The Naruto boy came on time just as promised. Neji was unable to return the haori, overhearing some of the lesson by mistake. Gaara's soft voice repeating words after him and being praised for it. Only listening in, he knew Naruto would become the official tutor. Gaara had not cooperated or talked to anyone else. So he let them continue the lesson and went about his own work.
With the boy staying up all day learning and Neji becoming swamped with work, he didn't get to see the boy often. Even their meals together were either short or skipped. Strangely, Neji didn't even realize that there was no reason to continue these meals together. He didn't have to keep going out of his way. The boy was eating well on his own now and no longer required Neji's food testing to eat, yet he still made an effort to eat together when he could.
Days went by, Neji facing a new problem/ opportunity. The illness that had been spreading from village to village had hit a town a couple of days away. It was just on the outside of his territory and on the edge of collapsing due to poor management. If he went, he could save the village and expand his territory in one go.
This was where dealing with Kishimoto weeks ago had come in handy after confiscating all the medicine and supplies from him. Kishimoto's poor decision would help Neji expand his power and influence at little cost to himself.
Neji prepared for the trip while dealing with the Kurenai problem. He decided to let her run the town for him for a while, keep her out of the public eye and let things calm down. He knew she felt like it was a demotion, but there was not much he could do but wait if she wanted to keep her position. She didn't fight the decision. Accepting it with dignity, and not much else. She was a fiery woman full of spirit, and seeing her subdued, it just made Neji want to find the culprit for it even more.
Neji rolled his head, cracking his neck. The cracks felt quite cathartic. He had been cooped up in his office for too long. He never considered himself someone who dealt with paperwork. He was a warrior, and yet he spent most of his time indoors these past decades. His train of thinking stopped. Perhaps he shouldn't call himself a warrior. He had brought disgrace to the word over the years.
Shrugging off his haori, which Haru took, Neji loosened up his shoulders. There was a training area on the property. It was near the shadow guard quarters where they slept and trained. The area was nice with the ground level and mostly made of dirt. It made sword and martial arts practice ideal. Natsu came forward with his sword, something he used to never be without. Yes, warrior would no longer be an accurate name for him.
Picking up his sword, feeling the familiar weight in his hand once again, his mindset shifted. It was an instantaneous shift. Calm. Serenity. Stillness. All the discipline of years of fighting came back with the sword in his hand. He drew out the blade in one swift motion, dropping the scabbard.
He could see his enemy in front of him. A tall muscular body with an easy atmosphere approaching him in a casual manner in his mind's eye.
300 years and still his appearance was as clear as day. The way he walked, the way he drew his sword, the way those amber eyes would pin him down from across a field.
Bloodlust filled his being. When a sword was drawn, it was meant to kill. He took his first stance, imagining his brother taking a casual one of his own.
What's with that face, brother? You look like you want to kill me.
Neji's grip tightened around the hilt. With a strong push-off, he made the first move. His brother only partially drew his blade blocking the attack.
You do want to kill me, he would say amused, drawing the rest of his sword from the scabbard while pushing Neji back.
That's how Neji trained. Imagining his brother fighting against him. Every move his brother would make, every counter, every dodge. His brother had always been faster, stronger, more cunning. He would sometimes play dirty, saying honor meant nothing if you were dead. His lenient way of fighting, always at ease while Neji went at him with everything he had.
Even in these simulations, he would never win. It was like every time he thought of a counter, his imaginary brother would evolve, finding a counter to it. Perhaps it was because in his mind, his brother had always been unbeatable. Always perfect. Always unpredictable. While this simulation sparring helped him improve, it also added to his growing belief that if they ever met again, his brother would kill him on a one on one duel.
The snapping of a twig, distracted Neji, turning his bloodlust on the intruder, stopping the blade at Gaara's neck.
Realizing his mistake, Neji immediately lowered his weapon and reeled in his murderous intent. "Gaara-san, is something wrong?" The boy rarely left his room, and this place was quite a distance away from the main building. What would bring him out so far, so late? He even brought a lantern with him to light his way.
The boy wasn't afraid or even startled that a sword had been at his neck seconds before. Though, the boy did seem a bit anxious when he set down his lantern. Suddenly he bowed, arms glued to his side and bowing way too far as if he was about to ask for forgiveness. "Nice to meet you. I am Gaara, son of Rasa. I am 19 years old. Please take care of me." The boy immediately straightened his back, looking every bit as awkward as every foreigner Neji had ever seen.
The sudden introduction took Neji by surprise. The boy's eyes were intense as if waiting for judgment, Neji's assessment. Was he supposed to be the grader?
Neji smiled a little. The boy's accent was thick and awkward, something that normally grated on his nerves, but it was cute coming from the boy who was still waiting for his judgment. It appeared the boy finally learned how to properly introduce himself, though it was still wasn't in keigo form. He would talk to Naruto about that, but for now, he bowed elegantly, "I am Hyuuga Neji. Please take care of me," he responded a bit more formally, but not quite keigo. Lifting his head, he saw the boy flushing, but apparently quite satisfied by Neji's response.
Did the boy come all the way here to show him his progress? Natsu came, offering the scabbard that he had dropped earlier. Neji took it, intending to sheath his blade, but Akira pointed to the sword. "I see, please."
Natsu looked at the boy from the corner of his eyes. Neji could feel his qi subtly shift to being hostile. Neji didn't reprimand Natsu for the behavior. The boy would not understand what he had asked. A sword was a warrior's most valued possession. Natsu was the only one allowed to handle his weapon when it was not with Neji, and yet the boy carelessly demanded to see it. But at this point, the boy was ignorant about everything as a young child. There was no point in being insulted.
Deciding to keep his words as simple as possible in the chance the boy could understand a few of them, he said, "Come."
The boy approached with his lantern, placing it down once more beside Neji. Neji carefully handed the sword over to the boy, presenting it with two hands, holding it delicately in his hands.
As always, the boy picked up on his mannerisms, picking up the sword with two hands, just as delicately. He observed the blade with a critical eye. "Pretty. Nice."
Neji's smile grew. He could see the frustration on the boy's face, knowing he had more to say, but limited by his vocabulary. "Very pretty." He agreed. "This is Zangetsu."
"Zangetsu," the boy repeated. "My scimitar has no name." The boy said, looking a bit sad as he spoke.
Neji wondered what scimitar was. The boy had use iru, not aru, indicating it was something alive, but Neji wasn't sure if it wasn't an error of speech given that they were speaking about swords.
"Practice?" The boy said. Neji couldn't tell if he meant to ask if Neji was practicing, if Neji was going to practice, or if he wanted to practice. Though they now had some communication, it was still long from being useful.
The boy gave the sword back, and Neji looked over the sword. It was a beautiful sword, only second to Masamune as crystals were embedded in its blade in its forging. The blade practically glowed with moonlight, thus its name. He closed his eyes and sheathed the blade, giving the sword to Natsu. Neji went to the weapons shed where the practice swords were held, finding a light, beginner sword. He returned to Gaara, handing him the sword. It was dull, so he wouldn't be able to hurt himself.
The boy frowned, looking at the storage of weapons. Was he not satisfied with Neji's choice?
Then the boy looked at the ground around them and went running off, coming back with a stick. Neji's irritation at the boy's rudeness was temporarily subdued by his curiosity at what the boy was up to.
He twirled the stick in his hand as if he was getting a feel for it, slicing quickly with one hand. He nodded as if he was approving of the weapon of choice. He went to the center of the training area, looking at Neji. "Watch."
Neji's eyebrow raised at the command. The boy was talking as if he was the boss. Where was he picking this speech up from?
The boy took a stance and started going through drills. It was a swordsmanship Neji was not familiar with. It was less structured. The boy held the stick with only one hand, more reliant on using the opponent's strength to slide the attack off and parrying. There was more footwork and the body had more movement. He could see why the boy rejected the sword chosen for him. The stick was slightly shorter and lighter, allowing more mobility. Judging how the boy wielded the stick, the hilt would be shorter and suited for only one hand. Another thing that was bothering Neji was the way the boy moved. It wasn't just sword practice. Neji could see experience in his movements. Educated and knowledgeable in swordsmanship, this boy was obviously not a simple commoner.
Now fully curious, Neji joined in, attacking the boy with the practice sword. The boy, taken by surprise, countered rather effectively, though he did leave his free hand exposed for a second.
They exchanged blows, Gaara and Neji both adapting to the new sword fighting style, Neji's structured while the boy's was more freeform, using his environment, even using his feet to try to trip Neji up. If the boy was a samurai, it would be considered a dirty trick, but he could tell it was apart of the boy's fighting style.
Neji disarmed him for the tenth time, making the boy pout a little. Neji found it kind of cute as the boy went to get his stick. If he had the proper weapon, it would probably be easier for the boy to wield.
However, it was getting late, and the boy had to get up early for his tutoring session. "Time to sleep," he announced as the boy picked up his stick. The boy looked back at him with determination, obviously wanting another round. "Sleep," Neji said again.
The boy looked disappointed. Enough so, Neji couldn't help but put his hand on the boy's head. The boy was almost as tall as him, so he shouldn't be treating him like a child, but the pout made him unable to leave the boy alone. "Please?"
"….Yes," the boy said reluctantly, his cheeks reddening. Worried he was getting sick again, he had Haru give the boy his haori. "Go back home."
As Neji lifted his hand to pull it away, Akira grabbed it. Neji's face heated at how forward the boy was.
"Go together." He said, pulling Neji's hand.
The boy smiled at him sincerely, pulling him back to the main house. The boy led the way, dragging Neji along. He could have just pulled away, but the boy looked happy, dragging him along like lovers. The hand holding didn't even seem to bother the boy much. He probably didn't know what it meant or perhaps in his country, he was used to being lovers with other men. They may have been mates, but they weren't lovers.
The boy looked back at him. "Neji?" he asked upon seeing Neji's face.
"Say, Hyuuga-sama," he said, unable to look at him. He pulled his hand away.
The boy looked at their disconnected hands, his face falling. They walked back together, but the boy's mood had fallen quite a bit. When the house came into view, the boy separated first. "Goodnight… Neji," he said quietly, walking off by himself.
He seemed to have hurt the boy's feelings, but the boy didn't know better, and if he did… Neji would have to crush that behavior. They could be friends at most, but never lovers.
The boy's downfallen look stayed with him for the rest of the night. It had been the first time the boy had smiled at him. Perhaps he should have let him continue holding his hand. He was just a child after all.
He went to bed, still pondering whether he overreacted.
Once Neji awoke the next night, he did not have time to come to an answer, immediately going to work. Neji wasn't planning to see the boy before he left. He didn't have time. He was dressed casually; his guards were preparing the horses and supplies, and Neji was discussing travel plans with the head guard. The journey would take a few days, and they would need to stop during the day.
"Everything is prepared for your travel," Sugo said, bowing to Neji.
"Tell everyone to prepare to leave. We will move out momentarily."
Sugo went to follow his command. It had been a while since he left his home for a length of time, but this may be a good change of pace for him.
As he prepared his horse, he caught sight of Gaara standing on the engawa, watching them from a distance. He looked uncomfortable with so many people around. He was probably confused as to what was going on.
"Natsu, I want you to stay here with the boy."
Natsu stopped his preparations, turning to his master, his body unnaturally still. Neji waited for conformation, and it took a long time and a look from Neji before he received a, "Yes master," unloading his few personal items.
It was best to keep someone he trusted to watch after the boy while he was away. He couldn't let him get into any more trouble after all.
Haru watched his twin go. For the first time, there was concern on his face and discomfort. Now that Neji thought of it, this was the first time they had ever been separated from one another.
"Do you wish to stay with him?" he asked Haru.
Haru's eyes refocused on him and dutifully bowed. "I am Master's will. I will do as he desires."
As always, he gave the appropriate answer a servant should give. The only difference is Haru and Natsu always meant it when they said it compared to others. They never spoke out of turn, never asked for anything, never took a day off, and often knew him better than he knew himself. It was hard to remember a time when they weren't at his side even though they had only been at his side for about 50 years. They had even turned earlier than the others, wishing to serve him as soon as possible. Was it possible to have someone be too loyal?
"Your mother has been ill recently. If you stay, you both may take turns in seeing her before she goes," Neji offered.
"We have made peace with Mother's mortality when we were children, Master. We will stay to serve," Haru responded, not even wavering in his response.
Neji mounted his horse. It seemed he would have to stop by to see the old woman when he returned, else Haru and Natsu may regret their decision with time.
He looked back, seeing Gaara one last time. He spared the child a little smile before urging his horse forward. He would be back to see him soon enough.
Japanese lesson time!
So what Gaara said was "Ore no scimitar wa namae ga inai." Inai, or iru in its dictionary form, means to have or exist however it is only used in regards to living objects. What he should have used was nai, or aru in its dictionary form. Aru means the same thing as iru but used for non-living things. So he used the wrong word, thus Neji's confusion.
Also, scimitar is a type of sword and Gaara said the word scimitar.
Also, wanted to ask if you guys find the dairy entries too frequent.
Please leave comments.