(no subject)
Characters: Hinata and Chouji
Setting: The Blue Butterfly
Rating: G...
Warnings: Absolutely nothing bad.
Summary: Hinata and Chouji enjoy a drink and some conversation. That's about it.
Chouji had noticed her more than a couple times, the last few days. Always by herself, sitting apart, nursing a drink and avoiding looking at anyone else. to anyone else. It didn't sit right with him. She didn't look lonely though, so much as... Chouji wasn't sure. Determined, somehow? Searching? Still, it didn't sit right with him, a young girl (Was she young? On second glance, she was perhaps his own age.) staying at the inn by herself, not... doing anything. Chouji decided she must be waiting for someone. Why else would she be there?
That's why, on a slow morning, Chouji decided to approach her and find out what her story was. The winter day was just beginning, sunlight was slanting through the window panes, and she was in her usual chair in the corner. Setting a mug on the table (her favorite, from what he'd seen), Chouji smiled and spoke to her plainly, "It's cold out there this morning. What's a girl like you doing staying at a run-down inn when you could be with your family? Gotta be better than here."
Hinata looked up at the young man serving her, and even though it had been over two weeks since she had tinted her eyes, it was still difficult to look at people in shades of blue at times. The years of traveling had helped Hinata grow out most of her trained isolation, still, she tended to keep away from people. But, the inn boy had been watching her for the past day or two that she had noticed, so it was only expected he was going to try and talk to her at some point.
“Actually, this is better,” she said quietly, taking a sip from her mug. “I’m looking for the better half of it, at the moment.”
He cocked his head to the side in question. To him, coming from a family as loving as the Akimichi's, the idea of a bad family life was utterly foreign to him. Moving around the table, Chouji slid his big body into the chair across from her. It didn't occur to him that she wouldn't want him there, or that he'd be unwelcome. He just wanted to talk to this girl who was always by herself.
"Better half?" he asked her, stopping to take a mug for himself as well. How could families have halves? "... Are they someone who lives around here?"
“Maybe. Like I said, I’m looking.” Hinata avoided making eye contact, more out of habit than necessity. Even if her eyes were blue now, she was used to having people stare at her and she naturally kept her gaze down. But he seemed to be used to people around here - and friendly enough to talk to most of them - so he might have some useful information if she kept talking to him. “Have you lived around here a long time?”
"All my life." he replied cheerfully. "I grew up in Konoha, but I've lived out here on the outskirts for about a year now. If you're looking for somebody, I might be able to help. I hear lots of new from people passing through." He shrugged. "It helps pass the time." His eyes shown warmly. He was being honest here, operating only under a simple want to help this perfect stranger. She had startlingly blue eyes, he realized dimly. But there was something about the pupil's... they reminded him of Ino's.
Hinata nursed her drink while he talked, listening to both him and Eki as the Spirit rattled off all the warnings she already knew. ”Hinata, be careful of what you say to him. We need to keep quiet and even if you think he is safe, who knows who else could be listening. And if he talks about others, he’ll talk about you, too.”
If she could have glared at Eki without looking crazy, she would have, instead she settled for casually nodding her understanding, to both of them. “My family was split up because of the war,” she said, choosing her wording very carefully. “I believe my cousin is living somewhere outside of Konoha now, though I can’t be sure. I’ve heard rumors of rebels out here, and I don’t know where he would be because of them.”
At the mention of rebels, Chouji also quieted. He didn't need to have a familiar whispering in his ear for him to know not to be too glib with his words. Even around this girl- a little slip of a thing. The kingdom was facing dark days, and you could not judge people by their appearances any longer. Rumors of spies and shape-shifters, ancient witches taking on younger shapes flew about his mind. But... she seemed so much like the real thing. Even if she WAS hiding parts of herself, that didn't mean-
"Rebels?" he said, choosing his words with care. "I've heard of some bandits running about the woods... can't say I've ever seen one for myself though." He was lying. He wasn't usually a very good liar. But he'd try his damndest if it was to possibly protect Ino and Shikamaru.
Living this close to Konoha and never saw anything? No doubt that was a lie, but then everyone lied in times of war. The question was which side was he protecting. Hinata took a deep drink while she thought of what to saw next. Her eyes stayed on the mug, straying up only momentarily to see the inn boy’s expression.
“I see. I suppose rebels wouldn’t be alive still if they couldn’t hide well. I just worry how my cousin is doing. It’s been so long since I've seen him, and-” she sighed and let her fingers trace the rim of her mug, “and I haven’t heard news in years. I worry the war might have taken him.”
The war had taken so many people. Chouji wondered sometimes how much longer it would be until HE would lose someone important, someone... close to him. It was only a matter of time, he felt sometimes. Especially when his two closest friends were both involved in something so dangerous, so maddeningly frighteningly dangerous, and he couldn't even be around to keep an eye on them. He didn't want to lose someone now, not when they'd all come so far. Thoughts like these, it was no wonder Chouji was eager to talk to people to help pass the time. Better than to be alone with those gnawing frustrations.
He looked at her wordlessly as she sat there in her seat, for the first time actually appearing very lonely. He wanted to reach out, to... comfort her? Somehow? That was the way he worked. He just wanted hugs and warmth to solve all his problems for him, but who was he kidding? Reaching out, he laid his hand down on hers anyway.
"Your cousin? Gosh, I'm sorry. Um, does he look like you? We get all kinds in here."
Hinata snatched her hand away as if he had shocked her with his touch, and if Eki hadn’t shifted the drink in time her mug would have been rolling on the floor. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke. “I don’t like people touching me.”
”It’s all right, Hinata. He wasn’t trying to do anything to you. I can tell, it’s all right,” Eki consoled her as she nervously rubbed her palms together. Hinata could barely remember the last time a real person had touched her. She tried to keep away from people, even during her travels, so this sudden contact scared her more than she expected.
“I’m sorry. Um, you asked, I mean, my cousin... Um, my cousin, I’m not sure exactly what he will look like after all these years. I think he probably resembles me a little, our fathers were twins.” Her hands couldn’t seem to stop shaking so she hid them under the table. If only Eki could comfort her physically it would have been great, but she didn’t want anyone to know about him or her magic.
Chouji quickly withdrew his hand when she reacted, looking, perhaps, just a trifle hurt. "Oh! Um, I'm sorry. I-- I shouldn't have..." he tried to apologize, but for what he wasn't at all sure. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, more for something to occupy his hands with than because he actually had an itch back there.
C'mon Chouji! he thought to himself. I thought you were good with people. Well, maybe not good, but at least they don't freak out when you touch them... But this girl was strange. The more he spoke with her the more curious he became. And there was still something odd about her eyes...
Chouji thought honestly about anyone who might be this girl's cousin. Distractedly, he realized that he didn't even know her name. Not surprisingly then, he couldn't think of anyone. Although... there was one man he'd noticed, travelling back and forth with the rebels, a man who had hair that was much like this girls, only longer-
"Umm, sorry. I can't really think of anybody." Chouji mumbled. He'd have to work on this whole lying thing. His face brightened. "But don't worry! I'm sure if you stick around, you'll find ’im eventually. I mean, if he's still in the area and all."
“Thanks, I plan on waiting a while,” she replied, trying her best to keep calm. Acting so strange was not the best way to keep a low profile. Besides, from the way he looked when he answered it looked like he wasn’t telling the whole truth, so this place was her best bet at finding the rebels’ location. “I-I’m sorry, about before. It’s not your fault.”
"No! Not at all..." Chouji said, rushing to apologize again. "I guess I shouldn't have- I mean, I shouldn't've just assumed that- I'm just like that with my friends and didn't think. I'm sorry." He settled down deeper into his chair, becoming a big ball of vague embarrassment, and nursed his drink. Outside, a faint wisp of snow drifted down across the window.
Gathering himself up again, Chouji said, "You're going to be staying for a while longer then? Alright then... I'm Chouji." he said, introducing himself. He almost held out his hand to shake, but then remembered her previous reaction to his touch and decided not to try that again. "Uhh, just ask me if you need anything! But I guess you knew that already..."
“Thank you, Chouji. I’ll remember that.” Hinata bowed her head in thanks before finishing her drink and standing up. “Perhaps we can talk again another night.”
She would be sure to have Eki keep an eye on who he talked to. He might just lead her to the rebels... to Neji.
Setting: The Blue Butterfly
Rating: G...
Warnings: Absolutely nothing bad.
Summary: Hinata and Chouji enjoy a drink and some conversation. That's about it.
Chouji had noticed her more than a couple times, the last few days. Always by herself, sitting apart, nursing a drink and avoiding looking at anyone else. to anyone else. It didn't sit right with him. She didn't look lonely though, so much as... Chouji wasn't sure. Determined, somehow? Searching? Still, it didn't sit right with him, a young girl (Was she young? On second glance, she was perhaps his own age.) staying at the inn by herself, not... doing anything. Chouji decided she must be waiting for someone. Why else would she be there?
That's why, on a slow morning, Chouji decided to approach her and find out what her story was. The winter day was just beginning, sunlight was slanting through the window panes, and she was in her usual chair in the corner. Setting a mug on the table (her favorite, from what he'd seen), Chouji smiled and spoke to her plainly, "It's cold out there this morning. What's a girl like you doing staying at a run-down inn when you could be with your family? Gotta be better than here."
Hinata looked up at the young man serving her, and even though it had been over two weeks since she had tinted her eyes, it was still difficult to look at people in shades of blue at times. The years of traveling had helped Hinata grow out most of her trained isolation, still, she tended to keep away from people. But, the inn boy had been watching her for the past day or two that she had noticed, so it was only expected he was going to try and talk to her at some point.
“Actually, this is better,” she said quietly, taking a sip from her mug. “I’m looking for the better half of it, at the moment.”
He cocked his head to the side in question. To him, coming from a family as loving as the Akimichi's, the idea of a bad family life was utterly foreign to him. Moving around the table, Chouji slid his big body into the chair across from her. It didn't occur to him that she wouldn't want him there, or that he'd be unwelcome. He just wanted to talk to this girl who was always by herself.
"Better half?" he asked her, stopping to take a mug for himself as well. How could families have halves? "... Are they someone who lives around here?"
“Maybe. Like I said, I’m looking.” Hinata avoided making eye contact, more out of habit than necessity. Even if her eyes were blue now, she was used to having people stare at her and she naturally kept her gaze down. But he seemed to be used to people around here - and friendly enough to talk to most of them - so he might have some useful information if she kept talking to him. “Have you lived around here a long time?”
"All my life." he replied cheerfully. "I grew up in Konoha, but I've lived out here on the outskirts for about a year now. If you're looking for somebody, I might be able to help. I hear lots of new from people passing through." He shrugged. "It helps pass the time." His eyes shown warmly. He was being honest here, operating only under a simple want to help this perfect stranger. She had startlingly blue eyes, he realized dimly. But there was something about the pupil's... they reminded him of Ino's.
Hinata nursed her drink while he talked, listening to both him and Eki as the Spirit rattled off all the warnings she already knew. ”Hinata, be careful of what you say to him. We need to keep quiet and even if you think he is safe, who knows who else could be listening. And if he talks about others, he’ll talk about you, too.”
If she could have glared at Eki without looking crazy, she would have, instead she settled for casually nodding her understanding, to both of them. “My family was split up because of the war,” she said, choosing her wording very carefully. “I believe my cousin is living somewhere outside of Konoha now, though I can’t be sure. I’ve heard rumors of rebels out here, and I don’t know where he would be because of them.”
At the mention of rebels, Chouji also quieted. He didn't need to have a familiar whispering in his ear for him to know not to be too glib with his words. Even around this girl- a little slip of a thing. The kingdom was facing dark days, and you could not judge people by their appearances any longer. Rumors of spies and shape-shifters, ancient witches taking on younger shapes flew about his mind. But... she seemed so much like the real thing. Even if she WAS hiding parts of herself, that didn't mean-
"Rebels?" he said, choosing his words with care. "I've heard of some bandits running about the woods... can't say I've ever seen one for myself though." He was lying. He wasn't usually a very good liar. But he'd try his damndest if it was to possibly protect Ino and Shikamaru.
Living this close to Konoha and never saw anything? No doubt that was a lie, but then everyone lied in times of war. The question was which side was he protecting. Hinata took a deep drink while she thought of what to saw next. Her eyes stayed on the mug, straying up only momentarily to see the inn boy’s expression.
“I see. I suppose rebels wouldn’t be alive still if they couldn’t hide well. I just worry how my cousin is doing. It’s been so long since I've seen him, and-” she sighed and let her fingers trace the rim of her mug, “and I haven’t heard news in years. I worry the war might have taken him.”
The war had taken so many people. Chouji wondered sometimes how much longer it would be until HE would lose someone important, someone... close to him. It was only a matter of time, he felt sometimes. Especially when his two closest friends were both involved in something so dangerous, so maddeningly frighteningly dangerous, and he couldn't even be around to keep an eye on them. He didn't want to lose someone now, not when they'd all come so far. Thoughts like these, it was no wonder Chouji was eager to talk to people to help pass the time. Better than to be alone with those gnawing frustrations.
He looked at her wordlessly as she sat there in her seat, for the first time actually appearing very lonely. He wanted to reach out, to... comfort her? Somehow? That was the way he worked. He just wanted hugs and warmth to solve all his problems for him, but who was he kidding? Reaching out, he laid his hand down on hers anyway.
"Your cousin? Gosh, I'm sorry. Um, does he look like you? We get all kinds in here."
Hinata snatched her hand away as if he had shocked her with his touch, and if Eki hadn’t shifted the drink in time her mug would have been rolling on the floor. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke. “I don’t like people touching me.”
”It’s all right, Hinata. He wasn’t trying to do anything to you. I can tell, it’s all right,” Eki consoled her as she nervously rubbed her palms together. Hinata could barely remember the last time a real person had touched her. She tried to keep away from people, even during her travels, so this sudden contact scared her more than she expected.
“I’m sorry. Um, you asked, I mean, my cousin... Um, my cousin, I’m not sure exactly what he will look like after all these years. I think he probably resembles me a little, our fathers were twins.” Her hands couldn’t seem to stop shaking so she hid them under the table. If only Eki could comfort her physically it would have been great, but she didn’t want anyone to know about him or her magic.
Chouji quickly withdrew his hand when she reacted, looking, perhaps, just a trifle hurt. "Oh! Um, I'm sorry. I-- I shouldn't have..." he tried to apologize, but for what he wasn't at all sure. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, more for something to occupy his hands with than because he actually had an itch back there.
C'mon Chouji! he thought to himself. I thought you were good with people. Well, maybe not good, but at least they don't freak out when you touch them... But this girl was strange. The more he spoke with her the more curious he became. And there was still something odd about her eyes...
Chouji thought honestly about anyone who might be this girl's cousin. Distractedly, he realized that he didn't even know her name. Not surprisingly then, he couldn't think of anyone. Although... there was one man he'd noticed, travelling back and forth with the rebels, a man who had hair that was much like this girls, only longer-
"Umm, sorry. I can't really think of anybody." Chouji mumbled. He'd have to work on this whole lying thing. His face brightened. "But don't worry! I'm sure if you stick around, you'll find ’im eventually. I mean, if he's still in the area and all."
“Thanks, I plan on waiting a while,” she replied, trying her best to keep calm. Acting so strange was not the best way to keep a low profile. Besides, from the way he looked when he answered it looked like he wasn’t telling the whole truth, so this place was her best bet at finding the rebels’ location. “I-I’m sorry, about before. It’s not your fault.”
"No! Not at all..." Chouji said, rushing to apologize again. "I guess I shouldn't have- I mean, I shouldn't've just assumed that- I'm just like that with my friends and didn't think. I'm sorry." He settled down deeper into his chair, becoming a big ball of vague embarrassment, and nursed his drink. Outside, a faint wisp of snow drifted down across the window.
Gathering himself up again, Chouji said, "You're going to be staying for a while longer then? Alright then... I'm Chouji." he said, introducing himself. He almost held out his hand to shake, but then remembered her previous reaction to his touch and decided not to try that again. "Uhh, just ask me if you need anything! But I guess you knew that already..."
“Thank you, Chouji. I’ll remember that.” Hinata bowed her head in thanks before finishing her drink and standing up. “Perhaps we can talk again another night.”
She would be sure to have Eki keep an eye on who he talked to. He might just lead her to the rebels... to Neji.