Insomnia

VI

“Tell me again why I’m going to Suna?” Neji asked as he balanced the unseen Momogi on his hip, listening to Shikamaru and Kankurou clean up their campsite.

“Because Hinata figured you’d enjoy a vacation.” Kankurou replied. “It hasn’t been easy for you, so she talked her dad into letting you come alone.”

“Yeah!” Momogi cried, giggling as she tugged on Neji’s hair. “Neji-nii!”

Neji adjusted the toddler and sighed. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. If he could get past the sun that never seemed to go down, the sand that got everywhere, and the fact he couldn’t see a fucking thing, maybe it would actually be fun. Yeah. Right. He felt rather than heard Shikamaru approaching him and got a nice shriek in the ear as Momogi fought being forced to walk. She finally settled when she was told she could lead Neji along, and Neji didn’t doubt for a second Momogi was grinned as she clutched to his hand. Neji had his reserves though, even as he walked over the shifting sands with Momogi. His other sense had begun to develop at an almost astounding rate. He felt move movements, the fluidity of the motion, and heard more than many would be comfortable knowing he could hear. His sense of smell and taste had also developed so in one breath he could determine where he was. He’d also begun to practice with his chakra, using that to reach out and “se”. It was more difficult than it sounded, and Neji did all he could to practice it. He couldn’t really explain the functionality, but it allowed him to feel all the different lives nearby.

“Neji-nii,” Momogi called. “Water.”

A canteen was pressed into his hands. “Thank you, Momogi.”

The little girl grinned, unable to comprehend the fact Neji couldn’t see her. To this little miracle child, though, the fact that Neji couldn’t see her didn’t bother her as it did other children, mostly the Hyuuga brats of the other branches. To them, Neji was like a nightmare now, and being reminded about that didn’t quite make him feel all that much better. He took a few sips before he handed the canteen back to the girl and felt her take a few sips of her own. Then she began to sing a child’s rhyme she’d learned in school, grinning as she swung their joined hands back and forth. Her happiness seemed to be infecting Neji, too, and so he decided to look upon his stay in Suna as sort of a blessing. At least he wouldn’t be alone. Right?

Neji heaved a quiet sigh if only to avoid a barrage of questions from Momogi. It wasn’t being alone he was worried about; it was where he was going. Suna had a nasty reputation of devouring the weak and the current Kazekage wasn’t a man to tempt. Neji knew that Gaara wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if given the chance, threat or not. It’s just how he was, Neji knew. When Momogi’s steps changed form hopping to even, Neji knew they were entering the cliffs around Sunagakure. The terrain slowly changed beneath his feet and he adjusted his step, slowly spreading out his senses to make sure he wasn’t caught unaware. Noise began to filter in, murmurs that slowly became distinct voices; scents of food, animals, people; pulsing vibrations of chakra both fro every day use and jutsu. Momogi tugged on Neji’s hand and pulled him along, now clutching to her mother’s hand so she wouldn’t get lost. No one paid the group any mind, though Neji was certain Suna shinobi were watching their every move.

They drifted away from the noise then to a quieter part of the village, where the tumult of voices was just a gentle whisper. He heard Kankurou’s rumble as he grunted, felt the movement of two bodies moving aside and then he was being guided up a flight of stairs, each foot carefully placed as they ascended. A key slid into a lock and tumbles sang a rusty song before the door swung open.

“Well, here we are. Home sweet home,” Kankurou said. Neji only cocked his head and listened to the movements of the room. It echoed with Momogi’s running footsteps, so Neji assumed it was only the foyer. He moved forward and put a hand out to help guide him along. He heard Kankurou and Shikamaru talking, but ignored them in favour of exploring his new environment.

Everything smelled of sun and sand even though he couldn’t feel any sand beneath his feet or on his fingers. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but it wasn’t something he was used to. Neji felt furniture, doors to other rooms, and paused in the hall when he felt something dangerous enter the apartment. Neji’s first instinct was to determine what the threat was and then eliminate it. He forced himself to calm down, because if what had entered truly was dangerous, Shikamaru and Kankurou would’ve taken care of it. A new voice entered Neji’s perceptions and it took a moment for him to realize the dangerous presence was Sabaku no Gaara himself. A child’s cry of joy was what confirmed his suspicions, so Neji slowly made his way back to the trio of adults. Momogi was giggling, talking rapidly of what she’d told Neji, more or less, and the atmosphere seemed welcoming Neji took one confident step and slammed his hip into a side table. Something decidedly ceramic or porcelain wobbled, toppled, and plummeted to shatter on the floor.

Neji felt rather than heard the sighs and fought back the wince that wanted to reveal itself. He felt Gaara’s eyes on him and that was bad enough without a gesture of pit. He stepped back – carefully and slowly – to where he was safe. Neji shivered and soon found himself being let do his bedroom by Momogi who was telling him it was only an accident and she had accidents all the time at school. Neji could only hand his head to his the blush of shame and fight to hold onto the hope that maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

One blunder didn’t spell disaster all the time, did it?