Neji x Reader Collection

Op 64. No 2 Waltz (Neji x Reader)

It was well into your self-designated study session in the boarding school's library when you heard the soft trill of a piano. It was so gentle at first that it almost seemed to be part of your concentration. Rather than notice it suddenly, it gradually came to life in your unconscious mind until you realized you were humming along with the familiar piece. That's when you finally noticed properly that someone was playing one of Chopin's waltzes on the old grand piano in the music room next door.

After roughly scrubbing your hands over your face you decided you were definitely interested. You'd lost yourself to your books yet again, as you were rather prone to do; a glance at your watch told you that you'd missed hot dinner and that most of your friends would be lounging in the rather noisy recreational room. That, decidedly, was an endeavor for some time you didn't have mid-terms. Besides, you hadn't even realized that old beast of a piano was still in tune.

You left your books at the table you'd been sitting at—no one was going to take them and the dusty old librarian was probably asleep in the archives again. If she crawled out of her hovel long enough to get annoyed she would know to put them somewhere safe; you had been in there every night for a few weeks now.

Stretching your arms above your head, grimacing lightly at the gross pops both shoulders and half your spine made, you walked to the large doors slowly. Unconsciously, you'd measured your steps against the rhythm of the waltz s you made your way down the hall, but a thought caused you to falter just slightly. It occurred to you that whoever was playing may not have wanted company... If they were playing at a quarter to eight, maybe they'd simply wanted their solitude. You certainly knew that feeling well. Konoha Boarding Academy could be rather overwhelming with no place to truly call your own.

With this thought fresh on your mind, you slowed your steps further and then stopped altogether. (E/c) eyes half mast as you listened more intently, you put a crooked finger to your (s/c) lips. The waltz sounded so... Sad. It had always struck you as melancholy and a bit remorseful in its own respects, but whoever was playing it now had known very real pain in their life.

It was a few more silent moments in which you let Chopin's sorrowful composition surround and entrance you before you took the last few steps to the partially open door. Quietly as ever, you peeked inside, smiling rather softly at what you saw.

A student, a young man looking to be roughly your age and wearing the soft (f/c) ascot that denoted him as being in your grade, was sitting at the large piano, fingers gently gliding across the keys. His long, deep brown hair nicely framed him as he swayed softly with each keystroke. Held back from his face by a thick black bandana around his forehead, it fell neatly to about the middle of his back.

Your smile grew as you caught the side of his face; from what you could tell, he was rather handsome, almost pretty. Who knew such a talented looker like himself boarded here? You couldn't remember seeing him in any of your classes, the commons, or even the cafeteria. Perhaps he had just transferred in?

You grimaced hard and shrunk into your shoulders, slamming your eyes shut instinctively as the slightest shift in your weight made the floorboard directly below you groan almost dramatically in protest. With a rueful and sheepish expression on your face, you cracked open your (e/c) eyes slowly, having heard the piano stop instantly and feeling not for the first time that maybe you really weren't going to be welcome after all.

You gasped, and simultaneously fumbled for an apology as soon as you realized what you'd done. The young man had turned to face the door, an annoyed expression on his face. But what caught you so off guard were his eyes. They were white, almost completely so; the line of his iris seemed to almost fade into the sclera like they were one and the same. It was apparent to you in that moment that he was blind, and that gasping so obviously would likely be a great cause for insult.

You snapped into an apologetic bow at the waist, slurring out, "Oh my goodness I'm so sorry please excuse me!" You remained in that bow, fists clenched in front of your knees as you felt a completely humiliated flush creep across the backs of your ears. So much for a good first impression.

Instead of calling you out for being rude or getting aggravated however, the young man sighed audibly before saying, "It's fine." You heard the bench shift against the plush carpet and looked up shyly. He didn't seem any more annoyed than when he'd heard you the first time, and his acceptance of the apology was quick enough but... His expression hardly seemed to carry any emotion in it.

"My name is (L/n) (F/n)," you offered politely as further way of apology. "I'm sorry I barged in like this but I was studying next door and couldn't help but be curious." Another small smile lit your (s/c) features as you added, "You play beautifully."

You watched hesitantly, really hoping you hadn't offended him, before you witnessed a small smile take hold of his own lips. "Hyuuga Neji," he offered, nodding in your direction politely. The amusement in his voice was obvious. "Thank you. I've been playing since I was young. However, I believe it is actually time for me to be heading back to my room."

"Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean to keep you—!" you started to squeak but you hushed when he laughed. It was a very lovely laugh, one that sent a hammer against your heart and a hard blush against your cheeks. You really hoped you were right about his being blind.

"It's not a problem," he assured quietly, standing and brushing his pants off languidly. "My tutor will come looking for me if I'm late, however and the last thing I want is for Gai Sensei to trail me around making sure I don't walk into walls.

It was your turn to snicker. Oh yes. You knew Gai Sensei well. He was loud, rambunctious, and always doing strange things like challenging students and teachers to physical activities. You'd been told he was a specialty tutor (basically the Academy's politically correct phrase for an aide or disability assistant) but the last thing you'd expected was for him to be someone's eyes. He was... Flamboyant. "I uh, I see why you wouldn't want him barging in while you're playing," you chortled as you softly stepped to the side of the door. "Maybe we can, I dunno, meet up here tomorrow evening?" It was reaching, but...

"I would like that." The answer made your stomach squirm in the best way. You both said your goodbyes just afterwards, you with that little buzz of having found a new friend. As Neji reached the door, you both cringed at the loud shout coming from down the hallway. Seems like Gai was getting impatient after all. Neji himself waved shortly over his shoulder, smiling cheekily as he added, "I'll see you around." You couldn't help but laugh. This was looking to be a good start to a wonderful friendship.