Konnichi wa!
Teehee. For some reason, I like this chapter.
I don't know why.
Anywho, I hope you enjoy it!
Ja ja till the end!
Wingless Flight
Chapter Eight – Binding Promises
"Neji."
That same voice again – that same word coming out of that same GODFORSAKEN mouth.
Still, he turned around.
"WHAT, Uchiha?"
The other looked at him blankly.
"What is wrong?"
Neji's eyes betrayed nothing.
"What're you talking about?" He asked as Sasuke picked his way through the berry bushes surrounding the secluded clearing.
The Uchiha reached the previously mediating Hyuuga and slowly lowered himself, sitting on his legs and very close to Neji. His black eyes were wide and searching as his long black hair cascaded over his shoulders.
"You know precisely what. Something is troubling you. What is it?" Neji glared at him.
"And how would YOU know if something is troubling me?" He spat.
"Because we are both celestial warriors."
Neji's eyes couldn't help but widen as Sasuke raised a hand, brushing loose strands of hair out of Neji's face. The Hyuuga hadn't realized how close they were until then.
Sasuke's gaze didn't leave his – night sky and gleaming stares tried to wrap around and comfort wounded shining moons that pushed them away and refused their soft caresses.
"Because we are celestial warriors, we are more in tune with each other's emotions and thoughts than normal people are. I am able to tell what you're feeling."
Is that why…? Neji thought as his eyes narrowed. His intense gaze…
"And so what am I feeling?" He hissed. Sasuke's head cocked slightly. His voice was still soft.
"Fear." Neji's eyes widened. "I worry about you." The Hyuuga turned away with a huff.
"Is that you or Suzaku talking?" He spat, standing up and beginning to walk away. The next words he heard were ice.
"Why? You want me, Hyuuga?"
Neji whirled to see Sasuke's eyes that intense, dangerous red that always sent chills down the Hyuuga's spine, arms crossed and a sneer visible on the Uchiha's lips. If Neji activated his Byakugon, he knew his entire vision would be engulfed in a flaming sea of red.
Suzaku is able to take over so suddenly…
Those blood red eyes that consumed all unnerved him, and he restrained from gulping.
"No," he managed to force out. "I don't want you. I don't want Uchiha. I honestly wish BOTH of you would just get out of my life!"
There was a lot less venom than he had hoped, and he cursed himself for it.
Sasuke winced daintily and raised a hand, setting his fingers on his heart as one of his eyes closed in mock distress.
"Oh, Neji – you hurt me. Tsk," his eyes closed and his upper lip curled up distastefully, his innocent posture melting away immediately. "You Hyuugas are exactly like the Uchihas." As Neji bristled, Sasuke opened his eyes and gave him a serious, stern, angry stare. "Pressure them too much, and they eventually lash out, hurting all those around them."
"Really?" Neji hissed. "And how do you know THAT?"
"Because that's exactly what happened when Sasuke's brother died."
Neji's eyes widened at the sharp response.
"What?" He asked. "What're you talking about?"
Sasuke looked down his nose distastefully at him.
"Itachi was a fool – he kept poking and prodding at Sasuke, telling him all sorts of horrible things and backing the child tail-first into a corner, word by word." Neji could tell Suzaku wasn't particularly fond of Itachi the way he spat out the Sharingan user's name. "Eventually, it came to a point where Sasuke couldn't control it – couldn't control his power, his rage – and when he finally came back to his senses, Itachi was dead at his feet. He didn't even remember it happening."
Neji could only stare at him.
There's no way. Sasuke could NEVER just lose control like that –
"And that's where the irony lies."
He was brought back to earth as Sasuke continued, eyes closed and a grim smile on his face.
"Truth be told, the poor child didn't WANT to kill Itachi. In fact, just the day before they met face to face, he told me that he was planning to forgive the man – to forgive him and let him survive. The child was sure everything would be okay. But then…" Sasuke opened his eyes and looked out at the trees. "Long story short, it broke his heart." Neji's eyes widened. "Becoming… that person… that he didn't want to be… the one… that killed his own family – his own blood – without… any hint of remorse. He couldn't stand it." His red eyes were sad now. "He wanted to die. He wanted to die so badly."
"Please Suzaku! If you truly love me like you say, LET ME DIE!"
"I DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!"
"SUZAKU!"
Neji – overwhelmed with guilt – looked to the ground for guidance, and found none.
Sasuke continued.
"I never told him… that… as his brother died, he was screaming at Sasuke to forgive him."
"Forgive me, otouto! Kill me if you wish – but forgive me, all the same!"
And then the blood…
Sasuke's shoulders tensed up and his eyes closed.
"When did this happen?" Neji asked. Sasuke's eyes opened and he looked up at Neji, that intense gaze back again.
The Hyuuga felt his blood run cold.
He KNOWS, Neji – oh God, he KNOWS –
"Four years ago," Sasuke replied immediately. Neji blinked and severed the connection. Sasuke's voice became softer – sadder. "When I look into the mirror through his eyes, I see a torn and blackened soul. Slowly but surely, however, he's healing. The seams are beginning to mend together again. He's beginning to recover. But… as time goes on… he also draws farther away from me. He's beginning to realize that I can't protect him from the dangers inside his own heart."
Even though you wish you could. Neji thought bitterly.
"So I'm putting it into your hands to help him."
Neji's eyes widened.
"What?" He asked. "Me? Why? I hate the man – you know that. How do you know I won't just break him again?"
Hands were at his face – cupping it gently – a nose was brushing with his while blood red eyes bore into his own, stripping away all his lies and all his deceptions – everything he put up to protect himself was torn away in an instant, leaving him bare and defenseless and downright scared –
FUCKING HELPLESS
– with the touch.
Sasuke was so close, so close but Neji knew it wasn't him.
"You don't," Sasuke replied with utter certainty, his lips barely moving and voice dangerously low – as if daring Neji to disagree with him.
The Hyuuga knew that – for the life of him – he couldn't.
"You don't hate him – not anymore. You hated what you did not understand – what was hidden from your eyes. But now…" his face went closer to Neji's – their lips were almost touching, and Neji – for the first time in over a decade – felt absolutely terrified.
With one word, this… this THING can rule me in every way…
"Sasuke's very soul is beginning to be brought to light," Sasuke breathed, his warm breath washing over Neji's lips. "Right in front of your eyes. After seeing what Sasuke had become – what he had done – it will be only instinct to grasp that defenseless soul when it shows even a sliver of what it can be and protect it, bringing it to the light that blinds but also the same light that reveals. The moment you do, his soul will be forever bare to you, and you won't be able to let him go."
Neji could only stare up at him. Sasuke didn't blink – didn't let the Hyuuga take his gaze elsewhere – COMMANDED Neji to keep his eyes on him. The Hyuuga couldn't even talk – could barely breathe.
Oh God – what's WRONG with me?
SASUKE!
Sasuke leaned in further, and his lips pressed against Neji's softly – firmly, making Neji's heart stop for a moment.
"My promise to you," Sasuke murmured upon doing so.
Then he vanished. A man with Chakra seals all over his body vanished, leaving a shocked Neji in his wake.
Neji's hand immediately shot up and clasped over his mouth, his eyes wide and his entire body shaking.
No – no – what just happened?
And yet only one name lingered in his mind – along with the feeling of soft skin against his lips.
Sasuke…
End Chapter Eight – Binding Promises
Teehee! –giggles- Our first NejiSasu moment!
And Neji's eyes are finally opening…
Please review! I would like 79!
Arigato!
Ja ja!
DDB