round one — the one where neji finds himself with an opportunity for a rematch against naruto
What originally started as a silly tumblr text post here featuring personal headcanons with regards to potential rematches between certain Naruto characters based on their data book information became fully-fledged mini-fics, when I realized that some of those match-ups actually had a lot of potential in terms of story and character development and the like. That being said, updates to this collection will be incredibly sporadic, at best, and probably won't be terribly long or eventful, as they'll be used as a way to explore character arcs and development and certain stylistic elements to writing instead.
Also! Feel free to let me know if there's a particular match you'd be interested in seeing, and i'll definitely consider exploring it in the future!
11122016 | 155
—
Neji loses again.
He's smiling all the same, though, despite the bruises and fatigue and the thin trickle of blood that runs down the side of his face, when Naruto offers him a hand, accepting it with pride and grace, and what might just be a hint of vague approval. It is such a far cry from the jaded little boy he'd met all those years ago — the one who had clipped his own wings and caged himself in hate and despair, and consigned to himself to such a sad and lonely fate — that Naruto can't help but smile.
(Things have changed a lot, he thinks, since Neji had first made the choice to fly.)
"I trust you to defend hinata-sama with your life," Neji says quietly, then, laying a pale, calloused hand on Naruto's shoulder for the briefest of moments before turning away. "You have my blessing, and my thanks — congratulations."
