[Open] Momento Mori

[twinlionfists]

She had noticed the villagers running around preparing things for the past few days. Every time she attempted to speak to one of them about what was going on, however, they seemed to be too busy to answer her questions. Finally, she'd braved asking Kakashi-sensei's landlady—the owner of the bookstore—and was informed about the festival to honour the dead.

Hinata had quite a few dead to honour, here or not, and she purchased her own candles and some ingredients to make dishes to put before the shrine. It would be awkward since she didn't have any photographs of her mother and putting one of her cousin would seem a bit morbid, but she hoped that they would appreciate the thought anyway.

That was what counted, right?

Perhaps she wasn't the only one of the shinobi intent on doing so as well.

Comments

[openedthebasket]

Hinata-sama... Neji paused on his way to the shrine, almost considering going elsewhere. But things had changed for him, now, and there was no hiding from his past... or his future.

He approached the shine, a small dish of takoyaki in one hand, incense in his pocket to light. "I hope that offering is not for me," he murmured quietly by way of greeting, moving past to set down his own dish and starting to prepare the incense.

[twinlionfists]

She startled as she heard his voice. They hadn't spoken in weeks, despite living in the same house and having many of the same friends.

"That would be morbid, seeing as how there are three different versions of you here in Michi no Sato, Neji-nii-san," she said softly, trying to not let the hurt show in her voice. "No, I was offering it for our shared ancestors and my mother and the past Hokage."

[openedthebasket]

"Indeed," he agreed neutrally, movements slow and measured as he set up the incense behind the small treat. It's clear this is not the first time he's done something like this; he'd done it every year for his father, like he did now. Whether his father could look down from the heavens and see him like this, he couldn't say, but...

"Forgive me," he added without ceasing his preparations. "That was a callous thing to say."

[twinlionfists]

She continued with her preparations herself, going through the motions that had become second nature to her when it came to honoring the dead before her. She only could hope that she hadn't shamed her mother with her actions over the past year.

"There is nothing to forgive," she replied softly before sliding her eyes closed and concentrating on anything but the fact that Neji was beside her when she was doing this.

[openedthebasket]

"Of course." He fell silent himself, thoroughly occupied with his own movements for this ritual. He counted himself fortunate that at this point, the only one of his ancestors that he truly cared to honor.

Closing his eyes and bowing his head, he concentrated entirely on his prayer.

[twinlionfists]

When she was done, she contemplated leaving. She could tell that he wasn't comfortable around her and that saddened her. Perhaps she should return to the house and spend time with Naruto-kun and Kushina-nee-san. It would be easier than the distance that had grown between them.

However, that wasn't what she really wanted. So, instead, she waited until he was done praying and dove right in. "You have been avoiding my company, cousin."

[openedthebasket]

He was already still, and so could not still further as he opened his eyes, keeping his attention on the incense. There was no point in lying to someone with the Byakugan, even were he to desire to.

"Yes," he answered softly, hands flexing into open palms atop his knees. "Please forgive me. I... have not been myself."

[twinlionfists]

She sighed heavily. "Why?"

[openedthebasket]

"There has been... much on my mind, that I have had difficulty coming to terms with. I have been unfair to... many people in my life, recently. I will endeavor to change that. Hinata-sama."

[itachi_san]

Finding Itachi beside one of the various shrines was probably rather unexpected. As was the fact that he was in formal attire, kneeling beside what appeared to be a wheelchair.

He was quiet, sitting before a large display of candles. His eyes were closed, as though he were deep in thought. No... prayer. He was honoring... could it possibly be the entire Uchiha clan?!

[twinlionfists]

She startled as she saw Itachi-san outside for the first time in ages. However the sheer amount of candles he was burning could only be in remembrance of his entire clan.

Quietly, Hinata took up the position next to him to make sure he wasn't jostled by anyone and slowly placed all of her accoutrements down gently. After she had lit her incense and candles, she bowed her head in her own silent prayer to her deceased clan members, more specifically her mother, uncle and...Neji-nii-san.

[itachi_san]

Even if they were alive here, or versions of them were alive here, Itachi felt the need to honor the clansmen he was ordered to kill.

He held their memories, their deaths, their sins and their choices so close to his heart for so long. How heavy of a weight it had been. How incredible of a burden he carried. But while he felt the heat of the many little flames and caught the scent of the smoke as it rose around him, he felt strangely at peace.

It was perhaps the first time Itachi had ever simply let them go.

[twinlionfists]

Itachi-san's presence was calming, despite the atmosphere they were sharing. For the first time, Hinata didn't feel like she was going to cry if she spent too much time with him.

It was then that she finally let herself stop worrying about her cousin's death. She had really let it weigh too much on her mind. Both of the versions of Neji she'd met in this village had accepted that his death served a greater purpose in the grand scheme of things.

She had seen the wisdom in saving Naruto-kun, but the fact that Neji thought that saving her was just as important for the sake of their clan was something she'd avoided thinking about. With one, silent tear, she relaxed finally.

[itachi_san]

It was quite a while before Itachi finished his prayers and opened his eyes. So focused on the moment, the here and the now, he was a little startled when he realized he wasn't alone.

Unfortunately, a gasp of surprise was all that he needed to take a little too much smoke into his lungs. He coughed, breaking the sacred silence that they'd both shared.

[twinlionfists]

She turned to her companion and rubbed his back to help him. "Itachi-san, perhaps I could push you around outside. The smoke in here is bad for your lungs," she said quietly.

[itachi_san]

When it took longer than he expected to actually stop coughing, he had to immediately agree that she was right. But getting up was quite a challenge.

"A... a hand..." he held his out. "Please..."

[twinlionfists]

"Of course," she said as she effortlessly helped him into his wheelchair, saddened by the fact that in the time he'd been receiving treatment that Itachi-san hadn't gained any weight.

When he was settled, she gathered up their things and placed them into the bag she wore over her shoulder. "Is there anywhere you would like to go? I've heard that there are a few stalls set up in the main streets and some performances as well."

[heroscomeback]

Naruto had four candles.

One for dad. one for mom. One for Old Man Hokage and one for everyone else, because he didn't want to forget anyone.

"Hey Hinata~!" not only could he recognize her everywhere, he could also feel that seal upon her from short distances.

[twinlionfists]

The spot between her shoulder blades tingled and sent warmth through her body as he called out to her while he approached. She felt her melancholy disappear in the face of his presence. "Naruto-kun," she breathed happily. "I didn't expect to see you here."

[heroscomeback]

"Ah, yeah, well, I heard about this festival for the dead thing. I thought I'd light some of those candles and then eat ramen for all the living~" yes naruto, this works perfectly.

[twinlionfists]

She smiled as she set up her candles and incense. This would be the third time this week she did this, but she had a lot of people she wished to honor and there was no harm in trying to commune with her own mother, was there?

"Did you bring some food or drink to leave those who have passed before us?" she asked softly, pulling out the small onigiri she'd spent hours making early that morning for this purpose. She was glad that she'd brought the extras however.

[heroscomeback]

"I got this!"

....and he might just have completely missed the point of offerings as he lit candles, incense and produced -out of seemingly nowhere!?- a bowl of ramen. His way to honor the dead was by sharing teh food received by his stomach... or something?

[twinlionfists]

She smiled softly at his happy face as he set about eating the bowl of ramen and pushed a few of the spare onigiri towards him before turning to her own duties. Hinata had had thoughts about being able to do something like this with Naruto-kun, but until now it had been nothing more than a daydream.

"Thank you, Mother," she whispered as she finished her prayers and waited for Naruto-kun to be finished.

[heroscomeback]

"Awesome! Hey, hey look!" yeah, he was adressing the candles. "Hinata-chan made those, and I'm sharin em with you!" yeah, he's in his own pretty-awesome world right now. Prayers? Silence? Not him, no.

[twinlionfists]

She flushed happily as he spoke to the dead he was honoring about her silly rice balls. "They are nothing terribly special, Naruto-kun," she whispered softly.