Dedications: To all those, whom like me, feel there are not enough NejiHina fics out there.
Mistakes
A mistake, people could have called it.
She's awakened and leaning up on her elbows in the softness of a bed that's not her own. The walls are white, a dresser tucked in the corner of the room, and the closet is open, but there is only male clothing hanging from the hangers. There are no pictures of her teammates on the counter and there are no dried herbs laying on the desktop. There's nothing in this room that shows that it was hers.
She's staring down at him, the man whom this roomed belongs too. His hair is fanned out around him on his pillow - the pillow - the only pillow on the bed that they had shared. His eyes are closed and his breathing is regular. He is still asleep, she summarizes.
She doesn't remember much of how they got here, but she remembers enough.
They had both been half-drunk, hurting, and only wanting it to stop. For her, it had been a few days after her birthday, a birthday that no one had celebrated and forgotten about. For him, it was the day his father had died and left with him only his shadow and enough hatred to last him through.
She had been training, and crying.
He had been lost, and wondering.
It was late, and night had fallen a few hours ago, but she still hadn't left the training grounds. She had come only around sunset, a bottle of sake and a cup in her hands. She had only a few drinks before she had started. She had wanted to forget, because the despair was becoming too much, and the day had held too many memories.
He had been strolling in the forest, walking away from the house and place where his nightmares had all began. The night was still young, and he was still not exhausted enough to go sleep and not dream. He had been seeking peace, until he heard the sounds of someone practicing. He had been curious and followed the sounds to the clearing.
She doesn't remember much, but he had been angry and she had been too weak. She remembers insults, taunts, words aimed to hurt. She remembers looking away, feeling too tired to argue, and walking to the tree where she had left the sake bottle.
One minute she had been reaching for the bottle, and the next her back was being slammed against the trunk. I'm not done yet, he had snarled. She had struggled and pushed, fought back, but she couldn't get free. His grip had tightened, and using his whole body, crushed her against the tree.
She remembers his face so close, so angry, so feral. Snarling at her, spitting out past mistakes, beating her down with her own words.
One moment she had been crying, and the next they were kissing. Lips pressed against each other, furious and powerful. Tongue demanding entrance, and body pushed up tight to hers.
She remembers a blur. Time which could have been a seconds, minutes, hours, passed and they remained in the clearing. They hadn't moved and remained locked in the embrace.
His tongue coaxed hers until she started to respond. His hands had found a way to her hair, and one of his legs was in between hers. He kissed her ferociously and passionately, and refused to let go. She pushed, and struggled, and even tried biting him. But nothing worked. The more she squirmed, the more he crushed her to the tree. And when she bite him once, he jerked back for a moment before staring at her, and telling her that it would not be wise to do so again.
And she trembling from the look in his eyes, nodded. Then he bent his head and resumed kissing her. She was submissive for a while, until he started trailing kisses down her neck, and tugging at her coat.
Not here, she whispered.
He paused and removed his lips from the mark that was already appearing near her shoulder blade. Alright, he had agreed. He wrapped his arms around her and pulling her close, he tilted her head back. He kissed her lips one more time as they disappeared in a puff of smoke from the training area.
Leaving behind a tipped over sake bottle.
That was how they got to where they were now. The blanket tucked under their arms and exposing bare shoulders. His form turned away from the wall and one hand was curled on her hip. Both of them naked under the sheet.
A mistake, she wonders. Her fingers drift over the mark on his forehead, but she doesn't touch it, in fear of waking him.
She shifts and tries sliding her legs off the bed. The hand curled on her hip suddenly tightens, and she freezes. She looks over at him, but he hasn't woken up yet, and she sighs in relief. She tries to leave again, but the hand doesn't let her, and he pulls her towards him in a sleep-induced reflex. She is startled and blinks, because now she is curled up against him, with both his arms around her.
Her eyes softened as she realizes that there is no way for her to leave now, and instead of dwelling on it, she snuggles up closer to him. Placing a palm gently on his heart, she falls asleep once more.
Once her breathing becomes regular and her whole body relaxes into the state of sleep, only then does he open his eyes. He stares down at her, so fragile and warm. He pulls her closer to him, and tangles their legs together so she wouldn't be able to move again from the bed without waking him.
One arm is tucked under her form and holds her in place, while the other reaches over her to the dresser next to the bed. He pulls out the first drawer, and feels inside. His fingers touch a box covered in velvet, and he lingers on it, tracing the corners. He flips the lid open and searches the silk inside for what he is looking for.
Slowly he pulls the item out and holds onto it as he shuts the drawer. He stares at the object, so small and beautiful, and closes his hand around it. He searches for her hand under the sheet and pulls it out. He kisses her palm gently; he smiles into her hand as he feels her shiver delightedly in her sleep, and bestows his gift on her.
The next time she wakes, she is pressed up against a soft, warm body and looks up to see clear white eyes staring down at her. Her heart jumps before the blush that was almost instinctive crawled up her face. Next time, he promises himself, he would see how far down that blush extended.
She's stuttering and squirming. Trying to get out of his hold and apologizing at the same time. She raises her hands to push herself away and freezes as the sun glints off something on her finger. Her right hand is shaking as it reaches over to touch the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand.
The tears came steadily and her head shakes from side to side. She looks up at him through teary eyes. It's alright. She says. It was a mistake. I'm not going to blame you. You don't have to do it.
She starts to choke on her sobs, and she moves to take the ring off. But he stops her and shakes his head. He doesn't say anything as he bends down and searches for her lips with his.
And this time they are both sober and it isn't a mistake. This time he is gentle and tender and her tears stop coming. This time they are both conscious of what they are doing, and she senses no betrayal, anger, spite or vengeance in the kiss.
And slowly Hinata responds to him. She reaches up and wraps her arms around his neck, and pull him down towards her.
And Neji doesn't complain as he comes and crushes her into the soft sinking mattress. He reaches back for her left hand and intertwines their fingers. He comes up for a breath of air and looks down to see her eyes suspiciously shiny, but he sees the small tiny smile on her lips too.
He turns but his eyes never leave hers as his lips brushes across the diamond in a soft caress. He hears her choked cry, and a wisp of a smile graces his face. She reaches for him again and he willingly obeys.
They don't leave the room for the whole day. She knows their friends are probably looking for them, but she doesn't want to leave and he doesn't care. There are food preservations in a basket by the corner of the room. There are water canteens in his pack. There is a warm bed and a warmer body. The only time they leave the room is for the washroom and to take showers. And even then, in the showers they stayed together.
When night comes again, the phone rings so consistently they finally leave the bed. They put on minimal clothing - him in a pair of boxers and her in his shirt. She goes to cook in the kitchen and he answers the phone. She finds the bread and some jam and she makes two plates of basic sandwiches for them. When she's finished he's already done with the phone calls and is pulling out some drinks for them out of the fridge.
She puts down the plates and he places the drinks. They sit down at the opposite ends of the table. He is calm as he picks up the sandwich and bite into it. He doesn't seem perturbed at all as he opens the can of soda and looks at her.
It is awkward now. Her hand is trembling as she raises the sandwich to her mouth and she doesn't try to open the can of soda for fear of spilling it. She bites her bottom lip in nervousness.
Um. Hinata starts quietly.
He gives no reply and she stops, not knowing what else to say.
She puts down her sandwich and she starts fiddling, her two index fingers pushing against each other. When that does nothing, she starts fidgeting in random hand movements. Suddenly she feels his eyes drop sharply to her hands, and she looks to find that she's twisting the ring on her finger, as if it was a familiar habit of hers.
She freezes, and stares down at her hands. In shock, disbelief and wonder. She does not know what to think or say. There is a silence between the two of them.
" Tomorrow." He says finally, and makes her jump a little. " Tomorrow, you can move your things in here."
She's shocked. Her pale luminous white eyes are wide and she blinks. She doesn't know how to reply, so she looks away. She hears his chair scrap softly on the floor as he gets up and walks over to her. She stares down at her fidgeting hands.
He stands by her chair and waits for a response. When he gets none, he reaches out with one hand and lifts her chin up make her look at him.
" Alright?"
She's staring into his eyes. Pale white eyes so much like hers, only these never waver. These never look away.
" Yes." Hinata softly agrees.
Neji nods and walks towards the doorway. He turns and makes as if to turn the lights off.
" Come." He says, extending one hand towards her.
She gets up, and looks at the dishes on the table, but decides they'll get put away tomorrow. She walks over to him hesitantly and he waits. She reaches for his hand and she watches their fingers intertwine. Neji pulls her gently towards him and flips off the switch.
She walks with him down the narrow hallway. He lets go of her hand, to wrap his arm around her waist. They make it back to his bedroom and he closes his door behind them in finality.
They don't leave the room again until the next morning. Then they wake, shower together, shower separately, and Hinata makes breakfast while Neji finishes. She's wearing another one of his shirts and he comes dressed in boxers and a towel over his shoulders.
She smiles tentively at him as she hands him the toast, and he kisses her to taste the jam. There is a sense of belonging that neither is willing to give up. Later she leaves dressed in the outfit she had came in, and he lets her go only after one last kiss in the doorway and a promise from her that she'll be back.
Because this meant something to him. Because this meant something to her. Because this was not a mistake.
Because the queen size bed has felt too empty ever since he had got it, and the ring had been sitting in his drawer for far too long.
Owari
Author's Note: Can you imagine Neji buying the ring? XD