Zeelee-Vallen: Short chappy today!
Special thank you to my reviewers: Yuzuki476, Kaname, hina-chan, guest, kano-615, goko, LB Cat, guest!
Warning: Heavy content about child abuse. You can skip this chapter if it is too much.
XXXxXXX
She finished tying up the bento, her eyes trailing to where her cousin stood in the doorway. He shifted from one foot to another, eyes trailing to the bento's. She tilted her head, eyes on him as he pressed his finger to his lips, as if to silence her. He motioned to the bag, and then for her to follow him. Quietly, he added.
She nodded, taking careful and quiet steps. They went down the maze of halls, taking a rather roundabout path to the entrance. Soon, they were at the gate. …Why?
Neji nodded, eyes shifting back to the house. "He is in a bad mood today." His voice was hushed, as if the slightest wind would take his words back to the Hyuuga head.
He likely saved her from an unknown punishment. "Th-thank you." She went to bow, but he stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder.
"The sooner you marry the better." Then, he was gone.
The sooner she marry the better? He was not wrong. Her father tended to pick on her, and would punish her harshly for small things. One day, she stepped on a creaky spot in the hall, and he had her lashed for 2 hours because of it. Shinobi needed to be silent, he said. Another time, he slipped a small dose of poison in her food, and when she became sickly, she was forced to sleep on the porch rather then her bed. Then, the worst punishments were when he would beat her, often without reason. He had slowed down on the beatings since the engagement, but it seemed today was one of the days it was best to stay clear.
Abuse…. She had read about it in a book. But she would never be able to talk about such things. There were no safe adults in her life. Even the teachers… Although kind, her clan was... something else. She learned that in her first year of school. Her father had broken her leg right before school started. When her home room teacher light heartedly asked what happened… She decided to tell the truth. It was the first time, and last time, she ever told.
That teacher went back into the field, they said. On a b-class mission turned s-class. They never came back.
It was not safe.
She turned to the large gates, gripping the bag to her chest. She needed to hurry to the meeting place or she would be late.