Fated

[openedthebasket]

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.

Comments

[guiltoftruth]

"... I dunno. But we have to say something to her."

She stubbornly looked ahead, leading them in the direction of Ino's flower shop.

[openedthebasket]

He followed her tug without resistance, face as impassive as always; in spite of himself, he held her hand a little tighter, trying to quickly come up with something.

[perfectcosmos]

She looked up when the door opened, the straightened quickly, a bit nervous as she saw the two who walked in. "Hey guys."

[guiltoftruth]

She nodded to Ino in bare greeting, still a little nervous -- as much as she tried to hide it -- when she spoke, "... I told Neji about what we talked about."

[openedthebasket]

"...Ino." He inclined his head a touch lower than Sasuke's, trying to mask his -- was this nervousness from the Hyuuga genius? "I apologize for starting this conversation so abruptly. Might I ask if you could temporarily close your shop, so that we not be interrupted...?"

Think. "I had wished to hear your thoughts on the matter. Sasuke has made her opinion quite clear."

[perfectcosmos]

She brightened, still nervous, but it wasn't an immediate no, so she headed to the door to click over a lock without even a little hesitation. "Well, I'm not sure why you need to apologize."

[guiltoftruth]

She nodded silently, her eyes going to Neji briefly before they rested on Ino, "... You sure this is what you want too?"

[openedthebasket]

"For simply barging into your shop and interrupting your business with a potentially serious matter."

He finally withdrew his fingers from Sasuke's hand, or tried to, nodding in response to her question and glancing to the other girl. "I... would ask what it is you are looking for, Ino. Something like this is hardly... usual."

[perfectcosmos]

Ahhh, so that's what was going on here. She seemed to relax all at once when she realized they weren't here to turn her down.

They just needed some assurance. Smiling, suddenly rather happy about the whole thing, she moved over and threw her arms around them. "So it's not a no?"

[guiltoftruth]

She was a little stiff at the unexpected hug, but it didn't take her long to relax with a little sigh as she simply leaned into them, her eyes closed, "You already know my answer Ino."

[openedthebasket]

Stiff himself, it took a moment longer before he let himself just gently touch a hand between Ino's shoulder blades in a not-quite hug. "I would never dismiss you out of hand."

[perfectcosmos]

"How could I not want to keep you two all to myself?" She pulled back a little, relaxing into a playful smile.

[guiltoftruth]

That made her flush and she sighed again, trying to act cold but... Well, failing at it, all things considered.

Even if part of her was more than a little happy because of this too.

[openedthebasket]

He cleared his throat, staring sideways for a moment. "It can't be that simple."

[perfectcosmos]

"Why not? I want her, I want you, and you two want each other. Or do you not want me Neji?"

[openedthebasket]

He exhaled heavily and glanced toward her, fighting a flush that threatened to rise to his cheeks. "Such a thing has not been proper for generations."

[perfectcosmos]

She leaned up on her toes and rubbed their noses together. "When have I struck you as a proper kind of girl Neji?"

[guiltoftruth]

"... I don't really care about being 'proper' either, you know that Neji."

[openedthebasket]

He made a soft sound of surprise at the familiar gesture, meeting her eyes before glancing to Sasuke, trying to see if she'd reacted poorly. "I would consider myself proper," he pointed out stiffly. "I would not wish to see something such as this treated... casually."

[perfectcosmos]

She rolled her eyes then, noticing his worry and deciding to address it... by turning her head and kissing Sasuke full on the lips.

[guiltoftruth]

Her breath caught and she stared, flushed and more than a little surprised by the sudden kiss. It was hesitant, but she did start kissing back - albeit, she was more than a little thrown off and kind of embarrassed, but she was returning it of her own volition.

[openedthebasket]

Neji just froze. Propriety said to look away, but the expected possessiveness over, well, either of them didn't arise. "Ah..."

That didn't answer his question at all, but they both seemed to be enjoying themselves...

[perfectcosmos]

She lingered for a moment, bringing her hand up to cradle Sasuke's cheek. She wasn't clueless about kisses, and decided to override the embarrassment, if she could, her other arm staying hooked around Neji.

[guiltoftruth]

She felt flushed and flustered by the time Ino pulled away, clearing her throat before taking a breath and looking to Neji - making sure to not move away from either of them while she did, "What's casual about it?"

[openedthebasket]

"Ah..." There was a definite tinge of pink to his cheeks now as he tried to regain the thread of argument from before. "I believe that is what I had asked both of you."