just the beginning.
Fandom: Naruto
Characters: Hyuuga Neji & Haruno Sakura & Nara Shikamaru
Prompt: table 1, 19. beginning
Word Count: 541
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Notes: Written for 3 way. Prompt table is here.
-
“Sorry, Sakura-chan,” her heart brother flashes her his trademark sheepish grin, and her heart only sinks further at the sight. “But I’ve got a date with Hinata-chan. Rain check for lunch?”
“Of course, baka,” she admonishes through the pain within, playing her part. “You’ve finally noticed Hinata - you have to make up for all that time you lost when we were teens.” The last part she adds with a slight eye roll, which is promptly followed by a quick shove in the Hyuuga compound’s general direction.
“Thanks, Sakura-chan,” he beams at her. Already, he is far down the street, eager to meet with his demure girlfriend. “See you later!”
She waves back at him, and doesn’t let her face fall until he is completely out of sight. The moment he does though, her formally bright face crumples into what’s beneath, and she turns away too, alone. She heaves another sigh and walks away, tired.
There is no sign of the headstrong, feisty woman she is as she walks down the crowded street, her steps slow and heavy. There are lines of fatigue on her pretty face, and they are not from the lack of sleep. She is oh so tired of playing her part, and she is so tired of being alone.
She doesn’t wish for Prince Charming or even an Average Prince. Hell, she would’ve settled for the pauper at this point - all she wanted was some love, and to not be so alone anymore.
She doesn’t know how it happened - but the next second, she is sprawled on the ground. She blinks up at the sky - clouds cover everything, but the sun is fighting to break free. The calm after the storm, she muses to herself half-heartedly, her mind still muddled from the impact.
Somehow, in her lack of attentiveness, she has managed to collide with/trip over/shove to the ground, two of Konoha’s prized ANBUs (and with her, together they make a fearsome team). “Neji!” she gasps, her face flushing a delicate cherry red. “Shikamaru - oh gods, I’m so sorry!”
Her two teammates (her newly assigned ANBU team; she is still adjusting, still longing, and still distanced) each grunt a reply, but offer her a hand nonetheless. She realizes, to her extreme horror, that she is still sprawled quite ungracefully on the bustling street. She shakes her head lightly and springs to her feet effortlessly.
They don’t quite have their synergy figured out yet, and they haven’t quite figured each other out yet, either. But she flashes a smile at her new teammates nonetheless, and offers her apologies once again before giving a wave and walking away.
She doesn’t know why the smile she is has been unable to produce came so easily for them, but she thinks, it feels quite nice to have a genuine smile perched on her face once again.
Behind her, they don’t know why, but they think they rather like seeing the genuine smile on the solemn woman (and lonely woman - they know. It’s hard not to, when the hurt is so evident in her emotional eyes), and they walk away from each other, but not before exchanging a glance.
None of them know it yet, but it’s the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Characters: Hyuuga Neji & Haruno Sakura & Nara Shikamaru
Prompt: table 1, 19. beginning
Word Count: 541
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Notes: Written for 3 way. Prompt table is here.
-
“Sorry, Sakura-chan,” her heart brother flashes her his trademark sheepish grin, and her heart only sinks further at the sight. “But I’ve got a date with Hinata-chan. Rain check for lunch?”
“Of course, baka,” she admonishes through the pain within, playing her part. “You’ve finally noticed Hinata - you have to make up for all that time you lost when we were teens.” The last part she adds with a slight eye roll, which is promptly followed by a quick shove in the Hyuuga compound’s general direction.
“Thanks, Sakura-chan,” he beams at her. Already, he is far down the street, eager to meet with his demure girlfriend. “See you later!”
She waves back at him, and doesn’t let her face fall until he is completely out of sight. The moment he does though, her formally bright face crumples into what’s beneath, and she turns away too, alone. She heaves another sigh and walks away, tired.
There is no sign of the headstrong, feisty woman she is as she walks down the crowded street, her steps slow and heavy. There are lines of fatigue on her pretty face, and they are not from the lack of sleep. She is oh so tired of playing her part, and she is so tired of being alone.
She doesn’t wish for Prince Charming or even an Average Prince. Hell, she would’ve settled for the pauper at this point - all she wanted was some love, and to not be so alone anymore.
She doesn’t know how it happened - but the next second, she is sprawled on the ground. She blinks up at the sky - clouds cover everything, but the sun is fighting to break free. The calm after the storm, she muses to herself half-heartedly, her mind still muddled from the impact.
Somehow, in her lack of attentiveness, she has managed to collide with/trip over/shove to the ground, two of Konoha’s prized ANBUs (and with her, together they make a fearsome team). “Neji!” she gasps, her face flushing a delicate cherry red. “Shikamaru - oh gods, I’m so sorry!”
Her two teammates (her newly assigned ANBU team; she is still adjusting, still longing, and still distanced) each grunt a reply, but offer her a hand nonetheless. She realizes, to her extreme horror, that she is still sprawled quite ungracefully on the bustling street. She shakes her head lightly and springs to her feet effortlessly.
They don’t quite have their synergy figured out yet, and they haven’t quite figured each other out yet, either. But she flashes a smile at her new teammates nonetheless, and offers her apologies once again before giving a wave and walking away.
She doesn’t know why the smile she is has been unable to produce came so easily for them, but she thinks, it feels quite nice to have a genuine smile perched on her face once again.
Behind her, they don’t know why, but they think they rather like seeing the genuine smile on the solemn woman (and lonely woman - they know. It’s hard not to, when the hurt is so evident in her emotional eyes), and they walk away from each other, but not before exchanging a glance.
None of them know it yet, but it’s the beginning of a beautiful relationship.