Chapter 5 - Hope

Ever since the announcement of Hinata and Sasuke's engagement, the dining table has become a hotspot for gossip and excited whispers. A long, low table situated in the middle of the room sits the entire Hyuuga clan. They are all straight-backed, hands resting on their knees, legs tucked properly against their sitting cushions. They wait as the Main Branch sits themselves, Hanabi decorated in her robes, Hinata across the way from her. Hiashi sits at the head of the table, watching as his eldest daughter pours sake into his glass.

He lets it settle for a moment, and the room remains quiet.

It reminds Neji of how things used to be — back when the Hyuuga sat at separate tables based on branch. No one talked back then. Meals passed on silently, tongues weighed down by the heaviness of the air.

But when Hiashi takes a sip from his sake, the room moves, and conversation spills as members dig into their food.

"The date is coming up."

"— haven't decided what to wear for the wedding . . . ."

"Do you think that Uchiha will allow us into his home once Lady Hinata moves in?"

He almost wonders if Sakura and Ino are behind this. The talk of the table is akin to that of Academy gossip and schoolgirls giggling into their palms. Neji feels his appetite thin, and he notices that even Hiashi looks a shade paler than normal.

Hinata eats like the whole table isn't talking about her. She eats like she's alone in her room, picking pieces of rice with her chopsticks and chewing with slow thought.

She really does eat like an heiress, Neji cannot help but think. On the other hand . . .

He looks at Hanabi, who gobbles her food and wipes her mouth on the underside of her wrist. Through bites of rice, she booms, "So when are ya gonna get off your butt and go over to Sasuke's again?"

Hinata pauses.

Neji almost has the mind to jump in, but Hiashi beats him to it.

"Language," he drones. "And you will refer to him as Uchiha, Hanabi."

"But —" Hanabi's mouth almost tips into a frown, but her quick mind throws something cunning together, and she's quickly smirking. "Ehh. I guess I'd have to be engaged to him if I want to call him Sasuke. What do you think, Hinata? Will Uchiha have me?"

Hiashi hums low in disappointment — there is no stopping Hanabi in these bouts of playfulness. Most of the Hyuuga grin and chuckle as they continue on with their meal.

"Show respect for your sister," Hiashi says, voice low, though notably far from being angry or irritated.

"I respect her tons. That's why I'm not charming him!" Hanabi snickers.

Neji raises his drink to his lips. "I doubt the Uchiha will have any interest in such an annoying sixteen-year-old."

"Say that again!"

"Hanabi," Hinata interrupts. A simple look makes her little sister quiet, though her mouth still twists in a pout as she glares his way.

They eat for a while in quiet chatter. Hanabi finishes her meal first, sits back, and tries to catch her sister's eye.

"Either way, I'm trying to make a point," she says. "Wouldn't it be wise to — I dunno — see him a few more times before the wedding? Get familiar with his house. Things like that."

Hiashi's mouth curls, and Neji shivers in disgust.

"What are you implying?" he mutters.

Hanabi flaps her eyelashes at him, feigning innocence. "I just want my dear sister to know the man a little more before marrying him."

Neji wonders if he should mention that he's already working on a plan to make that happen, but quickly dismisses the thought. Knowing Hanabi, she'll harp on him until she squeezes the answers out of him, and he'd rather his double-life as a . . . cat matchmaker remain a secret between him and Shisui.

Hinata is not taking the clear bait Hanabi is offering, so she pushes more.

"Go on a date with him."

A few members choke. Hiashi hides his frown behind his napkin.

Neji imagines the sad excuse of a date Sasuke will think up. Taking her to interrogate captured criminals or reading thrilling articles printed thirty years ago about the latest war crimes. His poor cousin will be scarred for life — or die of absolute boredom, and he's not exactly sure which of the two would be worse.

"A date," Hinata murmurs.

Hanabi grins. "You're engaged. No need to be bashful. Hey, if you want, I'll tell him for you! It's been years since I've talked to Sas — ah, Uchiha — so it might be good if I —"

"No need." Hinata places her chopsticks down. "I'll tell him."

Hanabi blinks, and Neji feels a muscle in his hand twitch.

"You will?"

"Yes." Hinata keeps her eyes low and passive. "I don't mind."

Her tone is even, and her expression doesn't reveal anything outside of stoney nonchalance, but Neji can see beyond simple facades. Her fingers are twitching, like she's forcefully keeping them from shaking. Hinata is nervous. She's trying to hide such, but he sees it. The idea of a date with Uchiha Sasuke makes her extremely nervous.

Hanabi hums. "Alright."

The two sisters fall into silence, but the entire table is brimming with wonder and chatter.

Neji . . .

Well, frankly, Neji is not looking forward to the next few days of cat matchmaking.

*** Hyuuga Neji - Wingman ***

He's watching Sasuke work on the toppled wall in the back. Buckets of mortar and paint litter the patch of yard he's been occupying for the past few days, and Sasuke is on his knees, packing in the mortar between cracks of stone with a trowel. He's in his worn clothes full of holes and rips, stained by paint and mud and grass and sweat to the point where even washing it will not clean it completely.

Once again, he is all mess.

And, once again, Neji feels just a tad sorry for him.

Because Hinata comes knocking on that gate, knuckles putting in as much courage into the painted wood as possible. Sasuke stands, wipes his forehead clean of sweat, and looks down at himself. He does not look pleased with the idea of greeting her in this state, but with a click of his tongue, he makes his way to his gate.

It's probably nothing important, he is thinking.

She won't be here long, so it doesn't matter, he's telling himself.

Poor, Uchiha fool.

Neji trots along the wall so he gets a good angle as Sasuke opens the gate to find Hinata there. There's nothing strange about her dress or the way she holds herself, but the tension surrounding her is clear, and both Neji and Sasuke notice it at the same time.

"Hello, Mr. Uchiha."

"Hinata," he greets with a short, quick nod. Clearly, he's impatient to know what's brought such tension to his front step.

Hinata hesitates for a split moment. She pushes through it quicker than Neji suspected.

"I'm here to ask you on a date."

Sasuke is a statue. He might as well be splattering himself with mortar to fill in the cracks.

"A date," he repeats.

Hinata has a calm, confident expression, but the flare of her cheeks reveals her embarrassment.

"Tomorrow," she says, "if you're free."

"With me," he confirms.

Her mask slips for a second. "Wh-Who else would I go with?"

Neji watches in slow motion as Sasuke's gaze turns to the ring on her right hand. "Right."

Hinata waits, but when the silence stretches, she tries again. "So are you?"

"Am I what?"

". . . Free."

Sasuke squints to the side, thinking. "Sure," he says, reluctance clear and obvious.

Hinata's is just as evident, but she tries to give a reassuring smile. "I . . . won't take you anywhere you don't want to go. I promise. And, um, I'll make sure no one spies."

Sasuke gives her a look. "You think someone will spy?"

Hinata tips her head. "Uhm. No." But Neji sees the clear Hanabi might written on her face.

Sasuke shifts from leg to leg, looking over her shoulder and at the empty street. "Is that it?"

"Oh. Yes."

"I'll find you," he mutters, then moves to shut the gate.

Hinata steps back before she's knocked by the wooden doors. Neji watches her mask melt once she's out of Sasuke's view. She twitches and shudders as if it's winter and she's freezing. Her hands twist together, and then she turns and makes her way back home.

You forgot to give him a time, Neji sighs to himself. You pushed yourself too much.

When he turns back to Sasuke, he's in no better a condition.

He was just asked on a date — and there he was . . . standing in his war-torn estate, disheveled and disgusting.

His jaw clenches, and he turns and storms into his home. The door clacks against the wall as he pushes it shut behind him.

Damn it, Neji thinks.

...

He gives Sasuke a moment to cool down, and then he comes over to the door, scraping his paw up and down it. He makes sure to keep his claws in to not destroy the paper, and after a few moments of this, Sasuke opens the door for him.

"Shisui," he says, "I'm going to fuck this up."

He doesn't even leave the building to step onto the engawa. Sasuke just sits on the floor, clenching a bowl of shumai dumplings that are practically drowning in karashi. The intense smell of spice makes Neji's eyes squint and his nose burn, but he does not move away.

"I"ll fuck this up," Sasuke says, "and I'll fuck her up — and then there will be two fucked up Uchihas living in this damn place."

Neji is surprised, if he's being honest. This was not the level of intensity he was expecting from Hinata's declaration. Sasuke looks as though he's been asked to do something atrocious — something he'd never consider doing, even in those darker years of his life. His already unkempt appearance seems even more askew and shaken.

"Damn it," he croaks. "I should have just left. Why did I hesitate? Now I'm stuck here."

His spiral is making him untouchable. Even in a human body, Neji wouldn't know the best course of action.

He sits, feeling his fur stand, and wonders. He waits for the answer to come to him, but it doesn't.

What would Hinata do?

How would she fix this? She's been much better at comforting than he ever has been.

He thinks back to those times where she's played that role in his life. Even her hand on his made things seem easier, even if momentarily.

Neji waits. He waits until Sasuke has something of a clear head, and then he crawls over, tucks his legs beneath his body, and relaxes his chin on Sasuke's left knee. He lets a comforting purr roll through his body and watches Sasuke's face for any signs of detest.

None come.

He hangs his head and rests his hand on Neji's body. He can almost feel the ring press against his neck.

They breathe together, thinking, cooling down. The evening turns slightly cooler than usual, but Sasuke keeps his door wide open, letting the wind push in.

"I had a dream about Itachi that night the Hyuuga came with that scroll," Sasuke admits. "It was more of a memory. Years ago. He was telling me the difference between Hyuuga eyes and Uchiha eyes." He tips his head to look at the dark sky, frowning. "I took it as a sign from him. That's why I accepted this — all of this. He's always been pushing me in the right direction, even when I didn't see it."

Neji remembers Uchiha Itachi. Everyone does. A man like that is hard to forget.

He seems to be fresh in Sasuke's head, despite all the years that have passed since his death. But Neji understands. He still thinks about his own father often. He wonders how someone can be so selfless. He wonders if he'll ever be able to reach that level — or even if he should.

"I wonder about you, as well," Sasuke says, looking down at him. "Are you a sign? Did they send you for a reason?"

The complete openness of this Uchiha is starting to make Neji twitch, so he stands and walks over to sniff at Sasuke unfinished food. The smell is still atrocious, but Sasuke gets the idea and pulls it back to him to eat.

"You wouldn't like it," he tells him, scratching the top of his head. "It's spicy."

...

That morning, Neji is pacing in front of Hinata's room.

"Are you her mother?" Hanabi keeps asking, arms folded. "You might as well go in there and do her hair for her."

That's tempting, but Neji ignores her and turns to glare at the door of Hinata's room.

"She's having a panic attack in there," he mutters.

Hanabi shrugs. "Probably."

"I'll tell her to cancel."

"Like hell you will!" Hanabi tugs hard at his sleeve, forcing him to stop. "Haven't you been paying attention at all? She's feeling something, Neji! This won't be easy — but — damn it, at least that's my sister in there and not a fuckin' doll!"

He frowns, knowing she's right.

Nonetheless, he still does not like the idea of his cousin panicking alone in her room.

He should be at Sasuke's right now, making sure he doesn't mess something up in his own preparations. The time of the date (which Hinata had thankfully remembered and sent on a scroll for Sasuke's convenience) was fast approaching, and Neji should hurry if he wants to catch Sasuke before he leaves.

But he doesn't like the idea of leaving Hinata alone, either.

Groaning in frustration, he drops a hand on Hanabi's shoulder and says, "Watch her. If she needs help, help her. And don't let her leave looking like Ino."

Hanabi snickers. "I'm sure Sasuke would love that."

Neji turns to the door. "Wear something casual, Hinata," he tells her. "Casual — like you're going to a cafe with Inuzuka and Aburame."

"Which you aren't," Hanabi twitters behind him, "in case you need reminding." He glares hard at her, and she holds her hands up in mock surrender. "Yeah, yeah. I'll stay and make sure she looks fine. God. You really are a mom."

Neji stays for a minute longer, and then he leaves for the Uchiha estate.

...

He catches Sasuke just around the block from the estate, looking —

Well, not horrible. But definitely overdressed!

Is he planning on going to a funeral!? Neji cries in his head, running after the Uchiha. Hopeless!

The second he runs in front of Sasuke, he leaps up and sinks tooth and claw into the fabric, ruining as much as he can before Sasuke grabs him by the scruff and forces him away.

"Oi!" he hisses, dropping him. "Shisui —"

I'll pay you back later, Neji thinks. Hurry. Follow.

They make their way back to the Uchiha estate. Neji quickly runs in before Sasuke can stop him, smelling around the house. The stench is powerful, but he tries to ignore it.

"The hell is it?" Sasuke asks, annoyed. "What do you want?"

Eventually, Neji finds his room, and he paws at the chest containing Sasuke's clothes. He opens it, and Neji peeks inside, searching.

"I know I need to change," Sasuke scoffs. "Someone ruined my —"

He stops when Neji drags out a simple t-shirt and pressed, dark slacks. Sasuke blinks down at the presented outfit, taking it in.

"You're . . . ." He thinks a bit longer, then peers down at him. "Did Mother send you? Did she tell you to pick my clothes for me?"

Again with the mother stuff! Neji's ears pull back in annoyance.

Nose scrunched up, Sasuke takes those clothes and changes into them, grumbling to the spirit of his mother that he can pick his own clothes himself, thank you very much.

...

Neji wants to follow.

He does.

But it feels like an invasion of privacy and a crime against Hinata's wishes, so when Sasuke leaves once again for the date, Neji stays. He waits ten minutes to make sure Sasuke does not come back for any particular reason, and then he turns back into Hyuuga Neji, the man. Shisui looks happily pleased by the change of scenery and hops up on the engawa, smelling around, rubbing his face against poles and wall corners.

"Don't get used to it," Neji tells him. "We're going back to the alley after I'm done."

Rolling up his sleeves, he sets his eyes on that ruined wall, and gets to work.

...

By the time he's back home and showered after an hour of working on that wall, Neji feels slightly refreshed.

Hinata comes home moments later, looking star-eyed.

Hanabi squeaks in delight, and runs to Hiashi to tell him that Hinata's home. Both will be pestering her about her date, it seems.

Neji plans to go to Sasuke to scout out his thoughts, but he goes to Hinata first, giving her that questioning look.

She's warm. It's not just the rosy tint to her face. It's everything about her.

"I —" She stops, eyes swimming with thought. "It wasn't bad."

That's a good enough answer. He turns, but she grabs his sleeve, stopping him.

"Neji," she whispers, "I think I liked it. The date. Being with him."

This, however, shocks him.

Her eyes are on his face, searching. "Is that okay?" she asks.

Part of him wants to say no for the sake of — of something. But instead, he says, "Isn't it?"

She thinks, eyes lighting up the more her thoughts spin.

After a while, she is grinning. "I think it is."

There she is — his Hinata. She's back, giddy and lovely and happy and glowing.

Sasuke must have been some sort of miracle worker.

He puts a hand on her head and smiles. "Go to your sister," he says. "She will ask you a million questions."

Hinata laughs, and the sky sparkles from above.

...

When he arrives, Sasuke is not home.

He waits on the engawa for twenty minutes, and when Sasuke arrives, he drops a bag of groceries unceremoniously on the ground and beelines for the back.

He collapses onto his knees, fingers digging into the dirt, as his forehead presses against the half-fixed wall that smells of sun and earth. He's deadly quiet and deadly still, and Neji's confused. Hinata made it out to be a good day. Why does Sasuke look so . . . .

Suddenly, a gallon of life leaves Sasuke as he sighs.

His head turns down to look at Neji, and he says, quietly, "It . . . was nice."

His ears are red, almost sunburnt. He turns his face back into the stone, and relief fills Neji.

"Itachi," Sasuke murmurs, "I'm trying."

Neji's sure that Itachi is as pleased as he is. If he were a cat, he'd be purring so loud that the wall would shake, and Sasuke would press his face into the vibrating stone, alive, finally believing in something he once thought impossible.

Chapter 5 - End