Chapter 14
Shino kept his distance, and thought things were going well, or as well as they could be, until he felt Lady Natsuki's influence once again. It was evening, and she directed him to Hinata's. He actually tried to fight, didn't want Hinata involved in whatever game Lady Natsuki had in mind for her, but it was, as it always was, no use.
He and Kiba would sometimes meet Hinata here before a mission, but other than that, they rarely spent time at the Hyuuga Estate. Kiba wasn't particularly comfortable here, he said he and Akamaru stuck out like a sore thumb, and Shino had to agree, though the other truth was that Hinata was not particularly comfortable here.
They most often met at Kiba's, and occasionally at Shino's. Shino knew his appearance here would draw attention. Being of the main branch, there were guards, though they waved Shino in, recognizing him as a teammate of Hinata's. The courtyard, which he had expected to be quiet at this time of the evening was not. Neji was practicing, stopped when Shino approached.
"You're here to see Lady Hinata?" he asked cautiously. They had not spoken often, but Shino sensed that Neji was somewhat uneasy around him, unlike with Kiba, who had largely forgiven Neji for his treatment of Hinata in their younger years; Kiba was gregarious that way.
Shino respected Neji's skill, but couldn't help feel that he had had to step in as a poor substitute for this man. Shino had done his best, coming up with exercises that he executed with Kiba's help, but he was not equipped to help Hinata unleash the full potential of her Byakugan. Neji had recently taken to training with Hinata himself, for which Shino was grateful, but there was some rivalry from him? Shino didn't understand, but he answered the question.
"Yes."
Neji scrutinized him, and though Neji often looked somewhat irritated, he appeared especially so tonight. It seemed Lady Natsuki was also listening in, for she replied, though Shino hadn't realized she could do this, heard her voice clearly in his mind:
"He does see you as a rival, but not for the reasons you think."
Before Shino had time to ponder that, Neji, apparently satisfied – he could read nothing from Shino, as Shino himself didn't even know what he was doing here – nodded and resumed his training. Shino continued, walking across the courtyard to the veranda, and knocking on the door to Hinata's quarters.
Hinata appeared a few moments later, startled.
"Shino, is everything alright? This is unusual."
Shino was sure Lady Natsuki would answer this question for him, and sure enough:
"Yes… it's just, there's something I wanted to ask your opinion on. A family matter."
Hinata's eyes went wide before replying, "Of course, um… would you like to come in?"
He nodded. She opened up the sliding door, and they sat down inside.
Shino had the uncanny feeling of being watched, something he couldn't disregard in the Hyuuga compound. Instead of sending out his beetles however, he asked, "Hinata, how many people are watching us right now?"
"So many!" Hinata whispered, embarrassed and frustrated simultaneously. "Hold on a second." Hinata activated her own Byakugan, did some pointed staring in a few directions, then let it go, shaking her head.
"We all have an agreement, we're not supposed to do this! Otherwise no one would get any privacy! I'm sorry, Shino, I'm afraid they think that we're… um, you know, it's just I don't get many visitors at this time, um, especially male visitors, and, it's silly, I mean, we're teammates, I'm alone with you all the time! Anyway, enough about my family, what did you want to tell me about?"
He could feel Lady Natsuki's amusement at this. Once again, a man and a woman alone together, more assumptions, another situation that was not as it seemed, but then he felt afraid. Lady Natsuki wouldn't… make him confess to Hinata, would she? To make an advance on her? Would she find that amusing? Not only did he not want to do that, he did not think Hinata would be receptive to that, he would make a fool of himself, ruin their teamwork, all the trust built up between them over so many years, all for this woman's entertainment? "I get bored, as you can imagine..." rang in his ears, yet Lady Natsuki made him speak, in line with what she had made him first say, a family matter.
"There's something I didn't tell you, about Torune, about myself actually, why I didn't tell you about him sooner."
"It's really okay, Shino." Hinata started soothingly, as Shino breathed an internal sigh of relief. He knew where Lady Natsuki was going with this, and while he would never have told this to Hinata voluntarily, juxtaposed with what he had feared Lady Natsuki would make him do, this did not seem so bad. Lady Natsuki made him continue, or was it just him, now that he knew her plan? Was he only following along, as he had predicted early on, when he said, "It was supposed to be me."
Hinata's good natured expression froze, then slowly thawed, fell, as realization took its place.
"I was supposed to go into Anbu Root, not him." Shino said. "He took my place. He offered to go instead. He was older, but I don't know if he really knew what he was agreeing too. I fear he resents me."
Hinata was quiet, looked down, looked away, then took a deep breath before returning her gaze to him. "I understand, Shino. I really do, because… Have you heard of the Hyuuga Affair? I myself didn't hear about it until I was older, even though I played a part in it. I think it's kept rather quiet, one of your older family members may remember it, but..."
She proceeded to tell him about a peace treaty, between the Leaf and the Cloud, how a visiting Cloud Ninja had attempted to take her for her Byakugan, but her father had saved her, killing her would-be kidnapper in the process. How the Cloud insisted that he had been in the wrong to do so, demanded his death. A life for a life. Or else there would be no peace.
How to end hostilities, Hiashi had agreed, but he feared the Byakugan getting into enemy hands. How his twin brother, Hizashi, with his curse seal, had offered to take his place. That this was what lit the fire of Neji's hatred.
"You saw how angry Brother Neji was." Hinata said, voice subdued. "I have memories too, of Father activating the curse seal on Uncle Hizashi, in front of Brother Neji and myself, even of using it on Brother Neji when he sparred with me. It… all seems too much to overcome doesn't it? Yet, Brother Neji did find peace, when he learned his father had not been sacrificed, that he had chosen, and in that choice, obtained his long sought freedom. He chose not to protect the main house, but to protect his brother, his family.
"I know it's hard to understand, but please believe me, I've seen it, how much Torune cares for you. I'm sure, if you talked to him, he would say the same. That he chose."
Shino listened to all this as though through a screen. He didn't understand why Lady Natsuki had sent him here, how could she have known this, Shino himself didn't know this, yet she was old, maybe she knew of this incident? He also felt he was betraying Hinata by hearing such a personal story of hers under false pretenses, telling his own under the command of someone else, yet… there was a relief he hadn't been expecting, to share this, for Hinata to accept him, and to his surprise, she looked as though a great weight had been lifted off of her.
"Thank you for sharing that with me."
"Of course! And Shino, I… I'm very thankful to Torune, because… I'm happy, you didn't go into Anbu Root, we wouldn't have become teammates, and… you're very important to me!"
"You still don't believe this woman sees you as a friend?" Lady Natsuki hissed in his mind.
He took a deep breath, waiting to see if she would make him speak. When he did not, he replied, "You are important to me, as well."
Hinata smiled, and Shino, despite everything, started to smile in return, though that faded quickly, when he felt Lady Natsuki's influence again.
"It's getting late. I should go, but before I do, may I ask you a personal question?"
Hinata nodded, as they both awaited what Lady Natsuki would ask, with his voice.
"I know many assume, but… do you actually have feelings for Naruto?"
Though Kiba kidded her about his often, Shino could never recall Hinata actually saying this herself. He felt truly terrible, to be asking this of her, almost couldn't bring himself to look at her. To his surprise, she didn't get flustered, didn't blush, didn't wave her hands around. She smiled, softly.
"It's funny, isn't it. Everyone has just assumed for so long that… it seems that I must, right? I… don't think I'm going to ever be with Naruto, to be honest. I care about him, he's an inspiration to me, but… you've seen him, he's in love with Sakura. And, I'm not sure if what I felt for him is the same as being in love with someone."
Shino had noticed that, had also heard Kiba talk about it, when Hinata wasn't around, that he thought Naruto and Sakura might start dating. Even Kiba, with all his boldness, hadn't wanted to break Hinata's heart with this, just as Shino hated that he was the one seemingly doing so now. Knew Naruto's presence had given her strength during dark times. In some strange way, he didn't want her to have to let go of that dream. She had given up so much already. And he had nothing to offer her. Or so he thought, until once again, Lady Natsuki took the lead.
"The reason I ask is… I think there is someone else, here within your clan, who cares for you. He looked rather cross, when he saw me tonight."
"…Brother Neji?" This was as much a shock to Hinata as it was to Shino.
"Yes."
It was like the sun had just come out, the look on her face, the growing light of it. Shino had not seen her do this in a long time, but she touched her index fingers together, looking down at them as she twisted them.
"You… really think so, Shino?"
He had not expected this reaction either, though he could tell Lady Natsuki had.
"I do." she had him say simply, then stand. Hinata followed suit.
Hinata started stammering nervously, changing the subject. "I'm sorry, I must warn you, we'll probably be the talk of my clan. Hopefully it won't go farther than that… but can you imagine if it got back to Kiba?"
"He would be furious."
Hinata clumsily opened her door, and they walked together along the veranda. Neji was still out practicing. He did not pause when they approached, but Hinata looked up to Shino, as though to ask him once more, "Are you sure?"
So this is what Lady Natsuki had meant, when she said Neji did see him as a rival, but he desperately didn't want Hinata's heart to be broken by this either. She trusted him and this was not coming from him, that Neji did feel this way about her, though to his sorrow – however astonishing this was, it had gone completely obscured from his vision, even the possibility that Hinata might have feelings for this man – it appeared that she did.
He found himself in the contradictory position of praying that Lady Natsuki's observation was true, as she caused him to look down to Hinata and nod.
Another training session with his teammates, though this time, Neji joined them, and he and Kiba were getting ready to spar.
"Neji, I've never seen you look this happy, and honestly, it's freaking me out. Did you figure out some new move that can what, destroy an entire village?" Kiba kidded with him.
"Not like I'd need something like that to defeat you."
"Oh man, bring it on! Hey, that reminds me, Shino, where's Torune been? Haven't seen him in a while. What, am I too boring to spar with?"
"He's been busy, but he said he enjoyed fighting you, Kiba."
"… He did?"
"Yes."
"No kidding? Huh. Alright, back to business. Neji, you ready?"
"Always."
"Shino, would you like to spar with me?" Hinata asked, looking radiant as well, though Kiba hadn't commented on that.
Shino nodded. He could not say for sure, and he did not want to pry, though he noted Neji did not look cross with him today.
