Here's chapter four guys. Please review for improvements, comments or criticism. Hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!
Neji awoke to a blinding white light glaring above him and a softness all around him. Was he dead? No. There was too much pain for that, he thought, as a stabbing sensation shot through his body from multiple sources. Where was he then? The Hyuga took a deep breath and was greeted by the burning scent harsh cleaning chemicals.
Hospital.
What had happened again? How did he get here? Neji didn't remember. As his vision adjusted to the white light, he realised he was in his own private ward and hooked up to and IV and blood transfusion. The windows were shut tight and the walls were painted a sickly yellow which made Neji feel nauseous.
"Ah, Hyuga-san, you're awake."
Neji turned his head to find that Sakura had entered his room wearing a white coat and carrying a clipboard.
"Haruno," he tried speaking but his voice felt thick and coarse.
"How are you feeling?" the pink haired kunoichi inquired walking over to the monitor he was hooked up to.
"Confused," he replied truthfully before pushing himself to sit up.
Once again, stinging pain rippled through his body and he gritted his teeth, but he managed to sit upright and he suddenly felt exhausted and dizzy.
"Don't overexert yourself," Sakura advised warily. "You had some pretty severe injuries. Lucky you got to the hospital in time. A few more minutes and you would've lost too much blood for us to be able to do anything."
Neji gingerly pressed the pads of his fingertips to his temples as if trying to remember something.
"What happened? How did I get here? How long have I been out?"
Sakura visibly frowned at his questions as she jotted down notes on her clipboard.
"Don't you remember?" she asked cautiously and Neji shook his head. "Well as for what happened you were sparring with Tenten and you got injured, to put it simply. Lee and Tenten carried you to the hospital and you've been out for almost three days now."
Sakura bent down and grabbed his wrist to which Neji jerked away and glared at her.
"Relax, I'm just checking your pulse," she assured him, taking his wrist again and staring at her watch, counting. "Your family have been quite worried. Your uncle and Hinata have been visiting every day."
"M-My uncle..?" Neji asked disoriented.
"Yes. Your teammates, however, seem to be the most concerned. They haven't left your side since the moment you got here. They wanted to be here when you first woke up" The medic ninja chuckled, releasing Neji's wrist. "Well, I persuaded them only a few moments ago to get something to eat. They haven't eaten in days. It's bad timing you woke up the minute I told them to leave. I'm sure Tenten will be here any minute now. She's been most upset."
Neji tried to wrap his head around what was going on. Tenten…upset? He closed his eyes and let the memories flood back to their last training session. He winced remembering the impact of each weapon embodying itself into his flesh. That's right. He was in here because of Tenten – injured and helpless.
"Are you in pain?" Sakura asked, scrutinising the prodigy's expression.
"No," he told her curtly before closing his eyes.
"Well I've given you some pain killers for the time being. Don't move around too much or your wounds will reopen and then you'll be stuck here even longer. If you need help, call one of the nurses," Sakura chimed before swiftly leaving the room.
Ignoring Sakura's warning, he peeled the sheets from his legs and gently swung them over the side of the bed. He winced slightly at the pain but it was tolerable. He placed his feet on the cold hardwood floor before pushing himself up off the bed ignoring the stabbing pain. Ever so slowly, he took a hesitant step forward – his legs felt weak and wobbly and his thigh stung from his previous wound but he managed to take a few more steps before reaching the window and lifting the pane.
He was greeted by the sweet scent of fresh air, easing some of his nausea as his thoughts drifted back to the brunette kunoichi who put him in the hospital in the first place.
Was he angry at her? Neji didn't know. He certainly wasn't happy to be wounded like this, it would take a few more days before he could resume training. Neji sighed – being wounded was a part of being a shinobi, but it didn't mean he had to like it.
"Neji?" a familiar voice spoke softly.
The Hyuga swerved around to find Tenten standing in the doorway of his room. Whatever Neji had planned on saying to her vanished as he stared at the brunette. Her hands were balled into tight fists, her eyes welled with unshed tears and her lower lip trembled. She had purplish-dark bags under her eyes and her hair was dishevelled. Neji could tell her guilt, shame and concern had been eating at her for days.
"Tenten…" was all he could manage.
The weapons mistress stood frozen as the doorway. Her mind was screaming at her to say something, anything, but her body was paralysed by fear and guilt. Did he hate her now? Was he disgusted and angry that she put him in this state? Tenten's mind began whirling with possibilities and then her brain went into overdrive.
She blurted out, "Neji, I'm so sorr –"
"Save it," Neji interrupted her. "It's fine, I know you didn't mean to."
Tenten bit her lip and gazed downward.
"How can you say that? You're in here because of me. I'm so sorry. I should've stopped attacking once you were injured. I didn't know what I was thinking."
"It wasn't intentional," Neji told her sternly. "I'll recover."
Tenten shifted uncomfortably in her spot before asking softly, "Do you hate me now?"
Neji's features arranged into surprise at her question. Hate her?
"Why," he began slowly trying to find words in his mind, "Would you even think that?"
"I just feel so guilty and ashamed for what I did to you," Tenten answered not looking at him. "You're hurt because of me which is so terrible on my part and it's going to take you a while to recovery before you can train again."
Neji stared at her in disbelief before slowly working his way over to the brunette who still refused to look at him.
"Tenten," he murmured softly, trying to force her to look at him.
And when she did, he bored his eyes into hers and spoke sincerely, "I could never hate you. I don't want you to ever think that again."
Tenten almost let a small gasp escape her lips at their proximity. He wasn't that much taller than she was, but his devastatingly beautiful face hovered only centimetres from hers. He gazed at her so intensely that Tenten blushed crimson and took a step back.
"Are you ok?" Neji asked noticing the red tinge in her cheeks
"I'm just glad you're ok," Tenten replied almost breathlessly, her heart spiralling. "Neji I –"
"NEJI-KUN!"
Both Tenten and Neji cringed at Lee and Guy's booming voices. The two green clad men entered the doorway with tears of joy in their eyes.
"Youthful Neji, we are so glad you're alive and well," Lee balled pushing past Tenten and grabbing Neji's hand.
"Of course he is, Lee," Guy told him. "The spirit of youth flows so strongly within him. Oh, how joyous!"
"Guys, can you please keep it down. This is a hospital after all," Tenten chided them with an annoyed frown.
Neji jerked his hand away from Lee and shot him a look as if to warn him from refraining of touching the Hyuga again or he will be Juuken'd by Neji's own fist.
His three teammates stayed for an hour, rambling away about the past three days he had been out in hospital before Sakura returned announcing visiting hours had closed. After the three of them left Neji crawled back into bed feeling physically and mentally drained and his entire body ached with pain. The moment his head hit the pillow the Hyuga prodigy fell fast asleep.
"Did he kiss you?"
"Ino! No, jeez!"
Tenten flushed furiously as she sat on the opposite couch, mug in hand, from the mischievous smiling blonde. After Tenten returned from the hospital, she had invited Ino and Hinata to join her for a nightcap. Unfortunately Sakura was working late hours at the hospital.
The blonde sighed in disappointment.
"Damn, I was really hoping there was some action going on."
"Ino, seriously, it's Neji we're talking about," Tenten felt her face growing hotter. "Besides, he only said that he didn't hate me. He didn't make some profound love confession."
Ino waved her off airily before taking a sip from her cup.
"Oh, please Tenten," she rolled her eyes. "I bet you anything that Hyuga is crazy for you. He's just too proud to admit it."
"N-Neji-nii-san does have h-his own w-way of expressing his f-feelings," the shy heiress added softly.
Tenten made a face and resisted to cover her ears like a stubborn child.
"Ugh, can you guys stop saying things like that?"
"Why?" Ino inquired.
"Cause it's just going to hurt more when I find out you're wrong."
Ino and Hinata turned to each other with saddened expressions.
"I-If it helps, Neji does t-talk highly about y-you around the Hyuga Manor," Hinata piped up, watching Tenten intently.
"He does?"
The shy girl nodded.
"Yes, you've come up d-during conversations sometimes with F-Father."
Tenten perked up, daring to believe what she was hearing. Could it be true? Did the great Hyuga Neji really acknowledge her more than just some training tool?
"He probably just says that so it doesn't look like he comes from a crap team," Tenten said glumly staring down at the contents within her mug.
"Aww, come on Tenten!" Ino exclaimed. "This is a big positive. You know that's not the reason why –you're just too scared to hope."
Tenten flinched but didn't reply. The blonde haired girl gasped and clapped her hands together as if she just remembered something exciting.
"I've got it!" she beamed, her blue eyes shining with excitement. "Ask Neji to go to the festival with you!"
Tenten almost spat out her tea.
"What? No!" the brunette cried. "He'll say no anyway so what's the point?"
"I-It's worth a t-try," Hinata chimed with a hopeful smile.
Ino shook her head impatiently, holding up her hands dramatically.
"Hear me out," she instructed. "You ask Neji to the festival and if he says yes then there's a definite possibility that he at least likes you. I mean, as you said, this is Neji Hyuga – he wouldn't just go out with anyone. However, if he says no, I'll set you up with one someone else in the attempt to make the Hyuga jealous! It's a sure fire way to make sure you win his heart even though I believe it's already yours."
Tenten just stared at Ino like she had just said 'puppies' and 'fluffy kittens'.
"Ino, that is the worst idea I've ever heard," she accused.
"You don't know a good idea when you've heard one," Ino huffed. "Tennie, we're just going to try to help Neji realise his true feelings for you is all. He's a proud, independent, stubborn guy. Guys like that need a little shove once in a while."
"Guys, it's not going to work," Tenten attempt to reason.
"Y-You don't know u-until you've tried," Hinata said wisely and the weapons mistress just stared at her.
"You're seriously not condoning this, are you?" Tenten asked the Hyuga heiress who blushed brightly and fell silent.
"Come on, Tenten," Ino prodded. "You don't even have to do the first part of asking him to the festival. We'll just skip to the jealousy plan which is what it's all about! What do you have to lose?"
Tenten sighed in annoyance. She had plenty to lose. Her pride and dignity for one. She liked to think she was higher than that to go on a date with someone just to make another person jealous. But there was something awfully tempting about the idea. It was a real opportunity to see if Neji did care for her more than just as teammates and comrades. On the other hand, if the plan doesn't work out the way it's supposed to because there were no feeling there to begin with, Tenten would be left with the tormenting pain of rejection and hopelessness. It was a risky option to take and Tenten was going to hell for it.
A/N – Yayy, chapter four is over! Thanks everyone for reviewing, keep it up! Please fav and follow. I'll be back soon with chapter five!
