Author's Note: Because I believe in happy endings.
Title: The Days Passing By
Author: hiasobi
Rating: PG
Summery: The aftermath of when
Hinata is unoffically let go.
Sometimes she has dinner ready for him when he comes home. Sometimes she is already cleaning up the dishes and is just about to go off to bed when he opens the front door. Sometimes she's on the couch and watching TV with a low volume. Sometimes she's sitting in front of the window staring out at things he doesn't know. Sometimes she's not there at all because he came home early before her, or she's in bed because he came home too late.
They were both very awkward on this 'living together' arrangement. Neither were used to it, and neither seemed to be getting used to it anytime soon.
Too many times she has forgotten to cook for two. Too many times he has stayed out training and forgotten that there was someone waiting for him. Too many times the dinner she has made has gone cold. Too many times he has frozen in shock at the sight of her inside his home.
It was all the big things. And they all went wrong at one point or another.
But he wouldn't let her leave. No matter how many plates she broke in nervousness or how many times she's forgotten that this was not her apartment and left her herbs out everywhere.
And she didn't want to stay but couldn't leave either. No matter how awkward and embarrassed she got. No matter how many times she packed away her things in her small duffle bag, because there's was no other place for her to go.
It had been pure luck. He had been walking by one of the many less popular and most often unused doorways of the House, when he had seen her and her father standing across from each other in the yard. She stood a little beyond the doorway and her father stood right outside of it. Her father's face had been blank, and her shoulders had bore the burden of her travel bag.
There had been no smiles, gestures or words. Her father and her had stared at each other silently for a long time before she turned on her heels and walked away.
Just like that.
Hyuga Hiashi's had stayed blank the whole time he watched his daughter's back get smaller and smaller.
He hadn't quite understood what had transpired between them, but all he knew was that the bag she had was too big to have simply packed for a short trip.
The Head of the Hyuga Clan hadn't called out to her at all and simply turned and went back into the House. Her steps hadn't faltered even once as she walked away and turned the corner.
He had been frozen one moment then he ran after her. Somehow, he knew she didn't have any destination in mind at all. It might have been the aimlessness in her walk, or the set of her blank face, but he knew. He ran three corners and jumped four walls before he found her. She was propped up against a pillar with her bag by her feet. Her form had looked so small and the stillness of her shoulders hurt him somehow.
When he approached her, she was surprised, but met him with her usual greeting. Stuttering and looking around nervously, she mumbled her words - and stepped in front of her bag to hide it from view. He had nodded but hadn't said anything else. He had only continued to stare down at the top of her head, and she had fidgeted and shuffled a few steps but always making sure she was in front of the bag.
She had nowhere else to go.
He had no one living with him
It seemed right at the time and he had told her she could live with him for a while. She had stuttered and refused, but when he pointed out there was nowhere she could go, and she really didn't have a choice since he hadn't asked. She had stared at the ground for a moment before nodding her agreement. So he took her back to his place.
It didn't matter that he only had one bedroom and no guestrooms. There was only one bathroom and closet, a living room, and a dining room. It was truly an Apartment for One; but it didn't matter at all.
She had nowhere to go and he wasn't about to shove her into the cold. He ignored her suggestions of getting a motel room or renting a room by herself. If she had the money, save it. She would need it sometime in the future.
He told her it wouldn't inconvenience him that much. She didn't have to worry. Everything would take care of itself. She hadn't agreed, but she hadn't object either.
So he let her stay at his place, and she tried not to drag him down too much. She tried to show her gratitude by making him meals, cooking his bentos and keeping the house clean.
There was never a cooking pan out of place, a single grease mark on the stove - she made sure of that. She didn't pressure him to come home or to go out. She stayed out of his way and made sure never to disturb him. It was like he was living by himself still.
She never unpacked all her stuff and sometimes when he came home and changed from training, there were two sets of shoes on the steps but only one pair of slippers for the apartment.
When he came home early and she wasn't back from the days work yet, there was nothing that indicated he lived with someone. The days when her team went off on long overnight missions, it didn't affect his life at all.
She was there, but it was like she wasn't there at all.
Over time, they did what everyone else did in these situations. They got used to it. He made sure to come back around a regular hour everyday for supper, and she didn't rush to put her drying herbs away when he came home and she was caught unawares. He got used to hot meals and she got used to hearing the door open and the shuffling of discarded shoes.
Things changed little by little. Her heart still jumped at the smallest things he did and he still couldn't stop himself at seeking for her the instant he entered. But things were changing slowly, and surely.
She didn't try to leave the room as soon as he entered. He didn't always berate her for the smallest mistakes. She stopped crying herself to sleep every night, and he stopped waiting outside her door every time unable to find the courage to go in and comfort her. The small things started to mean more and more, and the big things they did wrong didn't seem that awkward anymore.
So days passed. So the weeks slowly went by.
She didn't get lost as easily as before around the neighbourhood, and he wasn't as anxious to have the house to himself. He stopped missing the days he lived alone and she stopped watching him for signs that she wasn't welcome. The newspapers disappeared from the house along the pages where she had circled apartments she had thought to check out.
She started cooking for two every night and he stopped training to come home around sunset everyday. The routine was new, but they got used to it. She wasn't scared to go out and buy the house supplies they were short of, he wasn't nervous about buying small gifts for her.
And slowly, the change moved on to others things.
Like the way they greet each other when they walked in through the door. The first time she had walked in a bit late and he already at home; he had customarily greeted her with an 'Okaeri', and without thinking, as she undid her shoes she had replied 'Tadaima'. He had been frozen while she hadn't noticed and simply staring at the ground shyly, she had walked into her room like usual.
It was all the small things.
Like how they no longer separated the laundry and Hinata just washed it for both of them. Like how he no longer went out with his team mates to fool around after dark. Like how she folded both their clothes without distinction and put it into the closet. Like how he no longer stared at the herbs at the corner on his desk when he wrote a report. Like how she wasn't afraid to go out and buy new curtains to replace the old ones, and new china plates for the ones that were cracked. Like how he had started to buy more things for the kitchen, pots and pans he would never himself because he didn't know how to cook a lot of things.
All the small things started adding up and things changed.
She smiled at him when he came home at the end of the day. There were always two bentos on the table after breakfast. He did not even let the idea of having people over at his place even enter his friends' minds. When he shopped for new seasonal clothes, he came home with two sets. She didn't run away scared from him anymore, and he didn't walk away from her.
And slowly, he became protective of her.
He started changing the light bulbs when they burnt out, he always watched her when she cooked, and he told her to be careful on the missions. He walked her to the meeting place each day and picked her up when it was late. He went with her to the crowded marketplace and watched out after her when she was overlooked. He made sure she ate healthily and checked up on her when it looked like she was going to be sick.
All the small things people took for granted.
All the tiny things she had wished for as a kid.
And slowly, in the shield of his arms, she prospered.
She became less shy around him. She talked, smiled, laughed a little. Her eyes light up slightly when she saw him and the warmth in her tiny unsure smile was all for him.
In return he softened up around her. He didn't berate, or demean anyone. He was less cynical and he smiled more genuinely. He lost the brooding look in his eyes and his heart picked up when she was around.
There was comfort to be found in each other and warmth they had missed since their childhood days.
In their own small world together, they flourished. She stood up straighter, looked down less often. He stopped criticizing every good event, and he became kinder. The chains on her loosened and the ice around him thawed.
In small careful steps, they were headed towards freedom.
After a while, people started to notice.
Kiba commented that Hinata was getting stronger.
Ten Ten observed how Neji was more awkward but kind.
Shino remarked how Hinata smiled more.
Lee mentioned how Neji brooded less often.
Kurenai smiled upon Hinata in encouragement.
Gai proclaimed he was getting through to Neji at last.
Like a broken heart mending itself, Neji and Hinata found their missing pieces in each other. He was powerful while she was weak. She was strong while he was bent. He challenged others while she had lost. She believed while he had succumbed a long time ago.
And they found in the end, it didn't matter. Because maybe they were both missing some things, but together, they could pull through.
So Hinata held on as much as she could with her frail hands.
So Neji refused to let her go.
And slowly, the changed moved into their hearts.
The fragile and strong Hinata.
The powerful and delicate Neji.
With careful hands they moulded each other and help each other grow. Slowly the sands of time smoothed over old hurts. Healed long time scars. Covered blistering wounds.
As each day went, they discovered new miracles.
The way she smiled shyly at him as she replied 'Okeari'. The warmth in his eyes as he looked upon her. The way neither of them hesitated, when it counted, anymore. The touch of his hand on hers, rough and calloused and gentle. The way her eyes met his, shy and slow and innocent.
The way he slipped into the bed they shared at night, casually and nonchalant. The way she moved towards him under the covers and curled into his arms. The way he held her, warm and familiar.
The Hyuuga Clan was the last to know. They were amazing slow at recognizing the signs. Some of the Branch members had inquired to him about vague subjects they had heard, but a few words from Neji them made shrug it off.
It wasn't until one day, as they were in the market shopping for groceries did Hiashi realized. Hiashi had gone with Hanabi, for some fresh air and a break from training. The two Main House members had seen their backs but had refrained from greeting them and alerting the two of their presence. Hiashi had grabbed Hanabi's hand and was about to head back to the Clan house when Hinata had slipped.
The father in Hiashi wanted to run and catch her, but before he could, Neji who had been closer, had already stopped her in mid-fall. It was then; in the midst of thinking with disappointment that Hinata should have been able to stop herself from tripping in the first place, did Hiashi receive the shock. As he stood with Hanabi, both frozen, they watched Neji instead of letting Hinata go after allowing her to catch her footing, the child prodigy of the Branch House pulled the clumsy Heir into his arms and buried his face in her neck.
Hiashi and Hanabi stood rigid in shock, as Hinata blushingly did not push him away. Instead as the red crawled up her fair skin tone she seemed quite embarrassed but content. When Neji finally pulled his head up, there was a small smile on his face as he released Hinata from his embrace. No words were spoken as they continued walking and their stride did not pause when he slipped an arm around her waist.
They walked away totally unflustered by what had just happened, and left behind the frozen visage of Hiashi and Hanabi.
Days passed as they continued.
The apartment as a bachelor had been meant for one. It had become very cosy and although the landlord hasn't bothered them because he has liked Hinata (and a bit scared of Neji), they had decided it was time to move out into a bigger place.
Together they looked for the new home. Two heads bent over the dining table with papers and magazines all spread out on the days they didn't have missions.
She hesitantly suggested one with low cost.
He coolly told her money wasn't an issue.
Hinata pointed out a lot of condos and apartments that were spacious for one and usually only had two bedrooms at most - thinking in evidently of the time when she would have to leave.
Neji turned down all the suggestions with eyes that pierced into her very being and spread out the choice of houses on the table, because he would never live alone again.
She was awkward, a bit clumsy, and fumbled with the choices but he let her take her time. The newspapers with the apartment and condos disappeared one morning and Hinata was too shy to ask what happened to them. When she finally picked up the magazines of the houses and stared with wistful wishing eyes, her hands trembled.
And when she slipped into bed that night, curling close to him, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight. Like he was never, ever going to let her go.
. : time of our lives: .