[OPEN]

[heavenly_earth]

Who: Neji & OPEN
When: All week; April 6th- 12th
Where: Konoha Library
Notes: Ninja cram session go


It was difficult to not feel like an Academy Student all over again. Neji had done more reading and gone through more practical lessons in the past two months than he had in roughly five years. Though he wasn't entirely sure one particular set of short 'lessons' was really necessary. But with those lessons over, it was time to seriously begin pulling his new style together and rather than bother a dozen Jounin over concepts and details of varying jutsu, the library offered a vast source of information he just had to find.

Which basically amounted to a lot more reading.

Neji set to work and pulled a dozen books from their shelves, swiped another handful of scrolls, then commandeered half of one long table and approximately three chairs to begin his research in earnest. He only bothered forcing himself to sit upright for the first few hours before he inevitably slunk down and stretched his legs out over the chair in front of him, feet propped on the last. It wasn't as if anyone would come looking for him here of all places, and he was tucked behind a bookshelf to avoid being immediately spotted by the casual quick visitor.

Books detailing various intricate uses of chakra with primarily earth and water ninjutsu lay open to particularly informative pages, while a few scrolls on the specifics of select techniques were unraveled down the length of the table. Neji recoursed to them with varying frequency and idly flipped pages to newer, more pertinent information to peruse.

But the book in front of him had most of his current attention, held loosely in his lap with one hand while the other propped his head up, expression singularly dull while he read from carefully inked pages.

Comments

Nope. But no one should listen to Neji

[heavenly_earth]

Neji hummed a mild note in response to Gai's proclamation to indicate he was listening while he flipped through a few pages of the book he'd been reading, idly wondering about the focus of the next chapter-

And found himself tugged into a space a little too private for his comfort. Understandable for the low tone Gai took, but if they were going to talk, it shouldn't be there.. The words were a reminder, a warning, and reminded of the haunted looks he'd occasionally glimpse around Headquarters when he'd studied there, Neji understood what Gai was trying to say. He couldn't guarantee he wouldn't ever look like that, but he had the strength and conviction to follow through with this path, to endure.

A pale hand touched Gai's shoulder in a brief measure of reassurance before it fell away.

"I'll remember," he promised with a barely-there smile, then raised his voice to a relatively normal volume in an effort to allay any suspicion about their sudden low tones. Sounding a little haughty, but warm. "And stop acting like you won't be there to drag me back if necessary."

I shall remember that for the future...

[morningpeacock]

Gai appreciated that fleeting gesture of Neji's hand on his shoulder. It felt like a ghost touch even after the hand dropped away and reminded him that of all his students, Neji was often the first to understand and generally saw the deepest.

"I hardly think you can get rid of me, Neji," Gai teased merrily and with a broad grin. Deep down, he wasn't so sure. He had already dealt with his fair share of ANBU members and their PTSD, their darkness, their loss of humanity and recovery. He wasn't sure he could go through that again, least of all watching his student--his precious little Neji--fall down that path. He looked into Neij's pale, bright eyes and tried to fix in his mind this image, this Neji. The one yet untarnished by war, by assassinations and dark, clandestine deeds done in the name of Duty. How he wanted to preserve this Neji forever, safely here in Konoha's library where these books were still filled with his dreams and not yet his nightmares. But...no, he understood. Neji needed to do this.

So, as long as Gai was alive, he would never stop fighting for his students.

"When did you last eat? Come!" he slapped Neji's knee in a declarative gesture and stood. "I shall treat you to lunch!"

His life is beautiful suffering~

[heavenly_earth]

Neji's smile was a tepid thing in contrast to Gai's bright, blinding grin, but the pause of those dark, searching eyes to his told him of his mentor's lingering concern. He held the man's gaze with an opaque stare that most found discomforting on varying levels, but never seemed to affect Gai.

It was broken by a return to what passed for normal to those that knew Gai, but the others in the library were steadily making their irritation known through sharp, cutting glances. Glares that had fallen to him once they'd gone completely unnoticed by the actual offender. And lunch was as good of an excuse as any to get Gai out of the library, so Neji stood and rolled up the scrolls, stacking the books nearby. He'd leave them there and return later- or tomorrow if Gai managed to side-track him for the rest of the day. He did need to bring up that other part of his training after all..

"Sounds good, Gai-sensei," he said neutrally, tipping his head at the librarian behind the desk to silently let her know that yes, they were going and he'd be back later. Neji smoothed his hands down his front to briefly iron out any errant wrinkles, and moved for the entrance.

"Let's go, then."