Fragile Hearts: Twenty-Three
"I see nothing has changed," Neji said entering the living room. She had let him use the extra room she had and he had just finished getting cleaned up for bed.
"Did you expect anything to change?" She asked scooting over on the couch to give him space. He sat beside her with a sigh and she picked up the cup of coffee she'd made for him.
The brown-haired man took it gingerly and chuckled, "not really. You're about as constant as the stars."
Hinata smiled and picked up her own mug, "thought you'd forgotten."
"Listen, ah..." He scratched the side of his head and sat forward. "Thanks for letting me stay here."
She shook her head after taking a sip of her hot beverage, "you're always welcome here Neji-nii."
The pale eyed man placed the mug down and ruffled his hair, it was loose and still damp. "Well, you're going to need another bottle of shampoo."
The midnight blue haired girl deadpanned, "why don't you just cut your hair?"
His eyes widened, "why should I? I like it like this."
"You look like a girl."
"And?" He retorted.
"What was it Tenten used to call you? Oh, right," she smirked before continuing. "Rapunzel."
Neji frowned and picked up his coffee again. "You both are annoying," he muttered.
Hinata giggled and nudged him with her socked foot, "you love me."
"Where is Tenten anyway?" He asked pushing her foot away.
"Kyoto...I haven't seen her since college," she said with a sigh.
"That makes two of us," he stated then sighed. "Well what have you been doing with yourself?"
Hinata shrugged, "I still work with Shino at the pet shop."
"Still not dating?"
"No... w-well...not really."
Neji arched an eyebrow, "well?"
The pale girl shook her head, "enough about me. You're the one who decided to join the army?"
"There's nothing special about that. Plus I have nothing to tell, it's just me moving around military bases with a bunch of guys and a few girls."
"No dating?"
Neji frowned, "no."
They were silent for the next few minutes, both lost in their own thoughts and problems. "I thought you'd go home before coming to see me."
"Yeah well I'm in no hurry to see your dad...Hanabi, yes." He said leaning back in the soft material of the couch.
"You and me both," she muttered looking around her neat living room. "When are you going home though?"
"Trying to get rid of me already?" Neji asked arching an eyebrow
Hinata scoffed, "no... I was just—"
"In a few days...you should come with me." She shook her head quickly, dismissing the suggestion. "You can't avoid him forever...he's your father."
"Whenever he's ready to act like a father then I'll see him," she said getting to her feet. "It's getting late...I'm going to bed."
"Goodnight," he replied watching her place her mug in the kitchen.
She stretched on her way to her bedroom, "goodnight, sleep well Neji-nii." She didn't close her door since it really wasn't necessary. Turning off her phone, she put it to charge and rested it on the bedside table. Turning off the light she crawled into bed and sighed from the blissful feeling she experienced from having new covers. Her day had been great, she'd spent time with Naruto and Neji visited her. She wished everyday could be good, but something told her that it was only the calm before the storm.
"Who are you?"
"I think I'm the one who should be asking you that? Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Hinata groaned as she twisted and turned in bed under the covers. She knew it was morning and was probably way pass the time she should have been up by, but her bed just felt really good. She whimpered and reached for another pillow to pull it over her head as she heard to the voices coming from the front door. It was too early for anyone to be yelling.
"I'm not going to ask you again." She heard her cousin say in a rather stern voice, perks of being in the army she thought. It was only when she heard the other person's voice did she decide to get out of bed. She sat up quickly, feeling rather disoriented, she used both hands to push her unruly bed-hair back. Hinata got up and swayed a little, she squinted, her lavender orbs not yet used to the brightness of the sunlight.
Her hands braced against the walls as she made her way out of her room. Passing the kitchen she noticed that there were pots on the stove, which made her come to the conclusion that Neji had made breakfast. "Ugh," she breathed at the thought of food. Turning around she made her way to the bathroom ignoring the argument that was still going on.
The pale girl quickly splashed her face with water and rinsed the bitter taste out of her mouth. She pushed her hair back and ignored the drowsy look that still lingered on her face as she turned to leave. This time her steps were quicker and she felt more...awake.
"Neji-nii," she said quietly catching both their attention. She stood awkwardly in the living room staring at Naruto who was by the door with her cousin trying to close it on him. Maybe under different circumstances she would have found the sight more amusing...but not at that time. She didn't feel sober enough to process much.
"Did I wake you?" He asked realizing that she still looked sleepy. Hinata nodded while placing a hand on her hip, the other rubbing an eye. "Sorry about that."
She shook her head and approached then, taking her cousin's hand she led him away from the door allowing Naruto to enter. "Sorry about this Naruto-kun."
Neji's eyes widened before he glared at the blonde, "it's okay...though I'm still puzzled as to who he is." The Uzumaki responded staring at him, Neji was dressed casually in a plain, white, long-sleeved shirt and knee length, black shorts. His hair was caught at the end with a black elastic band.
"He's my cousin," she said then placed a hand over her mouth as she yawned. "Sorry...Naruto-kun this is Neji. Neji—Naruto-kun."
"Cousin," the blonde repeated. "You could have said that on the phone."
Hinata furrowed her eyebrows and sat down, "phone?"
The brown-haired Hyūga rolled his pale orbs, "he called earlier—"
"Because your phone seemed to be off so I tried your house phone." Naruto explained.
"Yes well he must have thought I was your boyfriend when I answered so he got jealous and came over," Neji spoke glaring at him.
The Uzumaki flexed his jaw as he stared at Neji, he was absolutely right, but he didn't want anyone to know. "That is—"
Hinata raised both her hands, "I don't want to hear it. You both are giving me a headache."
"Sorry," Naruto muttered looking at her.
She offered him a half smile and Neji sat beside her, "you should go back to sleep. You went to bed pretty late last night."
"Sleep?" She glanced at the clock on the wall, "I should have left for work already. Why didn't you wake me?"
"You looked peaceful..." He replied getting up. "Besides you can't go to work today."
"And why not?"
"Because you have me and it would be polite if you stayed with your guest."
Hinata deadpanned, "yeah, if my guest wasn't my cousin."
"But Hinata..."
"Why don't you go meet up with your friends or something? You haven't seen them in years."
Neji narrowed his eyes at her, "define friends."
The pale girl sighed and got up, "Sasuke-san, Kiba-kun and... I don't know Lee? Either way I'm going to work."
Neji frowned as Hinata made her way to the bathroom and closed the door. He turned to Naruto who was still standing there silently with a small smile on his face. "Well...I made breakfast."
"You know Sasuke?" He asked on their way to the kitchen.
"We went to college together. I wouldn't say we're the best of friends," the Hyūga responded getting a plate for the blonde.
Naruto nodded, "if you're bored you can come to work with me...Sasuke is supposed to stop by around lunchtime."
"What are you to my sister again?" He asked looking at him with a blank expression.
"I thought she was your cousin?"
"Either works. Our fathers were twins so technically she's like my half-sister." He said with a shrug. Naruto nodded slowly, "but don't try to change the subject."
The Uzumaki blushed and scratched the back of his head, "I'm just her friend."
"Oh, okay...and how long have you been in love with her?" He asked putting some bacon on Naruto's plate.
"Is it that obvious?"
Neji tapped his shoulder, "yeah."
They moved to the living room and sat down. Nothing good was on the television, but they were too engrossed in their conversation to mind. By the time Hinata finished her morning routine and got dressed for work the two were talking and Naruto was laughing. She smiled while pulling her hair into a tight ponytail.
"Did you make coffee Neji-nii?" She asked on her way to the kitchen.
"Yeah, do you need me to—?"
"No it's okay, I got it." She said getting her mug.
"Do you need me to drop you at work?" Naruto asked.
Hinata looked at her watch and sighed, "could you?"
"Yeah, it's no trouble," he said as Neji got up.
"I'll go get ready." He said on the way to his room. Hinata took his seat in the living room across from Naruto with her coffee.
The blonde pointed at it with a frown, "aren't you going to have something with that?"
She shook her head, "no time. Besides I'm not really hungry."
"Hinata, you should eat."
"Naruto-kun I'm okay, trust me." She said and he sighed giving up, there was no winning with her. "I see you and Neji-nii are getting along."
"Yeah, he's pretty cool," he said reaching into his pocket. He pulled out his phone and answered it. The Hyūga turned her interest to the television since she no longer had Naruto's undivided attention. It was a sitcom that was on, but it didn't interest her very much. All she could think about was what her cousin had said to her the night before about her father. It was basically the same thing Naruto had said to her, but still she was hesitant about going.
"Hinata." Naruto called after hanging up the phone. She had spaced out with the coffee mug in her hand. He sat forward and waved a hand in front of her face to try and snap her out of her dazed state. "Hinata."
"Huh?" She asked blinking; she placed the mug down and met his gaze. "S-sorry, what did you say?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah..." She answered but he merely deadpanned. She sighed and mentally regretted telling him about her past, before she did it was much easier to lie to him, now he basically saw right through her. "Well...I've been thinking about my father."
Naruto's eyes widened, "oh..."
"Neji-nii wants me to go with him when he's going home, but I-I don't know." Hinata said wincing at the thought of facing the man who practically disowned her.
"You should go," he said.
She sighed and reached forward for the remote, turning off the television they sat in perfect silence. "I'm not sure yet."
"Just give it some thought, okay?" He said with a smile. She returned the smile and nodded.
"Okay I'm ready," Neji said returning in a red T-shirt and denim jeans.
"Where are you going exactly?" Hinata asked going to put away her cup.
"With your boyfriend. He's taking me to his workplace," the brown-haired man said. Naruto blushed and Hinata almost choked on thin air. She shook her head and watched as they made their way out of her apartment, the blonde stopped however and held the door for her. She grabbed her bag and caught up to them in now time. But as they left she couldn't help but feel at ease with the both of them.
Fragile Hearts | A NaruHina Story
©Infinite_Writer01™2016
Thank you for reading!
