Note from the Author: I decided that replying to each reviewer personally is a huge hassle. So I decided to just do the popular thing, and reply to everyone in my author's notes!

Kichou: I assure you, there will be ass-kicking.

Rcr: I haven't decided which sleazy Naruto bad guy raped Hinata. When I do, I'll be sure to let you know. And I'm glad you think Neji is sweet. I think he's sweet too. I want to hug him, because he just radiates sweetness.

Lilina: I seriously considered having Naruto be the one that raped Hinata. But as much as I think he's an asshole – and as much as I made him out to be one in this story – I don't think he's really that villainous.

I wanted everyone to kind of see the relationship the two were developing. Besides that, it gushes fluff.

I really want to know if it could be worth anything at all.

Neji always carried a pocket knife. Technically, he wasn't supposed to have it at school, but he had it anyway.

It was his lunch hour, and he sat outside the school, poking the tip of the knife across his fingers. He felt a little hollow. Hinata had avoided him deliberately all day, and his heart just ached when it wasn't completely numb. He preferred to concentrate on the physical pain the knife offered, and had just decided pricking himself wasn't good enough and was pressing the blade against his arm when fingers closed over his, took the knife away.

Hinata sat down beside him, leaning back against the wall, closing the knife. "It doesn't help." She said quietly, pocketing it.

He made a mental note that she put it in her right front pocket. "How do you know?"

She pushed her left sleeve up, revealing a crisscross of white and pink scars. "Used to do it a lot." She whispered. "It made me feel like I could do something for myself. I was making the decision to cause myself pain – and no one else was hurting me but me. It made me feel more alive."

Neji's breath caught. The incisions started at her wrist and climbed to her elbow. He let his fingers run lightly over them. "Some of these are fresh."

She pointed on of them out – red and thick, running from her wrist about four inches up her forearm. "This is my newest one. I did it right after Kabuto … well, you know." She shrugged. "That was my first and only suicide attempt." She smiled wryly.

Neji stared at her arm, then lifted it to his lips, laid kisses on each tender pink slash. "Don't do this anymore."

"You're a hypocrite." She winced slightly at his mouth on her wounds.

"I didn't realize," he choked a little on the words, "how much it would hurt to see this on someone I love." His eyes shown with tears he was trying hard not to cry. "How come you didn't-?"

Hinata lifted her arm from his grasp, studying her cuts. "I think I was worried someone would care I was gone. I didn't want anyone to hurt because of me."

"I would have hurt." He kissed her cheek gently.

She jerked away, stared at him, pain etched in every angle of her face. "We can't love each other like this anymore."

He sighed, pulling her close, relaxing a little when she didn't resist him. "I'm not going to ever stop loving you." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "All they can do is separate us, because I'm always going to look at you like you're the most beautiful girl in the world."

She settled her forehead against his neck. "The bell's going to ring soon."

"I know." His hand found the curve of her waist. "But let's stay like this for a while. We're not going to be able to do this very often anymore."

She closed her eyes, a tear trailed down his neck from her face. "I'm sorry."

He held her tighter. "So am I."

0

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the Hyuuga approaching the lunch table.

Neji glared back, throwing his books on the tabletop. "What?"

"What's with you and Hinata?" Kiba demanded. "Either one of you shows up for lunch or the other does, or neither of you do, but you're never together. Did you fucking hurt her?" he stood up, somehow imagining someone else had made the accusation and he was backing said person up.

If Neji had been sitting down already, he would have jumped up in indignation. He stooped to eye level with the younger boy. "I would never hurt Hinata-sama. I'm the only one looking out for her." He gathered his books, snarled at him again. "Guess today's one of the days neither of us are going to be here."

"Neji-san, wait." Sakura grabbed his sleeve. "Sit down. You're my friend, and so is Hinata-chan. Tell us what's wrong."

Defeated, he slumped onto the bench, put his head down on his arms. "It's complicated." His muffled voice came forth.

"Bet it's not." Shikamaru yawned. "Trouble in paradise, right?"

Neji looked up. "What?"

Shikamaru smirked. "Come on. It's so obvious. You guys have been head-over-heels for each other for months."

Eight pairs of eyes blinked around at each other in surprise. Shino and TenTen shrugged as if they knew. Neji glared at Shikamaru and Shikamaru gave him a smug knowing look.

"Fine." Neji threw his hands in the air. "I'm completely in love with her."

The table was silent. Then, a little giggle escaped Sakura. "It's kind of cute." She admitted.

A relieved breath swept down the table. It seemed everyone shared the sentiment. "So what's the big deal?" Naruto spoke up. "What's the problem?"

Neji sighed, shoulders hunched. "Her parents don't think it's so cute."

"Why not?"

"Probably the whole families-shouldn't-love-each-other-that-way thing."

"What about your parents?" Lee piped up.

"They're hippies hardcore." He offered as an explanation. "If there's love involved, they don't care what kind it is."

"I'm sure it'll work out." Ino put in, smiling reassuringly. "After all, true love always prevails."

"Oh, cut the cheesy shit, Ino-pig!" Sakura glared playfully.

"You're one to talk, forehead-girl!" Ino growled back.

Neji couldn't help but smile. It felt good having them just accept him and how he felt. He yawned contentedly, letting the topic slide away into other things, like Ino and Sakura's banter, and drifted in and out, thinking more about Hinata than what was going on around him, wishing he could hold her.

"Hinata-chan!" Lee called suddenly.

Neji looked up. She stood in the doorway. She had seen him and had turned to leave when she'd been spotted. Now she gave a sheepish smile, moved slowly to the table, sat down in her usual seat. She was careful to touch her cousin as little as possible, and avoided his gaze. "Hi, guys." She said meekly, looking down at the lunch bag she'd set at the table.

"Oh, it's so cute!" Sakura gushed, tugging TenTen's sleeve. "She's pretending to ignore him!"

Hinata stared at her.

"Come on, Hinata!" Kiba nudged her with his shoulder. "Tell him you love him."

The younger Hyuuga was avoiding everyone's eyes like the plague. Neji leaned behind her to smack Kiba in the back of the head, warning him to cut it out. Hinata felt him brush against her and turned suddenly, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face against his chest. Everyone froze, stared at her, mouths hanging open. Neji smiled softly, stroking her hair, and kissed the top of her head, sliding an arm around her waist.

The table erupted in girlish shrieks, as TenTen, Sakura, Ino, and Temari overcame the initial shock of Hinata's bold affection, and were giggling and clapping, bouncing excitedly in their seats.

"See, was that so hard?" Kiba chuckled triumphantly.

Hinata blushed deeply at the attention and distracted herself with eating her sandwich, all the while secure in Neji's arms.