A Caged Bird's Love: Chapter Two
"Neji-nii-san, it's a pleasure to be working with you." Hinata murmured, warm eyes smiling into his. Neji's heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel his cheeks grow hot under her gaze. She was here, right in front of him….He could reach out and touch her, and she would be real……
"Neji-nii-san? Are you feeling alright?" Neji focused on the two colorless eyes in front of him. Hinata's brow was ceased with worry. Neji felt a stab of guilt for making her anxious.
"Oh, no, I'm sorry, it's nothing," he assured her, trying to smile and control his heart.
"Are you sure? You look rather flushed," She told him, concern in her voice.
"I'm all right. Really. I'm very sorry for making you worry, Hinata-sama. It's a pleasure to be able to work with you as well."
She smiled again, and Neji's heart skipped a beat. She's so pretty when she smiles…
Tsunade was watching them both carefully. They would do just fine together. "Well, if you are both satisfied with the partnership, I'd better give you the details," she said loudly, enjoying the fact that it brought both of the young Hyuugas out of their own little conversation. "No problems so far?"
They both shook their heads. The Hokage grinned. "Good. Now, you are going to be needing this." She slapped down another folder. "It contains all the knowledge we have on the area where this group is located. And-"
Neji cut across her. "Wait, I thought you just said that we are going to have to track them. What's the point of that when you know where they are?"
She tsked at him, waging a finger. "You are going to have to track them. All we know is what country, and what part of that country they are in. So, yes, you still have to track them. We just made it easier on you."
Neji nodded. If their general whereabouts were already known, then finding them would be easy enough, with his and Hinata's eyes.
Tsunade settled back. "That's why we picked you two specifically, you know. Because no other clan in this village can find this group. With your Byaakugan eyes, however, it is possible."
Hinata, surprisingly, spoke up. "But, Tsunade-sama, if it just the Byaakugan you want, wouldn't it be easier to send older, more powerful and experienced Hyuugas?"
Neji nodded. He had been thinking the same thing. But Tsunade was shaking her head again.
"Actually, you two are currently the only Hyuugas able to do this sort of mission. Both of you are strong, and young. Everyone else is either too old, too weak, or too little. Besides, you are both extremely powerful. We don't need anyone else."
Hinata nodded. Neji glanced at her and caught the resolved expression that flitted across her face. Well, there's no way to get out of this now, he thought. Hinata-sama is set on it.
Tsunade saw that she had them both convinced. She smirked. Good. Neji picked up the folder with the locations and began to flick through it, to see where they would end up. Hinata glanced at her sensei, who gazed back at her, strong as always.
"All right! Well, if you two don't need anything else, I'd get ready if I were you. You're leaving tomorrow, you know." Tsunade stood up and stretched. Neji glanced at her. "Tomorrow?"
"So soon," Hinata whispered.
"Mm, well, it is an important mission. So shoo already, and go pack."
Hinata knew a dismissal when she saw one and stood up, bowed to Tsunade and left. Neji followed after a minute, glancing back at the Hokage of Konoha.
The door clicked shut and Tsunade leaned back on her chair again, grinning. That had gone better than she thought it would. Both had accepted without to many inquiries, though Neji looked a little suspicious. That boy was too sharp sometimes.
Hinata said good-bye to Neji outside of the Hokage's building. "I'm sorry, Neji-nii-san, but I have to get back to the hospital."
He nodded. "All right. See you later."
Hinata smiled and waved, and began to walk towards Konoha's infirmary, where she worked.
Neji watched her go. He could hardly believe it. He had been assigned a mission with Hinata and no one else. He would be alone with her for a couple weeks or more. He secretly exulted, though he was also uneasy, for more than one reason. One, he would be alone with her. Neji was pretty confident he could control his feelings, but then again, he had never had strong feelings like these before. Also, she was the future Head of the Hyuuga Clan. This was a dangerous, A-ranked mission with a high possibility of death, especially if it was two against five. Her life would be at risk. He frowned. As her appointed protector, he couldn't have that.
Neji turned on his heel and began for the Hyuuga estate.
Fifteen minutes later, he stood in front on the current head, Hiashi.
"Hiashi-sama, I have just received information that Hinata-sama and myself are to embark on a mission tomorrow.
"Mm," Hiashi murmured, not looking up for his paperwork.
"Sir, were you aware of this assignment?"
Still not looking at the young man in front of him, Hiashi spoke. "Yes, Tsunade-sama has already informed me."
Neji blinked. Had Hiashi actually given his consent to this?
"Sir, this will be an incredibly dangerous mission. Taking into account the high death risk, is it really all that safe to allow the successor to do this?"
The Head finally looked up, his misty eyes starring into Neji's. "If you are referring to whether I should restrain Hinata from going because she might loose her life, I have already agreed with Tsunade. Both of you will leave tomorrow."
"B-but sir, if Hinata-sama were to be injured-"
Hiashi cut him off. "I have confidence in my daughter, Neji. She has improved and gotten stronger. And besides," he leaned forward, "I also trust you. I know you will protect her, because that is your job. I believe in your capability to do this, Neji."
Neji inwardly sighed. Everyone was had so much faith in his skills. It was beginning to make him uneasy. Suppose he would fail?
"I trust you," Hiashi repeated.
Neji nodded and stood up from his kneeling position. Nothing he could say would change Hiashi's mind. He bowed low, and left.
On his way back to the Branch family's part of the estate, he silently cursed himself. Don't you want to go on this mission with her? Why are you trying to detain her from going?
He could answer that easily. Because I can't bear the thought of her getting hurt, that's why.
Entering his own room, he opened the folder Tsunade had given him on their destination. A map with printed on a sheet of paper, with one country highlighted. He read the label. The Snow Country, huh? Never heard of that one before. A bit more reading told him that the Country of Snow had no current Ninja village, so it had never been an important topic to bring up in schools and such. If it's not a threat, why waste time teaching about it, right? Neji smirked and closed the folder. I guess I'm going to have to bring warm clothes.
Neji blinked. Afternoon sun was steaming through his window and a glance at his clock showed it to be three hours later than when he had last checked it. Did I fall asleep?
He got and stretched, one hand rubbing his eyes. It was rare that he fall asleep during the day; in fact he preferred not to take naps. But he felt more awake now, his lost hours of sleep from last night made up. He looked at the clock again. Hinata should be leaving the hospital soon. Maybe he would go to meet her as she left. Yeah, that's a good idea. He grinned and walked out. If anyone needed an excuse, he could say he was going to talk to her about the mission and where they were going.
Hinata looked surprised when she left the hospital to be met by her cousin. "Neji-nii-san, what are you doing here?"
Neji straightened from his leaning position on the fence. "I was passing by and decided to stop." He didn't mention that he had long since memorized her work schedule. "Anyway, Hinata-sama, did you take a look at the information Hokage-sama gave us? About the location and all that?"
They stated to walk towards home. Hinata shook her head. "Tsunade-sama briefed me before you got there, but I didn't get a chance to look at the files."
Neji nodded. "When we get home I'll give them to you."
She smiled. "Thank you, Neji-nii-san." Neji blushed and became preoccupied with starring at his shoes.
After that, their conversation dwindled. There wasn't much else they could talk about. But this suited both Hyuugas just fine. Neji was happy just to walk beside her, like equals. Talking didn't matter to him.
When they got to the entrance of the Hyuuga estate, Hinata turned towards the Main family's house. Without thinking Neji grabbed her shoulder and veered her towards the Branch family's house in the other direction. Hinata startled at his touch.
"Neji-nii-san...D-did you want something?" she asked with a faint blush on her cheeks as she glanced at his hand, which was still on her shoulder.
Neji blinked at her. And realized what he had inadvertently done. He quickly turned his back towards her so she wouldn't see his mad blush. I touched her……
He glanced back over his shoulder at her. Hinata was still blushing slightly, but she was watching him quizzically.
"Sorry. But, um, did you want those files? Because their in my room."
"Oh! H-hai, thank you. I forgot."
They started towards the Branch family's complex of buildings. Hinata ventured a curious glance here or there. She had never been to this part of the estate before.
Neji lead them around the general clump of houses, to a small building tucked away in a corner. He slid the door open and took of his shoes. Hinata glanced around from the door way.
"Is this your home, Neji-nii-san? Why is it so isolated from the rest of the houses?"
He looked back at her. "Yes, this is where I live. I like it here; it's out of the way of the mainstream of the rest of the family. You can come in, you know."
Hinata was still in the doorway. She started and looked down at her feet, mumbling something about not wanting to interrupt him or cause trouble.
Neji inwardly rolled his eyes. "I invited you here, didn't I? Besides we're family, what does it matter?"
"Um, h-hai. Then please pardon the intrusion." She stepped through the door way and took off her shoes. Following Neji through the house. She looked around. It was small, but neat and sparse. Just as one would expect from Hyuuga Neji.
"Ano……how long have you been living here, Neji-nii-san?"
He didn't look at her. "Since my father died," he said quietly, and started to walk again. He opened a door at the end of the hallway and went in. Hinata followed shyly.
Neji's bedroom, like the rest of the house, was bare and lifeless, the only furnishings a bed and a desk. A packed backpack sat in the middle of the floor. Neji-nii-san is already packed, Hinata thought.
Neji was rummaging through one of the desk drawers. Finding what he needed, he pulled out two folders and shut the drawer with a snap. He beckoned to her as he opened one folder. Hinata walked around the backpack to join him. Besides the two folders from the Hokage, he had a map of the countries laid out. He pointed to the Country of Fire. "Hmm, so if we're here right now….." His finger traced a path through the surrounding countries until it reached one that had been highlighted. "That's where we're going. The Country of Snow," he told her. Hinata nodded; her eyes still on the map. Neji looked at the path they were going to follow again. "So it is going to take us………hmm……"
Hinata spoke quietly. "Five days. It'll take us five days to get there."
Neji glanced at her, surprised. How had she figured it out before him? Hinata met his gaze for a second before blushing and lowering her eyes. "Ano…..I'm all right with maps, I guess…."
Neji grinned. "Good. That's a useful talent."
Her eyes caught his again. "You think so? Tsunade-sama said maps were a waste of time."
Neji couldn't resist rolling his eyes this time. "Well, Tsunade is different. She'd rather just get lost than ask for help, even from a map. You shouldn't listen to her that much. Map-reading is one of the most important skills a ninja can have."
Hinata smiled. "Thank you, Neji-nii-san. I guess I better go pack now."
He nodded. "Hmm? Oh, yeah. Good idea. Here." He handed her the two folders. "I don't need these anymore; I've already gone over them."
"Hai." She accepted them and backed up so that she could bow. However, she had forgotten about the backpack behind her. She squeaked as she hit and began to fall backwards. Neji leaped forward to grab one of her flailing hands. He tried to haul her up, but at the same time she tugged on his hand to try to pull herself up. Neji lost his balance, tipping forward.
CRASH.
Author's note:
Me: Hehe, what will happen next, I wonder?
Sasuke: Isn't it obvious? God, you're so cliché.
Me :(Jumps out of seat) HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?
Sasuke: The door was unlocked. So I let myself in. Don't change the subject.
Me: What? The door was unlocked? But I'm pretty sure I locked it…….to keep people OUT, you know.
Sasuke: Oh, was it locked? Hmm, I don't remember. A locked door is about as capable of stopping me as an open one.
Me: Damn ninjas………
Sasuke: Hey. That's not nice. You're writing about ninjas at the moment, in case you've forgotten. Dumbass.
Me: Of course I haven't forgotten how could I? Your presence here is not really helping, by the way/
Sasuke: Sucks for you. You should be glad I didn't bring Naruto with me.
Me: True.
Sasuke: Maybe next chapter I'll bring Gaara….
Me: NO! PLEASE DON'T! I WANT TO KEEP MY LIFE, THANKS.
Author's Note (the actual one):
Thank you to all the people who read the first chapter!
Iris D. –thank you soooo much for reviewing!
Snickerscsilvr1000- lol thanks. Yea, thing with Sasuke is in this chapter, not the first.
So please review people! (You know you want to!) Thanks!