," Kankuro barked.
Enra's head shot up, and he pulled the sippy cup away from his mouth. "Hell," he said, then giggled as he kicked his feet off the side of the sofa. "Hell, hell, hell!"
Kankuro went pale, and Shikamaru and Hanabi burst out laughing.
"No, don't say that!"
...
"I've been tryin' to get them to say Uncle," Hanabi mentioned before turning back to the kitchen. "But they seem to have trouble with the 'u' sounds."
"Give 'em time," Kurenai said from somewhere within the kitchen. "They'll learn how to say it eventually."
A door in the hallway opened, and Temari and Hinata finally left the room. "Finally," his sister muttered, quickly walking to the door to pull on her shoes. "My hair was a bitch to deal with, but I'm done, now."
No one spoke after her. There was a sort of shocked silence in the air. Even Kankuro was at a loss for words. He's known her all his life, but not once could he remember a time where she dressed up so . . . nicely. Even with her interview with Asuma to get a job at the clock shop, she hadn't dolled herself up so much.
Perhaps sensing the tension in the room, Temari clicked the heel of her shoes onto the floor, making sure they fit snuggly, before looking up and staring at everyone. "What?" she asked, huffing. "Don't tell me you're all surprised."
Hinata was the first to break the silence. "You look beautiful, Temari."
"Yeah," Kankuro finally said, grinning. "I didn't think you could even do beautiful."
"Oh, if I weren't in a hurry, I would kick you so hard -"
Neji cut her off by handing her the purse she had left on the coat rack. "Don't forget this," he said.
"Oh!" Hanabi called before the door could even be opened for Temari to leave. "Before you leave - got any ideas as to what the boys she could call Kankuro?"
"Hmm?" Temari checked her reflection in the mirror by the door, perfected her hair, and then turned with a puzzled expression. "Let me think." Her eyes landed on him, then the boys, then Hanabi, and a mischievous grin came to her face - one that nearly stopped Kankuro's heart. "How about Da-ddy."
WHAT!?
And before he could even manage a word, Enra was already cooing it. "Dada, dada!"
"Stop!" he yelped, facing going from cold to blazing hot within seconds. "Oh, don't you dare start callin' me that, you demon!"
"I think it works," Hanabi said, grinning.
"What? No!"
Temari laughed, and even Neji chuckled as he opened the front door to let her leave.
Two weeks ago ~
"Neji."
He looked up from his book to see Hinata by the kitchen entrance, the cord of the phone curled around her index finger as she held it a few inches away from her ear.
"Shikamaru . . . wants to speak to you."
To say that he was surprised . . . wouldn't be true. Because he wasn't. Not at all, actually. But it did baffle him slightly with how long the bastard took. Clicking his tongue, he slid his bookmark between the pages before placing his book on the sofa. He stood and came to his cousin's side, taking it from her gently as he glanced at the green numbers on the oven's clock.
"It's the boys' bedtime," he told her. "Help Hanabi with them."
When she left, he sighed and brought the speaker to his mouth. "Go ahead."
"Tell Hinata -"
"Already did." Frankly, it was a bit insulting that Shikamaru hadn't already assumed as much, but Neji kept to himself. "Go ahead."
A small pause on the other end of the line, and Neji smirked in the dim light of the kitchen. "Well," Shikamaru started after clearing his throat, "since we're both well aware of it, I'll just ask you directly." Shuffling on the other side, the kind that just screamed that he was nervous. Neji's smirk morphed into a wicked grin. "Are you alright with it?"
"You don't need my permission," he said, forcing indifference into his tone, if only to get more of a reaction out of the Nara. "I'm not her father."
"You might as well be." It was a distant mutter that Neji wasn't sure he should hear, but it amused him, nonetheless. Another cleared throat from Shikamaru, and then he spoke more clearly into the phone. "Just answer the damn question."
Impatient boy. "How will you go about it?"
"I asked her if she wanted to visit the city. Answer the question."
"I wasn't referring to that, Nara, and you know that."
"I don't know! Whatever she wants. Cassoday, across the river, somewhere else completely - we'll get there when we get there!"
"What about your job -"
"Neji!" Shikamaru all but screamed into the speaker. "Can I or not!?"
It was his turn to draw out the silence as he scanned the room, wondering how it would look with one less Hyuga. Not as well. Definitely not. But he knew it wasn't his right to decide, especially after all those years of him keeping her home for the sake of her safety. Hinata now had to spread her wings, and he . . . wasn't about to deny her that. Not anymore.
"The city, huh?" he said with a snort. "Lovesick dumbass."
And with that, he ended the call and left to help his cousins.
He felt like a stranger as he waited on the docks, hair left out of its usual, low ponytail to dance in the slight breeze. Perhaps because he did not leave the property as often as his little cousins - or, more to say, at all. Neji Hyuga was something of an enigma in Cassoday, but he didn't mind it much. The town was full of the sort.
But now, as he squinted through the blazing sunlight, keenly aware of the multiple, flittering stares he gained from passing townsfolk, his irritation began to grow. Lips pulling into a bit of a sneer, he flashed a glare over his shoulder. The people saw his warning and snapped away, blushing and whispering as they scuttled past, and he huffed and crossed his arms and turned back to the dock.
Only three more minutes of aggravating stares and fish-scented wind passed, and then, finally, he saw her. Temari. She strutted down the dock, a bit of a fog surrounding her face, and she barely avoided anyone who passed her. Frowning, Neji pushed off the railing and met her halfway, catching her eye.
"Oh, Neji . . . ."
Never once had he heard such a far off tone from such a stubborn, loud woman, and a needle of worry sunk into his chest. "Well?" he asked, gaze flickering over her shoulder to stare at the building she had just left.
A crinkling sound came to the tense air. Temari held up a paper, stared at it, blinked, and then color came to her face as realization seemed to settle. "I got it," she whispered, then grinned. "I got the job!"
Shoulders relaxing, he turned and led the way back home, pursing his lips to keep himself from grinning as she practically danced in victory behind him. "You shouldn't be surprised," he said, voice level as they made their way to the bus stop. "You had all the credentials they needed. You live nearby. Your resume is remarkable. I don't see any reason why they'd even consider denyin' you."
Her left elbow knocked his shoulder playfully as she met his pace. "Oh, let me celebrate, you loon!"
They got to the bus stop and sat on the bench to wait. Temari carefully folded her paper into her purse before stretching her arms over her head and sighing. "So? How was everyone without me?" she asked, smirking. "Kankuro cut off his hand or something?"
"He's in his twenties, Temari," he told her, clicking his tongue. "Both of your brothers can handle themselves when you ain't around."
She chuckled. "Can they? Kankuro almost burned down the house, once, when I had left to go get eggs. He was twenty-two, then. And Gaara - just a month ago, he got lost in the city. Again. And we've been livin' there for nearly six years now." She shook her head and tapped her manicured nails along the skirt of her black dress. The heels of her dress shoes clicked against the asphalt as she crossed her legs, and Neji glanced down the street, still a bit unused to her looking so dressed up. "And you can't tell me your lil cousins ain't the same."
He groaned as thousands of memories of Hanabi wreaking havoc and Hinata giving him a heart attack came to mind. "You have no idea."
"I'm sure," she said, bending her neck a bit to get a look at the road. Off in the distance, they saw the bus approaching, and they both stood and prepared for it. "How Hinata used to be - y'know, with her heart 'nd all - I figure it must have been rough. For everyone - but especially for you."
What is she getting at? He gave her a look, trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind her words, but her face was tilted away, and he couldn't read anything off of her expression. "I suppose," was his slow, curious reply. "But I don't understand the concern."
Her wild, green eyes flashed his way as the bus screeched to a stop before them. So caught up, they nearly forgot to get on the bus. But then the driver called to them, and Neji grumbled and climbed inside and sat in the front row, Temari settling next to him. The doors closed, and the bus shuddered into a lagging speed. Children cackled from behind, and parents whispered, and for a while, that was all there was.
Then -
"Can't I be concerned?" Again, it was that small tone that was so strange on her tongue. Neji turned her way, watching as she glared at her knees. "Even if I don't act it much, I am still a woman." Their eyes met, and Neji didn't have to search to understand the hidden meaning behind that statement. It was quite obvious. "And sometimes women are concerned about little things. Insignificant things."
He nodded. She didn't have to tell him these things - he already knew. In more ways than one, Temari reminded him of himself. A strong, older sibling who would only share their concerns and worries when in the safety of solitude. They both took on the role of a guardian at an early age - her, he supposed, at a much younger age than he, for he remembered her stories of their bastard father when they were out on the fields together. And because of that role, they hid much and worried lots, and it was . . . straining.
Ah. Things began to piece together. So that's it.
Settling back into the cushion of the seat, he crossed his arms and decided to do the impossible. "My uncle knew my father would die." Share without solitude.
Her head snapped up, and she gawked. "What? How?"
He gave a small shrug. "Dunno. They always were close - closer than any other sibling duo I knew. Sometimes, it felt like they knew exactly what the other was doing, or about to do, or would eventually do, without even bein' in the same room." When he had been younger, he used to think it was because they were twins. Now, he wasn't so naive. "Two days before my uncle died, he told me all he could about Hinata's condition. About her heart, her anxiety, her depression. He told me if she wasn't careful, she'd die. And . . . and he never told my father, because he knew, eventually, he'd die, and I would be the one takin' care of her."
Brows burrowing, lips scowling, Temari hummed to herself. "But why?" she asked, tone sharp. "You were too young to know that burden."
Neji shook his head and turned back to the window, seeing the outline of Cassoday in the distance. "I never cared about that," he said. "I just wanted to make sure Hinata was alright. Even if she hated me for keeping her home, I didn't care." Facing her, he gave a small smile, letting her know he was being genuine. "But now she's better, and she can finally see what's beyond Cassoday, and I've never been happier."
Temari matched his smile for a moment, then rolled her eyes and slapped his arm. "Christ, Neji, I was just wonderin' if you were holdin' up fine. Didn't need your life's story." That smile twisted into a knowing smirk, and her eyes twinkled. "Y'know, when they get to the city tomorrow, he's gonna propose to her."
He rolled his eyes at her weak attempt to get under his skin. "I'm aware, Temari."
"And you're okay with that?"
Gaze dropping onto her, settling with a bit of heaviness behind it, he asked, lowly, "Are you?"
The question must have caught her off guard, for she blinked wildly as a flush came to her cheeks. He didn't bother to hide his smirk as she scowled. "Come on," she all but growled, "you know how I feel about it." It was true. He did. He just wanted to see if she'd admit it. "As long as they're both happy, I ain't sayin' nothing about it."
Agreeing, but not totally satisfied with the answer, Neji leaned forward and tilted his head her way. "Mmm. Considerate, for a woman." Temari narrowed her eyes and huffed, sticking her nose in the air, and even if he wanted to, Neji couldn't wipe the smirk off of his face. "To answer your question - yes, I'm fine with it. The only concern I have is the amount of women I'll have to scare away at their wedding. That Shikamaru will be leaving a trail of broken hearts behind, and I don't want Hinata to have to deal with the lot of 'em."
The bus slowed and huffed to a stop, surprising him slightly. He hadn't realized they were already in town. They both stood, and Temari slipped into the aisle and allowed him to move in front of her. "Not a trail," she had practically whispered into his back as they made their way to the door, "just one."
"Ah," he hummed, stepping down the stairs and hopping onto the concrete below, "well that's good." He turned and held out his hand for her, and she wobbled and stared for a moment, clinging onto the metal rail, before slowly taking his hand and coming down to meet him. When they were both out, she moved, as if expecting him to let go of her instantly, but he did the exact opposite and held her tighter.
Pink came to her face - a rather attractive shade, at that. "Neji -"
"If it's just one," he said, grinning charmingly, "then that just makes my job a lot easier."
A year ago, after the birth of the twins ~
Kiba Inuzuka was not too pleased to start off his morning with the red headed freak and his witch of a sister on his porch. And it was even more maddening to find Shino right there next to them, clearly the one who helped them find his house in the first place. Groaning, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him to make sure Akamaru didn't get out; but he kept his grip tight on the knob, just in case the bastard decided to throw more knives his way.
"What the hell do you want?" he barked, glaring at them all, though putting more venom into his gaze when his sharp eyes landed on the freak.
His sister nudged the boy's shoulder, and he blinked at her. "Go ahead," she said, nodding her head Kiba's way, "apologize to him."
Thrashing eyes looked back at him, and Kiba leaned against the door, ears perked and ready. "I'm sorry," the boy said with absolutely no emotion whatsoever.
Kiba sneered, "Get the hell off my property."
Shino moved, but before he could get a word out, the blonde gave a sharp look to her little brother. "Try again," she said, crossing her arms. "Say it like Hinata would."
The boy's eyes narrowed, more so in thought than irritation, and he cocked his head to the left. A moment passed, and then his eyes, somehow, brightened before (shyly?) bowing to the ground. "I'm . . . sorry." And the quiet apology that followed after made Kiba fear for his life.
His sister, however, seemed pleased, and patted him on the back. "See, he apologized." Her wild gaze landed on Kiba, expectation burning practically burning his skin. "So stop treating him like a freak." What the hell? Kiba thought, seconds before he was, once again, pinned to the wall. Only this time, it was by a very attractive woman who looked like she might bite him at any second. And, if Kiba was being completely honest, he really wouldn't mind if she did. "And if you don't - by God, I will hunt you down, Inuzuka, and rip that damn tongue of yours out of your gaping mouth. Do. You. Understand. Me?"
Left speechless (for many reasons), all he could do was nod, and she moved away and quickly left with her brother at her side. Kiba watched them leave, and once he was sure they were out of earshot, collapsed to the ground.
"Holy shit," he breathed, "I'm in love."
Shino's mouth twisted in disgust as he stared him down. "She just threatened your life - and her brother tried to kill you yesterday."
"Frankly, Shino, I don't give a damn."
Shaking his head, Shino left his friend on the porch. "And you call me the freak."
When Gaara arrived, he immediately went to the garden.
"She's here. Both of them."
Hinata's head instantly snapped up, and she looked over her shoulder to see him and an older lady with thin, white hair. Standing, tugging off her garden gloves, Hinata gave a kind smile. "You must be Gaara's friend. My name is -"
"Hinata," the woman said, matching her smile. "I know. I've heard much about you."
Blushing, she turned to greet Gaara, but he was already bent over the garden, searching swiftly for any arachnids in sight. The sight of him there brought so much nostalgia, and Hinata swayed a bit, caught off by such a sensation. Over the lady's shoulder, she saw that Ino, Choji, and the Naras had arrived. She greeted them warmly, and they waved at her and showed off the food they had brought for supper before entering the house. When Hinata turned back, the woman was chuckling.
"Guests coming tonight?"
Hinata nodded. "Yes. Many. We're havin' a grand suppa, and it would warm me if you'd join us." She eyes the luggage that Gaara had been carrying before he left for the garden. "Ah, well, if you ain't too tired, of course."
"Oh, I'll be fine," the woman chortled. "I may not look it, but I've got a young spirit in me."
Laughing and nodding, Hinata said, "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask for your name."
White hair swayed in the wind, and she tucked it behind her ears before answering, sweetly, "It's Chiyo, dear."
Wait.
Ch-Chiyo . . . ?
And not a second more, Gaara was standing, hands cupped in front of him. He turned to them, totally oblivious to Hinata's pale face, and offered his hands to Chiyo. "Here she is," he said, "the other one I was tellin' you about."
His hands opened up, and inside was little Chiyo, skittering about, none the wiser to the switch of expressions on her human counterpart's face. Dread filled Hinata's stomach as she watched that kind, wrinkled face go from smiling to gaping within seconds.
"Oh." That, for a while, was all that could be said. But the look Gaara had clearly showed he expected more, and thus, Chiyo gave a strained smile. "A spider. She seems . . . lovely, Gaara."
The color in his eyes brightened and danced, and Hinata was almost sure she saw him smile. "They're our friends," he said, gesturing to Hinata, who offered the startled woman a sheepish smile, "and they help the garden." Twirling on his heels, he bent down and gestured for Chiyo to do the same. "I'll show you."
The woman's face, somehow, went paler, and Hinata was trying to dig up something to help her out, but -
"HEY! HINATA!"
Everyone's faces shot up, and Gaara quickly stood at the sound of Naruto's loud greeting. Walking up the hill, just a bit away from the front yard's entrance, was Naruto and his father, Iruka, and right on their heels was Sasuke and Kakashi, who did not seem to share the same reverberating enthusiasm as their friends. Hinata sighed in relief and waved at their approaching figures, and Gaara moved closer to Chiyo, and whispered, "That's the one I was telling you about. The glowing man."
Chiyo squinted her eyes, then smiled. "Isn't he a handsome boy," she mused. "Both of them are."
At that, Naruto laughed and wrapped an arm around Sasuke's shoulder. "See, bastard? I told you the haircut was a good idea!"
But Sasuke looked the complete opposite of pleased at the news. Shoving the blond away, he gave a suspicious peer at the older lady. "I'm not into older women," he spat, which earned him a knock in the back of the skull by Kakashi.
"It's been a year. You'd think spendin' so much time with Hinata would help you learn some manners."
"They both haven't changed one bit," Iruka said with the shake of his head. "Both stubborn and completely useless with women."
At that, Kakashi laughed and patted his shoulder. "Unlike us, old friend."
"Cheers to that!"
"Hinata," Sasuke muttered, taking control of her left arm to force her to come to his side, "if you don't get me away from him, I swear, I'll kill him."
And with that, he dragged her to the porch, a miffed Naruto on their heels. Watching this all transpire before her, Chiyo slowly turned back to Gaara. "Is it," she started, trying to find the right words, "usually this . . . exciting?"
And Gaara just blinked. "Hinata's a very exciting person."
...
Asuma and Kurenai had to bring their own dining time to the Hyuga cottage - and even then, Kankuro still had to sit on the ground with the twins to eat. A thing he called "absolutely degrading", but even as Hinata willingly offered her seat, Kankuro didn't budge even a centimeter as Enra and Enma crowded around him to eat their applesauce. Aside from him, of course, everyone else had a wonderful time at the dinner table, chatting and laughing over rolls, mashed potatoes, and steak (which, yes, Kiba did tear into like a dog, no matter how many dirty looks Shino or Neji shot him).
"Look," he had told them, barbecue sauce dripping down his chin. Hinata literally had to clamp her hands together to keep herself from reaching over with a napkin to clean his face. "Let me just enjoy the damn food."
Across from him, stuck between Temari and Kurenai, was Hanabi, who looked away from her boys to flash their messy guest an approving grin. "If my cooking's that good, I don't see a problem with it!"
A chortle passed the table, and Neji began to relax his glare, when -
"Oh my God - Gaara!"
Temari's shriek caught everyone's attention, and they all looked at the small, blazing man, who had the exact same face of Kiba with nearly twice the amount of food in his mouth. Chiyo had a hand to her mouth, and Hinata felt like she could faint.
Upon seeing the looks he was gaining, Gaara sat straight, chewed for a while, then narrowed his eyes. "Stop."
Temari rubbed at her temples, exhaling deeply. "You're making a mess, Gaara." She moved to stand and walk to him, but Hinata, who was by his side, already beat her to it by swiping the napkin off her lap and taking his face in her hand to wipe the guck off of it. Smiling, Temari sat back in her chair. "What's gotten into you? I've never seen you eat that way before."
Pulling away from Hinata slightly, he cocked his head in Kiba's direction. "Hanabi said -"
"You!" Temari slammed her fist on the table, and Kiba quickly gulped down whatever steak he had left, blushing madly. "Stop teaching my brother how to be a pig!"
"What!?" Kiba yelped. "How is this -"
The sound of a plate drooping on wood once again brought a still silence to the table. The first thing everyone noticed was the wide-eyed horror on Kakashi's face, and after that, the art Sasuke was creating upon his face as he carelessly shoved potatoes and steamed vegetables into his mouth. And just like Gaara, once he was finished, he looked up with absolutely no acknowledgement to his mess.
Aside from a small "Oops", of course.
"Sasuke Uchiha," Kakashi muttered, shaking his head, "what the hell are you -" He took a momentarily pause in his muttering when Hinata rounded the table to start wiping at his face. He caught sight of those dark, Uchiha eyes dancing with victory, looked over his shoulder to find a very peeved Shikamaru, and sighed. "Ah. I see now."
"Welp!" Naruto yelled, pulling the entire bowl of mashed potatoes his way. "If that's how it's going to be, then I ain't holdin' back!"
Suddenly, the entire table was full of grotesque gobbling and mouths full of food, and the twins giggled at the sight of them all. Neji sat back in his chair, clearly having given up on trying to keep manners at the table, and rolled his eyes as he watched Temari shrug and join in with the gigging in. Naruto and Choji seemed to have gotten themselves into an eating match, and even Yoshino and Ino seemed to lean a bit away from their etiquette to chow down.
Standing, swaying, Hinata pulled her napkin to her, overwhelmed by the sight at her table. A hand pulled her back to her seat, and when she finally snapped out of her gawking, she saw Shikamaru grinning at her with a bit of gravy on his lips. Laughing, she wiped his mouth and kissed him.
Eleven months ago ~
It took years of practice and training, but Naruto's ears were very keen to everything. Everything. He heard it all. The whisper in the wind, the songs of the trees, the thick baritone of the brick walls in his apartment. He heard the pained wails of scars, the shuddering whispers of broken bones.
He heard Hinata's heart -
"You can't do shit to me, bastard."
And it was unlike anything he ever heard before.
As in . . . unlike the torn skin that buried him in gratitude as he stitched it together, or the green bruise that hummed in wonder as he healed it, her heart was very . . . well . . . .
"That won't do anything to me, asshat."
Rude.
"Ah, u-um, Naruto. Are you okay?"
Blinking, his gaze found hers, and he pulled his hands away from her skin and gave a nervous laugh. "Yeah, totally!" It's been two weeks since he had begun to work on her heart, pulling out all the gunk and decay from the arteries and fixing any strain it may have. Two weeks of hearing the shit talk, the belittling, the snarkiness. It still surprised him that someone so sweet like Hinata could have a heart so, damn crude. "Just got distracted for a second. Heh."
"Yeah, cuz a distracted doctor is exactly what's gonna heal me up."
"That's fine," Hinata said, smile reassuring. "Take your time. Let me know when you need a break."
"Just give it up. Your wastin' both of our time."
Smile strained, he went back to work, focusing as much as he could.
"Go away. Let us suffer."
Focus, Naruto.
"I like it better when I hurt."
Ignore it, and nothing will go wrong.
"Are you deaf, motherfucker? Take your shitty powers and shove them up your damn ass!"
"Hinata!" he screamed, hobbling back. "Do you kiss Shikamaru with that mouth!?"
Her eyes were wide, and her face was red. "Wh-Wh-What?"
Realizing his mistake, Naruto grinned nervously and bowed his head in a sheepish apology, unable to ignore her heart's snickering.
Shikamaru Nara was many things.
A genius, a slacker, a cloud mover; a clockmaster and a time-stopper. A son, a friend, and a boyfriend.
He was also nervous. Terribly nervous. There was sweat gathering in his palms and along the brim of his temples, despite the cool, moist wind blowing against his face. The twist in his stomach was almost unbearable, and not simply because of his motion sickness.
Though, well, he was sure it added to it.
"Remember, Shikamaru; eyes on the horizon."
"R-Right." He had to clear his throat and keep his gaze away from her, knowing his resolve would shatter into a million pieces by just a glance of her gorgeous, absolutely oblivious expression. Oh, God, stop thinking about it! "It's kinda hard to, though, when the sun's in the way."
His eyes squinted and dipped to the dark waters below. It was sunset, and they were on one of the last ferries of the day. Months before, Shikamaru had planned it all out perfectly so that by the time they reached the city, it was dark, and Hinata could enjoy the sights. But in all his planning, he forgot one, key detail: his motion sickness. Now he was trapped between burning his eyes out or hurling up his entire stomach, unable to face any other direction due to the tens (of millions) of other passengers trying to get a good look at the beautiful sunset.
"O-Oh." Hinata moved a bit closer to him, tilting forward to get a look at his face. "Will you be alright?"
Giving a curt nod, he said, "We'll be on the other side soon." Hopefully. "I'll be fine."
She moved even closer, leaning a bit into him, hand finding his to hold. His stomach bounced, and he had to count his breaths.
"Tell me about the constellations."
Were he not feeling absolutely terrible, he would have laughed. He's sure he's told her about them nearly fifty times, now. There was nothing new for her to learn, but whenever she asked, he couldn't deny her anything.
But this time . . . well, he knew she was trying to distract him, so he played along. Chin tilting up, he glanced away from the blinding horizon for a moment to see if he could find any stars in the darkening sky. There were a few shining through, and he lifted a hand to point them out.
"Those two stars there are apart of Andromeda, the chained woman."
A mere hour ago ~
It was almost like he went back in time to a year ago, when everyone was sending him and the siblings off, wishing them luck on their last year of university. Only . . . this time, it was him and Hinata, and they were wishing him luck on something else entirely.
"Are you sure you have it?" Asuma had dipped by to ask him quietly as Neji helped Hinata pull her luggage out of the bus and onto the dock. "You didn't lose it, did you?"
Sneering, Shikamaru pulled away. "Hell no. Who the hell do you think I am?"
Asuma shrugged, and Kurenai laughed as she patted Mirai's back. "He's askin' because he lost his twice." Her cheeks bloomed with color as she got lost in nostalgia. "I still can't forget to look of utter dread on your face, dear."
Next to them stood his parents. His mother worked hard to hide the tears in her eyes by tugging at his shirt and hair, dusting his shoulders and picking at strands of hair. "Now, you call me," she hissed, hand coming to his face to wipe at his mouth. "You call me and you tell me exactly what happens. Immediately. Not a minute should pass."
"Yoshino," his father sighed, tapping her shoulder. She glared at him, shuffled, then sighed and moved away from her son. Shikamaru gave him a grateful look, and Shikaku grinned. "Don't be nervous. She's obviously going to say yes."
"You mean Hinata?" Temari pulled herself into the conversation, got one look at his pale face, and barked with laughter. "You can't be serious, Shikamaru. Cold feet already? You ain't even in the city yet!"
Her voice was booming, and he glanced over his shoulder, praying Hinata hadn't heard her. "Wanna be any louder, Temari?"
Snorting, she slapped his back, and he winced. "Get over yourself, coward. Things will be fine."
"I think it's perfectly fine to be nervous," Choji, off to the side, mentioned as he and Ino gathered around him with the rest of the group. "I was nervous, too. Just don't let the nerves do the talkin', and wait for the right time. Don't rush things."
Shikamaru nodded and moved to thank him, but Ino was quick to interrupt.
"My advice? Make sure she actually knows you're proposing to her." She twittered to herself as she curled a finger in her blonde ponytail. "Don't make this the ferry date all over again."
At that, both she and his mother cackled, and Shikamaru groaned, sinking back into a state of nervousness.
The city, as expected, was brilliant. Bright, colorful, moving - it was like it got all pampered up for her - or so Shikamaru had convinced her. And once she was there, in the middle of sounds and lights and life, she didn't want to leave. Even the thirty minutes they spent unpacking in Shikamaru's small apartment was near torturous, and Hinata made sure to do most of her work near the window.
When he suggested they go out for a late supper, she agreed immediately, and for the next few hours, they were basking in the city life. There was so much to see and gawk at - she wondered if a week was enough to visit everything; every building, every park, every nook and crevice -
"We're here."
The building before them was small - compared to the rest of the city, at least. Were it in Cassoday, however, it could have been a third of her middle school. Humming in wonder, she read the dim sign above the door, and peeked inside the dark windows. "This is where you work?"
"Yup." Shikamaru twirled the keys to the store along his index finger, then plugged it into the door's knob, a click quickly following after. "Come with me."
She paused, wondering if it was alright, but he was already inside before she could mention her concerns. Moving to the doorway, she peeked inside the building, heard the stampede of ticking inside, and walked inside.
The lights weren't on, but she could still see the many, pale faces of the clocks glowing in the moonlight. Joining Shikamaru in the middle of the room, she turned around, looking at every wall and corner, at all the different clocks she saw. Grandfathers, pendulum, digital, quartz -
"You like it?"
Like was not even close to what she was feeling, but she couldn't think of a better word at the moment, so Hinata simply nodded. "It's amazing," she whispered.
They stood for a while, swaying along to the ticking. He stepped to her left side, hand curled along the back of his neck, and his eyes, luminous in the streams of pale glow through the windows, raced this way and that. Was he scared of something? She couldn't imagine what.
Maybe . . . he still feels a bit sick from the boat.
Musing, she asked, "How long have you worked here?"
"About five summers." His voice was distant and quiet. He didn't . . . sound sick. "Though I reckon this will be my last one."
Right. He graduated, so he didn't need to work here anymore. "To get a new job, right?"
"That, and . . . well, the owner decided to move it to a different location." His right shoulder rolled towards the wall of clocks they were facing. "People here don't have much need for older clocks like these. They have their phones, or digital ones." A weight came to her, and she turned to find that he was, finally, looking at her. "So he decided to move it to Cassoday."
Cassoday? Her Cassoday. It was moving there?
"You told him to do that, didn't you?" Again, Shikamaru looked away, and that was all Hinata needed to know she was right. "How did you convince him?"
A pause.
"It was easy," he managed eventually, "because he's me."
Wait.
Her head spun around, seeing everything in a new light.
"Sh-Shikamaru," she whispered, "you own this store?"
"Yeah."
He rose a hand, snapped his fingers, and suddenly, the room was full of music, of ticking, of cooing birds and bells. Hinata squinted through the dark, and upon seeing two hands stuck on the twelve on a grandfather clock, realized that every minute, every step, every glance they took had all been calculated by Shikamaru.
"And . . . y'know . . . ." So caught up in everything, Hinata barely noticed his warm hand slipping something on her left ring finger, "it could be ours . . . if you want."
...
This must be . . . what he wanted to talk about to Neji on the phone.
Everything was coming together in her head; all the clues and pieces that had been planted in her head since day one, when little Shikamaru had thrown his ball away to, instead, play Go with her. Looking back, it was all so obvious, and Hinata couldn't shake the smile off her face as she rubbed her thumb along the ring and listened to the ballad of No Time.
"O-Okay."
And when it all stopped, so did Shikamaru's balance, and he fellt to the ground, exhausted and panting.
"Shit, Hinata," he breathed, skin damp with sweat, "you didn't have to wait four years to answer me."
Laughing, she knelt next to him, and lit the room with her glow. He gave her a tired smile as she held his face, rubbing the strain out of his cheeks. "I'd kiss you," she whispered, "but it's not No Time."
His laugh was airy. "Tease."
And his kiss was soft and taking up her entire world.
Like clouds.
End