one_long_mission

Entry tags:

Fated

You deserved to die.

The piece of paper was snatched out of the air before it could hit his face, leaving him pausing and frowning down at it with a sudden chill. Where could it have come from? A moment as he formed the seals to activate his Byakugan, but -- no one to be seen who could have tossed this at him. Troubling, somewhat cruel, but seeing as how he could see other papers drifting to the ground before other people...? Hardly something to be concerned about, lest this were another seal of some kind.

Still, he couldn't let it fall, running a thumb over it before letting it slip into his pocket. It hadn't been much more than another few steps when a second paper fell, snatched before it could land on his shoulder.

You deserved to die.

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"Have I ever done anything irresponsible, Hinata-sama?" He looked to her, one eyebrow arched. "Though I apologize for not approaching you myself. The oversight of your arrival is regrettable."

He inclined his head once in apology. "Have you somewhere to stay?"

She shook her head with a slight smile. "Not really, but I hope that you can relax a little."

Hinata just looked at him for a minute. "I am fine, Neji-nii-san. I ran into a Naruto-kun, who introduced me to Temari-san from your...alternate reality. She has offered me a room at her house, under her protection, since I was told that the other house has...was very full."

He glanced up, then tilted his head with a thoughtful glance. "You say alternate reality with a fair measure of confidence," he pointed out, quirking one eyebrow in curiosity. "And if you refer to Mikoto-san's home, please allow me to reassure you that room could indeed be found for you, should you so choose."

"I have had nearly a week of discussing the differences with Temari-san, cousin," she said with an amused tone. "Once I recovered from seeing her without the desire to murder Shikamaru-kun continuously, she and I spent a lot of time speaking while I helped her with the youngest version of her brother, Gaara-sama."

She shook her head at his reference to the other house, trying to suppress a frown. "I would not dream of doing so. The other version of myself resides there happily. I would not wish to get in her way."

"I see." He took the time while she was speaking to listen to not only her words, but study her facial expressions and mannerisms. Somewhat different from Hinata-sama as he remembered her; more confident, more willing to speak without sounding so quiet. In a way, he approved, if only because the older members of his clan wouldn't.

"I am certain she would not see you as a nuisance, however, I can understand your sentiments." After all, he shared them, in a manner of speaking -- the younger him seemed to want little to nothing to do with him. "Please, if there is anything I can do for you, do not hesitate to inform me."

She gave her cousin a smile from her heart, so happy to be near him once more. "It is not her that I am avoiding, if I am honest. It is other members of that household that I wish to stay away from. I am afraid that I am not brave enough yet to be around Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san while they are together."

Her eyes grew heavy with a little sorrow. "In my reality, you and I are close. I believe that you are the closest thing that I have to a best friend. Your Hinata has her teammates, am I right?"

"Ah." So she still shared the infatuation with Naruto... more and more, he was starting to question whether or not Naruto truly deserved Hinata-sama's attention. In a way, of course he did, but in others, to cause her to suffer so much... "Then I shall not mention it again."

A blink as he shifted back on his heels. Certainly he and his cousin had grown close since his eyes were open, but best friend would hardly be a label he would use. "I take it that your team does not encompass the Inuzuka and the Aburame, then. From your earlier statement... you would be the third member of Sasuke and Naruto's team?"

"Thank you," she said softly, trying to will herself to not break down in light of his understanding. Of course her cousin would understand what she was going through and not want to hurt her. "I...I would appreciate that greatly."

"No, Haruno Sakura-san ended up with Kiba-kun and Shino-kun. I am on friendly terms with Kurenai-sensei's team, but when Jiraiya-sama took Sasuke-san and Naruto-kun away, I spent a lot of time training with your team and with Kakashi-sensei one on one. Although, I understand that your Hinata is close to Kiba-kun."

It was so strange to refer to another girl who shared so much with her but was still so very different.

He only nodded at her thanks, tucking the piece of information away so as not to forget it.

"I see. Then allow me to express my regret that it had not happened as such for me, as for the past three years before my arrival here, the two of us have been working together one on one. I can see how you might benefit from my teammates' experience."

She looked at him. "From what I understand, you and the other me are still close. Perhaps not as close as my version of yourself and I, but on better than just good terms." She flashed him a brief smile. "Gai-sensei was fun to be around, but more often than not, Tenten-san and I went off to train with Kakashi-sensei while Gai-sensei worked with you and Lee-san."

"We are, thank you." Even if it was Hinata-sama saying so, having another question his closeness to her was hardly something he appreciated. "Though that is also a pity. Though he is... intense... Gai-sensei is indeed a skilled instructor. I am pleased that you were able to work well with Tenten. Have you spoken to her here?"

She could tell that he had his back up about something she said. "Forgive me if I have insulted you somehow, Neji-nii-san. That was not my intention.

The mention of Tenten had her smiling wider. "No, I have not. If you would point me towards her, I would be happy to see her again."

"If you have spoken to the man who has appointed himself Hokage of this village, then I am certain you would find her in short order," he observed mildly, letting his hands tuck within his sleeves. "Otherwise, any of the dumpling shops within town. Her own home she shares with Uchiha Sasuke and the Hokage, Uchiha Itachi, is on the cliffside, just there."

He pointed to demonstrate the house.

She blinked in confusion. "Tenten-san is living with Uchiha Itachi-san and Uchiha Sasuke-san? The Hokage is Uchiha Itachi?"

Why hadn't Naruto-kun told her any of this before now?

"Indeed. In the place where he is from, he is Hokage, much like in the place Tenten and I are from, you are on the Aburame's and Inuzuka's team." He nodded once. "To all appearances, this Uchiha Itachi is very different from the criminal we are familiar with."

She nodded. His explanation made sense, in a strange sort of way. "Ah, well, then, maybe I will go and pay my respects to him when I visit Tenten-san, but I will attend to that later." She looked at his hands and remembered seeing him slip a piece of paper up his sleeves before she'd spoken. "I have not interrupted you, have I?"

He followed her gaze to his hands and tucked them within his sleeves, shaking his head. "Of course not, Hinata-sama. Your presence is always welcome. Even if we do not know each other in the strictest sense, you are still my most honored cousin."

She tilted her head just a little, knowing there was more to what he was saying, even if he wasn't her version of her cousin. "As you say, you are still my cousin, even if we are not as close as I am used to being with you." She gave him a small, pleased smile. "What is there to do to keep one preoccupied?"

"Perhaps not yet, though that is not to say that it will not change in the future." He inclined his head, lips curving in a there-and-gone-again smile.

He paused, considering her question carefully, before responding, "There are many things. I, personally, have taken on the role of sensei for a set of promising children. I know the man who has deemed himself our Hokage is attempting to put together a formal school. There have been... rumors, of unrest in this area."

His lips quirked again. "Suffice to say, we shall have no fear of unemployment in the coming time."

She relaxed at that smile that she was so used to seeing flashed across his face. "Of course."

As he spoke, Hinata listened carefully to what he was saying and what he wasn't. "Well, staying busy is important. I take it that the other version of myself has found her own niche here, so I will have to find something else to do."

"Please do not feel that you will not be able to find what you wish to do, Hinata-sama." He shook his head once, hands folding within his sleeves. "If it is within my means, I would like to see you happy."

"Please, do not worry yourself about it, Neji-nii-san. I will find something that makes me happy, of that I do not doubt. I would just like to remain separate from the other me."

"I understand." Another nod. "If there is nothing else, I should return to my students, Hinata-sama."

"Ah, yes, please, I do not wish to keep you from your duties. I must go find Temari-san for a discussion. I will see you later." She gave him a slight bow before running off with a wave.

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