ADROS - Chapter 1
Alright, so since this LJ is for fanworks, I might as well POST some, huh? So I guess I'll start with ADROS. Well, what I've got done of it. ADROS is my NejiHina fic, and is my baby. That means don't flame it or I'll hurt you. Constructive criticism is certainly welcome, as long as it isn't a "why are you doing X, it's weird" or some other crap like that. So anyway, here's ADROS.
A Darkened Ray of Sunshine (ADROS) is a currently-in-progress Naruto fanfiction that centers around the NejiXHinata pairing. It is set several years post-Timeskip, at a time when Neji is 19 and Hinata 18 years old, respectively. The basic premise of the story hinges on Hinata's journey as she runs away from Konoha and her feelings for Neji, and finds herself cast into a very different role. Floundering, when an offer of dreams fulfilled comes from a most unexpected source, she grabs onto it and makes a new start. But all of that is thrown into chaos by the arrival of the very thing she sought to escape. Neji.
I warn all prospective readers that ADROS is not necessarily a happy story. It's certainly not tragic, but it's definitely bittersweet. Unlike most stories involving Konoha shinobi, this one is actually set in Otogakure. It also portrays the Sound village in a much different light, peeling back the layers of secrecy and showing it as it really is. A fanciful Babylon of sorts, a kingdom of tremulous hopes and dreams woven with darkness and poised on the brink of destruction. ADROS follows Neji and Hinata's fates as they become inexorably entwined in the final days of Otogakure and paints a picture not only of the fate of the world, but of the struggle of the lives that are thrown into the midst of a brutal war. And that's what ADROS is. A story about war, and the struggle to live and survive within it. That being said, please enjoy the fic.
A Darkened Ray of Sunshine
Summary: Hinata, wrestling with both her feelings for Neji and the harsh treatment she continues to receive from her family, finally decides that she can no longer bear her life as it is. Leaving Konoha, she finds herself flung into a world that is far different from the sheltered life that she once knew. And when an offer of dreams fulfilled comes from a most unexpected source, she grabs onto the chance offered to her. But what will happen when the very thing that she’s been running from comes in search of her? Will she return to Konoha, and the life that she left behind, or will she stride forward on her own onto a new path?
Rating: R/M for language and situations as well as violence.
Pairings: NejiHina, ChouHina, other random Oto-pairings (hey, Orochimaru can sleep with whoever he wants and who’s going to tell him he can’t?)
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto, but I’d sell my soul to Kishimoto-sensei if it would get him to make NejiHina canon.
The leaves rustled in the wind, their impacting forms creating a melody of sound that furled through the air, soaring higher and louder on the updrafts as the air currents carried with them the chips and shards of music. The gusts swirled the leaves that rested on the hard dirt of the road, sending them winging up into the symphony that nature created from the mixture. A storm was coming. As the wispy clouds began to thicken with the impending fury of the elements, the complexion of the heavens changed, shifting from an airy and lighthearted blue to a dark and foreboding shade of deep gray. A low rumble echoed across the tops of the trees as they bent with the increasing wind, and as a bolt of lightning split the sky, the first few drops of cold rain pelted down out of the sky, impacting with the dusty ground and causing small circular puffs of dust to waft up around them. The village seemed to shut down as the storm blew in, window shades rolling down; street stalls closing their doors, signs and banners being lowered. As the bustling streets emptied, their occupants seeking the relative safety and comfort of the dryer indoors, there was at least one person who greeted the coming storm with something akin to and yet less then exultation.
She loved the rain. Ever since she could remember, she had been drawn towards the cool, flowing torrents of liquid that fell unbidden from the sky. It wasn’t just the rain that she loved. The girl who now sat in the open doorway and watched the sky loved all sorts of water. Paper-white eyes that shone like polished opal watched the drops of water strike the ground, their numbers increasing as more and more joined their already-fallen comrades to form small rivulets and trails that ran across the ground to combine into thick veins of water that tumbled over the rocks and imperfections of the ground. As the tempo of the downpour increased, the steady patter on the roof increased to a percussive thundering as the water washed down across the eaves and poured off the corners of the overhang to splash loudly into deep puddles that trailed along through the grass and pebbles of the courtyard. The low rumble of thunder caught the girl’s attention and she turned her head to glance towards the sky, watching as the thickening clouds rolled across the sky and darkened the world around her. Like her mood…
Hyuuga Hinata sighed as the storm advanced onto the village of Konoha. On any other stormy day, she would easily be found curled up into a quiet corner of the expansive Hyuuga estate where she could avoid the other members of her sprawling family and simply commune with her favourite part of nature. But today the torrential downpour lacked the usual calming clarity that it brought to her.
I guess it’s storming inside as well as outside, then…
She glanced to the side, to where her book lay on the tatami floor, opened to some page she had been idly glancing at. Hinata wasn’t even sure what the pages said anymore. It wasn’t that the book wasn’t interesting, it was simply that their contents, no matter how fascinating, were unable to distract her thoughts from the convoluted paths and mazes that her psyche had been traveling down as of late. She picked up the discarded piece of literature and idly turned the page, letting her pale eyes skim over the words printed on the slightly worn pages. She tried in vain to concentrate on the task at hand, but it was not to be. A moment later, the offending item was flung across the room to impact with the wall before tumbling down into a half-open pile on the floor. Biting her lip in frustration, she drew her legs up to her body, draping her arms loosely around her knees with a sigh as her opalescent eyes watched the downpour outside the half-opened door. Resigning herself to the fact that her thoughts refused to obey her, she settled for simply watching the rivulets of liquid dripping off of the roof and letting her mind wander where it would. And wander it did; directly to the one point she had been trying to steer her thoughts from. Or rather, to the one person who had occupied her thoughts the most as of late. Hinata let her eyes drift slightly closed as her mentality effortlessly painted a picture in her mind of the man who remained irritatingly forefront in her thoughts. Neji. He would be returning from his latest mission soon, she mused. The dark-haired Hyuuga relaxed her shoulders, letting go of her legs to stretch them out in front of her, eyes idly tracing the chakra lines of her bare feet as she leaned back on her hands, letting her head fall back to stare up at the ceiling above. It had been several months since she had last seen her Bunke cousin; his recent promotion to ANBU captain had been a great honor for both him and the clan, but had also taken away a great deal more of his time. Not that he would have cared about that, as absorbed in his training and his prowess as the dark-haired man always was. No, the only one who really cared that Hyuuga Neji was seldom home for more then a few days was probably the last person who he would have wanted to care. His Soke cousin, the one who held the absolute fear of death over him through the juuin on his brow. The girl who held the keys to his cage in her small hands despite the fact that she wanted nothing more then to give them to him and step back to watch him fly. Hinata sighed again, relaxing her arms to lie back on the tatami floor. Her long hair pooled on the floor around her like a puddle of ink reflecting the slightest blue-violet from the darkened sky.
Neji…
She wasn’t really sure when she had noticed the change in her feelings, not just in regards to Neji, but in regards to a number of things. Hinata smiled slightly as her memories unfurled through her. While she might not remember when she had noticed the changes, she had no doubts about what had prompted them. Strangely enough, it had been the loss of something rather then a gain of something. The loss of a dream, for that matter. She glanced up as the heavy patter of the rain began to ebb, frowning slightly. It was ironic that someone whose name meant “a sunny place” harbored something of a dislike for the heavenly body from which she took her name. But the sun was hot and fierce and burned. Not at all like the cool and calming nature of the storm. And while it’s light gave life and laughter to everything around it, the petite girl who sat in rainstorms had never felt as though she was a part of it. Even the man who had held her affections for so long, the one who seemed to personify the sunshine himself, had never provided a place for her. Hinata smiled slightly at thoughts of the young Hokage-candidate.
Naruto-kun. It was never meant to be, after all. I guess it just took me a long time to realize it.
It had been nearly three years ago when she had been forced to come to terms with the fact that the blond-haired boy she’d adored from afar would never share her feelings. Though the realization had initially left her feeling crushed and broken, huddled in her room shedding tears of regret, Hinata had regained her footing. Resigning herself to love him unrequitedly from afar, she hadn’t noticed the slow ebb of her affections for the Kyuubi-boy. Rather, it had struck her one rainy day as she sat watching a storm much like this one. Looking through a small photo album that her teammates had given her, she had paused at a photo of herself and Naruto. He was being his usual brash and loud self, one arm slung companionably around her shoulders while he flashed a V-sign at the camera. She had been blushing a bright crimson colour, eyes averted away and hands clasped in front of her while she twiddled her fingers nervously. Letting slender fingers drift over the captured image on the page, she had not felt the twinge of heartache and regret that normally accompanied memories of Naruto. Rather, there had been a warm sense of camaraderie and affection that lacked the intense nature it had once possessed. But it wasn’t the surrender of her feelings for Naruto that left the pale-eyed kunoichi floundering in doubt and insecurity, afraid to acknowledge the thoughts in her mind. No, it was not Naruto who occupied her thoughts and invaded her mind. It had been a startling realization about her cousin. Neji, a year older and much stronger then she could ever hope to be. The one who deserved, in Hinata’s eyes, the position that had been given to her solely by accident of birth. The man who looked at her with white eyes filled with hate because she held the chain that bound him. She pulled the photo album off of the small shelf to the side of her and flipped it open to an early page. Blank white eyes stared down at the smiling children in the photo. It was she and Neji, of course. She had been 4 or 5 in the picture, and the two of them were dressed in their kimono. She was crying because she had dropped the stick of dango her father had bought her, and Neji was kneeling in front of her and handing her his treat. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she gently touched the faded photo.
Neji-niisan…you were so kind to me then. But you’ve changed so much since those days. I…I wish I could see that kindness again. I miss your smile.
She studied his face in the picture, feeling a twinge of sadness at how warm and open his expression was. So different from the Neji that she knew now. Closing the album, she drew her knees up to her chest again as the rain continued to drizzle from the sky. She’d never admitted to anyone but herself that, as a child, she had always viewed Neji as her knight in shining armour. The one who protected her and fought away anything that dared try to harm her. But those days had changed and were long gone. The Neji she adored as a child had become the Neji who saw her as the instrument of his bondage and the one who he would have taken a chance to kill. And take that chance he did, during that one abortive Chuunin exam. At the time, Hinata had believed her refusal to forfeit the match was because of Naruto’s words and the inspiration that they planted in her. Now, looking back, she knew that there was more. It hadn’t only been the words that struck through her fear and hesitation. It had been something in Neji’s eyes. A sliver of something that seemed to be pleading with her, begging her for the chance to defy his fate. And so she had stood tall, fought back her fear, and tried to give it to him.
Maybe that was when I first started loving you… at least, loving the you that you’d become. Even though I was too afraid of you to realize it.
His match with Naruto had changed many things, but the one thing that it hadn’t changed was his attitude towards her. While his outward animosity seemed to disperse somewhat, no warmth grew in its place. He was polite, even considerate at times. But the hatred and resentment still burned in his eyes when they rested upon her and she knew that things hadn’t changed. But it wasn’t until she found herself watching him, studying him, and memorizing every motion, every glance, and every word, that it had hit her. She loved him. Deeply loved him, more then she’d ever loved Naruto, and probably had loved him for a long time. She had been watching him train with her father when she finally understood, and with a gasp and widened white eyes, she had spun around, taking refuge behind the wall. She couldn’t love him. Not Neji. Not the one person who would have most wanted to see her disappear. As she’d wrestled with the new information, she’d felt herself slump to the ground, knees buckling as tears threatened to overflow her milky eyes. Covering her face with her hands, she had squeezed her eyes tightly closed and allowed the back of her dark head to rest against the polished wood, concentrating on simply breathing and allowing the air to flow rhythmically from her lungs. It had been difficult, once she had allowed herself to see what her mind hadn’t wanted to see. To see the way she always watched his every move, the way that her breath caught in her throat when he glanced her way with anything akin to kindness, and the way that she always found herself lingering slightly as she passed the door to the Bunke portion of the household on her travels around the estate. And it had remained difficult since then, to hide it. She was startled out of her musings by the mutter of voices as they passed the other side of the wall. Her ivory irises widened in shock as her sensitive ears registered a portion of their conversation.
“…Neji-sama…marriage…Hanabi-sama?”
She jerked around, wincing as the motion strained sore muscles, and strained to listen closer, face paling to nearly the same cast as her eyes as mind and ears put the pieces together. She turned back towards the discarded photo album; eyes haunted by more then just her memories.
Neji-niisan…and Hanabi…
Swallowing, she reached out a shaky hand for the album, pulling it closer and closing the cover. A marriage. Between her younger sister and the cousin she loved. The rational portion of her mind beat wildly at her, reminding her that the majority of what she overheard in this manner was merely rumor. But something about this gleaned scrap of knowledge clawed at her insides in a way that other rumors hadn’t. It all seemed to make sense now. Why her father had been so much colder as of late, why he had seemed to have so little patience for her ‘weakness” as he normally did. And why he’d ceased lecturing her about what made a “proper” heir to the Hyuuga.
He plans to make Hanabi the heir. If that were the case, then it would make sense to have her marry Neji-niisan. He’s a genius, the pride of the clan.
Despite how clear her deductions on the matter seemed to be, the fact that this line of reasoning could also have led to a marriage between HER and Neji completely escaped her frantic logic. Hinata stood up, brushing strands of long indigo hair out of eyes that seemed determined to leak moisture from their corners, and carefully stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She grimaced as the motion stretched her shoulder, bringing to the front of her mind awareness of the all-too-fresh bruises beneath the white robes she wore. Reaching up, she tentatively let fingers brush across the white fabric, tracing the dark purple markings she knew rested beneath them. Her father had been less than forgiving when she had approached him yesterday afternoon, in an attempt to convince him to train her as well as Neji. Rather then laughing and berating her with harsh words, he had scowled and turned her away, rewarding her continued pleas with beatings, as if to prove to her that she was unworthy of something so simple as his notice. Padding softly down the hallway on tabi-clad feet, she felt herself pause at the door that led to the Bunke part of the estate, and mentally forced her traitorous feet to continue their nearly silent traversment of the floors as she walked back to her room. This was it. She had suffered through her father’s ill treatment of her, sat in agonizing silence as Neji ignored her, gulped through humiliating shame as her family praised and lauded her sister and belittled her, cried through aching loneliness at the knowledge that she would forever be watching Neji from afar. But this was something that she couldn’t bear. Her heart might have been able to take the abuse, the loneliness, and the shame. It might have been able to suffer through knowing that the one she loved would never look at her with anything but bitterness. But the overheard snippet of conversation promised more then that, with it’s whispered threads of possibility. Neji married to someone else. To her sister. To one of their other cousins. To anyone else, was more then she could stand. Pearl-white eyes narrowed in determination before she quickly smoothed her features back into a pleasant appearance at the sound of a knock on the door.
“Yes?”
The door opened to reveal one of the house servants that she knew, kneeling on the floor with head bowed over their hands.
“Hinata-sama, Hiashi-sama has asked that I inform you that dinner is to be served in an hour.”
Hinata nodded, feeling a twinge of regret for the servants that felt the need to grovel and prostrate themselves so. In a way, they were as much prisoners of the Hyuuga destiny as she and Neji were. She smiled slightly, shaking her head and stepping closer to the girl who kept her head bowed and eyes averted.
“Kori-chan, you know you don’t have to bow to me like that. And you can just call me Hinata. Come on, don’t be so nervous.”
The blond-haired girl nodded slightly and raised her head, though she continued to keep her eyes averted. She bowed slightly, a faint smile gracing her young features. She wasn’t very old, probably about the same age as Hanabi. Hinata felt a twinge of regret at thought of her younger sister. While Hanabi held no special regard for the older sister she lauded as a failure, Hinata had always envied her classmates and the easy relationships that many of them had with older and younger siblings alike. So different from the cold detachment or malicious hostility that Hanabi often directed towards her. Though she felt slightly guilty at the thought, she couldn’t help but wish that it were Kori who was her sister. She’d known the girl since she was born, to parents who served the Soke of the Hyuuga. Kori had grown up in the Hyuuga estate, like Hinata, but their lives had been very different. It was Hinata who had first tried to bridge the gap, reaching out to the shy girl who served her tea in the afternoons and often brought messages from her father. At first, she had been unable to even breach the divide, as Kori remained stubbornly silent, afraid of what might happen should she step outside her station. But it hadn’t been long before Hinata’s kindness and gentle nature had begun to win over the blond and the younger girl had opened up.
“Ne Kori, how is your family? I haven’t seen your father around the study recently, and I miss your mother’s fried yams. Is everything alright at home?”
Kori nodded, though her expressive face took on a more somber note. She settled back onto the mat Hinata slid across the floor to her, legs folded underneath her in a respectable manner, eyes never meeting those of the Soke in front of her.
“Hai, Hinata-sama. They are well. Mother took ill a week ago, so Father has been nursing her. Because of that, they were given new duties so that he could take care of her without neglecting his duty to your family. But she is improving, and they should return to their usual positions within a few days.”
The two girls chatted quietly for a few more minutes, if it could be called ‘chatting”. It was Hinata who led the conversation, gently prodding information out of the timid servant, who answered them softly and directly. Kori glanced at the clock on the wall and bowed to Hinata, forehead nearing the floor.
“Forgive me, Hinata-sama, but it is time that I was leaving. There are many duties to see to.”
Hinata smiled and nodded as Kori bowed again and stood up, heading down the hallways as silently as she had come. Remembering the real reason why she’d bid Kori to stay, she stuck her head out of the door and called after the retreating figure.
“Kori! Do you know if Neji-niisan has returned from his ANBU mission yet? I remember he was supposed to be returning today.”
Kori stopped and turned to face Hinata, bowing again.
“Yes, Hinata-sama. I was told that he returned an hour or so ago. Hiashi-sama told me that we were not to expect him for dinner because he would be spending the next several hours giving his report to the Hokage and being checked out by the medic-nins before he would be released to return home.”
She bowed and continued on her way. Hinata watched her go, the short blond ponytail swinging slightly above the dark Hyuuga robes that clothed her. Shifting on the mat, she sat back, pulling the door closed. She let her mind wander as she stood up and walked softly over to the dresser that sat against the far wall. Pulling open one of the drawers, she rummaged within it, pulling out a fresh set of dark robes. She scowled slightly at the clothing. Hinata really didn’t care for them, whether they were traditional or not. Black robes with white trim. Stark, harsh, sterile; the black and white serving as a perfect visual representation of the worlds that the Soke and Bunke inhabited. Two portions of the same garment, the same fabric, yet separate and unable to mix, the one consistently overpowering and shadowing the other.
Why can’t we just wear colours? Does Father and the rest of the family really have to try and squeeze and wring all of the colour and warmth and individuality out of everyone, so that all that is left is a series of hollow shells?
With a mildly disgusted sigh, she tossed the pile of black and white silk onto the futon, running a hand through her long dark hair. She closed her eyes, letting her fingers comb through the soft indigo strands. It had been a long time since she had let her hair grow long. At first, she had done it as a way to possibly make Naruto notice her. As if the length of her hair, the style of her clothes, something so simple as that could change the way the loudmouthed blonde thought of her. It had been a silly notion at the time, and it was still a silly notion now as she thought back on it. She ran her fingers through the strands, gathering the heavy mass behind her neck and pulling it over her shoulders to run fingers through it, letting her eyes drift open slightly. It was long now, nearly to her waist. Like his. Though Hinata would have denied it if asked, keeping her hair this length somehow made her feel just a little bit closer to Neji. As if, when she closed her eyes as she brushed her fingers through her hair, she could imagine that this must be what it was like to touch his hair. To feel it between her fingers, twist her slender hands through it and gather it into her fists. It was a guilty pleasure, certainly, but it was one of the few indulgences that Hinata allowed herself and she was loath to give it up. She knew very well that dreams and whims of brushing his hair were just that. Dreams. White eyes opened completely as she fiddled with the simple white obi that held her robes closed, loosening the knot to let it slide to the floor, where she indulged herself again and kicked it across the room. The white silk slid across the smooth floor, it’s serpentine form seeming to slither as it bore the brunt of her frustrations. It settled into a pile against the far wall, pooling like a milk-white puddle on the tatami. Hinata sighed, letting her arms drop and allowing the robe to fall open. Turning towards the bed, she carefully slid the material off of her narrow shoulders, wincing as the simple friction caused by the meeting of fabric with skin made pain blossom along her back and shoulder. Biting back a hiss of discomfort, she let the robes puddle around her bare feet. Sparing a glance over one shoulder, she studied the lurid purple markings that marred the pristine ivory of her skin. Her father had indeed not been forgiving of the “transgression” she had committed by having the audacity to try and convince him she was worth his time. She let snow-white irises trace the delineation of dark blotches on her skin as she mentally studied them. With her fair skin, it was an easy matter to pick out every strike, every punch, even the marks from where he’d gripped her shoulder tightly stood out in sharp contrast to the pallor of her complexion. Eyes narrowing slightly, she carefully lowered herself to the futon, legs folding beneath her and eyes drifting closed. Channeling her chakra, she let the fingers of her uninjured arm drift slowly over the damaged skin, sighing in relief as the healing energy suffused her veins, mending the torn capillaries and easing the pain of the wounds. She wasn’t good enough yet to completely heal them, but Hinata was momentarily glad for the fact that she’d begun training as a medic-nin. At least it meant that she could manage to face her father without grimacing in pain. Without giving him the satisfaction of knowing that she was still feeling the effects of his beating. As she felt her chakra begin to ebb, she allowed pastel-tinted eyes to open fully, letting out her pent-up breath in a sigh as she lowered her hand. Those same eyes narrowed slightly in frustration and aggravation. That she still felt this tired and drained after something as simple as that only served as yet another sign that she was still severely lacking in her quest for strength. Rotating her shoulder carefully, she smiled slightly at the increased range of motion she could now achieve. It was still sore, and still stiff, but at least it was bearable. She pushed herself up off of the futon, small hand grabbing a fistful of the black silk that sat on the blanket beside her. Slipping the robe around her shoulders, she pulled it closed in front, wrapping a fresh obi around her midsection. Reaching over one shoulder, she gathered the loose strands of indigo that fell down her back like water, pulling them over her shoulder and twisting them together. Lacing her fingers through the tresses, she pulled out a hair-tie and twisted it around them, securing her hair into the loose ponytail that was preferred by numerous members of her clan. Slipping her feet into the soft sandals that were standard indoor-wear for Hyuuga clan members, she headed to the door, pausing as she passed in front of the mirror. She stopped, studying her reflection in the polished glass. Dark, simple Hyuuga robes, long hair pulled back into traditional Hyuuga style, bangs across her eyes and stray strands of hair falling out on either side to frame a small pale face set with large opalescent eyes that seemed even larger in contrast, hitai-ate that marked her as a shinobi of Konohagakure resting around her neck in it’s habitual place. She heaved a heavy sigh as her eyes traced the familiar lines of the image in the mirror. Not anything special. Not to Neji, not to her father, not to Naruto. Not to anyone. Just a girl, a Hyuuga who wasn’t even worthy of her name. Pushing the errant thoughts from her turbulent mind, she pushed open the door and headed down the hallway, closing it behind her.
So, for those who are lost…
-Timestream-wise, Hinata is about 18 here. That makes Neji 19.
-If you don’t like NejiHina as a pairing, then why the hell are you here?
-Yes, Hiashi is not a nice man. Sorry, I don’t buy that whole “Hyuuga-healing” thing that the anime seems to think is going on. Families with that sort of dynamics don’t change that quickly.
-Yup, Hinata’s not quite the pushover that everyone thinks she is. She just lacks confidence. But that’s something that can be learned…
Alright, so obviously for you to have gotten this far means you read the first part of my fic. I hope you enjoyed it, and I would love for you to review it and let me know what you liked/didn’t like. I may or may not change anything depending on what you say. Hinata-fans, don’t expect her to be the same shy little thing you are used to. She’s still shy, still hesitant, but the girl’s grown up a lot, and learned a lot of things. She’s tougher then she seems, and a big theme of this fic IS how she changes and strengthens. So please no “Hinata’s OOC” crap. She’s NOT OOC, if you’ll pay close attention. She’s simply developing and shedding her shackles.
A Darkened Ray of Sunshine (ADROS) is a currently-in-progress Naruto fanfiction that centers around the NejiXHinata pairing. It is set several years post-Timeskip, at a time when Neji is 19 and Hinata 18 years old, respectively. The basic premise of the story hinges on Hinata's journey as she runs away from Konoha and her feelings for Neji, and finds herself cast into a very different role. Floundering, when an offer of dreams fulfilled comes from a most unexpected source, she grabs onto it and makes a new start. But all of that is thrown into chaos by the arrival of the very thing she sought to escape. Neji.
I warn all prospective readers that ADROS is not necessarily a happy story. It's certainly not tragic, but it's definitely bittersweet. Unlike most stories involving Konoha shinobi, this one is actually set in Otogakure. It also portrays the Sound village in a much different light, peeling back the layers of secrecy and showing it as it really is. A fanciful Babylon of sorts, a kingdom of tremulous hopes and dreams woven with darkness and poised on the brink of destruction. ADROS follows Neji and Hinata's fates as they become inexorably entwined in the final days of Otogakure and paints a picture not only of the fate of the world, but of the struggle of the lives that are thrown into the midst of a brutal war. And that's what ADROS is. A story about war, and the struggle to live and survive within it. That being said, please enjoy the fic.
A Darkened Ray of Sunshine
Summary: Hinata, wrestling with both her feelings for Neji and the harsh treatment she continues to receive from her family, finally decides that she can no longer bear her life as it is. Leaving Konoha, she finds herself flung into a world that is far different from the sheltered life that she once knew. And when an offer of dreams fulfilled comes from a most unexpected source, she grabs onto the chance offered to her. But what will happen when the very thing that she’s been running from comes in search of her? Will she return to Konoha, and the life that she left behind, or will she stride forward on her own onto a new path?
Rating: R/M for language and situations as well as violence.
Pairings: NejiHina, ChouHina, other random Oto-pairings (hey, Orochimaru can sleep with whoever he wants and who’s going to tell him he can’t?)
Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto, but I’d sell my soul to Kishimoto-sensei if it would get him to make NejiHina canon.
The leaves rustled in the wind, their impacting forms creating a melody of sound that furled through the air, soaring higher and louder on the updrafts as the air currents carried with them the chips and shards of music. The gusts swirled the leaves that rested on the hard dirt of the road, sending them winging up into the symphony that nature created from the mixture. A storm was coming. As the wispy clouds began to thicken with the impending fury of the elements, the complexion of the heavens changed, shifting from an airy and lighthearted blue to a dark and foreboding shade of deep gray. A low rumble echoed across the tops of the trees as they bent with the increasing wind, and as a bolt of lightning split the sky, the first few drops of cold rain pelted down out of the sky, impacting with the dusty ground and causing small circular puffs of dust to waft up around them. The village seemed to shut down as the storm blew in, window shades rolling down; street stalls closing their doors, signs and banners being lowered. As the bustling streets emptied, their occupants seeking the relative safety and comfort of the dryer indoors, there was at least one person who greeted the coming storm with something akin to and yet less then exultation.
She loved the rain. Ever since she could remember, she had been drawn towards the cool, flowing torrents of liquid that fell unbidden from the sky. It wasn’t just the rain that she loved. The girl who now sat in the open doorway and watched the sky loved all sorts of water. Paper-white eyes that shone like polished opal watched the drops of water strike the ground, their numbers increasing as more and more joined their already-fallen comrades to form small rivulets and trails that ran across the ground to combine into thick veins of water that tumbled over the rocks and imperfections of the ground. As the tempo of the downpour increased, the steady patter on the roof increased to a percussive thundering as the water washed down across the eaves and poured off the corners of the overhang to splash loudly into deep puddles that trailed along through the grass and pebbles of the courtyard. The low rumble of thunder caught the girl’s attention and she turned her head to glance towards the sky, watching as the thickening clouds rolled across the sky and darkened the world around her. Like her mood…
Hyuuga Hinata sighed as the storm advanced onto the village of Konoha. On any other stormy day, she would easily be found curled up into a quiet corner of the expansive Hyuuga estate where she could avoid the other members of her sprawling family and simply commune with her favourite part of nature. But today the torrential downpour lacked the usual calming clarity that it brought to her.
I guess it’s storming inside as well as outside, then…
She glanced to the side, to where her book lay on the tatami floor, opened to some page she had been idly glancing at. Hinata wasn’t even sure what the pages said anymore. It wasn’t that the book wasn’t interesting, it was simply that their contents, no matter how fascinating, were unable to distract her thoughts from the convoluted paths and mazes that her psyche had been traveling down as of late. She picked up the discarded piece of literature and idly turned the page, letting her pale eyes skim over the words printed on the slightly worn pages. She tried in vain to concentrate on the task at hand, but it was not to be. A moment later, the offending item was flung across the room to impact with the wall before tumbling down into a half-open pile on the floor. Biting her lip in frustration, she drew her legs up to her body, draping her arms loosely around her knees with a sigh as her opalescent eyes watched the downpour outside the half-opened door. Resigning herself to the fact that her thoughts refused to obey her, she settled for simply watching the rivulets of liquid dripping off of the roof and letting her mind wander where it would. And wander it did; directly to the one point she had been trying to steer her thoughts from. Or rather, to the one person who had occupied her thoughts the most as of late. Hinata let her eyes drift slightly closed as her mentality effortlessly painted a picture in her mind of the man who remained irritatingly forefront in her thoughts. Neji. He would be returning from his latest mission soon, she mused. The dark-haired Hyuuga relaxed her shoulders, letting go of her legs to stretch them out in front of her, eyes idly tracing the chakra lines of her bare feet as she leaned back on her hands, letting her head fall back to stare up at the ceiling above. It had been several months since she had last seen her Bunke cousin; his recent promotion to ANBU captain had been a great honor for both him and the clan, but had also taken away a great deal more of his time. Not that he would have cared about that, as absorbed in his training and his prowess as the dark-haired man always was. No, the only one who really cared that Hyuuga Neji was seldom home for more then a few days was probably the last person who he would have wanted to care. His Soke cousin, the one who held the absolute fear of death over him through the juuin on his brow. The girl who held the keys to his cage in her small hands despite the fact that she wanted nothing more then to give them to him and step back to watch him fly. Hinata sighed again, relaxing her arms to lie back on the tatami floor. Her long hair pooled on the floor around her like a puddle of ink reflecting the slightest blue-violet from the darkened sky.
Neji…
She wasn’t really sure when she had noticed the change in her feelings, not just in regards to Neji, but in regards to a number of things. Hinata smiled slightly as her memories unfurled through her. While she might not remember when she had noticed the changes, she had no doubts about what had prompted them. Strangely enough, it had been the loss of something rather then a gain of something. The loss of a dream, for that matter. She glanced up as the heavy patter of the rain began to ebb, frowning slightly. It was ironic that someone whose name meant “a sunny place” harbored something of a dislike for the heavenly body from which she took her name. But the sun was hot and fierce and burned. Not at all like the cool and calming nature of the storm. And while it’s light gave life and laughter to everything around it, the petite girl who sat in rainstorms had never felt as though she was a part of it. Even the man who had held her affections for so long, the one who seemed to personify the sunshine himself, had never provided a place for her. Hinata smiled slightly at thoughts of the young Hokage-candidate.
Naruto-kun. It was never meant to be, after all. I guess it just took me a long time to realize it.
It had been nearly three years ago when she had been forced to come to terms with the fact that the blond-haired boy she’d adored from afar would never share her feelings. Though the realization had initially left her feeling crushed and broken, huddled in her room shedding tears of regret, Hinata had regained her footing. Resigning herself to love him unrequitedly from afar, she hadn’t noticed the slow ebb of her affections for the Kyuubi-boy. Rather, it had struck her one rainy day as she sat watching a storm much like this one. Looking through a small photo album that her teammates had given her, she had paused at a photo of herself and Naruto. He was being his usual brash and loud self, one arm slung companionably around her shoulders while he flashed a V-sign at the camera. She had been blushing a bright crimson colour, eyes averted away and hands clasped in front of her while she twiddled her fingers nervously. Letting slender fingers drift over the captured image on the page, she had not felt the twinge of heartache and regret that normally accompanied memories of Naruto. Rather, there had been a warm sense of camaraderie and affection that lacked the intense nature it had once possessed. But it wasn’t the surrender of her feelings for Naruto that left the pale-eyed kunoichi floundering in doubt and insecurity, afraid to acknowledge the thoughts in her mind. No, it was not Naruto who occupied her thoughts and invaded her mind. It had been a startling realization about her cousin. Neji, a year older and much stronger then she could ever hope to be. The one who deserved, in Hinata’s eyes, the position that had been given to her solely by accident of birth. The man who looked at her with white eyes filled with hate because she held the chain that bound him. She pulled the photo album off of the small shelf to the side of her and flipped it open to an early page. Blank white eyes stared down at the smiling children in the photo. It was she and Neji, of course. She had been 4 or 5 in the picture, and the two of them were dressed in their kimono. She was crying because she had dropped the stick of dango her father had bought her, and Neji was kneeling in front of her and handing her his treat. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she gently touched the faded photo.
Neji-niisan…you were so kind to me then. But you’ve changed so much since those days. I…I wish I could see that kindness again. I miss your smile.
She studied his face in the picture, feeling a twinge of sadness at how warm and open his expression was. So different from the Neji that she knew now. Closing the album, she drew her knees up to her chest again as the rain continued to drizzle from the sky. She’d never admitted to anyone but herself that, as a child, she had always viewed Neji as her knight in shining armour. The one who protected her and fought away anything that dared try to harm her. But those days had changed and were long gone. The Neji she adored as a child had become the Neji who saw her as the instrument of his bondage and the one who he would have taken a chance to kill. And take that chance he did, during that one abortive Chuunin exam. At the time, Hinata had believed her refusal to forfeit the match was because of Naruto’s words and the inspiration that they planted in her. Now, looking back, she knew that there was more. It hadn’t only been the words that struck through her fear and hesitation. It had been something in Neji’s eyes. A sliver of something that seemed to be pleading with her, begging her for the chance to defy his fate. And so she had stood tall, fought back her fear, and tried to give it to him.
Maybe that was when I first started loving you… at least, loving the you that you’d become. Even though I was too afraid of you to realize it.
His match with Naruto had changed many things, but the one thing that it hadn’t changed was his attitude towards her. While his outward animosity seemed to disperse somewhat, no warmth grew in its place. He was polite, even considerate at times. But the hatred and resentment still burned in his eyes when they rested upon her and she knew that things hadn’t changed. But it wasn’t until she found herself watching him, studying him, and memorizing every motion, every glance, and every word, that it had hit her. She loved him. Deeply loved him, more then she’d ever loved Naruto, and probably had loved him for a long time. She had been watching him train with her father when she finally understood, and with a gasp and widened white eyes, she had spun around, taking refuge behind the wall. She couldn’t love him. Not Neji. Not the one person who would have most wanted to see her disappear. As she’d wrestled with the new information, she’d felt herself slump to the ground, knees buckling as tears threatened to overflow her milky eyes. Covering her face with her hands, she had squeezed her eyes tightly closed and allowed the back of her dark head to rest against the polished wood, concentrating on simply breathing and allowing the air to flow rhythmically from her lungs. It had been difficult, once she had allowed herself to see what her mind hadn’t wanted to see. To see the way she always watched his every move, the way that her breath caught in her throat when he glanced her way with anything akin to kindness, and the way that she always found herself lingering slightly as she passed the door to the Bunke portion of the household on her travels around the estate. And it had remained difficult since then, to hide it. She was startled out of her musings by the mutter of voices as they passed the other side of the wall. Her ivory irises widened in shock as her sensitive ears registered a portion of their conversation.
“…Neji-sama…marriage…Hanabi-sama?”
She jerked around, wincing as the motion strained sore muscles, and strained to listen closer, face paling to nearly the same cast as her eyes as mind and ears put the pieces together. She turned back towards the discarded photo album; eyes haunted by more then just her memories.
Neji-niisan…and Hanabi…
Swallowing, she reached out a shaky hand for the album, pulling it closer and closing the cover. A marriage. Between her younger sister and the cousin she loved. The rational portion of her mind beat wildly at her, reminding her that the majority of what she overheard in this manner was merely rumor. But something about this gleaned scrap of knowledge clawed at her insides in a way that other rumors hadn’t. It all seemed to make sense now. Why her father had been so much colder as of late, why he had seemed to have so little patience for her ‘weakness” as he normally did. And why he’d ceased lecturing her about what made a “proper” heir to the Hyuuga.
He plans to make Hanabi the heir. If that were the case, then it would make sense to have her marry Neji-niisan. He’s a genius, the pride of the clan.
Despite how clear her deductions on the matter seemed to be, the fact that this line of reasoning could also have led to a marriage between HER and Neji completely escaped her frantic logic. Hinata stood up, brushing strands of long indigo hair out of eyes that seemed determined to leak moisture from their corners, and carefully stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. She grimaced as the motion stretched her shoulder, bringing to the front of her mind awareness of the all-too-fresh bruises beneath the white robes she wore. Reaching up, she tentatively let fingers brush across the white fabric, tracing the dark purple markings she knew rested beneath them. Her father had been less than forgiving when she had approached him yesterday afternoon, in an attempt to convince him to train her as well as Neji. Rather then laughing and berating her with harsh words, he had scowled and turned her away, rewarding her continued pleas with beatings, as if to prove to her that she was unworthy of something so simple as his notice. Padding softly down the hallway on tabi-clad feet, she felt herself pause at the door that led to the Bunke part of the estate, and mentally forced her traitorous feet to continue their nearly silent traversment of the floors as she walked back to her room. This was it. She had suffered through her father’s ill treatment of her, sat in agonizing silence as Neji ignored her, gulped through humiliating shame as her family praised and lauded her sister and belittled her, cried through aching loneliness at the knowledge that she would forever be watching Neji from afar. But this was something that she couldn’t bear. Her heart might have been able to take the abuse, the loneliness, and the shame. It might have been able to suffer through knowing that the one she loved would never look at her with anything but bitterness. But the overheard snippet of conversation promised more then that, with it’s whispered threads of possibility. Neji married to someone else. To her sister. To one of their other cousins. To anyone else, was more then she could stand. Pearl-white eyes narrowed in determination before she quickly smoothed her features back into a pleasant appearance at the sound of a knock on the door.
“Yes?”
The door opened to reveal one of the house servants that she knew, kneeling on the floor with head bowed over their hands.
“Hinata-sama, Hiashi-sama has asked that I inform you that dinner is to be served in an hour.”
Hinata nodded, feeling a twinge of regret for the servants that felt the need to grovel and prostrate themselves so. In a way, they were as much prisoners of the Hyuuga destiny as she and Neji were. She smiled slightly, shaking her head and stepping closer to the girl who kept her head bowed and eyes averted.
“Kori-chan, you know you don’t have to bow to me like that. And you can just call me Hinata. Come on, don’t be so nervous.”
The blond-haired girl nodded slightly and raised her head, though she continued to keep her eyes averted. She bowed slightly, a faint smile gracing her young features. She wasn’t very old, probably about the same age as Hanabi. Hinata felt a twinge of regret at thought of her younger sister. While Hanabi held no special regard for the older sister she lauded as a failure, Hinata had always envied her classmates and the easy relationships that many of them had with older and younger siblings alike. So different from the cold detachment or malicious hostility that Hanabi often directed towards her. Though she felt slightly guilty at the thought, she couldn’t help but wish that it were Kori who was her sister. She’d known the girl since she was born, to parents who served the Soke of the Hyuuga. Kori had grown up in the Hyuuga estate, like Hinata, but their lives had been very different. It was Hinata who had first tried to bridge the gap, reaching out to the shy girl who served her tea in the afternoons and often brought messages from her father. At first, she had been unable to even breach the divide, as Kori remained stubbornly silent, afraid of what might happen should she step outside her station. But it hadn’t been long before Hinata’s kindness and gentle nature had begun to win over the blond and the younger girl had opened up.
“Ne Kori, how is your family? I haven’t seen your father around the study recently, and I miss your mother’s fried yams. Is everything alright at home?”
Kori nodded, though her expressive face took on a more somber note. She settled back onto the mat Hinata slid across the floor to her, legs folded underneath her in a respectable manner, eyes never meeting those of the Soke in front of her.
“Hai, Hinata-sama. They are well. Mother took ill a week ago, so Father has been nursing her. Because of that, they were given new duties so that he could take care of her without neglecting his duty to your family. But she is improving, and they should return to their usual positions within a few days.”
The two girls chatted quietly for a few more minutes, if it could be called ‘chatting”. It was Hinata who led the conversation, gently prodding information out of the timid servant, who answered them softly and directly. Kori glanced at the clock on the wall and bowed to Hinata, forehead nearing the floor.
“Forgive me, Hinata-sama, but it is time that I was leaving. There are many duties to see to.”
Hinata smiled and nodded as Kori bowed again and stood up, heading down the hallways as silently as she had come. Remembering the real reason why she’d bid Kori to stay, she stuck her head out of the door and called after the retreating figure.
“Kori! Do you know if Neji-niisan has returned from his ANBU mission yet? I remember he was supposed to be returning today.”
Kori stopped and turned to face Hinata, bowing again.
“Yes, Hinata-sama. I was told that he returned an hour or so ago. Hiashi-sama told me that we were not to expect him for dinner because he would be spending the next several hours giving his report to the Hokage and being checked out by the medic-nins before he would be released to return home.”
She bowed and continued on her way. Hinata watched her go, the short blond ponytail swinging slightly above the dark Hyuuga robes that clothed her. Shifting on the mat, she sat back, pulling the door closed. She let her mind wander as she stood up and walked softly over to the dresser that sat against the far wall. Pulling open one of the drawers, she rummaged within it, pulling out a fresh set of dark robes. She scowled slightly at the clothing. Hinata really didn’t care for them, whether they were traditional or not. Black robes with white trim. Stark, harsh, sterile; the black and white serving as a perfect visual representation of the worlds that the Soke and Bunke inhabited. Two portions of the same garment, the same fabric, yet separate and unable to mix, the one consistently overpowering and shadowing the other.
Why can’t we just wear colours? Does Father and the rest of the family really have to try and squeeze and wring all of the colour and warmth and individuality out of everyone, so that all that is left is a series of hollow shells?
With a mildly disgusted sigh, she tossed the pile of black and white silk onto the futon, running a hand through her long dark hair. She closed her eyes, letting her fingers comb through the soft indigo strands. It had been a long time since she had let her hair grow long. At first, she had done it as a way to possibly make Naruto notice her. As if the length of her hair, the style of her clothes, something so simple as that could change the way the loudmouthed blonde thought of her. It had been a silly notion at the time, and it was still a silly notion now as she thought back on it. She ran her fingers through the strands, gathering the heavy mass behind her neck and pulling it over her shoulders to run fingers through it, letting her eyes drift open slightly. It was long now, nearly to her waist. Like his. Though Hinata would have denied it if asked, keeping her hair this length somehow made her feel just a little bit closer to Neji. As if, when she closed her eyes as she brushed her fingers through her hair, she could imagine that this must be what it was like to touch his hair. To feel it between her fingers, twist her slender hands through it and gather it into her fists. It was a guilty pleasure, certainly, but it was one of the few indulgences that Hinata allowed herself and she was loath to give it up. She knew very well that dreams and whims of brushing his hair were just that. Dreams. White eyes opened completely as she fiddled with the simple white obi that held her robes closed, loosening the knot to let it slide to the floor, where she indulged herself again and kicked it across the room. The white silk slid across the smooth floor, it’s serpentine form seeming to slither as it bore the brunt of her frustrations. It settled into a pile against the far wall, pooling like a milk-white puddle on the tatami. Hinata sighed, letting her arms drop and allowing the robe to fall open. Turning towards the bed, she carefully slid the material off of her narrow shoulders, wincing as the simple friction caused by the meeting of fabric with skin made pain blossom along her back and shoulder. Biting back a hiss of discomfort, she let the robes puddle around her bare feet. Sparing a glance over one shoulder, she studied the lurid purple markings that marred the pristine ivory of her skin. Her father had indeed not been forgiving of the “transgression” she had committed by having the audacity to try and convince him she was worth his time. She let snow-white irises trace the delineation of dark blotches on her skin as she mentally studied them. With her fair skin, it was an easy matter to pick out every strike, every punch, even the marks from where he’d gripped her shoulder tightly stood out in sharp contrast to the pallor of her complexion. Eyes narrowing slightly, she carefully lowered herself to the futon, legs folding beneath her and eyes drifting closed. Channeling her chakra, she let the fingers of her uninjured arm drift slowly over the damaged skin, sighing in relief as the healing energy suffused her veins, mending the torn capillaries and easing the pain of the wounds. She wasn’t good enough yet to completely heal them, but Hinata was momentarily glad for the fact that she’d begun training as a medic-nin. At least it meant that she could manage to face her father without grimacing in pain. Without giving him the satisfaction of knowing that she was still feeling the effects of his beating. As she felt her chakra begin to ebb, she allowed pastel-tinted eyes to open fully, letting out her pent-up breath in a sigh as she lowered her hand. Those same eyes narrowed slightly in frustration and aggravation. That she still felt this tired and drained after something as simple as that only served as yet another sign that she was still severely lacking in her quest for strength. Rotating her shoulder carefully, she smiled slightly at the increased range of motion she could now achieve. It was still sore, and still stiff, but at least it was bearable. She pushed herself up off of the futon, small hand grabbing a fistful of the black silk that sat on the blanket beside her. Slipping the robe around her shoulders, she pulled it closed in front, wrapping a fresh obi around her midsection. Reaching over one shoulder, she gathered the loose strands of indigo that fell down her back like water, pulling them over her shoulder and twisting them together. Lacing her fingers through the tresses, she pulled out a hair-tie and twisted it around them, securing her hair into the loose ponytail that was preferred by numerous members of her clan. Slipping her feet into the soft sandals that were standard indoor-wear for Hyuuga clan members, she headed to the door, pausing as she passed in front of the mirror. She stopped, studying her reflection in the polished glass. Dark, simple Hyuuga robes, long hair pulled back into traditional Hyuuga style, bangs across her eyes and stray strands of hair falling out on either side to frame a small pale face set with large opalescent eyes that seemed even larger in contrast, hitai-ate that marked her as a shinobi of Konohagakure resting around her neck in it’s habitual place. She heaved a heavy sigh as her eyes traced the familiar lines of the image in the mirror. Not anything special. Not to Neji, not to her father, not to Naruto. Not to anyone. Just a girl, a Hyuuga who wasn’t even worthy of her name. Pushing the errant thoughts from her turbulent mind, she pushed open the door and headed down the hallway, closing it behind her.
So, for those who are lost…
-Timestream-wise, Hinata is about 18 here. That makes Neji 19.
-If you don’t like NejiHina as a pairing, then why the hell are you here?
-Yes, Hiashi is not a nice man. Sorry, I don’t buy that whole “Hyuuga-healing” thing that the anime seems to think is going on. Families with that sort of dynamics don’t change that quickly.
-Yup, Hinata’s not quite the pushover that everyone thinks she is. She just lacks confidence. But that’s something that can be learned…
Alright, so obviously for you to have gotten this far means you read the first part of my fic. I hope you enjoyed it, and I would love for you to review it and let me know what you liked/didn’t like. I may or may not change anything depending on what you say. Hinata-fans, don’t expect her to be the same shy little thing you are used to. She’s still shy, still hesitant, but the girl’s grown up a lot, and learned a lot of things. She’s tougher then she seems, and a big theme of this fic IS how she changes and strengthens. So please no “Hinata’s OOC” crap. She’s NOT OOC, if you’ll pay close attention. She’s simply developing and shedding her shackles.