#verse;default

[breakthecage]

@sharkfinx liked for a serious starter

Peering down the street, Neji hadn’t expected to see anything of interest at the small fishing village, yet here he was, observing the unmistakable blue fleshed man.  How had Konoha not noticed this before?  He stood out like a fish walking down the street.  Surely it had to be him.  Even viewing from the distance, there was only one person he knew of with such a physique.  Activating his byakugan, he confirmed it.  They’d only met the one time years before but the man he was looking at now appeared exactly like Kisame.  Why was he here?  Why was he alive”

Neji followed the man all day, watching him do what he would and keeping his distance as best he was able.  It was odd.  He didn’t appear to be up to anything particularly nefarious, acting as a normal person would.  But Kisame couldn’t possibly be up to absolutely nothing.  He’d spent years as an intended mass murdering war criminal.  Neji would have to follow him further, discover his plan. 

[grilledcheesewrite]

The Sweetest Taboo

Closed starter for Sheppard @artiiis​

“Make it quick, you know I gotta wake up at 4.” His schedule is a little bit odd comparing to the others, making secret agreement between him and Shep even harder when it’s hard to find a time that work for them for their sexy little secret together though Roy is already willing to stay up longer passed his bed time.

[breakthecage]

uchjha liked your post “Starter Call”

Ignoring the stares of passersby, pale eyes looked down at the teacup in front of him.  He was to meet Sasuke here, in a small village near the border though the Uchiha seemed to be running late, leaving Neji with time to sit in front of a little tea shop and have a cup of tea.  He decided that he didn’t mind it.  He was comfortable on the warm spring day and it gave him time to contemplate their objective. It wasn’t often that two doujutsu were necessary for a task, a curious thing.  But then, he wasn’t even sure if that were true. They only had an ancient scroll to go off of, telling of the ruins hidden underground, accessed from a cave near the little town.  The scroll was older than Neji had ever seen.  He wondered if it was even accurate.  If it was then it was fascinating, the scroll alluding to ancient histories and forbidden jutsu held inside.  Perhaps they’d get lucky.

It didn’t take the byakugan for Neji to notice Sasuke’s presence, turning to look behind him as he felt him approach.  How long had it been since they had spoken directly?  He couldn’t recall. It wasn’t on purpose but it seemed that their worlds had not been fated to intersect until now.  “Sasuke.”  Neji gave him a little nod, keeping distant but polite.  Though he held no disdain for the Uchiha in the time after the war, it felt as though he no longer knew him, if he ever really did at all.  “Sit.  Have some tea.”  He still wasn’t in a rush.  “I have our instructions here.  It’s a long read.”

@uchjha

[breakthecage]

“ it’s okay. you can tell me.” (from hinata!)

Neji’d thought he was all alone in the Hyuuga gardens, kneeling in front of a small pond as he watched the mandarin ducks swim with more intensity than was necessary.  Meditation had always proved a useful tool to him in the past but today it wasn’t working for him.  Those ducks were bothering him, pulling him out of his peaceful state as they swam around.  

Mandarin ducks didn’t usually make it this far east.  They must have traveled a long distance, far away from their families.  Of course, there were two.  They weren’t really alone.  They only looked at each other, as if nothing else in the world mattered.  But then, he pondered whether the other birds they’d left behind felt the same.  It brought a deep frown stemming from a sense of melancholy to the Hyuuga’s face.  Did the other birds know they were alright?  Did they miss them?  Did they feel abandoned when their family flew away while they stayed behind…  

The sound of his cousin’s voice brought him out of his contemplation.  He hadn’t even heard her approach.  “Hm?”  It took him a moment to understand her question, reaching up and touching his cheek where she’d been looking with a bandage covered hand.  His face was wet.  He hadn’t even realized when the tears fell.  He should be more careful not to be so foolish in public.  “Ah, it’s nothing so bad.  You don’t have to worry.  Hanabi planted some new cypress trees.”  He pointed to some small trees near the water’s edge.  “I think I’m allergic.”

“But look, they’ve attracted a pair of mandarin ducks.  It’s an auspicious sign.”  Neji did his best to wipe the frown from his face, forcing a small smile.  He gestured to the spot next to him, for her to sit.  “I think they’re meant for you.”  Neji pointed at the brightly colored duck.  “That one is the male.  See the whiskers among the bright colors on its face?”  He gestured to the darker duck.  “And that one is the female.  Together for life.”  He turned his attention from the ducks to Hinata.  She’d caught him at an emotional time.  It brought a rare moment that he dared express his feelings out loud, at least the positive ones.  “They look happy, don’t they?  I think you’ll be happy with Naruto as well.  He’ll stay by your side forever.”  His small smile turned genuine.  “How is the wedding planning going?  You had a fitting today, right?  Come, tell me about it.”

[breakthecage]

@ramenthings liked for a starter.

The Hyuuga had been kneeling for hours, unmoving and unspeaking.  He he heard Naruto inside the building which he was guarding, working away at his training to prepare for the Hokage position.  He was unbothered, devoted to his task of guarding his boyfriend, even if it meant kneeling all morning in mediation.

His byakugan wasn’t even active, not perceiving a threat, yet he would not leave his lover alone.  There had been too many threats lately for Neji to permit Naruto to be at risk, powerful as he was.  Besides, the fool would likely get bored or hungry soon, reuniting him with his beloved. 

[grilledcheesewrite]

Sweet Troubled Man

closed starter for @multipackers​

“How many time I have to frickin’ tell you I don’t that kind of have problem!” Arnold yelled, sure he’ll be regret after he’d done that. He usually don’t raise his voice at Garrett even when he’s angry because he know it would hurt his feelings, but the thoughts mingling inside his head recently made him lost his cool. Being bugged about his paranoia in the past few days somehow annoyed him so bad he couldn’t take it anymore. It was like he would be snapped if the other even dare ask him about that again. He was never like this. Though he knew he got an anger issues since they first met but this isn’t who he usually is. “S— sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He apologized as soon as he could give himself a calm down by pinching himself on his thigh. Arnold pulled Garrett closer for a sorry hug. That usually works like magic.

[breakthecage]

@springhealer said: “i’m not worried. i’m just being realistic.”

It was a strange reversal in roles, someone else being the realistic one while Neji looked upset but there was only one thing that could bring such emotion from the Hyuuga.  As he stared down at the unconscious Rock Lee as he lay in his hospital bed, Sakura’s words seemed to drag him down.  He’d been there three days, waiting for him  to wake up, barely sleeping, certainly not eating.  Gai wasn’t in Konoha right now, off doing whatever he did when he wasn’t being an embarrassment so Lee had no one.  If Neji left he’d be all alone and he couldn’t allow that, even if it meant sitting himself at a chair at his unconscious friend’s bedside for three days, looking an absolute untidy disaster.  

If it would really take Lee months to recover from his head injury, Neji worried for his friend.  He always pushed himself so hard, unwilling to rest more than even the rest of his team.  He was afraid that he’d hurt himself, make it all worse, potentially beyond repair.  He didn’t think his friend knew just how much his recklessness weighed on those around him.  It brought such a heavy burden down on Neji, especially after the war.  He was just so tired, unable to bring himself to move or really do anything while he knew he was all his friend currently had, and that when Lee woke up, the only person he’d ask for was their sensei.

His gaze turned up towards the pink haired medic’s face.  “Mm, if it will be months before he can train again, I think that news would be best coming from you.  Whenever he wakes up….” He slumped further forward, hair falling in front of his face, emotional exhaustion getting the best of him.  “He was saving some girl.  Said she was a beautiful lotus.  This had to happen when it was the first time he looked at a girl since-”  He glanced at her, cutting his words off short.  It wasn’t Sakura’s fault the little idiot had chased after her for all those years.  She’d never done anything to lead him on, short of her impressive personage.  Neji didn’t blame her, only his teammate’s obsessive personality.  He let out a heavy sigh. “Perhaps he’ll set his sights on a new woman in another decade.”

[breakthecage]

@nekkoninja liked your post “Starter Call”

With the warm weather brought on by the early arrival of spring, all the doors and windows of Neji’s little home on the edge of the Hyuuga compound had been opened.  He’d been cleaning all morning, the smell of winter’s dust and cleaning solution wafting out into the calm gardens nearby as he scrubbed.  Though he’d always been fond of cleanliness, Neji was being particularly thorough today, ensuring that every corner was free from dirt.  

As he cleaned a pot simmered on the stove, bones boiling down for fish stock intended for the evening’s soup.  Neji stopped and checked it, deciding that it was coming along nicely as it began to fill the house with a smell much more pleasant than cleaner.  He’d give it another hour before he added anything else.  Until then Neji grabbed a basket full of wet clothing, intending to hang it outside. “Hey!”  The Hyuuga quickly sidestepped, realizing he nearly walked right on top of a cat.  “If you’re looking for fish, you will be disappointed.  It is still cooking.”