Romeo and Juliet Complex
by VS Chio
...
(Author's notes: Crapidy Crap! I really apologize about Neji being out of character last chapter and again... man was that last chapter pretty boring and pointless... oh well.
All the same stuff in the ways of warnings. This entire chapter is like a flashback of sorts or whatever.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.)
...
.
.
.
"I haven't seen her yet, father, what does she look like?"
Hizashi looked down at his small son.
"You'll see, Neji."
Neji was very excited today.
Yes. His father told him that all of the celebrating in the village was about a shinobi leader from the Cloud country going to sign a peace treaty with their country. His father told him that this was a good thing to happen for Konoha.
His father only said that something was going to happen to him today too, but didn't really say much of anything else about it.
But he was mostly in anticipation about meeting his cousin, Hinata, today.
He was happy there was another kid in the family now. He'd finally have someone around his own age to play with finally! No more just boring and weird adults.
...
Neji and his father that morning meet with the two families to congratulate the Head family member of his daughter's third birthday.
Neji was very anxious when his father went up to greet his uncle and new cousin.
His father and uncle exchanged words and during this brief period Neji caught first look at the mysterious little Hinata.
She was definately a cute little thing. A very beautiful child. Dark hair with the Hyuga clan's pearly white eyes. She still had a little of her baby fat, but it was definately a cute chubbiness. Her skin was quite pale and glowed almost except for her cheeks and pouty little mouth which both had a rosy tinge to them.
Neji couldn't help smiling out of childish delight for finally meeting his precius little cousin who hid behind her father's leg blushing out of shyness no doubt.
"She's cute isn't she, father?"
But when Neji looked up at his father, he looked very meloncholy... almost saddened. He seemed to not have heard his son.
"What's wrong, father?"
Neji's father seemed to snap out his daze.
"Huh... Oh, it's nothing."
"..." Neji was now confused why his father would be sad on this joyous occasion.
"I'll take Neji now, Hizashi."
This surprised the small brunette.
"Alright."
Neji wondered why his father was leaving him with his uncle. Was this about what his father told him what was to happen to him today?
...
Later that day, Hizashi knelt over his son's bed with both of his hands pressed to his forehead. Neji laid quiet and peaceful, but Hizashi was aware that that was not how his son was hours before. His heart almost stopped and his blood ran cold when he had heard Neji scream across the house knowing it had been done.
He touched his son's bandaged forehead gently.
"It was to be done. You knew it and could do nothing of it."
Hizashi clenched his fist over Neji's forehead and turned his head with a disgusted look.
Hiashi stood in the doorway and gave an equally unpleasant look at his brother.
"The 'bird in the cage' seal was inevitable. Neji's duty now is to protect the Head family and the blood of the Hyuga-"
"Did you do it?"
Hiashi glared at Hizashi for his defiant remark as he walked right up to him.
"I told him the truth of the Head house as everyone in the Branch house SHOULD know."
Hizashi was angered that Hiashi most likely told his son all of this coldly. With no concern to a child's reaction to learning that the members of the other side of the family... were monsters.
Without warning, Hiashi delivered a ferocious hit across his brother's face with a great look of rage and sent Hizashi crashing to the floor.
"Do not... EVER insult MY family... AGAIN."
Hizashi staggered up and turned his face enough to give his brother a dangerous look accompanied with clenched fangs.
"So who is YOUR family, brother?" He almost hissed out.
"Hiashi-sama! Hizashi-sama!"
The two immediately ceased their verbal attacks just as things were most likely about to get more physical.
A woman in the doorway was watching them and both of her hands were quivering beneath her breasts.
"Stop this both of you."
Hiashi turned his back to Hizashi who still laid on the floor.
When Hiashi finally stood face to face with the small woman he gave her a reprimanding look.
"Hinabi, do not ever interfere again."
The woman, Hinabi, gave him an indignite glance, but bowed her head despite.
"Forgive my rudeness."
Hinabi hastily stepped out and Hiashi also made a motion to depart not even bothering to conclude with Hizashi.
"Hiashi."
The said man stopped and closed his eyes.
"You did not tell him about... me, did you?" Hizashi gave his brother a glare.
Hiashi, with eyes still behind closed lids, replied.
"How dare you even think I would do such a thing." Hiashi finished with an angered and possibly even hurt tone.
Of course, he wouldn't let his twin see the proof in his own face.
...
"Aunt Hinabi?"
The young Hyuga boy peered in through the slightly open door.
It had been a few days after his Uncle had placed to cursed seal on him and... divulged other matters to him.
"Come in Neji." The woman gave a small, but warm expression.
Neji stepped inside. He realized how much his new little cousin, Hinata, resembled her mother. Hinabi adorned the same deep indigo color hair, but it fell to her waist unlike her daughter and identical pink hues to her cheeks and lips against moon-like skin. She had the Hyuga clan's eyes, as most do. Her distinguishing features were a short decorated braid and beauty mark under her eye on the left side of her face.
"Does it still hurt, dear?"
Neji was sure he just felt his heart skip a beat.
"... Not much, really." This was a lie though. As was his smile.
His Aunt was one of the VERY few members of the Head family who ever took the time to listen and talk to him. He felt most comfortable and safe near her as well. She seemed to willingly take on being his mother figure and he was glad.
The boy's real mother was dead.
He had found out for himself that she had died giving birth to him. For some reason no one bothered to tell him before. He merely guessed they were afraid of how he would have reacted. Sadly, he didn't react much. After all, he never knew her and had always taken to his Aunt. It was sad still.
"I'm very sorry, Neji."
"... Why?"
Hinabi put her hand on his cheek.
"I'm sorry that your seal hurts so much."
Neji quickly shoved her hand from him to her surprise. He kept his small hand raised at his cheek observing her with a new caution.
"You're like them, aren't you?"
Hinabi's eyes changed a bit drastically. She looked sad, guilty, and a little betrayed.
"Yes. Yes, I am, dear." She didn't deny the fact.
Neji looked like he was trying not to cry.
"It's okay... I still love you." His voice was quivering.
The boy suddenly embraced her tightly and was struggling his hardest not to cry despite how wet his eyes were getting.
Hinabi finally put her own arms around the shaking little boy and attempted to calm him. As she continued this, she immediately caught a familiar scent and panicked.
She pulled the small boy away from her quickly.
She put up his right hand and found it bandaged all around even up to the inside of his palm.
"What happened?" She was deadly worried.
"I cut myself while I was training with father." Hinabi listened attentively, " It was an accident."
She glanced down for only a second.
"... Are you hungry...?"
Hinabi looked up at her nephew a little horrified.
"No-No. No. Why would you ask that?"
"Hiashi-sama said that's it's painful. You looked like you were in pain."
Hinabi looked guilty again.
"No. I'm not in pain. You do not have to worry yourself about this, Neji-
"-But I have to protect you, Aunt Hinabi-"
"Neji!"
Neji stopped wide-eyed. This was the first time she had even raised her voice to him.
It looked like she was about to cry this time.
...
About two weeks later...
Neji had been watching his Uncle Hiashi and Hinata train for an hour or so with his father, Hizashi.
It was alright. He felt a little bad though that Hinata wasn't improving any significant amount or really enthusiastic about training. Hiashi-sama was giving her a bit of a hard time, too.
At this point, many members of the family were very impressed with Neji's progress and the fact that he had already learned of the family's bloodline limit. The Byakugan. He only barely discovered how to activate it recently. He didn't think there was any reason to brag yet about it.
"Neji."
The little brunette glanced at his father. His father almost never spoke to him during these sessions.
"It is now your duty to protect the Hyuga clan and it's blood, son."
Neji was confused a second, but was able to give an automatic response and gave a look of confidence even though he wasn't really to sure why.
"Yes."
The boy continued to watch his father oddly. For a split second, he was sure he caught his father almost bringing up his Byakugan. What was his father thinking? Neji thought himself stupid for a minute for thinking this.
But he heard his uncle say something to Hinata and was distracted for a moment.
For some reason, everything seemed to stop as Hiashi bolted right in front of Hinata and planted himself making a hand sign Neji hadn't seen before at him or so he thought at him.
"Gaaaahhhhh!"
Neji turned to his father's side with a look of terror after hearing the awful and pain-filled cry.
"Father! Father, what's wrong?!"
Neji's chest became hot with fear as his father fell to the floor and pulled his headband protector off in desperation exposing his seal.
"My head!"
Hizashi held his head in pain and almost seemed to claw at it to make it stop. His forehead was searing and the seal seemed as though it were burning the flesh around it.
Neji knelt before his writhing father and was crying heavily wishing he knew what to do.
"Leave us."
Neji shot a glance at Hiashi who only glared coldly at the boy.
"I will not tolerate his foolishness any longer." Hiashi grinded these words out harshly.
Neji looked back at his father. His pain was unbearable and Neji felt it. He suddenly felt an anger towards his uncle for doing this.
Neji's thoughts slowly scarred in his mind as he continued to cry.
'It's all... unfair.'
.
.
.
...
(Author's notes: Sorry, this seemed like a regurgitation of what actually does happen in the obvious places, but they're pretty important for this story.
No. That's not a typo or anything. Her name is actually spelled that way and it's not Hinata's little sister Hanabi either. I got unoriginal with the name and just combined the two sisters' names a few times and settled with that combo. She'll get explained definately next chapter.
So nobody's confused, the vampires in this can read minds, but only like the surface thoughts or whatever you'd want to call 'em.
The next chapter will HOPEFULLY conclude this little flashback thing-y.)
by VS Chio
...
(Author's notes: Crapidy Crap! I really apologize about Neji being out of character last chapter and again... man was that last chapter pretty boring and pointless... oh well.
All the same stuff in the ways of warnings. This entire chapter is like a flashback of sorts or whatever.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.)
...
.
.
.
"I haven't seen her yet, father, what does she look like?"
Hizashi looked down at his small son.
"You'll see, Neji."
Neji was very excited today.
Yes. His father told him that all of the celebrating in the village was about a shinobi leader from the Cloud country going to sign a peace treaty with their country. His father told him that this was a good thing to happen for Konoha.
His father only said that something was going to happen to him today too, but didn't really say much of anything else about it.
But he was mostly in anticipation about meeting his cousin, Hinata, today.
He was happy there was another kid in the family now. He'd finally have someone around his own age to play with finally! No more just boring and weird adults.
...
Neji and his father that morning meet with the two families to congratulate the Head family member of his daughter's third birthday.
Neji was very anxious when his father went up to greet his uncle and new cousin.
His father and uncle exchanged words and during this brief period Neji caught first look at the mysterious little Hinata.
She was definately a cute little thing. A very beautiful child. Dark hair with the Hyuga clan's pearly white eyes. She still had a little of her baby fat, but it was definately a cute chubbiness. Her skin was quite pale and glowed almost except for her cheeks and pouty little mouth which both had a rosy tinge to them.
Neji couldn't help smiling out of childish delight for finally meeting his precius little cousin who hid behind her father's leg blushing out of shyness no doubt.
"She's cute isn't she, father?"
But when Neji looked up at his father, he looked very meloncholy... almost saddened. He seemed to not have heard his son.
"What's wrong, father?"
Neji's father seemed to snap out his daze.
"Huh... Oh, it's nothing."
"..." Neji was now confused why his father would be sad on this joyous occasion.
"I'll take Neji now, Hizashi."
This surprised the small brunette.
"Alright."
Neji wondered why his father was leaving him with his uncle. Was this about what his father told him what was to happen to him today?
...
Later that day, Hizashi knelt over his son's bed with both of his hands pressed to his forehead. Neji laid quiet and peaceful, but Hizashi was aware that that was not how his son was hours before. His heart almost stopped and his blood ran cold when he had heard Neji scream across the house knowing it had been done.
He touched his son's bandaged forehead gently.
"It was to be done. You knew it and could do nothing of it."
Hizashi clenched his fist over Neji's forehead and turned his head with a disgusted look.
Hiashi stood in the doorway and gave an equally unpleasant look at his brother.
"The 'bird in the cage' seal was inevitable. Neji's duty now is to protect the Head family and the blood of the Hyuga-"
"Did you do it?"
Hiashi glared at Hizashi for his defiant remark as he walked right up to him.
"I told him the truth of the Head house as everyone in the Branch house SHOULD know."
Hizashi was angered that Hiashi most likely told his son all of this coldly. With no concern to a child's reaction to learning that the members of the other side of the family... were monsters.
Without warning, Hiashi delivered a ferocious hit across his brother's face with a great look of rage and sent Hizashi crashing to the floor.
"Do not... EVER insult MY family... AGAIN."
Hizashi staggered up and turned his face enough to give his brother a dangerous look accompanied with clenched fangs.
"So who is YOUR family, brother?" He almost hissed out.
"Hiashi-sama! Hizashi-sama!"
The two immediately ceased their verbal attacks just as things were most likely about to get more physical.
A woman in the doorway was watching them and both of her hands were quivering beneath her breasts.
"Stop this both of you."
Hiashi turned his back to Hizashi who still laid on the floor.
When Hiashi finally stood face to face with the small woman he gave her a reprimanding look.
"Hinabi, do not ever interfere again."
The woman, Hinabi, gave him an indignite glance, but bowed her head despite.
"Forgive my rudeness."
Hinabi hastily stepped out and Hiashi also made a motion to depart not even bothering to conclude with Hizashi.
"Hiashi."
The said man stopped and closed his eyes.
"You did not tell him about... me, did you?" Hizashi gave his brother a glare.
Hiashi, with eyes still behind closed lids, replied.
"How dare you even think I would do such a thing." Hiashi finished with an angered and possibly even hurt tone.
Of course, he wouldn't let his twin see the proof in his own face.
...
"Aunt Hinabi?"
The young Hyuga boy peered in through the slightly open door.
It had been a few days after his Uncle had placed to cursed seal on him and... divulged other matters to him.
"Come in Neji." The woman gave a small, but warm expression.
Neji stepped inside. He realized how much his new little cousin, Hinata, resembled her mother. Hinabi adorned the same deep indigo color hair, but it fell to her waist unlike her daughter and identical pink hues to her cheeks and lips against moon-like skin. She had the Hyuga clan's eyes, as most do. Her distinguishing features were a short decorated braid and beauty mark under her eye on the left side of her face.
"Does it still hurt, dear?"
Neji was sure he just felt his heart skip a beat.
"... Not much, really." This was a lie though. As was his smile.
His Aunt was one of the VERY few members of the Head family who ever took the time to listen and talk to him. He felt most comfortable and safe near her as well. She seemed to willingly take on being his mother figure and he was glad.
The boy's real mother was dead.
He had found out for himself that she had died giving birth to him. For some reason no one bothered to tell him before. He merely guessed they were afraid of how he would have reacted. Sadly, he didn't react much. After all, he never knew her and had always taken to his Aunt. It was sad still.
"I'm very sorry, Neji."
"... Why?"
Hinabi put her hand on his cheek.
"I'm sorry that your seal hurts so much."
Neji quickly shoved her hand from him to her surprise. He kept his small hand raised at his cheek observing her with a new caution.
"You're like them, aren't you?"
Hinabi's eyes changed a bit drastically. She looked sad, guilty, and a little betrayed.
"Yes. Yes, I am, dear." She didn't deny the fact.
Neji looked like he was trying not to cry.
"It's okay... I still love you." His voice was quivering.
The boy suddenly embraced her tightly and was struggling his hardest not to cry despite how wet his eyes were getting.
Hinabi finally put her own arms around the shaking little boy and attempted to calm him. As she continued this, she immediately caught a familiar scent and panicked.
She pulled the small boy away from her quickly.
She put up his right hand and found it bandaged all around even up to the inside of his palm.
"What happened?" She was deadly worried.
"I cut myself while I was training with father." Hinabi listened attentively, " It was an accident."
She glanced down for only a second.
"... Are you hungry...?"
Hinabi looked up at her nephew a little horrified.
"No-No. No. Why would you ask that?"
"Hiashi-sama said that's it's painful. You looked like you were in pain."
Hinabi looked guilty again.
"No. I'm not in pain. You do not have to worry yourself about this, Neji-
"-But I have to protect you, Aunt Hinabi-"
"Neji!"
Neji stopped wide-eyed. This was the first time she had even raised her voice to him.
It looked like she was about to cry this time.
...
About two weeks later...
Neji had been watching his Uncle Hiashi and Hinata train for an hour or so with his father, Hizashi.
It was alright. He felt a little bad though that Hinata wasn't improving any significant amount or really enthusiastic about training. Hiashi-sama was giving her a bit of a hard time, too.
At this point, many members of the family were very impressed with Neji's progress and the fact that he had already learned of the family's bloodline limit. The Byakugan. He only barely discovered how to activate it recently. He didn't think there was any reason to brag yet about it.
"Neji."
The little brunette glanced at his father. His father almost never spoke to him during these sessions.
"It is now your duty to protect the Hyuga clan and it's blood, son."
Neji was confused a second, but was able to give an automatic response and gave a look of confidence even though he wasn't really to sure why.
"Yes."
The boy continued to watch his father oddly. For a split second, he was sure he caught his father almost bringing up his Byakugan. What was his father thinking? Neji thought himself stupid for a minute for thinking this.
But he heard his uncle say something to Hinata and was distracted for a moment.
For some reason, everything seemed to stop as Hiashi bolted right in front of Hinata and planted himself making a hand sign Neji hadn't seen before at him or so he thought at him.
"Gaaaahhhhh!"
Neji turned to his father's side with a look of terror after hearing the awful and pain-filled cry.
"Father! Father, what's wrong?!"
Neji's chest became hot with fear as his father fell to the floor and pulled his headband protector off in desperation exposing his seal.
"My head!"
Hizashi held his head in pain and almost seemed to claw at it to make it stop. His forehead was searing and the seal seemed as though it were burning the flesh around it.
Neji knelt before his writhing father and was crying heavily wishing he knew what to do.
"Leave us."
Neji shot a glance at Hiashi who only glared coldly at the boy.
"I will not tolerate his foolishness any longer." Hiashi grinded these words out harshly.
Neji looked back at his father. His pain was unbearable and Neji felt it. He suddenly felt an anger towards his uncle for doing this.
Neji's thoughts slowly scarred in his mind as he continued to cry.
'It's all... unfair.'
.
.
.
...
(Author's notes: Sorry, this seemed like a regurgitation of what actually does happen in the obvious places, but they're pretty important for this story.
No. That's not a typo or anything. Her name is actually spelled that way and it's not Hinata's little sister Hanabi either. I got unoriginal with the name and just combined the two sisters' names a few times and settled with that combo. She'll get explained definately next chapter.
So nobody's confused, the vampires in this can read minds, but only like the surface thoughts or whatever you'd want to call 'em.
The next chapter will HOPEFULLY conclude this little flashback thing-y.)