[Closed] You see I struggle to sleep at night, but it's fine..

[mokutonno]

Who: Yamato, Kakashi (Obito and Neji)

When: February 1st onwards.

Where: Konohagakure (Yamato’s apartment and various)

What: The incident in Kiri involving the Hoshigaki holdings, stirs up old memories, worse dreams and Yamato struggles to cope.

 

Comments

[mokutonno]

His easy baring seemed to evaporate for a moment, chased away by the question, but it was forced back almost as quickly in an attempt to at least keep a little of his dignity. Of all the people close to him, the information regarding Kiri was the most mission critical to Neji and Yamato wouldn't endanger his team mate for such a transient concept as pride.

"Water under glass, prolonged submersion, enclosed spaces.. Rare and particular circumstances I know but.. you saw the reaction they prompted."

He met Neji's pale gaze with a distant one of his own, swallowing hard at the echo's of panic that gripped him just thinking about what he needed to say.

"At the very best I'll freeze up, a few moments at most but at the worst.. I could be a liability.."

The admission sunk a weight into his stomach but the young Jounin had a right to know; they efficiency and safety as a team was at stake and Yamato refused to gamble Neji's life in such a way.

[heavenly_earth]

It was a serious matter, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for bringing it up, but it was important information if they were going to be working together. Neji listened with a quiet consideration and tipped his head back, taking in Yamato's stiff posture at a glance.

"Understood." Almost against his will, he wondered about the origins of such trauma, but that was not his place to ask.

"I'll keep it in mind should we encounter such circumstances again, and we'll work around it." Which was to say he'd undertake those circumstances himself or cover and extract Yamato if it came to it.

And because this was also trust, it only seemed right that he finally admitted his own vulnerability in turn.

White eyes slowly tracked over the training field, Byakugan flaring to life for a long, silent moment to assure their isolation. It faded again on a breath, and for a moment, Neji felt Yamato's agitation as his own.

"The Byakugan has a blind spot.." he said slowly, testing the words. He'd only had this conversation once, a few years ago with his teammates.

"It's a single point that extends from the base of the first thoracic vertebrae. In close combat, there's no need for concern, but projectiles are the reason Kaiten was invented. It still takes a particular kind of fortune to throw anything at the exact right angle that I won't ever see it, but you should be aware all the same. It's a vulnerability even some Hyuuga don't know exist."

And that was a measure of just how closely guarded of a secret it was, because they were never told that they had a blind spot to start with. Within the walls of Hyuuga, such a thing didn't exist. Neji occasionally suspected it was more pride than caution, but it did keep the knowledge from falling into the hands of the careless.

[mokutonno]

He hadn't expected to be met in kind, weakness for weakness, but he accepted it with the seriousness it deserved.

"..Thank you, Neji." It was unclear if he meant it for the information or the easy acceptance of his own vulnerability, but the sincerity in his gaze and tone were evident for both.
He sank to sit in the tall grass tension easing away a little for the sharing and for the knowledge that their conversation would remain private.

"The same for you, of course. I'll take this knowledge to my grave, but while I have it.. You won't have a blind spot."
There was a determination behind his words, shakier than usual but still hanging in there.