╰┈➤ In which a shinobi falls in love with a girl who doesn't belong in Konoha
Chihiro knew not that her decisions at the age of 14 would affect her over four years later. But the day she woke up in a foreign land, she realized all she'd been taught...
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CHIHIRO hadn't seen Neji in a few days since they were ambushed by a flying kunai. She couldn't lie that she was shaken up more so than the gardens encounter. Her hands were scraped up and so was a apart of her arm from being pushed. It took a toll having Neji suddenly go radio silence on her after that, as he was the one person she found herself wanting above all. Life was coming down on her. Horrible, terrible turns of events continued to take place and it made her want to break down. It made her feel desperation and mourning all at once. Twice now, the most recent encounter than the other, she almost died. Death- a concept she knew all too well.
She fell. Legs gave out in a way that had her stumble up steps. Her knees stung, her scraped hands that caught her burned. All Chihiro wanted was to cry, so she did. The poor girl cried on steps in the Hokage's Mansion after being called for a meeting, plan of action. Sobs reverberated through her chest as they began to cease, dry heaves barely emitting from her throat. She thought of her parents. Thought of herself. After what felt like hours of sitting on a step with a blank face, she finally got the will to move.
Her steps were quiet as she walked down a hall, eyes puffy as she hugged her arms around her. She just wanted to get back to her apartment and sleep, cuddle up with Peaches. Just wanted to have the safety and comfort of her blankets to curl up in and hope she'd never wake.
"Chi?"
"Huh?"
She hadn't realized there was a taller figure standing in front of her, hands on her shoulders; until her name finally pierced through the bubble. When she looked up, the eyes she peered into were familiar ones.
"Neji?"
"Have you been crying?"
"N-no!" she stepped back from his grasp, wiping at her eyes, "I'm fine."
His eyes were dark with seriousness as he moved closer to her, "what's wrong." it wasn't a question, he was demanding.
"Just overwhelmed, you know?" she explained, trying to turn away from him so he could quit analyzing her.
Neji wouldn't let herself hide from him, he grasped her shoulders again and bent down so he could be eye level, "I'm sorry,"
"Sorry?"
"For the other day, for shoving you down. It was the fastest thing I could think to do to protect you.."
"Don't be upset with yourself. You saved me from maybe... maybe dying! A few scrapes is nothing."
Neji winced at the sight of raw skin bandaged as he looked over her. Parts of her arms and even knees were littered with bruises, "still, I shouldn't have been so rough."
"Trust me, it's okay. I'm grateful." she nodded furiously, feeling a new wave of emotion come over her, "where have you been?" she asked accusingly in a way.
