Hot Springs
The steaming water of the onsen wafted into Chihiro's senses. Her naked body enveloped by the bubbling water that kept her warm compared to the crisp night around her. Twinkling stars shimmered down on her private outdoor onsen, a tiny pool lined with beautiful rocks and flowers, and a fence outlining the small area. She already felt refreshed, skin velvety smooth as her fingers danced across her arms up and down. Feeling warmth rise into her as it'd been ten minutes, her cheeks flushed with red, as she rested her head back dipping farther into the water. It was just below her head, her long locks tied up and out of the way best she could. Chihiro's eyes fluttered closed as a small tug of her lips formed, her body decompressed as its tension washed away.
"I maayy have told Neji your plans, in passing!" Chihiro giggled as she recalled recalled Sakura's words as she dragged her to the hot spring thirty minutes ago. Chihiro remembered the butterflies in her stomach as she readied herself for the onsen, showering off and taking in the sights.
She hoped Neji would stop by, even if it made no sense for him to, or even though the fact her bare body was covered by water dark from the stones. The thought of him possibly seeing her like that should have made her scared, nervous yet she thought nothing of it. She trusted him, knowing he'd never make the situation uncomfortable for her. That he made her feel safe and warm, she adored him so why wouldn't she want him to see her like this? No guy ever had before. Perhaps her hopes were too high but, why else would Sakura tell her? So her chest felt like a mixture of fluttering worry and excitement- all anticipation as she'd eye the entrance to her private onsen.
And it was when she let her guard down minutes later did a knock come from the doorway where curtains covered. Her heart jolted, body sitting straight up as her arms went to immediately cover her chest. Neji stood in the doorway with a blush, eyes widened at the sight of her. He was holding him shoes, wearing sandals the onsen provides with wet feet. Seeing her bare shoulders out from the water as she hid herself made his stomach drop, butterflies taking over. It was painful the way his limbs went numb and he slowly walked towards her.
"Hey," he hadn't seen her in a few days. He'd only visited her once while she was in the hospital, so this was over due. Seeing her had pulled at his heart strings throughout his absence, wanting to know of the thoughts in her head or where she was. Neji would find his fingernails digging into the palm of his hands from them balled into fists deep in thought. So finally feeling her aura dance along with his chakra was relieving.
"Hi." she smiled, absolutely nervous as fireworks blossomed in her chest. For a moment she wanted to cover herself up completely, wondering how for even a second how she'd feel okay like this.
"Mind if I sit here?" he pointed to the ground hardly feet away from her.
"Of course not." Chihiro watched as he sat down at the onsen's edge, dipping his washed off feet in. She felt herself sigh in either relief or disappointment in the fact he wasn't joining her in the water.
Neji felt embarrassed for a second, unable to keep ogling at her form under the water and the soft bubbles. The way she tried to sink in further to make sure her breasts were covered, and keep a downcast look. The way pink dusted both their cheeks in awkwardness over the situation of the other so intimately- though Chihiro wasn't sure how she'd react if he were unclothed too. Such an intimate moment for the two and he was absolutely tantalized by her, like he'd be unable to breathe without her. Soft hitches in his throat as he tried to find his voice unsure of what he should say,
"Sakura told me you'd be here." Neji explained.
"She told me..."
"Oh." whether it was from the wafting heat of the onsen or his embarrassment, a tinge of pink formed on his cheeks.
Chihiro was flushed beat red, tiny beads of sweat forming at her hairline as her muscles relaxed further, "any news about the mystery man?"
"No, surprisingly."
"Should I be concerned?" she joked wanting to make light of what happened, "which I'm doing better by the way, don't necessarily want to talk about it."
Neji nodded, "I understand. But you shouldn't be concerned I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Even myself?" Chihiro whispered in a knowing tone.
"Even yourself."
"I'm sorry." she hummed, "for what I said and did at the cliffs... I can't imagine how it impacted you."
"I- don't worry about me," he shook his head yet his mind raced with contentment hearing that she worried for him, cared about his well-being, "I'm okay, always am."
"You don't always have to be okay. It's good to talk about things."
Neji caught her gaze with his pale eyes, "I keep things in, bury them down until they're gone I suppose. Natural for me to just move on. I've had to come to terms with a lot."
A pit formed in Chihiro's stomach and plummeted from his words. She understood his upbringing was different from hers, was filled with pressure from birth. Her mind was filled with images of the possible cruelty he'd had to have witnessed becoming a shinobi, it made sense why he was closed off. So she wanted to extend an olive branch to him in a way, wanted to show him she wasn't afraid to open up so he could feel like he could too in time, "Would you like to hear about my family?"
Neji met her gaze as he nodded, intrigued as her demeanor changed.
"My parents had me when they were twenty, twenty-one ish. They also attended Eva Academy it's where they met. After they graduated they basically found out they were spirit drifters so they began their schooling or whatever they do for it. My grandma used to tell me before she passed from old age that, having been chosen as a drifter changed them. That over time they became recluse and unable to comprehend the differences between Yggdrasil and the realms they watched over. I was told that the week they died, they were given news or discovered something... that it just made things worse." Neji could see the sadness written on her face, the redness of her eyes as she sniffled, "I'm not sure if I'll ever find out what drove them but... one day my grandma was dropping me off and I ran ahead to see them. I was about five, I was the one who found them." she took a deep breath, "they hunt themselves. It's one of the earliest things I remember that stuck with me, most things for years after are a blur."
Chihiro kept her background to herself, allowing whispers to be the only way her peers learned of it back home. Neji remained quiet as he took her words in, slowly shifting closer to her. "here I am, stuck in another realm... sometimes I wonder if my parents knew something or it makes sense I've ended up here. Been thinking about that a lot lately."
"I'm sorry for your loss." he spoke with true care, "that's a lot to take in at that age."
"Yeah, I know. It's why since my grandma died I live on school grounds, I get one of the nice dorms with a kitchen and own bathroom." she chuckled, "guess there some perks? But I've lived most my life without my parents so I'm used to it. I just hate the idea that they were crazy, that people acted like they had it coming. Life is strange and after experiencing this... I don't think anyone could be crazy."
Neji understood the complications of family, of expectations based on surname as if everyone knows more about who you're meant to be than yourself. He hoped Chihiro didn't blame herself in any way, he hoped she had all good memories and stories else-wise of her parents. She grew into a beautiful girl. "I doubt your parents were crazy. I'm sure Yggdrasil, being able to go to other realms takes a toll."
It was then that something appeared to come over Chihiro, "Neji..."
"Yeah?"
She looked at him with eyes clouded with emotion, "I-I didn't even realize. It never occurred to me fully. I don't know if it could be intentional but me being controlled to try to kill myself... my parents had died by suicide..."
"Don't jump ahead like that." Neji said firmly, "the man we're looking for couldn't have known that." The shinobi wanted to move closer to console her, to place a hand on her shoulder at least- but her naked in the onsen would certainly not be the time.
"You're right, hmm," Chihiro shook her head as she readjusted, shifting her shoulders back, "let's not talk about this anymore. I just... wanted to tell you more about me."
"I appreciate it." it made Neji want to tell her about his family but something felt like it was stopping him. He felt a cool breeze blow through under the night sky as his feet her hot from the water. Not wanting to make this moment about him, he elected to wait but it felt good to feel like he could tell her without any judgement. "I am... here for you." thankful for the steam making his face pink so Chihiro couldn't see the bright blush on his cheeks. As someone as intelligent as him, socially perfect as a Hyuga, he found himself struggling with words around her. As his walls came down around her, he could no longer use his confidence to carry him through. She'd see through his smart remarks and ability to break others apart.
"On other notes," Chihiro said with a new and excited tone in her voice, "I figured out the best analogy to explain more about Yggdrasil and our schooling,"
"Okay hit me with it."
"So I guess everyone's so surprised why it's so long, you guys can graduate so young yet here I am a similar age and still in school. First off, we not only have to learn history about Yggdrasil and languages, math etc, but the same for the other realms." Chihiro explained as Neji nodded. He imagined they had lengthier information to learn so that confirmed it, "but one of the big reasons is our age. Imagine having to wait until 18 to 20 to see if you received your Byakugan or chakra to be a shinobi. I don't know how all that works for you guys, but we don't know any of our 'gifts' as a citizen of Yggdrasil until we come of age and those in charge tell us. I guess. It's like a sorting after graduation, somehow those in the Class Division come to you when it's obvious."
"So... you just wait for people to tell you what you're going to do for the rest of your life?"
"I can feel your judgement," she shrugged, "but yeah. I mean... wouldn't it be obvious that I'm meant to be a spirit drifter at this rate?"
"That makes sense."
"But it's not like you're going to be told 'you're a teacher forever', you get classified under citizen or drifter. Citizen can do anything from politics to cooking... it's mainly the drifters who get screwed with the rest of their lives decided. Sort of like my parents."
"Suppose that makes more sense. I couldn't imagine waiting until my age now to find out if I could be a shinobi. I became a jonin at fifteen."
"I learned that that's young to become one."
"Yeah," Neji agreed, "believe it or not, I lost to Naruto the year prior to get promoted." her mouth dropped open, "next year I was fine then skipped becoming a chunin and went right to jonin."
"No way,"
"We're not talking about it..."
"I'm so asking Naruto about this." she giggled.
"Naruto uh, that fight, changed a lot for me. I hold high appreciation for him." Chihiro had always picked up on the admiration Neji had for Naruto even through his criticisms and ability to just destroy the boy for his stupidity. Naruto managed to win everyone's respect one way or another. So perhaps she shouldn't ask him about it.
Chihiro decided to change the subject, "Are you going on any missions soon? I haven't seen you much."
"I am actually, tonight."
"O-oh," she tried to hide her disappointment but he picked up on it immediately.
"It's part of the reason I knew I wanted to stop by. To apologize for my absence and see you before leaving again."
"You're forgiven you're just trying to help. How long will you be gone?"
"This is short. I'll be back in a day or two." Neji liked seeing and feeling that Chihiro was impacted by his absence. It wasn't a selfish thing yet, in a way it was as his thoughts were consistently plagued by her.
"How do you know?"
"It's a low rank for me, we're just short staffed right now."
In their intimate moments of serious conversations, their want to be closer... the two had unconsciously moved closer and closer. Inches away. Chihiro had moved to the edge, chest still below the water but so her hands were holding to the rocks. Slowly their fingers had found each others from where Neji sat with his hands supporting him as he leaned back. But he shifted so he didn't need the support, so his fingers could lay on hers as their hearts began to beat rapidly but together. He swore he could see stars in her eyes, his future as he wanted nothing more than to see smiles on her lips. Neji felt pride knowing she opened up, seeing her doing better than in the hospital too. He wanted to bring her peace amongst the war that most likely raged inside her mind.
"Chihiro?" he whispered her name as a thought popped into his head.
"Yes?"
"Are you okay being here... if you had to stay here longer?"
"Yes Neji." it was surprising how confidently she answered, "It's bittersweet, I miss my friends like no other. I don't miss school but... it's weird. I have no family there, really only three people who are waiting on me. You could say there's not much left for me compared to the life I've made here but it's still home. This has just become a second one somehow, which two months ago I never would have imagined."
"I'm glad. I know Sakura has fretted over you plenty."
"And what about you?"
He turned his head away from her, "I don't need to fret, I've learned you're strong."
Chihiro couldn't mask the upturn pulling at her lips as he clearly have her a bullshit response. Neji kept to himself but slowly she could read him better. His stoic face with emotionless eyes felt like her world at this point. She just smiled by his bashfulness that he'd deny through and through.
"It's getting late, I'm not sure I was supposed to be in here this long." Chihiro held up her hands at him, "look how prune-y I am."
"I can see that," he grinned, "I'll take my leave and wait for you outside? Then I'll walk you back."
"I'd like that."
"See you in a bit."
Chihiro felt on cloud nine as she got out on the hot spring, wrapping a towel around her bare body. Her skin was smooth as her fingers danced up her arms feeling the droplets falling. Normally she'd have taken her time getting ready wanting to try the lotions and perfumes in the changing rooms- but she had someone to see. There was an unwavering smile on her lips as she dressed herself. The way she brushed out her hair wondering if it was too frizzy or if he'd like the blue of her top against her complexion.
Neji was waiting outside like he said not that she ever doubted his words. She liked the way his face lit up as he saw her and took steps towards her. She liked the way he reached for her waist, knuckles brushing along the fabric of her clothes like he was scared to touch her. Chihiro didn't want Neji to leave for his mission but she appreciated every moment they got to spend together as they walked through town. Small talk came casual to them after having to understand the other from completely different backgrounds. Two different people slowly finding solace in the other.