The Roles We Play

9-06-05

“A Child-like Gesture” Companion piece to “The Roles We Play”

By: DarkSeductress

Pairings: Neji/Hinata, mentions of Ino/Sakura

Summary:(AU) Sakura witness a private moment between Neji and Hinata that changes her opinion
of their relationship. You don’t need to read “The Roles We Play” in order to understand this piece.

Word Count: 500

            Sakura had disliked Hinata up until this moment. The reason for her dislike was possibly
juvenile, since it went back to their being in highschool. Hinata punching her in the eye out of
uncharacteristic anger because of Sakura hurting Ino was a defining moment for Hinata’s person. It
should have made Sakura respect her but it only served to make Sakura dislike her even more. Some
grievances to pride couldn’t be eased with the passing of time. But this one moment was slowly
cracking Sakura’s hostility.

            Sakura was mesmerized by the scene in front of her. Sure she had reservations when she
found out Hinata was marrying Neji, who also happened to be her cousin. The incest might not have
disgusted Sakura so much if they hadn’t known each other all their lives and practically lived in the
same household but they had and Sakura just couldn’t get around that. If Sakura was completely
honest with herself, the incest was just an excuse for her to dislike Hinata as was her using
Catholicism to disapprove of the marriage. But this one moment was showing Sakura how silly her
reasoning seemed. This one moment was changing her perceptions. From this one moment, from one
personal child-like moment, Sakura could see how her logic was twisted.

            It had to be the most intimate, child-like gesture Sakura had ever seen, yet it was still
romantic. Sakura had the feeling she was witnessing something too personal to be seen by the eyes
of someone like her. 

            Hinata was standing on the tip of her toes, her delicate hands gently gripping Neji’s
shoulders, staring into Neji’s eyes. His arms were wrapped around her petite frame, his long graceful
fingers spread across the small of her back possessively, pulling her body flush against his own.
Then with a blush touching her face, she softly rubbed her cheek against his before pulling back to
study the upward tilt of his lips from under her lowered eyelashes.

            Sakura noticed a more pronounced blush on Hinata’s cheeks, which she was sure now
spread to the rest her body. Hinata then surprised Sakura as she inched even more upward with an
uncharacteristic boldness as Neji bent his head toward hers and kissed his lips. When Hinata’s arms
sneaked around Neji’s neck as he deepened the kiss, Sakura knew she had seen too much. She
looked away her own cheeks flushed, wondering how she could have ever insulted their love with
such petty maliciousness. Sakura now realized it was ridiculous to judge people, you knew so little
about. Besides, Sakura thought with bitter amusement, it was only a punch anyway and the black
eye hadn’t lasted that long. It was childish to hold onto that anger and embarrassment. Besides,
Hinata was Ino’s friend and it’d be better to just let it go. If only for her girlfriend.

            Sakura found it funny how one child-like gesture could numb hostility that years hadn’t
been able to quell. Maybe it was time to apologize.

Author’s Note: I hope this shows a different side to the Sakura portrayed in “The Roles We Play”.
You need not have read the other to understand this.