Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Her Own Little World ❯ Courage ( Chapter 5 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Project 0506 
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.23.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 694 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.23.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 694 | Status: Work In Progress
Hanabi flew at her sister, kunai held high.
“Don’t hold it out so far in front of you. Your opponent could wrench it from your hand.” Hanabi nodded and pulled the knife in closer. Hinata easily sidestepped her and tapped hard on her shoulder, sending her stumbling a few steps forward before regaining her balance. “Your balance is a bit off. Try shifting a bit more weight to your left leg when you get ready to strike…but don’t make it that perceptible or your opponent will be able to read your movements.” Hanabi attacked again. Hinata blocked the slash with her own kunai and smiled when her sister’s face fell when she realized her trump card was gone. “Sorry Hanabi-chan. Here.” She tossed back the long thin blade. “You had it strapped to your arm too loosely. I could immediately tell you had a hidden weapon so it was easy for me to steal it before you had a chance to use it. Be less concerned with retrieving it and more with hiding it when you dress. Father will not be so easy on you.”
“Yes, I know.” Hanabi sulked. “But it’s not fair. A few years ago I was a better fighter than you!” Hinata smiled.
“People can change Hanabi-chan.” An evil grin tugged at the corner of the young girl’s mouth.
“Speaking of people changing…” Both girls glanced over as Neji entered the training area.
“Neji-kun!” Hinata gasped. Hanabi rolled her eyes and grabbed her sister as the chuunin tried to make a break for the door.
“Hinata-chan, go talk to him!” Immediately the girl’s nervous stutter surfaced.
“A-after l-last night! I-I don’t e-even remember s-some of the th-things I d-did…” Hanabi’s grin grew.
“Doesn’t matter. All that matters is he was immensely satisfied.”
“Hanabi…I t-told you we d-didn’t do anything. After you l-left he went home.”
‘Stop it!” Hanabi hissed. “Stop that stupid stammering! You don’t stammer around me.”
“Y-you’re d-different.” Neji looked up and finally saw them. He gave his usual small smile and headed towards them. Hinata’s legs started trembling, her knees knocking together.
“What’s your problem? You said nothing happened last night.” Hinata couldn’t even manage a glare. “Look Hinata-chan, Neji is too much of a gentleman to move first…so go for it! There’s gotta be…*something* you want.”
“NO! … W-well …th-there might b-be one th-thing…”
“Then go for it!”
“Go for what?”
Hanabi grinned. “Nothing at all Neji-kun!” She elbowed her sister in the ribs, shoving her forward. “Don’t be a scaredy cat!” She whispered. She vanished, no doubt gone to find the best spying spot. Neji raised an eyebrow.
“What was that about?”
“I-I …um…d-don’t k-know…”
“Alright then.” He turned to begin training. Hinata mentally screamed at herself. *Hurry up already! He’s moving away! Come on Hinata do something! Do anything!*
“N-Neji-k-kun?” *Oh wonderful, barely a squeak! He probably didn’t even hear it.* But he did hear her.
“Yes?” She shuffled her feet nervously and absently picked at a nonexistent speck of dirt on her woolen jacket.
“Um…I-I…well…I-I mean…um, n-nothing. F-forg-get it.”
“Okay…” Tenten’s words sounded in his ear. ‘Hinata-chan’s problem is that people get tired of waiting for her to be brave…’ *Alright then, I’m not supposed to let it slide. She wants to say something so I’m supposed to…Damn Tenten, couldn’t you have been a little more specific? What the hell am I supposed to do?* He decided to wing it. He turned back to her. “Is there something you want Hinata-sama?”
Hinata blushed a bright red and shook her head violently. “N-no, I-it was n-nothing, r-really.” Her stutter started to get worse as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She stared at the ground and waited for the sound of his steps leading away. When she looked up he was still there, staring, waiting… *Okay, it’s now or never…* “Um…N-Neji-kun, about l-last n-night…” The branch house Hyuga stiffened.
“What part of last night?” It was a whisper.
“Not the part …I m-mean, I-I’m not t-talking about when you…at d-dinner, yesterday, what H-Hanabi-chan said, a-about branch h-house members having t-to d-do what a m-main house m-member s-says…” He visibly relaxed. For a moment he thought she was going to say something about what she saw in his room…In the main household even the very walls have ears.
“Yes?”
“W-would you really d-do something if I…um…if I a-asked you t-to do s-something, h-hypoth-thetically s-speaking, if I were to ask y-you t-to do s-something, w-would you?”
“I’m not quite sure I understand Hinata-sama. Is there some chore you need to help you with?”
“N-not exactly…m-more like, s-something for m-me, p-personally.”
“An errand?”
“No, um…it’s l-like…I-I don’t know h-how to s-say it…”
“A favor?”
“Yes! E-exactly. I-if I w-were to ask y-you to d-do a f-favor for m-me, w-would you?”
“You just need to ask Hinata-sama.” She started wringing her hands and Neji had to strain to hear her voice.
“I-it’s a-a really b-big favor…I-it’s s-something I’ve been w-wanting for a l-long time…”
The boy smiled. “It’s no problem Hinata-sama.”
“I k-know y-you w-wanted to t-train…I-it’s g-going to t-take a while…I-it’s selfish o-of me t-to ask…”
“Hey, I said I’d be happy to. I can train after dark. There’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
“Y-yes, there is N-Neji-kun…th-that’s w-why I-I n-never asked b-before n-now…I’m n-not telling a-anyone and y-you’re not g-going to w-want anyone e-else to know…I-I think y-you know w-why…I-I’ve been w-wanting t-to f-for a long t-time…and I-it’s em-embarassing.”
Neji swore his heart stopped beating right then as he processed everything he heard. Maybe she still had some alcohol in her system. It couldn’t be. Hinata couldn’t really be asking him to… “Hinata-chan,” he said softly, “are you alright? Did Hanabi-chan give you anything to drink?” She started to back away.
“I-I’m s-sorry, it’s o-okay if you d-don’t want t-to…I-I mean…” He grabbed her hand and wiped away the tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye.
“Hinata, I’d love to. We should go inside.” She shook her head.
“N-no, Hanabi-chan w-will spy. I-I was thinking w-we could g-go to your house.”
“Alright, we won’t be disturbed there.” Neji had never seen anything quite as beautiful as the smile that lit up Hinata’s face. Her pale eyes sparkled with pure excitement.
“Really? You’ll do it?! Oh Thank You!” She flung her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek, completely forgetting to stutter. “I’ll be right back. There’s some stuff I had hidden away for this. I’ll just be a moment.” She rushed off. At the door she paused at looked back at him. She smiled one of those smiles that made Neji want to melt. There was no shyness in this girl anymore. “Thank you so much Neji-kun. You won’t regret it, I swear!”
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Hinata felt as if she was walking on air. She pulled out her secret stash and stuffed the whole thing into a bag. Next went in a change of clothes. Hanabi sat in the window.
“Should I tell father you won’t be at dinner?”
“Yes thank you.” Hanabi eyed all the contents being tossed into the bag.
“Um Onesan? I know you don’t like me spying, but I overheard your conversation…are you sure Neji-kun knows what he agreed to do?”
“Of course he does. I mentioned it once before, a while back. Trust me. I think he understood.”
“Suit yourself. Have fun…and don’t get all caught up in your little playtime and forget the time. Father will kill you if you back late.”
“I know. We’ll be careful. Besides, we’d have to be done before his mother comes home… Bye Hanabi-chan!” Hinata basically skipped out of the room. Hanabi shook her head in pity for Neji.
“Poor Neji-kun…you have no idea what you just unleashed.” Her wicked grin ghosted across her face. “I wonder if Tenten-san knows… It’s not my fault if I happen to mention it, thinking she already knew…”
“Don’t hold it out so far in front of you. Your opponent could wrench it from your hand.” Hanabi nodded and pulled the knife in closer. Hinata easily sidestepped her and tapped hard on her shoulder, sending her stumbling a few steps forward before regaining her balance. “Your balance is a bit off. Try shifting a bit more weight to your left leg when you get ready to strike…but don’t make it that perceptible or your opponent will be able to read your movements.” Hanabi attacked again. Hinata blocked the slash with her own kunai and smiled when her sister’s face fell when she realized her trump card was gone. “Sorry Hanabi-chan. Here.” She tossed back the long thin blade. “You had it strapped to your arm too loosely. I could immediately tell you had a hidden weapon so it was easy for me to steal it before you had a chance to use it. Be less concerned with retrieving it and more with hiding it when you dress. Father will not be so easy on you.”
“Yes, I know.” Hanabi sulked. “But it’s not fair. A few years ago I was a better fighter than you!” Hinata smiled.
“People can change Hanabi-chan.” An evil grin tugged at the corner of the young girl’s mouth.
“Speaking of people changing…” Both girls glanced over as Neji entered the training area.
“Neji-kun!” Hinata gasped. Hanabi rolled her eyes and grabbed her sister as the chuunin tried to make a break for the door.
“Hinata-chan, go talk to him!” Immediately the girl’s nervous stutter surfaced.
“A-after l-last night! I-I don’t e-even remember s-some of the th-things I d-did…” Hanabi’s grin grew.
“Doesn’t matter. All that matters is he was immensely satisfied.”
“Hanabi…I t-told you we d-didn’t do anything. After you l-left he went home.”
‘Stop it!” Hanabi hissed. “Stop that stupid stammering! You don’t stammer around me.”
“Y-you’re d-different.” Neji looked up and finally saw them. He gave his usual small smile and headed towards them. Hinata’s legs started trembling, her knees knocking together.
“What’s your problem? You said nothing happened last night.” Hinata couldn’t even manage a glare. “Look Hinata-chan, Neji is too much of a gentleman to move first…so go for it! There’s gotta be…*something* you want.”
“NO! … W-well …th-there might b-be one th-thing…”
“Then go for it!”
“Go for what?”
Hanabi grinned. “Nothing at all Neji-kun!” She elbowed her sister in the ribs, shoving her forward. “Don’t be a scaredy cat!” She whispered. She vanished, no doubt gone to find the best spying spot. Neji raised an eyebrow.
“What was that about?”
“I-I …um…d-don’t k-know…”
“Alright then.” He turned to begin training. Hinata mentally screamed at herself. *Hurry up already! He’s moving away! Come on Hinata do something! Do anything!*
“N-Neji-k-kun?” *Oh wonderful, barely a squeak! He probably didn’t even hear it.* But he did hear her.
“Yes?” She shuffled her feet nervously and absently picked at a nonexistent speck of dirt on her woolen jacket.
“Um…I-I…well…I-I mean…um, n-nothing. F-forg-get it.”
“Okay…” Tenten’s words sounded in his ear. ‘Hinata-chan’s problem is that people get tired of waiting for her to be brave…’ *Alright then, I’m not supposed to let it slide. She wants to say something so I’m supposed to…Damn Tenten, couldn’t you have been a little more specific? What the hell am I supposed to do?* He decided to wing it. He turned back to her. “Is there something you want Hinata-sama?”
Hinata blushed a bright red and shook her head violently. “N-no, I-it was n-nothing, r-really.” Her stutter started to get worse as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She stared at the ground and waited for the sound of his steps leading away. When she looked up he was still there, staring, waiting… *Okay, it’s now or never…* “Um…N-Neji-kun, about l-last n-night…” The branch house Hyuga stiffened.
“What part of last night?” It was a whisper.
“Not the part …I m-mean, I-I’m not t-talking about when you…at d-dinner, yesterday, what H-Hanabi-chan said, a-about branch h-house members having t-to d-do what a m-main house m-member s-says…” He visibly relaxed. For a moment he thought she was going to say something about what she saw in his room…In the main household even the very walls have ears.
“Yes?”
“W-would you really d-do something if I…um…if I a-asked you t-to do s-something, h-hypoth-thetically s-speaking, if I were to ask y-you t-to do s-something, w-would you?”
“I’m not quite sure I understand Hinata-sama. Is there some chore you need to help you with?”
“N-not exactly…m-more like, s-something for m-me, p-personally.”
“An errand?”
“No, um…it’s l-like…I-I don’t know h-how to s-say it…”
“A favor?”
“Yes! E-exactly. I-if I w-were to ask y-you to d-do a f-favor for m-me, w-would you?”
“You just need to ask Hinata-sama.” She started wringing her hands and Neji had to strain to hear her voice.
“I-it’s a-a really b-big favor…I-it’s s-something I’ve been w-wanting for a l-long time…”
The boy smiled. “It’s no problem Hinata-sama.”
“I k-know y-you w-wanted to t-train…I-it’s g-going to t-take a while…I-it’s selfish o-of me t-to ask…”
“Hey, I said I’d be happy to. I can train after dark. There’s nothing to be ashamed about.”
“Y-yes, there is N-Neji-kun…th-that’s w-why I-I n-never asked b-before n-now…I’m n-not telling a-anyone and y-you’re not g-going to w-want anyone e-else to know…I-I think y-you know w-why…I-I’ve been w-wanting t-to f-for a long t-time…and I-it’s em-embarassing.”
Neji swore his heart stopped beating right then as he processed everything he heard. Maybe she still had some alcohol in her system. It couldn’t be. Hinata couldn’t really be asking him to… “Hinata-chan,” he said softly, “are you alright? Did Hanabi-chan give you anything to drink?” She started to back away.
“I-I’m s-sorry, it’s o-okay if you d-don’t want t-to…I-I mean…” He grabbed her hand and wiped away the tear threatening to fall from the corner of her eye.
“Hinata, I’d love to. We should go inside.” She shook her head.
“N-no, Hanabi-chan w-will spy. I-I was thinking w-we could g-go to your house.”
“Alright, we won’t be disturbed there.” Neji had never seen anything quite as beautiful as the smile that lit up Hinata’s face. Her pale eyes sparkled with pure excitement.
“Really? You’ll do it?! Oh Thank You!” She flung her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek, completely forgetting to stutter. “I’ll be right back. There’s some stuff I had hidden away for this. I’ll just be a moment.” She rushed off. At the door she paused at looked back at him. She smiled one of those smiles that made Neji want to melt. There was no shyness in this girl anymore. “Thank you so much Neji-kun. You won’t regret it, I swear!”
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Hinata felt as if she was walking on air. She pulled out her secret stash and stuffed the whole thing into a bag. Next went in a change of clothes. Hanabi sat in the window.
“Should I tell father you won’t be at dinner?”
“Yes thank you.” Hanabi eyed all the contents being tossed into the bag.
“Um Onesan? I know you don’t like me spying, but I overheard your conversation…are you sure Neji-kun knows what he agreed to do?”
“Of course he does. I mentioned it once before, a while back. Trust me. I think he understood.”
“Suit yourself. Have fun…and don’t get all caught up in your little playtime and forget the time. Father will kill you if you back late.”
“I know. We’ll be careful. Besides, we’d have to be done before his mother comes home… Bye Hanabi-chan!” Hinata basically skipped out of the room. Hanabi shook her head in pity for Neji.
“Poor Neji-kun…you have no idea what you just unleashed.” Her wicked grin ghosted across her face. “I wonder if Tenten-san knows… It’s not my fault if I happen to mention it, thinking she already knew…”