Sweet Dispositions I: Kumogakure | Sasuhina

Reports

Sweet Dispositions

-Chapter 46-
Reports

Panicked and hurt, Hinata went to the graveyard. 

Too many shinobi die for them all to have a grave... This place would literally be filled, bodies piled and morbidly stacked atop of one another to compensate for the overflow of death. So they put names on one huge tombstone, those who are heroes. 

It's quite disturbing.

Bodies are never brought back to Konoha but Neji saved her and Naruto... A hero. She felt that same, aching guilt that never got small enough to disappear. Death touches people but Hinata gets punched by every death...

She roamed the graveyard until she stopped meters from the tombstone of her brother. 

Another person paid their respects and had flowers laid there.

It was Rock Lee and a small child with the same sharp almond eyes, bowl cut hair and- no green jumpsuit. A sheen of sweat glistened on Rock Lee's chiseled body. His building arm muscles were exposed due to his insane workout schedule. His dark pants contrasted his green shirt, also what the child sported.

His child observed Hinata for a moment then nudged his father.

Lee looked up and squinted. A rice farmer hat hid his thick bristly brows and he crouched before the grave she hasn't seen in years.

Hinata saw him as passionate and fierce, never calm and peaceful. He's looking like a middle-aged man tending to the graves of fallen friends. 

A bucket, a sponge and the citrus smell of pomegranates wafted to her nose.

The usually loud and optimistic man was hesitant as the dirt crunched under his sandal as his knee turned. He looked over at her.

"Hinata... You're alive," Rock Lee said simply.

"I know it's -" terrible, Hinata wanted to say but Rock Lee launched from his spot and wrapped his arms around her body, twirling her around.

His child blinked at her, eyes sharp with curiosity.

He exuded happiness. "Hyuuga Hinata- alive, another companion I have yet to lose! You're here with the vigor of youth and life," he half-yelled, excited.

As she was squeezed and hugged, she was shocked at the embrace. Rock Lee whooped cheers and stories of hope and encouragement to her. He was genuinely happy to see her. Even though she deceived everyone and their partners for five years. She didn't feel awful. This was the warmest reception she's gotten since... since never from Rock Lee, whom she never speaks to.

He noticed her unsteady breathing and how she was essentially frozen in his light yet tight grip.

He set her down and winked at her. "I knew you were going to push through," he reached over and squeezed her shoulder. His thick wrists smelled of soap and lilies.

Hinata blinked, the pull of tears rearranging her guts. "Thank you," she whispered thinly.

"For what?" he pulled back, at a respectable distance.

Not being mad. Everyone is mad at her and she's so angry. She doesn't want to be angry anymore, Kami. The pain in the back of her throat was too much and she couldn't articulate her words or feelings.

Just then, she felt the hug of his son on her leg, his grip filled with recognition.

Her heart nearly broke and she looked at the child.