Author's Notes: All characters belong to Misashi Kishimoto. Set in alternate world (to some degree).

The household was taken by complete silence, a tension strangling the already morbid atmosphere that circulated between its members. In their rows of appointed seats the men and women looked along one another to their clan leader, Lord Hiashi, who's complexion had somewhat deteriorated. His brow had risen in shock, a look unfamiliar and out of place against his face, so much that it sparked fear amongst the rest of the clan without even a word. Let alone the distance his eyes beheld his physical frame had also diminished; he had slouched, his shoulders slumped as the sense of grief poured through his veins. Though nothing was said all knew of the clan's fate. His new demeanour had never before been witnessed, this general look of weakness, which roused fear but also curiosity from his spectators who eagerly waited to be addressed by the sullen Lord. It wasn't too long that he was able to compose himself, however, the fluctuation of his voice alerted his people to a precarious inner turmoil.

"The beast has chosen the Hyuga family." He began with more indignation, the connotations strung in his words brought the room to a phase of quiet, lulled murmuring. The beast which he spoke of resided outside of the village and wore a human face, but made frequent demands for the pleasure of devouring mortal flesh; in brief, the eldest child of the selected family was to be offered as a method of appeasement. Diabolical in practice the village had always been under the ideology that 'one life does not take precedence over hundreds more', thus the concept of human sacrifice was met with little retaliation, unless it be from the selected family who would later be subdued by their own internal efforts. The question always remained however of who would be next, there was no expected pattern of victims; Hiashi had his own perceptions along with the other clan leaders but were always dismissed as soon as the creature made its demands.

Now much of the noise had dissipated Hiashi turn his solemn gaze to his eldest daughter, Hinata. His 'little girl'. Every other pair of placid eyes fell upon her small stature, filled with sympathy yet secretly tinted with infernal pride; the monster had a refined palate and the Hyuga exalted themselves above all others. This development was not wholly mournful but fuelled their ego. Hinata herself did not share their thoughts and was instead focused upon her own impending mortality, believing she was meant to accomplish more in her life. She sat with quiet resistance as it is fair to say she contemplated the notion of pleading with Naruto, hoping he of all people could save her from this predicament. It would be an unfair act to save herself when so many before her had met their fate with blind duty yet she had always envisioned herself at Naruto's side once he had claimed the mantle of Hokage. Hence her sorrow was would have been inconceivable.

The meeting then concluded with Hiashi ushering his correspondents from the hall with grim remorse and the occasional acceptance of sympathetic gestures that unfolded thereafter between him and a select few. However, only one Hyuga remained. He neither moved from his seat nor spoke once Lord Hiashi has resumed his place at the far end of the room, sitting upon his knees with a low grumble. Between the two, and the silence that consumed them, a secret understanding transpired. It was noticeable in the lavender colouration of their irises which grew pale with the unvoiced prospect, in their mouths which grew taunt with stiffening jaws and the subtle exhales they both released. A sigh seeped from the Lord's pursed lips as if it were his soul, in itself rich with despair and gratitude. His hand steadily reached to his throbbing temples, seemingly it helped to lessen the impact of his thoughts but nonetheless they remained a source of discomfort.

"Neji," He began, his eyes closed to avoid the solemn expression the blemished his nephew's usual obstinate countenance. In spite of that, give the circumstances, the emotions the youth imparted were non-existent; he held no opinion, evident of his silence, and relinquished little verification of fear or any anger he may have felt in regards to his body language which was painfully still unlike his cousin who, moments before, had quaked at the very utterance of her name as she came to accept the destiny that had befallen her. Being the scapegoat to his cousin did not irk him in the slightest as he contemplated the scenario in the form of a reverie despite being awake.

Feeling nothing more was to be gained the elder rose from his position and made to exit the audience chamber, pressing a hand to Neji's rigid shoulder as he passed him, a means of condolence and of gaining some form of forgiveness for his future actions. Even if Neji did not respond to the hand at his shoulder in either words or any physical expression Hiashi felt that his nephew did in fact understand and soon left the boy to think and express himself in private.

Upon revisiting the image of sympathetic glances that he had accumulated earlier Hiashi was not able to erase the feeling that his clan had foresaw the choice he would undoubtedly make. This roused a new sense of guilt yet it could not subdue the aspect of his personality that favoured the stability and continuation of his clan over his direct family, after all, one life does not take precedence over hundreds more. Thus was his argument; Hinata had reclaimed her position as the family's forthcoming heir, her death resulting in confusion and chaos was not an improbable future.

Even so, Hiashi had failed to realise the chamber had been deserted completely, even by Neji, once he had vacated and was under the impression that the youth would need time to council himself, therefore he was surprised to see the latter outside roaming the Hyuga garden. Since Hinata was not present with him the Lord deduced that she had not been informed of the resolution the two men had established; surely the sparing of her life would relieve her of the burden placed on her frail heart. Seeing his uncle crossing the veranda towards Hinata's residence proved of no interest for the side-branch member. Instead he insisted on arranging his thoughts before he would retire to the bath house. He was aware of the outlines to the situation and knew that it must be kept in complete confidence; alas he still longed to bid his companions Lee and Tenten farewell. No doubt his childhood friends would grieve his departure and much of his feelings would be returned. A solemn laugh that sounded no more than a breath passed his lips as he considered the fact that the two would indubitably inquire and figure his disappearance. Both understood the workings of his people and probably, upon hearing that the Hyuga had been selected, come to the conclusion that Neji would take his cousin's place. Whilst the thought was still at hand the two shinobi presented themselves, a sobriety clouding their faces but otherwise in a catatonic state of melancholy. Lee was the first to approach his weary friend, his large eyes filled with a pain Neji himself could not swallow within himself, so much that his façade failed him for an instant. Thankfully only Tenten had detected the bitterness that flickered behind the white orbs of his eyes to which she said nothing. Instead she embraced him once the green cladded shinobi had surrendered him. She pressed her ear deep into his warm chest, listening intently to the prominent beating of his heart. Unexpectedly his arms had found their way around her shoulders as he pulled her further into himself, an affection he had never shown before. Ultimately this change in character warned Lee to Neji's subconscious fears to which he responded softly with a parting smile, knowing the right words would elude him; even if he were to find them they would only leave his throat chocked and inaudible.

Seeing the three one could assume that Neji held his female companion with higher respect and though not completely incorrect in reality he felt a greater pain towards leaving Lee who he had treated particularly ill throughout their time as friends. Wishing to apologise would prove very little due to the minimal time they had left, a simple smile in return would have to suffice. The Hyuga's tone was so weighed with emotion that it conveyed all of his thoughts, laying them out as if they were simply words in a book; Tenten remained motionless, a single tear springing from her hazel eye which Neji watched slip down her reddened cheeks. It pained him as he saw Lee visibly break, crumpling to the floor in exasperated defeat, no longer being able to retain his fortified semblance, such was the strength of their friendship. His gaze was to the grass beneath his feet, but he raised his eyes one last time to watch Neji's back as he turned away, an image that had occurred many times to accompany his mantra but now he could never attain his dream of defeating his friend in combat to prove his worth, to prove himself in Neji Hyuga's eyes, the 'genius' of Konoha. Like time had slowed, almost to a stop, the distance between the three grew with only the wind to whisper amongst them.

Later that night Neji found himself in Hinata's quarter. She had sat behind at the edge of her bed and in a habitual manner set to combing her cousin's dark flowing hair, watching as it tumbled past his hips as she let it fall through her slender fingers and if he were to be honest, allowing her to perform the said task was somewhat therapeutic as it enabled them both to relax. She was gentle in her charge, worried that she should hurt him as he slipped into silent repose. His eyes were heavy with sleep, his mind also wavering so he set to examine her room to entertain himself; two photographs in wooden frames, one of her family, the other dedicated to her team mates, rested on top of a small pale dressing table beside which was an adequate writing desk beneath a large open window and oak wardrobe. There was very little besides what he had encountered that signified that a young woman resided in the small allotment, save for the flowers at the casement. Though this seemed rather generic to Neji as he often allotted space for such potted plants in his own room, more often than not white lilies because of their delicate fragrance. Nonetheless, the pink hue that splashed the walls from the petit lamp at her side seemed welcoming enough, apart from the large shadows it caused to stretch across the walls.

It had somehow escaped his notice that Hinata was no longer muttering to herself or that she had ceased to be idly brushing his hair, possibly because he found himself steadily falling asleep, so much so that he was leaning awkwardly to his left. Instead she was quietly eyeing him and his broad shoulders that were visible just past the lengths of his hair. She noted his deliberate breath, as if every so often he had forgotten to breathe, and despite their shallow nature there was something in them that disturbed her conscious; that lack of exhalation on his part brought a sobriety to her countenance as she imagined he was saving every breath for it may as well be his last. If he had come to accept that possibility he showed little sign of even considering it, like it never crossed his mind. Hinata wanted him to rebuke her, deride her for being weak as he always had done, and not give her hushed signs of approval for this conduct. Was he not as eager as she to live? Surely his philosophy had not deserted him entirely, his idea of a predetermined destiny which she may rouse, despite the idea he had no intention of questioning it. She made a sound in her throat to gain his attention, he turned to face her, positioning himself on his knees as he addressed her only to find a half-hearted smile pulled thinly across her pink lips that quivered with the effort to supress some form of a cry. And then she slapped him. The strike was sudden and without warning for he believed he had in no way provoked her. Heedless to say it left a throbbing mark upon his white cheek which had turned a swollen, pinkish hue and stung like a thousand needles had been injected into his skin. Effectively the blow had caused his face to turn away from her, though her gaze remained upon her as he looked through the corner of his eye. She mouthed the word 'why', expecting a reply, felling the painful aftermath at her palm ebbing away along with her frustration. Nothing came from Neji who merely averted his gaze to a vacant wall to relay his thoughts which had been somewhat frantic and tie a length of string about his hair.

"Why!?" Hinata finally snapped through a flurry of tears, attempting to sound assertive, the strain against her fragile throat only intensified her wavering tone and denounced all anger she felt. Neji was not known for his kindness but still he retreated into himself, refusing to say anything to his pitiful relative. The river of tears that fell from her lavender eyes only intensified as she asked him again. She never asked to be saved, especially by him, who had always believed it was his sole purpose in life to protect her. Hinata didn't want to do that to him, to use him as a tool to extend her own life. But she could never express her true feelings of affection to him, her 'brother'. It would be a waste of time to push Neji further; instead she ordered him from her room and curtly shut the door at his back. Listening to his footsteps she waited for the click of his door as he locked it before sliding down her own door, resting her face into her knees as she hugged herself. Now feeling the cold isolation that followed even the tenderness of her better memories was slowly mitigated as she wept.

In comparison to Hinata's room, Neji's inhibited the more mundane qualities of aesthetic taste, harbouring only a small wood framed bed and writing desk. But it was how he liked it, the sparseness of his dorm offered comfortable breathing space and the basic feeling of openness. He didn't bother to flick the light on, letting the moon be his source of illumination. The floor boards creaked under his weight as he slipped towards his desk, eyeing the reams of paper and occasional trinkets that that lay there inconspicuously, their surfaces alight like a winking eye. With his hand he gently pushed them to the edge of the desk, making a clear space at its heart so that he may rest his head upon its cold surface as he sat. Surprisingly the wood surface was warm against his cheek though not at all comfortable; his neck quickly began to ache due to the awkward position in which he had positioned himself, yet he did not bother to move or realign his posture and instead let his gaze follow the beams of silver that passed through his window. Only the quiet murmur of his own breath was audible throughout the chamber, even the outside world had fallen into deep sleep, invoking the feeling that he was the only being left awake. Neji would never admit that it was times like these where he would feel the loneliest, having only his thoughts to occupy himself, with no one for him to converse with. Sleep was not something he found easily on most nights and he feared that tonight may fare too difficult to do so due to the events that had transpired.

So in an attempt to be productive, in the sense that he would distract himself, he took a pen and set to writing down his thoughts in an insignificant looking ledger which would deceive those who wished to peer at its contents. Regardless of what he had written it would prove of little interest to him later as he never intended to read back on his idle scribbles. Maybe Hinata would stumble across it and inquire his transcribed thoughts, or like so many others ignore it entirely. Neji didn't care either way; by conveying his judgements to paper the possibility that they would be found was not out of the question, thus for him to keep them secret he should never have recorded them in the first place. He felt this towards those who also kept a diary, deriding their foolishness; why become incensed if someone were to read it when human curiosity means that privacy is no longer a contributing factor, hence why he left his journal atop his desk with no lock or means to keep it disclosed. Oddly enough he found himself at the book's final page, never realising how much he had written over the years. To a degree the tattered pages bejewelled with faded calligraphy fascinated him as he fanned the sheets, causing him to wonder what his junior-self had written. Succumbing to the book's charm he leafed through to no specific page, just the start of an entry and began to revisit the memory it encapsulated.

Entry 49, Wed

Trained with Lady Hinata, her skills are improving. I myself am beginning to reconsider her growth considerably as before I did not think it were possible. Not that I am envious, I know myself that I am still stronger in stark comparison, but I am proud, of both her and I, for I have trained her and like a diligent student she has taken heed of my words, exercising her body and mind. Though I do often feel anxious; later today she had collapsed part way and has now lost sight. Maybe I have pushed her too hard, but her determination is without question, so I am not wholly to blame. I am not avoiding my responsibility…

He closed the journal, not wishing to continue with the extract though the memory portrayed did occur to him, that night when Lady Hinata had been in her room as well as him where she did not know of his presence and such. The reverie itself was of no particular interest as it only revealed his kinder nature, one which he seldom divulged.

Fatigue soon made its presence know, weighing heavily upon Neji's lids as a soft yawn was invoked from his lips. He then removed the tie from his hair, letting it fall freely by his sides as he teetered to his bed, yearning for the soft warmth that would encapsulate him under the quilt. His body fell to the mattress with a muffled thud before he rolled to his side, placing an arm beneath his head. Within seconds he could feel the efforts of the day subduing every muscle of his physique until it was too much to keep his eyes from closing. Obscurity came wonderfully slow, distorting his mind to a point where reality merged with his fantasies, soothing his soul as he slipped deeper into the realm of sleep. By this time Hiashi had peered around the door to inspect his nephew who was now peacefully sleeping with his face buried into his feather filled pillow, a delicate smile drawing at the corner of his mouth. This he felt was all he could do for the boy; he crossed the room to sit by his kin and brushed the hair from his face, noting how much Neji resembled his father, Hiashi's late brother.

"It feels as if it were only yesterday," he mused, whispering to himself as he thought back to the days when his brother were still alive and how happy Neji had been as a child. The creaking and light footfalls of someone beyond the door caused for the Lord to redirect his attention until it came upon Hinata, stood in her night gown. She hesitated by the entrance, looking in as if she were a stranger in her own home with her eyes cast in shadows. With a slight indication of his head she stepped in gingerly before sitting by her father just to the side of Neji's legs that had now curled to his chest. She too looked at her cousin only to be reminded of their youth together, revolted by the fact that he were being taken away by some external force. Hinata wanted to question her father but did not want to disturb Neji who she realised had resumed a steady state of inhalation, his relaxed breath making her, to some degree lethargic as well. Outside the quiet room the world seemed so far away, that and all its troubles; Hinata wanted nothing more than to stay inside this humble room and bask in all its tenderness, therefore she shifted herself and lay beside her cousin, feeling his hot breath against her face as she watched his lashes flutter slightly when he should rise from the nothingness where he currently resided. She silently prayed for his dreams to be of a blissful nature and kissed his bandaged forehead, letting her own gaze blacken as she too fell into slumber, submitting to the warmth that cascaded about her. There was nothing left that Hiashi deemed should be done so he departed, leaving the door slightly ajar so that the light of the hall may illuminate his daughter's face. The two huddled bodied seemed small in comparison, as a result Hiashi was almost convinced that he had gone back in time. Yet before abandoning the room a glint of silver moonlight caught his eyes, its radiance was undeniable, however it was merely a reflection; the buckle of a small ledger that rested upon his nephews desk, its pages exposed to a curious eye. He crept over cautiously and took the notebook within his hands, scanning the fine penmanship. A narrative of all his kin had experienced; some entries made him chuckle, others the weight of isolation, until one particular entry came before him; written in a deep red which was captivating as it was. It brought a smile to his aged face and then he placed it back in its original position, leaving the two, who would always remain as children, to rest.