Apparition Chapter Two

Simplement Jaloux (Simply Jealous)

"Hinata-chan, how much further is it?" Sasuke asked blankly.

"Just a mile more." She heaved. Tired of this constant travel. JUST a mile more? That's like saying just a few more years until the sun implodes… or explodes… Whichever comes first.

'Kusot… I'm getting tired…' Neji thought to himself. He looked at Sasuke. He was obviously tired, but didn't seem to show it. No one could tell when Sasuke was exhausted unless he was almost dead. Surprise, surprise. 'He stayed up all night. He may hurt himself.' He jumped closer to Sasuke, as their run was endless. Spitting out hair from his mouth, he was about to offer some pity to Sasuke.

"Sa—"

"Sasuke-kun? Daijobu desu ka?" Kakashi tailed the boy in concern. He nodded and gave a weak grin and nodded. "Hounto ni? Don't need me to carry you?"

"OI! Daijobu desu! Okay?" The boy writhed. He turned around and gave a snotty "Humph!" The Jounin stared for a second as Sasuke just continued on. He chuckled and continued moving. Neji stared for a moment and snarled under his breath without himself knowing it. He reached into his borrowed kunai pouch and fished out a kunai. Yes.

Without himself knowing it. The Byakugan came forth.

He was starting to get rather angry. Never like before.

He was close to take aim toward anything silver…

Kakashi whirled around as he leapt from tree to tree.

"…Hey… Neji-kun?"

"WHAT?" The now bloodthirsty Hyuuga griped angrily.

"If you're going to carry so much killer intent… try to keep it in. Otherwise you're opponent will know your every angry little move." The Jounin smiled. Neji was angry for a few more seconds, until Sasuke and Hinata turned looked at him in concern. He stared at Sasuke, who was slightly paranoid; figuring an unknown enemy was nearby. Hinata had taken a guess and blushed. Neji took a breath and put the Kunai back into the pouch. What just happened to him? He was just teasing Sasuke earlier on. He knew he respected Sasuke but…

"Ah! Niisan!" Hinata said quietly, barely enough for him to hear. He turned around to acknowledge her but didn't find her anywhere. He came to a halt and stood upon a tree.

"Hinata-sama?" He reactivated his Byakugan. He found her chakra circulatory system on the ground. (Technically he would) "Hinata-sama!" He dove down to her side.

"Tsukareta… Sumimasen… Neji-niisan…" She was dead tired, and breathless. Sasuke and Kakashi also came to a halt. Commonly after starting, it's hard to start again. Sasuke's legs gave away, and he began to fall. Neji turned around to stare in horror. Hinata had only been so far from the ground. Sasuke on the other hand… He got up and ran for his ever-loving life. Well… Sasuke's ever-loving life. Just as he was under Sasuke's falling location, he closed his eyes and braced for the impact. He waited for a good few seconds, arms spread out wide.

"Hey… Neji-kun, doshita?" Neji's eyes opened. Sasuke wasn't in his arms, with gratitude or anything. He looked further up to find Kakashi kneeling upon a mossy mahogany tree, with Sasuke his arms… BRIDAL STYLE!

Neji twitched… 'Keep calm… Calm down… deep breaths… don't lose it…To hell with this…'

He took a leap to the skies, ready to use his Hakke Rokujuuyonshou. "KONO!"

"Neji-niisan!" He whirled around to find Hinata, reaching helplessly for him. There he sensed it. Enemy shinobi were coming closer and closer to Hinata. He stared from the unconscious Sasuke in Kakashi's arms to the helpless Hinata about to get slaughtered by random Kumo Shinobi. He kicked himself down from the nearest tree, propelling him down as quickly as he could go. The Kumo Shinobi had already in sight. He used his hand to push himself towards them from the ground and reached his other hand toward the enemy. "HAKKE KUUSHOU!" A burst of chakra blew in their faces and shot them backward into the bushes. Deciding he couldn't take any chances, he followed them. Deciding to try his luck, his feet came down hard upon their abdomens. He could hear a groan of agony from the two.

"Stay away from Hinata-sama…" He said lamely, already knowing he hit a vital and most likely killed them. He turned out of the bushes and lightly took a breath. He trotted toward Hinata, who was on the ground and probably very sore. "Hinata-sama… Did they hurt you?" He kneeled before her and picked her up. Her face went a bright red.

"Aa… I'm okay, you-you don't need to carry me." She allowed a timid smile to grace her lips. She let herself down from his arms, in an attempt to stand up she crumbled to the dirt. He quickly caught her.

" 'Okay' my eye. Hinata-sama, you need to tell me when you are less than well, alright? Get on my back!" He ordered. She obviously had no choice but to obey. She felt a slight shame for not telling him.

"Aa… Sumimasen… Neji-niisan…Arigatou" She slightly sniffled. One of the people she admired most, she embarrassed herself in front of the one she had begun to admire most since Naruto's three-year disappearance. She buried her face in her cousin's slim, strong back.

Neji propped her up properly before jumping up to the branch Kakashi kneeled on. The two stared at each other for a moment. One with anger, the other with uneasiness. Take a guess which emotion belongs to which.

"Let's go…" Neji said commandingly, as if he were the demagogue. Kakashi sighed and followed beside Neji. The eyes that were hovering over Kakashi were evil and uncomfortable. He held Sasuke closer, slightly insecure. Neji growled under his breath. Kakashi looked at the much younger Jounin. About to ask what was wrong. He didn't get the chance. "Stay away from Sasuke!" Not what Kakashi was looking for, but he had suspicions already. His face was still well collected.

"And…?"

"And what?"

"And if I refuse?"

There was a slight silence as they continued their walk. They too were tired.

"Neji… lately you've been the instigation of tension since I got here. What's going on?" Kakashi came to a halt, awaiting an answer. The older Jounin was getting the incentive he was a burden to Neji's… little affair with Sasuke, what ever it may have been. However, he wasn't going to let him have one of course. "If it's about Sasuke I'm only carrying him…"

"Just STAY AWAY from him! Once he wakes up, keep your distance."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll kill you…" the abrupt note of killer intent was seen in Neji's Byakugan eye. Anyone could see it from a mile away. He had no fear of killing Kakashi. There was the possibility that he would lose, but it was obvious that he could care less. The Jounin sighed; he knew someone would eventually get mad, he just didn't expect so soon.

"Ah, Neji­-kun?"

"What?" He writhed.

"…"

"…"

"No." Kakashi said rather blankly, and continued walking on. Neji just stood there; agape that Kakashi didn't even feel anything from the threats. He gritted his teeth, knowing right now, while Sasuke was lying helpless in the shinobi's arms that he could do nothing. Absolutely nothing whatsoever. Hinata just remained silent, fear boiling up within her. Of course she'd never release it. She couldn't. It wasn't like her. She was the border of heaven and hell. "Oh, and Neji-kun?" The Jounin paused and turned around. "Don't try to seduce Sasuke-kun any further… nah? It's very frustrating for both him and I." Neji couldn't help but think that Kakashi was only there to taunt him. The silver-haired shinobi decided to keep on walking as he finished up. "We still need to work as a team to put this war to a stop… But would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What…" Neji said bitterly.

"Stay away from Sasuke. Once he wakes up, keep your distance." His words were turned against him.

"And if I don't, you'll kill me?"

The Jounin sighed heavily. A long pause was there.

"No… I was asking of a favor, not a demand. I'm not ruthless…"

"Grrrr! WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?" He hollered. Kakashi brought his index finger to his lips and shushed him. Directing his finger to the sleeping Sasuke. How he did this as his hands were tied, I don't know. "WHY YOU!"

"Neji-niisan… mou yamete… Onegai…" Hinata tugged on her cousin's shirt. He froze; realizing Hinata had tightly wrapped her legs around his waist. She was terrified. Was it to fall… or something else…? "Onegai… Yamete…(Technically, she's just begging him to stop is all.)" He turned and looked into her face. Or what he could see of it. "Kowai…" Tears streaked her face and her voice was harsh and sounded beaten. "I…just want…to see… my family… You're scaring me…" Her voice was pleading. He couldn't move; the guilt had petrified him.

"Hinata…Sama…" He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Gomen nasaii…" He leapt from the trees and landed on the ground. He began his slow, guilt-baring trek.

Kakashi stood up on the branch, watching Neji continue walking. He then looked to Sasuke.

"…I think he suspects us." He said stupidly. "I think we better stay on the trees. He may just kill me." With that, he took his steps to the next branch.

After an hour or two of walking, Kakashi's feet were nearly broken, Neji would've been crawling if Kakashi didn't kick him in the ass five minutes ago when he fell on his knees. Sasuke was walking now, but was leaning on Kakashi for support. Hinata was trying to get off Neji's back but he insisted she needed to recover.

"Oi…there it is. Sunagakure." Kakashi pointed idly at the distant sandy horizon, where the trees began to cut off their location. Neji looked up, and sighed in relief. What he'd give to hit the ground right now.

"Thank God…" Neji said under his breath. "I don't think I can go any further…"

"Sorry Neji, but we have to continue a little further. Deserts aren't that simple to cross." Kakashi said almost bitterly, a hint of cheerfulness in his tone.

"Why in heaven's name are you so happy? The situation isn't all what's cracked up to be." He said quite calmly, now only slightly annoyed by the Jounin. Rage already subsided.

"Well… I just saved a lot of money by switching to GEICO (Is that how you spell it?)!" The shinobi said stupidly. Neji looked in disbelief. Was Kakashi bullshitting him?

"…Beg your pardon?"

"Well, I'm only kidding. I'm not really that cheery. It's just that we actually got out in one piece I suppose." Neji could only roll his eyes. Never in his life had he been so irritated, even when he was fighting the Otonin "Let's go!" The man sang. Another moronic action Neji could only assume, yet he followed anyway.

Making it to the entrance of Sunagakure, Neji spat the sand-covered hair out of his now rather agitated mouth. That was his last ounce of energy, for he hit the sand, and yet again got more sand in there.

"Eh? Neji-kun! Da—Daijoubu?" Hinata forced herself off of her cousin and to his side.

"Aa… tired… nothing to worry about." He gave her a reassuring smile. "We're here… at last…" he closed his eyes slowly, and lost all energy he had left. Hinata was just about to cry. When she saw an arm wrap around her Jounin Cousin's waist and pull him up.

"Kakashi-san…" Hinata looked up at him almost dumbfoundedly.

"Sa… ikou." The silver-haired shinobi lamely swung Neji over his shoulders and started walking. It looked like he was picking up a pencil, but Sasuke on the other side could tell that Kakashi was mentally rolling on the floor in agony. He almost laughed at the thought.

Hinata slowly got up and brushed herself off, and followed her way with the three Jounin.

They didn't know what they would see on the other side of the gates.

End Chapter 2

Holy crap that was short. It took me so long to write this because I've become a procrastinator beyond reasoning. I'm gonna do my best to get the next chapter up. I can't make promises though. R & R or you get NO lunch!