[Action Thread] Painful Memories [open to the Hyuuga]

[hyuuga_hinaji]

He hadn't visited the grave in a long time--not since last year. He felt guilty about that, about only coming around the anniversary of a bad memory, but he'd never been very comfortable there. He'd barely turned six when his father passed away, and while he couldn't remember the man very well besides brief glimpses of a smile and a strong,

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[white_sky_eyes]

When he was little, Hanabi had sometimes come down to his father's grave to speak with him. He'd died before Hanabi had any chance to remember him; but family was family and so...

"Hi, Dad," he said quietly, reaching down to touch the stone before standing up next to his brother.

"Hi, niisan," he said, elbowing Hinaji in the side gently. An unspoken, 'how're you?'.

[hyuuga_hinaji]

"Hello, Hanabi."

It always amazed Hinaji, how carefree his brother could be. How he could talk so easily to their mother, to their father's grave...to everyone, it seemed. But that just proved even more how much more suited the younger son was to the title of Heir.

It was definitely a way of acting he had been trying to emulate--from Naruko and Kiba and Hanabi, too--for a while. So even though he blushed, he nudged his brother back just as gently. 'I think I'm alright,' and another silent 'How're you?'

[white_sky_eyes]

Hanabi smiled just slightly, despite the mellow cast to the air around their father's grave. He wondered if he'd be proud of them; things were getting a little better these days. Especially after all the terrible things that had been happening to his brother, but also for Hanabi too. The pressure of becoming the Hyuuga Heir hadn't lessened, but he found himself more able to bear it now that he had Suzumo-sensei's help and he could visibly see an improvement in Hinaji's well-being.

(Observent little creature that Hanabi was born and bred to be, he wondered if Kiba didn't have something to do with that. Now that was news their father ought to hear

[hyuuga_hiashiko]

Hiashiko always lingered behind her sons for a while, giving them the space to pay their respects on their own. It was only fair, as she would stay longer than they would to have her own time with Hiroshi.

Watching her sons interact, though she couldn't make out their words, made the ache of today a little easier to bear. So far, at least, it seemed they were avoiding the animosity most siblings experienced when one was in the Main and the other in the Branch.

If Hanabi and Hinaji never turned out to be like her and her sister...then Hiashiko could face Hiroshi's grave and memory without too much shame.

He had loved the boys, had always demonstrated that love to them. Hiroshi had possessed a way of caring that Hiashiko had never been able to emulate.