Revelations
"You know who my Mother was, don't you?" Neji sat down opposite his uncle. "I want to know."
Hiashi regarded his nephew as he set down his tea. The boy - a man really - was sixteen now. "I'm not so sure you do."
"I have made up my mind about this, Uncle. I want to know." Neji gave a shallow laugh. "I already know that she is most likely dead. And if she isn't, well, she clearly made her decision."
"Do not think that you were left alone because your parent's didn't love you."
"Oh I know they loved me, Father at least. I just want to know who my mother was."
"Is." Hiashi corrected him. "And no, you do not."
"So you admit that she is alive?"
"And that should be reason enough for why you don't want to know her."
"What did she disgrace the family name, or was she of such low class that you don't consider her worthy of my father?"
Hiashi looked at Neji. "In the words of teenagers, she is a stark raving mad bitch. You are the only good thing to come from her."
"Oh." Neji looked into his hands.
"I'm sorry. I never wanted to tell you." Hiashi reached over and grabbed Neji's hand, which was curled into a ball. "She loved Hizashi and you. Clan life broke her."
"I can understand how it would do that to a person."
"Don't hate her." Hiashi looked into Neji's eyes. "You must not hate her. Hate the actions, never the person."
"I know." Neji began to stand up. "Thankyou. I understand a little better now."
"Don't you want to -"
"No thankyou. I think I want to save that for another day."
-x-x-x-
"It's your fault." The woman glares as they stand in front of the gravestone. "That they both are dead."
"I know, Seiko." Hiashi's hand curls into a fist.
"My husband and now my son."
"You know Neji died without even knowing your name." Hiashi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "He only ever asked once. And even then he decided against it."