---Inevitable Love---
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naruto. – Hmm… or maybe anything at all… (Frowns)
Hey guys! Here's chapter 3 – I hope you enjoy the story so far, it being Kagome/Neji and all…
I know I'm taking this pretty fast, but…I just…I just don't know…
I, once again, appreciate all your reviews so far! It's really gotten me going on a pairing like this! Now…back to doing laundry before continuing this… Ugh…
Chapter 3: Breaking Down the Contents'Occasionally, …What you have to do is go back to the beginning and see everything in a new way.'
-Peter Straub
Overall POV…
"I can't believe it…I just really can't believe it…" Kagome desperately tried to catch her breath, resting the palms of her hands on her knees, "All sold out…every single apartment and house – sold out…"
Neji closed his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief, "And I thought that everybody was having a hard time trying to find someone at the time…"
"Well…I guess things change just a bit too quickly" Kagome grinned weakly up at the Hyuuga, taking another deep breath.
He had more stamina, so he wasn't nearly as tired as she.
"So…what are we going to do now… -what am I going to do now?" Kagome blinked owlishly as her vision started to blur.
Running in the Feudal Era was much different than this. They had walked – here, running at normal speed was like sprinting 800m and maintaining the pace throughout the run.
"Well…" Neji considered it for a moment, "As I said before, you could stay at the branch house. I'm sure everybody else wouldn't mind"
"Uh…Thanks…" Kagome smiled, tilting her head back to look at the sky, "You guys have such beautiful sunsets here" she remarked, leaning back on a pole to relax and watch the scenery.
It was silent for a while, both mesmerized by different things in the sky.
"…Sometimes, I think destiny plays right into our hands…" Neji commented softly, his eyes following a bluebird that gracefully trailed through the sky.
Kagome moved her glance over to him.
"…And…and fate…always determines what we will end up as in the end…you can't control it – both of them, I mean…but…you can always hope for the best…right…?"
It was quiet where they stood.
She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as he started talking again.
Neji closed his eyes once again, taking in a deep breath of the cool evening air, "…And although destiny may be in your hands…it is connected by strings…binding one soul to another"
Kagome cocked her head thoughtfully, just imagining the thin threads connecting in the air, not daring to make a sound as Neji spoke once more.
"…And…you can't cut those strings…thin as a strand of hair…yet strong as wire…" He whipped his gaze towards Kagome, grasping her hand in his, as if they were in a trance – yet…they were.
Neji guided her soft hand through the air, supposedly 'feeling' the strand that connected their souls together, "And…doesn't snap…"
The spell was broken as a crow cawed loudly, disturbing their peace.
Kagome jolted back into reality, along with Neji, and they blinked several times, still thinking about what just happened.
"I can't help but wonder…" Neji finished off, smiling wryly, "Are our destinies entwined?"
The two started walking, the padding of feet against dirt, and his question remained unanswered.
Ichiraku Ramen…
"You're lucky" The cook grinned, "Naruto left just before you came, if silence was what you were seeking out"
Neji nodded graciously, taking a seat beside Kagome, "I'm paying for it" He stopped her arm from reaching her pocket once again.
Kagome mildly protested, "But…you paid for the ice cream! At this rate…you're going to make me feel so poor"
He chuckled lightly, "But you're the guest, I must treat you"
She pouted, earning a small smile from Neji, "Fine, but I'm paying next time"
"Agreed" He'd just have to find a way around that…
"So…this is where Naruto eats his dinner?" Kagome assumed.
"Aa…" Neji responded, "And I've heard that he has instant ramen if he's not able to come here"
"Wow…that's a lot of ramen" Kagome remarked, 'Reminds me of a certain someone…'
"Your ramen's ready! Eat!" The cook smiled cheerfully, beckoning Kagome and Neji to eat.
Kagome thanked him warmly, "Thank you!"
"Thank you" Neji added in himself, quietly, and sounding almost as enthusiastic as Kagome. Well...only a close teammate would figure that out.
As the cook walked away to fill yet another order, Kagome turned to Neji, hoping to start some sort of a conversation once again, "So…I heard from Lee that you're in his team?"
"Hai, with Tenten" Neji responded softly, picking up a pair of chopsticks.
"…If I may ask…who were the other people there this morning, then?" She took a bite of her ramen, eating more as a silent approval of its taste.
"They're from other teams. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura are from Team 7"
Kagome nodded her head in understanding.
They ate in silence for the next couples minutes.
"So…" The miko started again, "I also heard that Lee was living with his teacher today?" She sighed as her dinner was finished, her chopsticks and spoon placed back on the counter.
"Yes" Neji answered, "Our leader, Gai-sensei. Sometimes, they can be very disturbing"
A frown spread on Kagome face, but then softened as she allowed herself to think it over for a minute, "I suppose… that Gai-sensei is his fatherly figure then…. I guess"
Neji raised an eyebrow, his ramen finished several seconds before she finished hers, "Fatherly figure…?"
"Yeah… When we were about 5 years old, Lee's parents – my aunt and uncle – had a fight…and my uncle split up with her and just…left. And then his mom died in a mistake accident, leaving him alone. My mom offered to take him in, but by then, he just went missing"
Neji willed her to continue, listening actively.
"Several years later, when he would've become 8, we received a letter from him saying that he was okay and where he was…
My mom was so relieved… She offered him to stay at our place, but Lee claimed that he was happy where he was, so we just stayed in contact.
And then, right after that, several big events happened to me at the age of 15, then I learned how to defend myself" Kagome finished off.
The Hyuuga did not want to push into getting information of the 'big events' but was actually going to ask before he noticed the look on her face as she had told him.
"That's why he only knows Taijutsu then…that would explain it…" Neji nodded in understanding.
Kagome laughed, "He was always talking about you and Sasuke, and how he'd beat you two 'geniuses' one day!"
Well…that was to be expected of Lee. He dreamt that since he saw Neji and Sasuke fight.
The two stood up and thanked the cook again for the food, starting their walk back to the Hyuuga compound.
"I…I never really understood the concept…of why the Branch House always had to be inferior – nor the reason why I had to be placed in the lower ranks" Neji admitted. He didn't know why he felt so compelled to share all of this. He knew why he was placed in the Brach House, but never knew why he had to.
Kagome turned to look at him while walking, "Nobody really understands why things work in a certain way" She sighed, "Some things…are very unfair"
"Even afterwards" He continued, "After Hiashi explained to me all the reasons why I shouldn't hate the Main House… I believe he only sounded more gentle than rough and wise was to protect the Main House from being hurt by me again"
"Again?" Kagome questioned in curiosity.
"Yes. During the Chunin exams, I fought a Main House member – Hinata. We're on good terms now, but back then, I doubt Hiashi liked me any better. I suppose that he is the reason why I've come to hate him so much. It's his fault that I grew more in hatred"
"Hiashi doesn't seem to have much patience" Kagome lightly joked, fingering her bow and remembering what occurred earlier that day, "It's getting dark…"
The stars now shone brightly in the black sky.
"Aa…"
As they neared the compound, Neji explained to Kagome some things, "Due to the lack of support to the Branch House, we constantly have more people being placed in it…and not enough rooms. Several people are sharing rooms due to the lack of space…"
"Oh…" Kagome trailed of, 'the Branch House has the majority then…'
"Luckily, I haven't had to share with anyone else yet. You may stay in my room, if you'd like"
"If that's not too much trouble to you…" Kagome un-strapped her quiver of arrows and sword, taking her bow off her shoulder too as they entered the house.
Several members with the same milky white eyes turned to look at the two, nodding in approval to Neji, the leader of the Branch House. Some murmured rumors of the Main House that day.
Feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of people, Kagome directed her gaze towards the ground, following Neji by the back of his heels.
Neji's Room…
After successfully changing into her sleeping attire, Kagome slid into the makeshift bed on the floor beside Neji, watching his back as the Hyuuga shifted on the mattress.
"Thank you for…everything today" Kagome commented shyly, stifling a yawn.
"Hn" His voice was barely a whisper; Kagome had to strain her ears to catch his answer.
She smiled softly in contentment. His answer seemed typical and normal, for some reason, "Oyasumi nasai, Neji" Her eyes closed, battling the forces of sleep.
"Good night…Kagome" He was never heard, for Kagome had already fallen asleep seconds before.
And that's the chapter! I hope you like the story so far. It takes so much effort just to try and make Neji stay in character, while still starting some type of romance… (Ugh…) Well, anyways, read and review onegai!
Sayonara,
Tenshi-Battosai