(no subject)
There were consequences, naturally. Even if it had been entirely by chance, a perfectly official, perfectly forced set of circumstances-there were still consequences, and so he was called in to have a gentle word. With the clan head’s wife.
"Please sit," the woman said immediately, not bothering with the niceties of a greeting as he walked into her study. "I imagine you realize why I’ve asked for you."
"Yes," he said, and politely refused her offer. He stayed standing, waiting for her to get down to the filthy business. She was probably just dying from anticipation.
The desk was a new addition brought in just last summer upon her request. The papers spread across it were not so new, however. He’d seen them the last time he’d been there-Two years ago, when he’d graduated. She’d looked over them thoroughly, nodded, and bid him out with a short congratulations and the reminder that he manage himself well and that the clan, of course, would be watching his progress.
"I understand you must be very busy," she said, after a moment, brushing her hand along the edges of the top page. Small hands, he noted. Short fingers. Not the ideal for wielding the lighter weapons, like needles or kunai. Her daughter had inherited them. "With all of these preparations. The clan is impressed."
"I’m sure," the boy said flatly.
The woman glanced up. The corner of her lip tightened--A sign mild annoyance. Good. "But we’re not going to talk about that." She smiled. "I’ve been looking over your record. Very successful, not that we expected less, but considering you’ve been managing your own accounts it’s…Admirable. Most genin slip into debt relatively quickly, you know."
Of course he did, and of course she knew that. "…And it takes years to work it off upon advancement."
She tipped her cheek against the back of her hand. "Yes," she said, eyes bright. "That’s exactly what I was about to say. Now, taking recent-fortunate and unfortunate--events into account…"
The boy raised his chin. "You’re going to dock me." He could feel the muscles in his shoulders bunching.
"No, you’re wrong," the woman said gently. "I won’t do that."
She pulled back the sleeve of her kimono--fine fabric, only the best--and reached for a pen. It balanced perfectly between her fingers.
"Your own earnings are fine. I think that we’ll limit your access to your father’s for a bit, though. How does that sound?"
The boy was silent. "You can’t do that," he said, after a moment.
She brought the pen down mercilessly. It was a graceful, relished movement. "I could do worse, if you’d like. The clan is showing you leniency. You know--" She paused, and looked up. "-What could be made of this…Incident." Her eyes were on his forehead.
His were wide in outrage. "My father…" He began.
"I’m sorry." She was clearly no such thing, shuffling the papers back in order and resting her forearms delicately against the polished surface of the desk. "This is what will be done. You may use your own resources freely for the upcoming match. Good luck. We are looking forward to it."
He was already at the door, back turned and fists clenched. " ‘We’?"
"…Lord Hiashi," she clarified, dipping her head in a parody of demureness that made the mother look entirely too much like the daughter. Neji stared straight ahead, and forced his hands to stop tightening. Someone would disapprove of blood on the floor. And he couldn’t have /that/.
"Will that be all?" he asked.
The lady shook her head. "No," she admitted, "Not /all/. Just what I’m capable of."
"How humble of you."
"We do what we can with what we are given," she said, with serene smile. "If you were my child, I’m sure I would be very proud of you--"
Neji was gone before she finished, taking a not-so-polite leave with the door shaking behind him-part of the frame gave way with a crack. He could still see her behind it though; grey eyes-almost too dark to have /ever/ allowed her marriage into the clan--raised to watch him depart.
"Good luck," she said again, tucking the pen under her desk, back where it belonged. She was still smiling.
Um, result of rampant speculation. Because you have to wonder where the the woman is, or what kind of woman marries into that crazy family in the first place. Somehow she became clan accountant (from HELL) in this. I'm still not sure how that happened. Sorry 'bout that.