Well, so far no flames. Concrit is still wanted.
Iron Threads
Chapter Three:
Trust
Neji discussed the events of the family meeting at length with Lee over lunch. Lee and his Genin team had just finished a mission which involved finding an older woman's cat and he happily accepted the offer from his former teammate. The green clad Jounin was so happy that Hinata had found the strength inside to make the choice she did. He remembered seeing her earlier that morning with her Genin team. She was taking them out for ice cream and cake and she had looked so glad. Things would be looking up for her.
"Lee, I've got to be honest," Neji said, "I took you out to lunch to discuss more than just Hinata-sama's recent reforms in the clan."
Lee's expression grew serious, "What ever you need, Neji, I'll help. We're no longer teammates, but as a friend, I'll do anything for you."
The Hyuga smiled and gazed at the coffee that sat in front of him.
"I thought you'd say something like that. Remember that time you visited before Hiashi-sama died, and he told you how I trusted you enough to leave you with my most important duty of all?" the white eyed boy began. The taijutsu specialist nodded.
"I recall him saying something to that effect," Lee replied.
"My most important duty is to protect Hinata-sama," Neji continued, "She insists that since she has made both houses equal, I no longer have an obligation to protect her, but I feel I must do so anyway. Hinata-sama is like my little sister, I refuse to allow any undue harm come to her.
I have a mission coming up in which I must be away from Konoha for a few months, I cannot say how long. Should Hinata-sama need protection, I want you to protect her in my stead."
Lee nodded, "I understand. I'll do my best to take care of Hinata."
Neji looked into the taijutsu specialist's eyes. He knew that his cousin would be safe in Lee's hands.
"Hinata-sama was very strong on the outside at the meeting, but when I went to visit her at her quarters, she was sitting alone in the darkness of her room. Hinata-sama looked like a goddess out of a legend in the meeting room, but back in her own room she was still the same girl she was so many years ago," Neji said, "In your terms, she has still only started to blossom into her spring. She's not quite finished yet."
Lee chuckled a little at Neji's use of his and Gai's most famous metaphor.
"She really needs those weekly spars, be sure to keep them," the Hyuga informed him, "And…"
Lee raised his thick eyebrows, "And…?"
Neji smiled and shook his head, "Never mind, it's nothing."
The two friends left the restaurant each contemplating their new assignment.
Neji left a week later. Hinata had bid him well on his assignment and hoped he made a safe return. The Hyuga clan once again couldn't leave well enough alone. They asserted that Neji was neglecting his duty as her protector by leaving. They were upset as it was that he had become an ANBU and had not dedicated his life to protecting Hinata, but now he was leaving? Hinata scoffed at their idea of protection, which would be to follow her around endlessly.
What was more, Neji wasn't trusting Hinata's safety to another family member, but a Jounin from a family that could hardly be considered of Konoha's nobility. Hinata told them not to worry that she cold take care of herself and not to berate Lee because of whom he was born to.
Nevertheless, the counsel of elders insisted on meeting Lee at the next family meeting, so she and Hanabi had to prepare him accordingly. After their weekly spar, Hinata and Lee went to her house to discuss what would happen at the meeting the next day. They went to her chambers and met in the tea room with Hanabi. Lee sat at the table and asked Hanabi how her ninja career was progressing as Hinata went to prepare tea. As her older sister left the room, Hanabi smiled thoughtfully.
"My sister knows full well she could ask a maid to make tea for her, but she likes to make it herself," the younger Hyuga sister said.
"Hinata is a very special girl," Lee added, "She's trying very hard to make life easier for everyone in this family."
"And all they do is make life even harder for her," Hanabi added bitterly, "Did you know, that not even a few days passed by after Neji left before several family members tried to kill her?"
Lee looked a little alarmed by this. Hinata really was in danger. What was even worse about it was that she wasn't telling him.
"Neji was afraid this would happen," Hanabi said, "The family tries to act all pious, talking about him leaving her unprotected, but in reality they want her dead for what she's doing. They've been dying for him to be called away. He probably would have accepted the family's offer of a protector from the Hyuga clan had he not suspected them of using the protector to try and kill her. He knew he could only trust you to actually do the job he asked."
Hanabi looked down, no doubt trying to hide the unshed tears welling up in her eyes.
"I'm strong, I know I am. But I'm no where near experienced enough to take on all the people coming after her," the white eyed girl whispered. Hinata entered the room again with the tea. She noticed the looks on her sister and Lee's faces and she grew a little worried.
"What were you two talking about?" the clan leader asked. Neither spoke, and both couldn't look her in the eyes. She set a cup in front of each of them.
"If it's about the assassination attempts, don't you worry, I can handle anything the clan throws at me," Hinata said. Lee looked at Hinata as she poured the tea. She was serene, all the troubles in the world swarmed in her mind and heart and her eyes would no longer betray her fear. Not now anyway.
"Hinata, if you're in danger, I think I should stay here with you and Hanabi," Lee suggested. Hinata shook her head.
"I'm sure that's just what the clan wants you to do," she said as she sat at the head of the table, her back to one of the windows in the room.
"Don't you realize that if you stay here, they'll try to kill you as well?" Hianta continued, "I don't want you to get hurt, Lee."
Lee looked at her rather solemnly, "So, you'd risk your life to save mine?"
The clan leader sighed in exasperation, "Lee, there's hardly a—"
She was cut off by the taijutsu specialist shoving her roughly. The force with which he pushed her caused her to hit the wall just beneath the window she had her back to. She was rather shocked by the incident.
"W-what?" she sputtered, "What was that for?"
Hanabi looked at the pillow where her sister had been sitting. In it sat a dart full of a strange liquid. The younger girl approximated the trajectory and told Lee her calculations. He helped Hinata stand and using the information given, he estimated about where on her body it would have hit. His fingers ran down her spine and tapped her blind spot.
"It would have hit you right there," the taijutsu specialist informed her, "No wonder you couldn't see it."
He drew a ragged breath as his friend started to tremble.
"Hardly a risk, eh?" Lee said. Hinata looked down at the floor, her eyes growing wider with fear. Why was she afraid? She had come so far, only to feel this weak in the face of danger. The clan leader rubbed her arms as her eyes filled with tears. What good was all that work if she couldn't defend herself? Lee gazed down at his friend and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Hinata, I'm here for you. You don't have to do this alone," he told her. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body shook with sobs as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his green jumpsuit.
"I'm…I'm scared," she said softly, "I'm very afraid. I can only handle so much and they know me, they know my limits and my weaknesses."
He wrapped his arms around Hinata protectively. Here she was, his best friend in need of his help. He knew what he wanted to say next, and he knew what had happened last time he said it. Lee sighed and held her a little closer.
"I'll protect you until I die," he said, "I promise."
This time, when he made this promise, he was already receiving what he wanted most from Hinata. Her friendship was collateral enough for him to lay his life on the line for her. Hanabi looked up at the two of them, her eyes sad and tired.
"Come," she said, "We still have much to prepare for."
Hinata did her best to regain her composure and the three took the tea into the inner most rooms of Hinata's cambers.
Over the course of the afternoon and well into the morning, Lee had a few of his things moved into the room opposite Hanabi's in Hinata's living quarters. Even after the day's attacks, Hinata insisted that he didn't have to stay, yet Lee felt obligated to do so. He donned his dark green hakama for the meeting that was to take place that night. Hanabi was waiting outside of Hinata's door when he left his room that evening.
"Hinata's getting ready," Hanabi explained, "She needs a lot of maids to help her with her obi, it's very long and hard to tie with just two people."
They waited only a few minutes more before the maids filed out of the room. Lee poked his head in the door to see Hinata looking into her mirror. She rose slowly and turned to face him. Lee gasped at the sight of her. The clan leader looked like a fine china doll. Her robes were arranged perfectly, her sleeves reached her ankles and her black and gold obi was tied ornately about her small waist. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a dramatic bun adorned with several traditional ornaments. Hinata didn't wear make up, but her lips were rouged a little. She blushed as she stepped out of her room.
"I wish you wouldn't stare at me so…" she said softly. Lee only grinned and scratched the back of his neck.
"Sure thing, Hinata-sama," he replied. The clan leader placed her white hand on his shoulder.
"Outside of the meeting room, you don't have to call me anything but Hinata, remember that," she told him.
The three left Hinata's quarters and headed toward the main house where the meeting room was.
"Don't worry about anything, Lee," Hinata told him, "They may act scary, but the clan elders are only people."
They entered the room where the counsel of elders sat and instantly they started whispering among themselves. Lee had to admit it was a little unnerving. They sat down and Hinata raised her hand to bring order to the room.
"First order of business," she said, "I'd like to introduce Rock Lee, the man Neji has deemed capable of protecting me in his stead."
"It seems he has proven his worth," one of the elderly Hyuga said, "He did negate many of the attacks that were directed toward you this afternoon. They call you the 'Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha' don't they?"
"Yes, they do," Lee said, unsure of where this comment was going.
"Well, I can see where they got the 'Green Beast' part of it, but where the 'Beautiful' comes in, I'm not sure," the one of the younger Hyuga on the counsel commented. Hinata blinked in surprise at the statement. That was certainly not characteristic of the Hyuga decorum. It seems Lee's looks could bring comedy into any situation.
"I'll thank you not to disrespect my friend," Hinata said.
"Your protector has moved into the quarters with you and your sister," an older Hyuga woman stated, "I just hope he remembers we Hyuga can see everything he does."
Hinata's eyes narrowed, "Neji and I don't doubt Lee-san's integrity. Neither should you."
Lee tapped Hinata's shoulder. She turned to him and upon looking into his eyes knew what he wanted. The clan leader nodded and gave him the floor.
"If I may say a few words," Lee said, "Neji is very dedicated to this family and to Hinata-sama especially. He has vowed his life to his family. I would never profane anything or anyone that my friend has deemed worthy of protecting with his life. I understand that right now, the family is undergoing changes, changes that not everyone wants to happen. I am not yet another ANBU here to enforce these changes. My only job here is to make sure that Hinata-sama, who is also my friend, is safe during these trying times."
Hinata stared at him as he sat back on his pillow beside her. She had never seen him say something in such a serious tone before, it was rather unnerving for her. They addressed a few more issues at the meeting and it was dismissed. As the trio left the main building, Lee found himself quite unable to tear his eyes away from Hinata as the younger girl walked beside him as they headed back to their rooms.
"Lee…you make me uncomfortable when you stare…" the clan leader mumbled. Lee laughed.
"I'm sorry, it's just you look so pretty," the taijutsu specialist explained "I don't think I've ever seen you dressed like this before."
Hinata blushed yet again, "You'd better stop flattering me. We're best friends, you don't have to lie."
Lee grinned brightly and gave her a "nice guy" pose, "I have no reason to lie to you. Every word I've said is true."
Hinata smiled back and patted his shoulder. Hanabi simply watched the encounter and allowed the wheels in her head to begin turning.
The next few weeks were rather eventful. Every few days there was an attempt on Hinata's life and Lee got so worried that he and his Genin team started to take missions with or near Hinata's team. The Hyuga deemed such actions unnecessary, but respected his decisions.
Protecting Hinata wasn't hard. The Hyuga were a skilled bunch of people, but after fighting both Neji and Hinata, both of whom were considered the best of the Hyuga, fighting anyone under them was fairly easy. The ANBU were a big help too. Through their fighting styles, Lee had determined that Shino, Kiba and Asuma were indeed the three Jounin heading up the patrol of the Hyuga household. Kiba wasn't so hard to identify, what with riding the sizable Akamaru around the compound.
What was really hard about protecting Hinata turned out to be Hanabi. The girl wasn't difficult or hostile, just…strange. Ever since the first night he began to stay at the house, she had been acting rather funny. Hanabi would catch him at the strangest times and ask what he thought of Hinata's hair or the way she laughed or other trivial things.
That and whenever he was training, she and Hinata would be within eye shot in her sister's office. Lee often saw them looking his way and then Hanabi would whisper something to her sister that would cause the older girl to turn bright red. He couldn't figure out for the life of him what that girl was trying to do. The taijutsu specialist decided not to pay too much attention to it. He had a job to do.
One afternoon, as he and Hinata were returning from a day of training their Genin teams, the found Naruto waiting inside Hinata's tea room. They both greeted the Hokage warmly and sat down at the table.
"I see you and your family are having quite a time here," Naruto said, "Are you sure this is what you wanted?"
"Absolutely," Hinata replied, "Is something the matter, Naruto-kun?"
"There might be," the blond said slowly, "I'm to attend a summit for the leaders of all the hidden villages. It's vital that all the leaders attend and the Raikage has said he will not come to the summit if I do not bring a member of the Hyuga household with me."
Hinata gulped instinctively. Her dealings with the Lightning Country had never been good.
"I'll come," she said, "But I'll have to bring Lee with me, if you don't mind."
Naruto grinned, "I was going to ask Bushy Brows to come anyway."
Lee thanked him and tried to graciously ignore the comment about his eyebrows. Naruto thanked them for their cooperation and left the room. Once he was gone, Hanabi opened the sliding doors. She sauntered over to the table and sat down in front of the two of them grinning evilly.
"You two get to go on a trip together," the younger girl said. Hinata glared at her sister.
"Hanabi…you need to stop reading all that shoujo manga, and train!" the older Hyuga sister declared. Lee blinked in confusion. Shoujo manga? Could that mean…was Hanabi trying to get him to fall in love with Hinata this whole time? The younger girl sighed dramatically and stood up.
"Oh, all right, sister dear," she said. As the younger girl shut the door, Lee and Hinata had turned bright red.
"I'm sorry about Hanabi," the clan leader said, brushing back her hair, "She can be so naïve sometimes…"
"Don't worry about it…" Lee replied, "Let's just start packing for the summit."
"Lee…" Hinata began, "There's something you should know about my family and the Village Hidden in the Clouds…"
Upon hearing about Hinata's summons to the summit by the Raikage, the attempts on her life died down. This was possibly due to the fact that the family believed that she would most likely die at the hands of the Lightning Country. Hinata left Hanabi in charge of the family and encouraged her to work very closely with the ANBU to keep everything under control. The younger girl agreed with her sister's instructions and promised to do her best. Hinata left her team under the supervision of Tenten. When the Hyuga introduced her team to the older girl, she mentioned that Yuji had an interest in weapons. This caused Tenten to squeal in delight and take the entire team to her weapons shop for training. Although they all had fun, Hinata could tell Yuji was going to especially enjoy the next few weeks.
Lee was at a loss as to who he was going to leave his team to. They weren't too difficult. There was Yamitaka Miho and Takeshi, twins who were every bit as similar as they were dissimilar. It was hard to explain. They worked best together which often alienated their other teammate, Ishiguro Kazuo, who was an exceptional Genin, but found himself lost among the unspoken messages the twins had between each other. Lee finally had it. Who better to remedy this dysfunctional team than his old teacher Gai? Upon meeting Gai, the children were only shocked that there was actually another person in the world whose eyebrows were thicker than their teacher's.
Naruto called on Lee and Hinata later that week to check up on their preparations for the trip. When he heard about Lee leaving his team to Gai, the Hokage fell out laughing.
"It's not like there's going to be much of a difference!" the blonde said. After he finished, he told them of several details about when they would be leaving.
"We're traveling with Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. They will be arriving in about a week or so. Notice will be sent to the compound and you are to arrive as soon as possible," Naruto told them. He stayed a little while longer before he left to attend to other matters.
It was the day before they were going to leave, and Lee was double checking everything he was going to bring. There was a knock on his door. He half expected it to be Hanabi, the younger girl always seemed to pop up at odd moments. She probably wanted to ask him what he thought of Hinata's new clothes that she had bought for the trip. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Hinata herself. The younger girl smiled up at him.
"Are you all packed, Lee?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered, "Is everything all right?"
The Hyuga clan leader nodded, "Everything's fine. I was just wondering if you wanted to go out to dinner tonight?"
This was the first time a girl had ever asked him to dinner. Unfortunately for Lee, he knew Hinata was only asking him because he was her best friend. He agreed and they headed out of the compound together. As they crossed the courtyard, Hanabi jumped out of no where.
"Going on a date, I see," the younger Hyuga sister said. Hinata sighed and slinked past her.
"Go read a training manual or something, Hanabi," the elder Hyuga sister grumbled.
"I will, sister dearest, right after I read volume seven of my favorite romance manga!" Hanabi declared. Hinata sighed and Lee chuckled a little at the exchange. Once they left the compound walls, the Hyuga girl apologized for her sister's actions.
"This isn't like Hanabi. She's not the type to play matchmaker," Hinata said. Lee dismissed her worries.
"I wouldn't worry about her," he replied, "She's only displaying a vigor and mischief incidental to her youth."
Hinata smiled thoughtfully, "Maybe you're right."
They didn't go anywhere special. They went to Naruto's favorite ramen stand, Ichiraku, and ordered a few bowls. Hinata didn't really eat much, but she was sure to buy extra for Lee. He was the type that wouldn't ask for more food unless you offered it. She grinned as she watched him slurp his noodles. He grinned back and tousled her hair.
"Are you all right, Hinata? You've barely touched your bowl of ramen," Lee said pointing to her bowl, which was still half full.
"I haven't had much of an appetite these past few weeks," Hinata told him. The taijutsu specialist gazed at Hinata with worry.
"Do you think you're getting sick?" he asked. She shook her head and slurped some ramen.
"No, I'll be fine," the Hyuga clan leader told him. Lee knew there was more to it that what she was saying. He decided to use the time away from the clan to observe her more closely.
"Lee…I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to do this…" Hinata said softly, "I know that I really have no choice but to go to the summit with Naruto-kun, but now that I insisted that you come with me, you also have to see him with Sakura…it's going to be so difficult for you. I wish I had thought that through before dragging you into this. I'm so sorry for not considering your feelings."
Lee wasn't going to lie and tell her that he wouldn't be affected by seeing Sakura happily married to one of the people he deemed to be one his rivals. On the other hand, he didn't want Hinata to worry and think that he wasn't willing to take on the challenge.
"Hinata, I promised to protect you," Lee replied, "Even if it means putting myself in an awkward situation, I'll be there for you. Especially since you don't know what the people of Lightning Country might do to you."
Hinata didn't smile back. Instead she stared blankly at the table and pushed her ramen bowl in front of him.
"You finish it. I can't, I'm too full," the Hyuga girl said. Her reaction truly worried Lee.
"Come on. Let's pay for our dinner, and go for a walk," he instructed. Hinata did as she was told and the two left the ramen stand. They walked side by side neither saying anything. They ended up at the training grounds back at the academy. It was, dark, it was quiet, and Hinata was confused.
"Lee, I…" Hinata began. Lee shushed her and told her to sit. She did and he sat in front of her. The two of them faced each other, legs crossed Indian style as the light of the moon shown down on the two of them lining their silhouettes with slivery glow.
"You've been so busy taking care of the clan, you hardly had time to come to terms with your feelings toward Naruto and Sakura," Lee said, "Tell me everything you feel when you think of him."
Hinata gazed at him with wide, white eyes, they reflected the moonlight perfectly. She was silent and for the first time in a few years, she looked down and pressed her fingertips together in embarrassment.
"Lee, you're supposed to protect me, not be my therapist…" she said softly.
"I'll start then and I'll talk about Sakura," Lee said, "When I think about her, I think about happiness. I think about everything I've ever wanted and everyone I've ever loved. She was going to be my one and only when I was strong enough. I became strong enough, she told me so, but her heart was simply never to be mine. I'm upset because she found someone else, but I'm happy because Naruto truly is a good person. I know she'll be happy with him."
Hinata stared at him for a long time. She seemed to be slipping thought several trains of thought at once and was unable to decide what to say first.
"Right now…I feel…so sad…" Hinata said finally, "I've come so far, and to think that he's not going to be with me, and me only is…a bit hard. I can barrel through life, take on issue after issue, problem after problem with the clan and let them wear me down into the ground and never acknowledge my feelings again. I've been trying to do that, and so far the only thing I've managed to do is to feel worse off than I was before."
Somehow, Lee had a feeling that his friend was trying to do just what she described. If she continued living like this, she'd surely kill herself, or at least make her life very difficult.
"This is the first time I've really sat and been forced to think only of myself in quite a few months," Hinata continued, "In a few more weeks, Naruto and Sakura will be married for six months, six months after that they'll be married a year. They'll continue to be happy and there's nothing I can do to change that."
Lee saw his friend for what she was for the first time in a few years. He'd known her since she was thirteen and here she was, eleven years later, twenty four years old and still her old self in many ways. True she had come out of her shell, true she had taken charge of a dying household and breathed new life into it, but she was still Hinata. Just beneath the surface of her new personality, she was still shy and insecure.
"Hinata, when Naruto and Sakura are celebrating their fifteenth wedding anniversary, where will you be?" he asked. She buried her face in her hands.
"I don't know," she replied, "I really don't know."
They were silent in the dark for a few minutes. Lee sighed and stood up.
"You really won't have any idea of where you're going to go if you don't move on," he told Hinata. She looked up at him with those moon white eyes. Lee extended his hand.
"You and I…we're stuck. We've shared our heartbreak, but we haven't healed from it," Lee explained, "It's going to be difficult…"
Hinata took his hand and stood up.
"If we work hard, we can heal together," she said. Lee nodded and put his arm around her shoulder. The two friends left the training grounds, planning to go ahead with their lives and never look back on what might have been.
Kazuo Ishiguro plug. He's a great writer, I strongly suggest Remains of the Day, it's a wonderful book.
Thank you:
Anime-Dudette: I'm glad you liked it! In fact, I'm just glad anyone likes this fic at all!
Um...reviews are appreciated, concrit is wanted. It's very hard not to go back to my old days of idle threats in a vain attempt to get reviews, but that's what you get when you write a crack pairing.
