Everything Happened
by Apple-chan

Summary: One second of a glance, and everything happened between them. Neji/Hinata.
Warnings: For unbetaed text and illogical point. Mostly.
Disclaimer: It surely isn't mine. Of course not.


On a typical day, he would be with his team, and she would be with hers. They would be working on their respective missions, or training, or practicing some new technique. They would not stop—not for any leisure activity, for she was a young woman determined to prove her worth to her family, and he was a young man dedicated to living the path of his life the way his father did, and not the way destiny made it up to be. Neither would they pause to talk, for she was a young woman who was quiet and shy, and he was a young man of a few words. In both of these respects, they were quite alike. They would not pause to take a break, and neither would they talk, unless it was necessary—and it hardly ever was.

In certain aspects, they were the same, but otherwise, they were very, very different.

Sometimes, by a mere accident or chance, they would see each other. He would pass her by, together with his team, just as they were on their way out of the village, and she, with her team, on their way in right after a mission. Or she would pass him by, just as she was on the way out of their family's compound, and he was on his way in. They would pass each other by, but rarely was there ever a moment when they would be doing the same things at the same time, and in the same place. Rarely was there ever a moment when they would both be heading in, or heading out at the same time.

Whenever they pass each other by at the entrance to the village or at the entrance to the family compound, their respective regard for each other was always the same.

She would shift her eyes down, casting them towards the ground, and fold her hands together as she walks…slowly, gracefully, like a delicate princess. He would shift his eyes upwards, casting them towards the sky, then straight ahead, and cross his arms over his chest as he walks…slowly, confidently, with the air of a proud warrior.

Anyone who did not possess the keen, perceptive eyes that could interpret the whole world with one glance would think it normal for them to treat each other this way. After all, in the eyes of most people, she was afraid of him. In the eyes of most people, he detested her. But if one looked closely enough, and observed them long enough, one would find that there was more to all of this than the world could see.

A mere heartbeat of a second just as she casts her eyes downwards and him, upwards and straight ahead, is when their eyes would meet—unfailingly, and unfalteringly. It would be easy to miss, certainly, for even to the keenest and most perceptive of eyes, a mere heartbeat of a second is just the space of a single blink.

But it happens. Each and every single time they pass each other by, it always, always happens. One second of their eyes locking together—a second which people often take for granted…but for the two of them, that second equals a lifetime. For the two of them, that second was more precious than forever.

At that second, they could talk to each other without words.

She could tell him all the things that she had been so longing to tell him, without uttering a single word, and he would hear them…all her wishes, all her dreams, her needs, her yearnings…and he would listen to her soft, soft voice, and he would know.

In the same way, he could say all the things that he could not say to her out loud, and she would hear them…all his vows, all his promises, his wants, his desires…and she would listen to his low, gentle voice, and she would know.

At that second, they could touch each other without a single movement, without a single contact.

She could reach out to him, touch his face the way she has always wanted to, the way she has always dreamed of…and thread her fingers gently through his long, long hair. She could untie his forehead protector and touch the cursed seal that was branded into his skin. She could kiss it, trace her lips along the lines again and again until its original function ceases to be, until it remains as nothing but the memory of a previous destiny…and until it transforms into something pure and divine and painless and timeless and full of promises that will never, ever get broken. And the new seal will no longer be a curse but instead, a blessing, the seal of her promise—a promise of her devotion, her loyalty, her hope, her faith…and of her ultimate surrender and submission of her life and her soul and her love to him.

And he would know.

In the same way, he could reach out to her, enfold her in his arms, embrace her tightly against him the way he had always wanted to, the way he has often dreamed of…and thread his fingers softly through her hair. He could bend his head down, and touch his lips against her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, her chin, her nose, her lips. He could brush his lips against hers once, twice, thrice…and again and again until she forgives him for all his past sins, until she forgives him for hurting her and until all his wounds are healed. Until his bitterness, his sadness and his hate wavers and disappears completely—and until he remembers and he believes and he realizes and he understands that he is meant to protect her with his life and his soul and his love.

And she would know.

They could pass each other by. She could shift her eyes downwards and he could shift his eyes upwards and straight ahead, and the people around them would not think anything happened…but they know better.

At that second when their eyes met, everything happened.

END.



A/N
: Illogical point? I think so. But comments/suggestions/reactions/whatever will be very much appreciated.