Chapter Text
HYUGA NEJI VS. HYUGA HINATA
The arena fell silent, echos fading down the halls. A quiet gasp escaped Hinata’s lips. Fear pounded in her chest. Mouth suddenly dry. Arms shaking as she defaulted to her defensive stance with one finger to her mouth.
Kurenai grabbed her gently by the shoulders, “Hinata. You’ve done a remarkable job in the exams. I’m very proud of you. There’s no shame in pulling out of this match, but…” she paused, reflecting on all the progress they made together, “I think you owe it to yourself to at least try. You are smarter and stronger than you think. You are capable of hard things. You can do this.”
With renewed confidence, Hinata nodded resolutely and made her way to the arena floor. Meanwhile on the other end of the viewing area Gai was doing all he could to keep his own anxiety from bubbling over. Neji had a look in his eye that he’d never seen before. Something hopeful, something joyful, something…opportunistic.
“Neji,” he said with a knowing look, “You remember what we talked about?”
“Of course, Sensei.”
“Go easy on her.”
“Right. We wouldn’t want to hurt the heiress now, would we?” He bit back.
“You already know you can beat her, don’t humiliate her too.”
“If she’s smart, she’ll concede the match.”
“If you’re smart, you’ll concede the match.”
Neji whipped his head around, disturbed that Gai would suggest such a thing, “Why the Hell would I do that?”
“You think Hiashi is going to be alright with a branch member publicly defeating the main family’s heiress in a match?”
Neji turned back with an angry glare, unwilling to respond.
“I’m not saying you have too, but just keep it in mind. Good luck.”
Neji hopped over the railing and down into the center of the arena. Hinata met him in the middle with the proctor. Their energies couldn’t have been more unbalanced. Hinata was a nervous, shivering wreck, desperately trying to masquerade as a brave soldier. Neji stared back at her cooly, practically mocking her with his relaxed nature. He just stared back, clearly deep in thought. At one point he looked back at his sensei but said nothing.
Finally the proctor let them start, but neither would move.
“I never thought we would ever see this day.”
“Nor I, Nii-san.”
Neji’s jaw tightened. Hinata winced. He hated when she called him that. She wanted to apologize. To say it was a force of habit. He had no issues when they were kids and it just comes naturally now. But she knew saying anything at all would be wrong. Instead she studied him. Neji looked tired, but somehow, relatively unharmed by the forest. He’s probably exhausted, which means his moves will be clumsier. She’ll have to be quick and precise with her movement.
“Lady Hinata,” he said, a mean stare darkening in his eyes, “You weren’t meant to be a kunoichi. You lack confidence. You’re too gentle. You’re weak. You had no interest in the Chunin Exams, admit it.”
“No! That’s not true–”
“But Kiba and Shino wanted to participate, and you couldn’t bear to let them down. And every Hyuga heir is a ninja, so you have to be too, right? I bet you would love to run away from this. But you can’t run from Fate, Hinata-sama. Just like it is your fate to be the heiress of the Hyuga clan, and it is my fate to be exiled to a lesser branch.”
Hinata stood frozen in place, too shocked to respond. She could hear Naruto getting antsy up in the stands. Remembering that her crush was watching her just made this fight ten times more frightening.
Neji’s menacing glare intensified. “I can tell by the way you’re holding yourself: Arms blocking your body, finger hovering over your lips, you’re scared. The way you briefly looked to the top left corner of the room tells me you’ve already played out the match in your head and realized you lose in every scenario.”
Naruto erupted from the stands, yelling words of encouragement at Hinata, recharging her confidence. Taking in a long, steady breath, she channeled her chakra and activated her byakugan. “Defend yourself, Niisan .”
Neji stared at her, shocked, then snarled at Naruto. He ruined everything. Hinata was just about to forfeit. He caught Gai’s eye while he was turned. His sensei gave him a knowing look, “ Go easy .”
He turned back to Hinata, “Fine then. Byakugan!”
Hinata made the first move aiming for Neji’s stomach, but he side-stepped her easily and countered with a jab to her projecting arm and lunging leg. Hinata stumbled but stayed up. He went on offensive, attacking her chakra points all along her arms before finishing the round with a jab to the chest.
Hinata coughed, blood trickling down her chin. Typically that was her sign to tap out. They could both hear murmurs from the crowd. Neji rolled up her sleeves to show her the damage, then shoved her back with a chakra packed punch.
“Lady Hinata,” Neji said, stepping back into his relaxed stance, “This match is destined to be won by me. No one defies fate and wins.”
“I-I’m not d-done.”
Neji gritted his teether, angrier than ever, “What don’t you understand? You’ve already lost. Forfeit this match. People can’t change. You weren’t meant to win. Don’t suffer anymore. Forfeit!”
Again, they were interrupted by rally cries from Naruto, insisting that Hinata get up and fight. They both looked back at him, Neji with disgust, Hinata with admiration. When they turned back to each other, Neji could tell there was a new, defiant glint in her eyes. One that commanded her up into a slouched standing position.
“No Neji, it’s you who are suffering. Much more than I am. I can see it.”
Neji’s eyes darkened. The proctor was ready to intervene at a moment's notice, along with every Leaf jonin in the arena. A dead Hyuga heiress would be bad. A dead Hyuga heiress at the hands of a Branch member would be catastrophic.
He lunged towards her.
The room burst into chaos.
Every jonin pounced instinctively, clawing with every muscle to hold the boy back, but Neji was frozen in place, rigid as a stick. Hinata’s hands came up in a defensive strike, eyes blazing with confidence as she focused her chakra. A moment later Neji collapsed into the harsh embrace of the teachers with a nauseating scream.
“MY HEAD! MY HEAD!! S-STOP IT! P-PLEASE! STOP!! ” He writhed in their grip, desperately tried to pull free.
“NEJI!” Gai yelled, desperate to assuage the boy.
“What’s happening?!” cried Kakashi.
“It's his seal!” Gai cried, ripping the forehead protector and bandages from Neji’s head. An acid green seal emitted a sickly warm glow that drove Neji to tears.
“Hinata stop!” Kurenai begged, running over to physically pry her hands apart.
Hinata broke from her trance and took in the scene in front of her, disgusted with her actions.
As soon as the seal broke, Neji’s screams stopped, leaving the arena in eerie echoes. With the last bit of his energy, Neji gave his cousin a broken look of despair, then suddenly collapsed into a seizing fit.
“NEJI!” Gai called out. He instinctively took his student’s weight away from the other jonin helping to keep him upright and gently lowered his shaking body to the ground. “Medic!” He cried at the sight of blood leaking from Neji’s right ear.
Kurenai pulled Hinata close. The poor thing was shaking like a leaf.
“K-k-kurenai-sensei! I–I-I didn’t mean too–I didn’t even realize–”
“Shh, shh, it’s okay, Hinata. Are you alright? Let’s have the medic check you out as well.”
“Is Neji-niisan going to be okay?”
Kurenai hesitated, leaving just enough empty space for the sound of vomit hitting cement to fill the silence. “The medics will take care of him.”
Just then a pair of EMTs rushed through the doors to Neji’s side where Gai was still muttering small words of encouragement. They spoke in hush tones as they assessed the boy. Kakashi took position over Gai, helping to block the poor kid’s face from the rest of the arena’s prying eyes.
“Hi Son, can you tell me your name?” asked a medic.
“Nnnhmm…” Neji gurgled, choking on more vomit. They tilted him on his side, clearing his airway.
“No, Neji, we need you to stay awake,” reasoned the second medic, coaxing the boy’s eyelids to lift.
“Come on Neji. Eyes open kid, that’s an order,” Gai whispered, his strong grip holding on to his student’s hand as he was lifted onto a gurney.
Neji’s eyes drifted to the ceiling, too clouded and too overstimulated to register the pitying looks dangling down from the viewing floor as he was wheeled out of the arena.
Everyone had gone quiet again. Gai followed the medics. Kakashi returned to his team. Kurenai was just steps from Hinata, ready to whisk her away to privacy. Everyone else was staring at her, but not with the gentle, sorry looks Neji received on his exit. These were disturbed, anxious stares. They were scared. Of her . She wanted to run. Instead she let Kurenai-sensei lead her out of the arena and into a quiet room.