Obviously, I do not own Naruto.

BLOOMING

oooo0oooo

Hinata had been hanging around her garden longer than she had intended. She was supposed to be here only to check on the budding flower that she had carefully sheltered in a small nursery over the week. She was supposed to be meeting her cousin now at the training grounds for their daily spar. Knowing her nii-san's impatience, she would really be in trouble. He would make the spar harder on her. Nevertheless, she just can't keep her eye from that single bud of the only plant that had survived and succeeded in sprouting a new species out of the many that she had patiently tried to crossbreed for a month.

She smiled inwardly. She can't still get over the overwhelming feeling of being rewarded. After she became a chuunin almost a year ago, her father had given her a small reward to indulge some of her time for her hobby, the garden, the plants and the herbs. Her father, perhaps, was pleased enough to allow her to tend a small lot out from her mother's old garden. However, along with the reward was a more rigid demand from her to live up on her clan's expectations of a worthy heiress.

Never in her whole life did Hinata imagined that it would cross her father's mind to give her something that she could use as an escape whenever she felt things around her were just too much to bear. Though Hiashi never really intended it that way, she was still grateful that somehow she had somewhere to run to and be left alone. Her flowers and herbs were then the only living witnesses of her tears that she had long ago promised never to shed since she became stronger, since she became a chuunin. She had promised never to cry again the day she had proven to her family that she is worthy enough to bring the smallest of approving smirk from the stern, uptight face of their clan leader, her father. That was enough as a stepping-stone for her to strive harder until she proved her worth as their future leader.

But then, she is Hinata, and will always be Hinata. So she would cry. Moreover, she cried with overwhelming happiness on that very day when Hiashi dared tilt his lips for her, an approving glint evident in his eyes. She had doubted its meaning the second she caught a glimpse of that sight from where she sat across her father the morning right after the day of the chuunin exams. However, when he told her about his little gift and placed a hand on her little shoulders, she understood then. Tears threaten to fell from her eyes. Seeing this, Hiashi warned her sternly, "Daughter, you still need to work on your emotions."

Afraid to disappoint her father, she bit her lip hard, along with that silent promise. Yet, perhaps, that promise was meant to be broken by none other than her own weakness. So, the least she could do is to shun away, far away from any eyes, Hyuuga or not, before a single tear escape her eyes. Never will she allow a single living person to see her tears. Well, except for one, of course. There's always one left to be an exemption.

"Gloomy again?" a deep male voice was heard from behind her and she found no need to see who spoke. She knew that voice too well. The voice that had always assaulted her senses everytime they sparred. Commanding, demanding, and harshly telling her what to do on her moves. She knew she should have grown accustomed to his tone whenever they train, but she just cannot. Hence, the reason for using the word 'assault'. It's the same adamantine voice that had often times tried, in a futile attempt, to be gentler whenever she was again in her sulking state, seeking escape at her beloved garden. Somehow, despite the apathetic way he muttered his words, it had always seemed comforting to her ears, bringing relief to her choked heart, allowing her mind to drift away from the cloud of confusions that had so often, if not always, plagued her thoughts.

"Neji-kun," she regarded him. She felt a hint of sugar in her tongue whenever she was free to call him that way. That is, if they are alone together only. Other than those times, she would have to call him her nii-san. She had long ago dropped the honorific that manifested their blood relation but at times, her tongue would slipped whenever they're sparring which would then earn her a frown and a scowl from him. A harder blow would then follow and he would give a satisfied characteristic smirk on her fallen form.

"I'm sorry. Did I keep you waiting at the training ground?" she asked, tracing the fragile blossoming bud with a delicate finger.

"No. Got a feeling you were here so I checked first. Indeed, you are sulking again here."

She smiled, a light pink tinting her cheeks.

"Sooner, maybe a day or two, this brave little one will finally reveal her beauty to me." Hinata was referring to the plump flower bud that looked like anytime the green sepals would break by just a single careless poke with a finger. She doesn't know how its flower would look like. What would be its petal formation? Would it be elaborate like the rose or the simple iris? All she could be sure about was that its color would be bluish white. Much like the faint blue hue of her hair and the passionate white of her eyes.

"Whatever the outcome, I'm certain it would still be beautiful and… lovely all the same." Damn. He had never thought he had the tendency of being touchy. Even so, Neji felt like he needed to say something or she would think he wasn't paying attention.

Though he knew that Hinata doesn't really demand that much from him, he had always paid full attention to everything she does and every word she said. The same way he did to find how she had changed into someone most people never believed she would come to be.

And most of all, Hyuuga Neji had watched how she had grown from the cute three years old girl he had vowed to protect to the stuttering twelve years old girl he had almost killed out of blind rage. To the girl who had willingly forgiven him and had still been very kind when he finally regretted his actions. To the Hinata who had trustfully accepted his presence again, and who decided and strove to be stronger by his side. Hinata had grown beautiful. Unwittingly, he had started to admire her courage, her determination, and her disposition. He admired the way Hyuuga Hinata managed to become stronger without dragging along her kind and gentle heart as a sacrifice and not become what he and her father were made into, stonehearted bastards.

She was beautiful inside and out. He hadn't been aware when he had started acknowledging that truth. Though he knew he had already acknowledged that she was cute almost fifteen years ago, he can't help seeing her in a different light.

When did it started? he thought. It was when she, for the first time, looked directly into his eyes. Opalescent kind Hyuuga eyes met the same white but cold eyes of the prodigy. She broke a genuine smile then, not a shy one, unto him.

It all started when he walked her home one late afternoon when he happened to pass by her at the training grounds, exhausted and propped in a tree. Walking side by side in silence until they reached the walls of the Hyuuga manor. All the while, the Hyuuga male watched his companion, out in the corner of his eyes, wearily strode beside him.

He wasn't sure now what brought him to say what he had said that time when they finally reached the huge wooden gate of the compound. Perhaps, the burst of courage was just too much to prompt him that he had finally said what he had been longing to say.

"Hinata-sama, I'm sorry… for everything." He stole a glance to see her reaction.

With her characteristic blush creeping all over her face, she looked at him directly in the eye and smiled.

"I hope you'll learn to drop the 'sama', Neji-niisan. And it's nothing… thank you."

"Thank you? For what?", he asked, slightly confused.

She smiled tiredly to him before she lost consciousness. He caught her limp, exhausted body then, carrying it until he found one of the Hyuuga maids to which he reluctantly left her to their care.

"You honestly think so?" Hinata asked, avoiding his gaze, because she felt herself blushing again at his simple remark.

"Yes." His tone was flat but she knewhe was sincere.

Whenever he tried to say something softly, it always came out the wrong way. Nevertheless, he knew she understands. She always does.

For him, Hinata was so much like the flower she was trying to grow. Small and delicate but courageous and determined, surpassing adversities. Yet, unlike her flower, which was yet to reveal it's physical beauty, Hinata had always been cute. NO, he corrected himself. She had grown from that. She had grown beautiful and Hyuuga Neji knew all along that Hinata had always been beautiful

"Neji-kun? Something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

He snapped back from his reverie and watched how red her face was. Realizing instantly that he had been staring at her longer than propriety allows.

"Nothing." His tone was almost harsh.

"Oh." He watched her flinched a bit at his sudden changed of mood but sighed in relief knowing the he's all right.

"I was just thinking." Neji tried to make up.

"About?" She broke eye contact with him, looking away to hide the remaining splotches of blush in her face.

"Care for a walk?"

"Just as everytime?"

Aside from the enforced eye contact whenever they were sparring, she had gained confidence to meet his gaze on ordinary encounters. Oftentimes, hesitant but far better than never looking at him. He had tried hard never to show remnants of his rage and rejection on his eyes whenever she attempts to make eye contact, to avoid provoking unwanted feelings of insecurity on her side. Never again would he do that to her.

"Aa." He tried to smile but it turned out a smirk. A 'Neji's smirk'.

Hinata almost giggled at his attempt. She hopped beside him ready to go.

"Shouldn't we be sparring today?" she asked.

"Later when you feel apt to. With your sulking state, you will only end up beaten down."

"I believe so."

oooOooo

A/N: My second Neji/Hinata fic. I am sorry that this crap is way too wordy. I am sorry too for any typos. I know they are cousins but I have very nice reasons to pair them up. One is that they looked good together. Second is the romance of the love-hate thing between them or shall I say, love-hate-love thing, hehehe… What's romantic, most of all are the inner and outer conflicts and struggles of both characters of being a Hyuuga. Stories about troubled dark past, broken bonds and mending never fail to tap my interest and always do overwhelm the touchy, sensy side of me. The reason why I was also hooked by the Aoshi/Megumi pairing of RK.

I portrayed Hyuuga Hiashi a bit more human here. I don't really think of him the bastard that others portrayed him to be especially when I saw that part when he bowed to Neji in apology for everything that had happened in the past and the sacrifice of Neji's father. (Correct me if I had any mistake on this because my knowledge was limited only with the anime version.) A stern, iron-willed, stoic and cold figure was typical for any leaders of old, traditional group and clan. It is understandable that someone like Hiashi, groomed to be the traditional leader he should be, to expect that his daughters were like him; should be like him. When I saw that entire episode that was related to the Hyuugas, I realized then that it's not fair to make a devil out from Hiashi's character. Lastly, it's my opinion. I never meant to rebuke anyone who portrayed Hiashi's character otherwise.

Reviews… Suggestions, comments are well accepted and appreciated. Constructive criticisms would be very helpful, I may have missed out some typos that only other readers can find. Flames? Basically, they do not help. So please… just leave silently if one got nothing helpful to say.