[Open] Bittybody?

[one_without_wings]

"Aaah! Get back here!" he'd let some concentration slip, and the paper had been blown off by the wind. He groaned as it flew far, far off, and pouted. He'd done good holding it for the best part of two hours, too!

He blinked then, eyes widening. There -was- a paper nearby! Not his paper, but any clean one was good, and this one was laying on the grass, all really bright and yellow! It demanded to be picked up, and Sasuke did!

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[openedthebasket]

Neji went tense, then relaxed slightly as it became clear it was the younger of the two. A valiant effort, on his part, to pretend that she hadn't been crying herself.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time, Sasuke-kun," he answered in a quiet murmur, letting his hand rest there a moment longer before he pushed himself to his feet. "Now, take a few minutes, then would you kindly go see if your mother has any errands to be run? I'll accompany you, if you like."

But first things first, he had to go find the once-again-female Sasuke. One more pat to the blanket-covered boy, and he was off, hoping she'd stayed in the kitchen instead of disappearing entirely. Byakugan was useful for things like that.

[one_without_wings]

"Right." he was happy again, totally convinced he had fooled him. "I'll see 'bout it n'meet you later, Neji-sensei." he would, after all, really need to recover if his mom was going to see him like this..

[guiltoftruth]

It was jarring to be back in her own body so suddenly, and it prompted a sigh from her before she got to her feet and poured out the rest of her tea. She didn't feel like drinking it anymore, or like sticking around. By the time Neji got close she was still in the kitchen, although she wasn't going to stick around for long.

[openedthebasket]

He exhaled quietly with a little relief that she was still there. It's not a natural gesture for him, certainly, one he owed more to Naruto than to anything, but he moved in to rest a hand on her shoulder, then try to draw her into a loose, easily-escapable hug.

[guiltoftruth]

Immediately she tensed when she was hugged, her eyes widening as she had to take a moment to comprehend that Neji was hugging her, "Neji?"

At least she wasn't pushing him away.

[openedthebasket]

"Forgive me," he murmured in response, hold tightening a fraction around her. "It seemed... something I should do."

[guiltoftruth]

For a long time she was silent, as if unsure of how to take it. At long last she leaned into the hug, sighing softly and keeping her eyes closed as she attempted to keep calm.

[openedthebasket]

He only finally tightened his grip into something like a proper hug when she leaned into it, a hand coming back to just gently brush the back of her hair as he closed his eyes... as much a gesture of support, it was also an attempt for him to try to... understand his own feelings.

[guiltoftruth]

She rested her head against his shoulder, a little flushed as she felt her eyes starting to water again despite her best efforts. Neji had been through the same self-loathing, the same regret, so how was he so much stronger than she was? It was... Frustrating.

"Why do you care," Sasuke mumbled softly, shaking a little as she tried to focus more on breathing than anything else.

[openedthebasket]

He couldn't answer immediately, holding her in against him and letting his cheek lightly rest against the top of her head. Nearly a full minute passed before he answered in a murmur, "I believe... someone I knew well would say that I do not need a reason, but... you remind me of myself."

[guiltoftruth]

She didn't say anything in response to it, keeping her eyes closed as she just... let him hold her. What else could she do or say? They were similar, but... He was so much stronger... How could he even care someone like her?

Her shoulders slumped as that bled into another thought, backtracking to Sakumo's words but... It wasn't worth bringing up. She'd just have to get stronger, like she always had, somehow...

[openedthebasket]

He wished he could say more, do more, but his own uncertainty held him back. If he were only using her as an escape... she deserved better than that, more than he could give her right now. Even still, she was too soft and warm against him to make him want to let go, too fragile to release so easily. Her physical strength was hardly in question, but her emotional one was... too much like him, as a child.

"I intended to do some errands for your mother today," he murmured quietly without letting her go. "If you would care to accompany me, it would be my honor."

[guiltoftruth]

"... All right," The answer was quiet as she nodded, though it seemed like she was in no hurry whatsoever to move away from him.

[openedthebasket]

"Thank you." His voice stayed quiet as he simply held her, not willing to let go until she moved away herself. If his words meant nothing, he could at least give her this much.

[guiltoftruth]

She... Really didn't want to go. The grip was comfortable, even with her uncertainties... She probably wouldn't move unless she had to, then. Maybe it was helping, she didn't know.

[openedthebasket]

In spite of himself, as much as he knew he shouldn't, his fingers started to gently brush through her hair, as always mildly surprised at just how soft it really was. Sasuke didn't deserve his uncertainty, to act as a replacement... and then, neither did Ino.

A quiet exhale. "Forgive me," he murmured again, grip tightening furhter before he finally started to loosen his grip, intending to move back.

[guiltoftruth]

"... Why do you want me to forgive you?"

[openedthebasket]

His hands dropped to her collar, making sure her shirt was closed properly as a more familiar gesture and letting his hands linger there. A moment, then he just shook his head, unable to articulate just what he wanted to say. "Later," he murmured, glancing up to meet her eyes.

[guiltoftruth]

She frowned at him suspiciously then, but she didn't pres it any further as she just nodded and made to follow him out. They still had errands to run...