Chapter Text
“Alright, I’m going out to meet Kiba and Shino! Goodbye Tenten-chan, bye Neji-niisan.” Hinata bowed before hurrying out of the room. The room became quiet after the screen door shut.
“Are you sure it’s cool if I’m here, at the main branch house?” Tenten turned to Neji.
Neji poured some more of the refreshing cold jasmine tea into her cup first and then his own.
“It’s fine, things aren’t how they used to be around here since the chunin exams.” Neji nodded.
“Hm.” Tenten nodded.
She leaned back on her arms as they sat at the table. Where they sat overlooked the gardens. The soft pink peonies were in full bloom and the fragrance wafted into the room, filling the space with a pleasant smell and a relaxing atmosphere. The summer air in Konoha was usually unmoving and irritating but not today, not at this moment.
Tenten took her hair down at that moment. She wore comfortable clothes. Neji went without his headband. Tenten began rattling off about something or the other to fill the silence of the moment, Neji just sipped his tea and listened quietly. It was moments like these where people didn’t know that Neji didn’t actually have a perpetual stick up his ass. They didn’t know the depth of his feelings for his teammate but between the two of them, they knew. She knew. That's all that mattered.
He looked at her cute face intently. Her cheeks always seemed to pinken when she talked about something she liked. And there was a bit of an upturn to her nose which looked adorable, Neji thought. He loved seeing her hair down. She never had it down in front of people, not even when they were kids. But Neji wasn’t just people anymore, he supposed. He looked at the sweet girl who had fallen for him, grumpy attitude, uptight, and all. He looked at the sweet girl sitting in front of him talking to him about something she wanted him to know.
“Don’t you think, Neji?” She asked. There was a pause in the melody of her voice. He blinked owlishly, being torn from his thoughts.
“Ye-” He saw her face begin to fall.
“No. No.” He quickly rectified.
“Exactly, I knew you’d agree.” She smiled.
Neji nodded, not sure of a single word she’d just said but he was whipped so it didn’t really matter. Tenten smiled at the way he looked at her. He looked at her like she was something precious and special, different from anyone else; she never thought she was any different from other girls. Tenten had to admit, she’d hit the jackpot.
Neji was unbelievably handsome and she would love to tell him that she thinks so, although he’d probably say something like “Outward appearances do not open the minds of men.” or something. He had long flowing hair that cascaded down his back and these handsome features that could have only been formed after coming from a long line of perfect-looking people. The bridge of his nose was high and his jaw was aristocratic. When they were younger, all the girls would look at Sasuke but Neji always had her eye.
But it wasn’t just his looks, it was also his heart and his noble personality. Sure, he was a bit stuck up but deep down under that tsundere veil was a kind soul, who loved tea like an old man, and just wanted to be accepted by his family. Tenten was grateful to be by his side for as long as she had been; after all this time, she couldn’t imagine life without him anymore.
“Why don’t we go to the dango shop and pick up some snacks? I could go for something sweet.” Tenten suggested.
“You and your sweets,” Neji said fondly.
Tenten just snickered. They stood up from the table and stretched a bit. Neji grabbed his wallet, while Tenten smiled empty-handed. She gravitated towards his side. Neji slipped a familiar hand around her waist and pulled her in closer. The breeze blew again. She tucked his hair behind his ear. He looked into her eyes fondly, even without his Byugakan he could see the love behind her autumn brown eyes. Tenten smiled and kissed his lips tentatively. He kissed her back, pressing closer. Tenten wouldn’t give this up for the world.
“Ready to go, love?”
“Mhm.”
“It’s too bad Shino canceled last minute. They needed some people from his clan for a last-minute mission or something.” Kiba said as he tossed the ball.
Akamaru chased it and brought it back. The park only had a few people left as the sun was setting. The lush green trees rustled in the calm cool air of an impending dusk. Hinata sat politely on the blanket they’d laid out, chewing on some treats Kiba brought.
“It’s too bad, indeed. I feel like I haven’t seen much of Shino.” Hinata said quietly.
Kiba stopped rustling Akamaru’s fur for a moment.
“Don’t worry Hina, we’ll catch up with him soon.” He smiled a toothy grin at her.
She couldn’t help but smile back. Hinata couldn’t quite put her finger on it but she felt so at ease by Kiba’s side. They’d both certainly come a long way from the scrappy young shinobi they used to be. No matter how many times Hina had fallen, cried, or doubted herself, Kiba was always there. He cheered her on like her successes were his own and it touched her heart unlike anything else. She watched as he played with Akamaru, his personality untamed and free.
“Look, he doesn’t bite the ball in half anymore!” Kiba took a knee and turned Akamaru’s face to Hinata proudly showing off what his white furred partner could do.
His brown hair was tousled from messing around, his cheeks dusted with a slight blush, his sharp canines sticking out of his smile, and the red markings on his cheeks, it was all so painstakingly Kiba.
“Good boy, Akamaru!” Hinata smiled.
Akamaru seemed to like that and moved to drop the ball in front of her and snuggle in her lap.
“Akamaru, don’t get her all covered in fur. We talked about this dude.” Kiba scolded.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind- right, Akamaru? It’s okay, Kiba.” Hinata gazed at him.
She smiled sweetly at him, the way she always did. He felt his heart skip a beat like it always did. Kiba was so done for. He took in her soft features. Her round eyes and angelic countenance left him breathless every time. He longed to run his fingers through her long indigo hair. He’d felt it a few times when he carried her from a particularly rough battle once and a few more times after that. It was so soft and smelled like lavender- he kicked himself mentally afterward because that sh*t was weird to think about but he couldn’t help it.
Kiba nodded and moved to sit next to her. She offered him some mochi. Kiba wiggled his fingers looking to find the biggest one. Hinata couldn’t help but chuckle, they were all the same size anyway. Kiba chose one and popped it in his mouth.
He leaned back on his arms and watched the sunset. It was moments like these he treasured most. He hated that he was secretly happy Shino couldn’t come. Shino would probably say something about the way he was looking at Hinata- but he couldn’t help it. He loved her. He loved her just like Sasuke had said earlier in the day. He loved her since they were kids. He loved her resilience and her strength. He loved the way she closed her eyes when she laughed and the gentle tone of her voice. He loved the way she carried herself with this grace and poise no matter what life threw at her. He loved every damn thing about her and it was making him sick.
He felt the pit in his stomach that formed from a question that plagued him since the day he met her. Should he tell her how he feels?
“Oh! He ate one.” Hinata put a hand over her mouth in surprise.
“Akamaru, I told you not to do that buddy! If that was chocolate flavoured you’d be done for!” Kiba scolded.
Akamaru barked back.
“Hey, lose the attitude, Mister!” Kiba shot back.
Hinata began to laugh, the sound getting louder and louder until the two stopped arguing. Hinata wiped a tear from her eye and clutched her stomach.
“You guys are so funny.” Hinata put a hand on both Akamaru and Kiba’s heads.
Kiba’s expression softened. A smile broke out on his face and he slung a friendly arm around her shoulders; Akamaru jumped in excitement. They laughed together on that picnic blanket in the park.
Kiba Inuzuka was in love with Hinata Hyuuga and he couldn’t even tell her but in the end, how could he complain? After all, there he was with his favourite girl and his best friend.
“Heat exhaustion, really Lee? How many times do I have to tell you to stop training like this in the summer heat?” Sakura scolded Rock Lee for the umpteenth time.
He lay in the hospital bed sipping water infused with electrolytes through a bendy straw. He looked as happy as a clam under the pink-haired girl’s care.
“I am sorry, Sakura. I am in my youth, so I thought I would train my body against the heat…so much for that. I do not mean to keep causing you trouble.” Lee said sheepishly.
Lee had spent the whole day training out in the woods and even trained with Sasuke. Sakura’s expression softened.
“I-it’s okay, Lee. Nobody ever wants to pass out.” Sakura smiled wearily. She dabbed his forehead with a cool cloth, carefully. Lee studied her face intensely.
Lee had always found her to be beautiful, with her piercing green eyes and cotton pink hair, she really was like a sakura blossom in every way. Her floral perfume surrounded him as she reached over to adjust his pillow. Lee wanted to know something.
“By the way, are you…still in love with Sasuke Uchiha?” Lee asked in a voice smaller than he’d intended.
“Lee, that’s-” Sakura was about to tell him off.
She was going to tell him that it was none of his business and that she didn’t need to answer that but she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. Lee was being serious, vulnerable even. She plopped back down on the stool next to the bed.
“I don’t know, Lee. I mean, I don’t think so? It’s just one of those things, where I know he’s with Naruto now and I know he never felt the same way- I get it, you know. I’m happy he’s home and he’s with someone who loves him who, and dare I say it, loves him more than anyone else. My head gets it but my heart will always have space for him. It’s like a lingering feeling that won’t go away. I’ve just got to learn to live with it and find new ways of getting on.” Sakura confessed.
“I see.” Lee said.
“Would you ever consider me?” Lee pointed to himself. Sakura blushed furiously.
“Lee, are you still on about that?” She hissed.
“Never left.” He smiled.
“Lee…” Sakura whispered.
“I know I’m no Sasuke Uchiha. I’m not as tall, dark, or handsome as he is. I don’t have a tragic past and those broody bedroom eyes-”
“Bedroom eyes? Really?” Sakura snorted. Lee laughed.
“But I have loved you, Sakura. Since we were kids, I loved you. At first, I noticed your beauty but during the chunin exams, I saw just how smart you were and how resourceful you could be. I saw the way you fought with Ino and in the forest. You were always caught between those two, a rock and a hard place, Sasuke and Naruto, but you always managed to shine.” Lee said as he looked right at her.
He was just as direct as ever. Lee was always one to be a straight shooter, to move forward without fear, and to make the most of his youth. Sakura swallowed as she listened to him intently.
“I am an honest guy, Sakura. I’ll never leave you wondering if you’re enough. I’ll never let your efforts go unnoticed. I’ll treat you like the precious flower you are, Sakura. Thorns and all.” Lee smiled.
Sakura’s eyes watered. Lee’s gaze became impossibly softer, his eyes filled with a love that never burned out over the years. Even when Sakura looked elsewhere or shut down his advances, that look never changed. From the moment in the hall outside the exam room until this moment, in the hospital room. It all started right there in the village. Sakura was finally hearing him, every word.
“You have my heart, Sakura Haruno. And… I love you.” He whispered.
Sakura hadn’t known a love so wholly hers. She’d never felt so overwhelmed by emotion. Maybe she was being stupid but this was Lee. Her Lee. He would do anything to make her happy. If she wanted a single sakura blossom from the highest point in the land of fire, Rock Lee would get it to her in a heartbeat. How could she say no to that?
“Okay. I want to give it a try. Let’s give it a shot. I’ll be your girlfriend, Lee.” She smiled tearfully.
She expected him to jump for joy and shout out but he simply closed his eyes and smiled.
“Yeah, I’d like that. I was thinking wife and eternal lover but that’s a good start.” He grinned.
Sakura rolled her eyes fondly.
“Slow your roll there.” She smiled. She looked at him and hugged him close.
Lee was surprised at first but then hugged her wholly, his arms careful not to squeeze her too tight. He held her like she’d break into a million pieces. His hand stroked the back of her hair delicately. She’d never been held like that before.
“First order of business as your new boyfriend: I suppose, I could start with a haircut first.” Lee laughed. She pulled away and looked at him with her hands on his chest.
“I like the way you are…but maybe a change couldn’t hurt.” She giggled.
“Yeah, change isn’t so bad at all.”
