Notes: I own nothing. There is language.
Confrontation
"Neji-niisan…"
Suddenly my cousin is leaning over my now-awake body.
"Neji-niisan, please wake up..."
"I'm up, Hinata-sama, what do you need?"
The girl leans back and begins to toy with her fingers. What time is it? What could she possibly want this late at night?
Her words are painfully quiet. "Nii-san, I…I don't know…I don't know what to say…or do, or think…or anything. I don't even know why I'm here, I just…" her hands rise up and cover her burning face, "I don't know what to do anymore…!" it takes every ounce of energy just to make out the last sentence.
God damn it.
She's breaking down.
"No," I get up and sit closer to her, "it's all right. Calm down." There's the extent of my comforting ability.
Her face still buried in her hands, says between sobs, "Y-You're just automatically saying that…"
What's your point?
"No," I say again, "You need to calm down. Just…" I've never had to deal with an emotionally unstable person before, what the hell do I know. "Calm down."
"Stop saying that." Her tone starts to become irritated.
Suddenly I am irritated as well. "Well, what do you want me to do? You come in here bawling your eyes out for reasons only God knows what, so what the hell do you want me to do?"
No answer. Instead she abruptly grabs my arm and grasps to it tightly. She buries her face against my sleeve. The tears begin to soak through the cloth. Perfect.
"I don't…know what to do anymore…"
"About what,"
"Everything," her breathing gradually slows down. "Life, the clan, my future. It all looks fine now…but eventually something's going to happen…"
"Like…"
She's still buried in my arm. "I'll never become good enough for father…I won't just grow up and take over the clan…something's going to happen."
"…Like what." I repeat myself.
"I don't know, something!" it's the first time she raises her voice, however muffled against my sleeve.
I wish for her to hurry up and get over her episode so I can get back to sleep. No, too late. I'm wide awake now.
"I think I'll die."
"You will not die."
"How do you know…" irritated again.
"Because," my patience is dwindling, "as your guardian, I will protect you."
Hinata pauses.
…
After a stiff moment, "You will protect me,"
"Yes."
"As my guardian."
"That's right." I sigh.
Then she grips me tighter. "Don't."
"Don't?"
"Yes."
"Don't protect you?"
"No, not as my guardian."
What the hell?
At least she's stopped crying.
"Protect me," she's grasping so tight my arm starts to fall asleep, "because you want to."
If it will calm her down and leave. "I will protect you because I want to."
Suddenly she lets go and glares up at me. "No, you're just saying that!"
Again, what is your point?
"Hinata-sama," doing my best to be patient, "you're not feeling well, and I can't help you with your 'problem.' Come on," I stand up, holding her hand, "I'll take you to the doctor."
"No," she hisses, "I'm right where I need to be. I don't need anyone…I don't have a problem. I just…need you."
…
By God, she's lost her mind.
She reaches up and touches my face. "Neji-niisan…"
My hand seizes hers and pushes away. "Hinata-sama, I'm serious. Just let me take you to the doctor, he'll help."
"No…he can't give me what I need."
"I am not what you need."
"No! No, no, no, no, no!" She buries her face in her hands and shakes her head about, completely frustrated that I'm not getting her. "You don't understand, Neji-niisan, no one understands…" then she goes back to the other subject, "I'm so scared, just so scared…"
I'm reluctant to sit down but I go ahead anyway, and at a loss for any other means of comfort, place an arm around her back.
"I'll sit here with you until you calm down." I reassure. Maybe that's all she wanted. Just agree with her and sit here until she falls asleep. Great plan.
"Neji-niisan…" her voice is just above a whisper. Again, "I need you."
Suddenly she's above me. And she's kissing me. There's a hand on my cheek, hair on my nose, and a pair of soft lips awkwardly pressed to mine.
"The hell—!"
My hands reach for her shoulders and push her away.
"Neji-niisan…"
…
Damn. Shit. Fuck.
This can't be happening. This cannot be happening. Not the fact that she threw herself on me but the fact that in that split second, I enjoyed it.
"Get out," is all I can think of hard enough to say, ignoring the buzzing in my head.
But she ignores me.
"Nii-san…" she tries to touch my hand, but I draw it to my side and stand up, facing her.
"I said leave," I hiss.
"But you're scared too!" she raises her voice. "Life and everything is just fine now, but something will also happen to you and you know it!"
"That's not the point, anymore, Hinata-sama." I hiss, gritting my teeth.
The woman continues to ignore me.
"Something," she articulates, "will happen."
"I'm getting damn sick of you going on about your something."
"And," she really has a talent of letting everything I say go out the other ear, "I'm scared. I think I'll die. You're scared too, and you might also die. What I'm saying is," once again she reaches up for my hand and holds it. I don't withdraw. "We sh-should…stick together…and protect each other…not because you're my guardian."
Still doesn't explain why she threw herself on me.
But at this point all I can feel is confusion, pity, and impatience, and I figure if I just go ahead and give her what she wants then she'll come back to sanity long enough to regret what she's doing here tonight.
"All right," I breathe, "All right. Fine. Your something will fucking happen, are you happy now? I'll protect you and all that good shit, why? Because I want to." I'm being far too out of character, but if Hinata gets to snap, then so do I.
She looks me dead in the eye.
"Prove it."
I can't help but laugh out loud at her seriousness. And the fact that I know exactly what she means.
"All right. Fine," I repeat, "Fine. But don't you dare hold me accountable once you've brought your head back down from the clouds, Hinata-sama."
Then it's my turn to throw myself and kiss her. I began smothering her with touches and breaths and lust while trying not to laugh stupidly at myself for what I was doing. But I continue to kiss her, marveling and wondering at just how good she tasted, ignoring everything wrong about it. And she's enjoying it as much as I am. Again, I have to hold back laughter, knowing that if she ever gains her sanity back she will remember this night and then the shit will truly hit the fan. But I continue. And I think.
I will protect you Hinata-sama, but not for the reasons you think.
You're so goddamn scared of what's going on outside but you've failed to realize that your mind has short circuited and you've become a danger to yourself. You're completely insane; the pleasure you're currently giving me is more than enough proof.
But even so, I will protect you.
Because suddenly…I want to.
End
Alternate Ending: You're so goddamn scared of what's going on outside but you've failed to realize that you're just a love machine and you won't work for nobody but me. You're just a love machine. A hugging kissing fiend.
