Chapter 7: A Stolen Kiss

"Beware a kiss, he told her. Kisses are powerful things. You expose part of your soul."

― Ruth Frances Long, The Treachery of Beautiful Things


Naruto

"You got this Kid! I believe in you!"

Jiraiya has cheered him awake with what he deems his 'breakfast of winners', an assortment of fruits, toast, eggs, rice bowls, natto, fish, and veggies. He can't be sure when he came into his apartment to make all this for them, typically Pervy-sage sleeps in just as late as him if not longer if he doesn't set an alarm.

Sunlight filters through his open blinds, gold and orange rays highlighting his messier than usual white hair and cheery grin stained with oils and egg batter.

Naruto sleepily looks over the food, yawning. His stomach lightly growls, unused to seeing so much food actually for him.

"Where's the ramen?" He asks bluntly as Jiraiya passes him a bowl and chopsticks. A scowl instantly mars his face, shaking his head.

"Rude! I make all this food for us, you specifically, and that's the first thing you ask for?! Too much sodium is bad for you Kid! It will stunt your growth leaving you a runt forever!" Jiraiya chastises him.

Naruto bristles at that, roughly setting his silverware down. "I'm not a runt! And ramen is an easy to prepare anytime of day food!"

But then again, Hinata has taught him enough meals that he doesn't need to rely on just ramen alone now...

And Jiraiya catches the shift in his expression too late for him to hide, smug grin lighting his features.

"Hmm, that Hyuga girl taught you more things to make besides ramen, didn't she? I've noticed there's less cup ramen in your fridge and cupboards as of late and actual foods and ingredients for making dishes like bread, milk, chicken, spices, beef, rice...should I go on?"

Naruto ignores him, shoving a mix of toast and egg into his mouth to avoid his answer.

Jiraiya laughs, serving himself a mix of tempura and rice. "You don't have answer me! I already know from what my toads have told me."

He points his chopsticks at him at Naruto's continued lack of response. "If you really want to know the best hiding spots in Konoha or where to take her where you won't get peeped on by her clan, I can tell you! There's also the secrets to a women that I-"

"Stop it! Geez, you're disgusting! Is your mind always in the gutter, you know?! Your perverted thoughts are distracting me from remembering my plan for today's match!" Naruto cuts him off.

Jiraiya merely shrugs, he's been called far, far, worse after all.

"Look Kid, I'm just saying. I don't want you to get caught up in...Red Thread Madness!"

To emphasize his point he waves up his hands dramatically, bugging his eyes out.

Naruto arches a brow, lips flattening mid chew of his onigiri.

"...You just made that up right this moment; didn't you?"

Jiraiya coughs, setting his hands back down (well, that didn't work).

"I might've coined the term, but it's very true and very real Kid! Happens to all teens once they reach the age of 13 and have met their match. Your red thread acts on your emotions, and that includes your hormones which spike up at their highest between the ages of 13-19." He explains.

Naruto half listens, gaze drifting back down to the open scroll beside him. He's going to use fūinjutsu right this time.

"Yeah, Yeah. I'll be fine. Hinata and I have an understanding not to let our red threads affect us on any mission and in these upcoming matches." He grunts out after a minute of thought.

Jiraiya huffs, leaning back in his chair. He sounds much like Minato in a way for once, though even he fell victim to the 'madness' upon meeting and interacting with Kushina...

Besides, Naruto needs to learn these things eventually and he's the best person to teach him since Minato and Kushina can't do it! As he gets older that red thread of his is going to act deeper and deeper upon his wild range of emotions, upon feelings of lust and desires that he seems to want to pretend don't exist.

And then there's managing control of The Nine Tails to worry about too...

Naruto looks up at him again as he reaches for his tea, expression turning thoughtful.

"Hey Pervy-Sage, you're going to be watching me from in the stands or somewhere, right?"

Jiraiya catches the hint of uncertainty in his voice and he can't blame him, his spying and assignments have kept him away for years up until just a few months ago.

Cerulean eyes shuffle downward, hands fiddling with his chopsticks.

A grin blooms across Jiraiya's face, nodding.

"Of course! I cleared my schedule to watch you kick ass!" He exclaims.

The instant beam of relief Naruto makes causes him to chuckle, focusing back on his omelette.

'I just hope the Nine Tails doesn't make an appearance.'

The thought clicks in recalling his telling of his time in The Forest of Death, glancing back up to Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, lift up your shirt for a second." Jiraiya orders.

Naruto finishes his sip of his tea, pursing his lips. "Why?"

Jiraiya rolls his eyes, gesturing for him to get it over with already with a wave of his hand.

And with a grunt, Naruto stands and stalks over to him.

"Hurry up! What's so interesting about my stomach anyways?!" Naruto scowls at his scrutinizing.

'Just as I figured. He put the 5 Elements Seal on him.' He muses.

It wouldn't be good for him to have this still before the matches, even if it means risking him subconsciously tapping into the Nine Tails...

"Alright, don't get mad at me Kid." Jiraiya begins as he gathers chakra at his fingertips.

"Why would I get mad at you-" Naruto starts only for a second later to find out the why.

To his credit, Jiraiya doesn't squirm back as tea and egg gets thrown up on him.

"Ouch, are you trying to have me be in pain Pervy-Sage?! Ugh, couldn't this have waited until after breakfast when my food settled?" Naruto rants at him while he wipes his face off.

"Orochimaru put that seal on you, I was just removing it." Jiraiya explains.

"You'll be able to better tap into your chakra and even your red thread now, right?" He pursues at his silence.

Naruto scrunches his nose at him in return, huffing and going back to his seat.

'If Orochimaru was willing to put this seal on him, that means whatever plans he has in mind have already been put into action.'

Lord Third had said he caught up with him in the forest before he slipped into the leaves and branches, gleaming gold eyes promising more to come.

And the best place to put on a show, commit the biggest destruction is at the arena where the finals will occur.


Hinata

"Lord Hiashi wishes to see you."

Hinata does a double take glancing away from her reflection, Hanami nodding once more confirming she heard her right. This isn't how she wants to start the morning of the matches, especially not if her match is up first.

Father hasn't wanted to see her alone in his quarters since before her birthday...

And as the days grew warmer, he became the opposite, colder and colder towards her keeping their conversations restricted mainly to subjects she needed to tell Hanabi in order to prepare her for the heiress title or reiterating not to be a burden to her team.

She thinks of her conversation with Neji the other evening, surely he wouldn't have-

'No, this must be for some other reason.' She decides.

Her hands begin to tremble, hiding them into the ends of her nightgown.

"D-Did he say for what reason?" Hinata stutters out.

Hanami shakes her head, brushing away a lock from her face. She gives her a half-smile in the mirror, rubs at her shoulders trying to ease the rising knots and tension building in.

"No, just that he requests to speak with you alone before today's matches." She voices softly.

'It couldn't wait until after?' Hinata sucks in a breath, nodding, accepting her help to stand and get ready.

This early the night guards are still out on patrol, sky slowly taking on a pinkish-red glow. The moon rests faintly in the edge of the sky, silver crescent slipping away between a patch of clouds.

It's impossible to control the pounding of her heart in her ears, pinching her hands to stop shaking already.

'It's fine, you're fine.' She repeats to herself, smell of hydrangeas and begonias from the garden wafting in from the wind. The gardener, Hayami catches her gaze before hurriedly looking away at realizing the direction she's walking in.

She taps once against Hiashi's door, clearing her throat.

"F-Father, you wanted to see me?"

She hears the sound of his feet pattering against the mahogany, door opening meeting stoic white eyes.

"You still haven't completely gotten rid of that stutter I see." He grunts.

He gestures for her to sit at his table set up, Hinata nodding dutifully as she settles in across from him.

"I heard your team was successful in the Forest of Death Trial?" Hiashi starts.

Hinata nods, clipped and silent.

"And now you plan to participate in the preliminary matches next, correct? And speak up; I want to hear a yes or no directly from your lips." He adds.

"Yes, my goal is to get to the finals; to become a chunin." She states in one breath.

Hiashi nods, gaze falling back to his green tea.

Hinata studies his expression carefully, trying to find any distinct change that can give her a clue to what's running through his mind. Their clan has always been one of few words, letting their actions and skills speak for themselves.

"Alright then, best of luck. Never forget you represent our clan no matter who your opponent is on the opposite side of the arena. Don't overdo it if you feel you won't be able to win the match." He advises, looking at her fully again.

Hinata bites her lip, it's the most helpful feedback Father has given her in months even though in the undercurrent of it lies his lack of faith she will make it past the preliminaries...

"I'll be fine Father; I hope...I hope you and Hanabi are able to come."

Hiashi's hums thoughtfully in return before finally nodding.

"I'd like to see your progress. Hanami says you've been training from sunup to moonrise."

She nods confirming it, about to dismiss herself when he goes on.

"Whatever else you've been keeping from me I'm sure will come to light as well."

Hinata crinkles, heart pounding in her ears, stomach lurching.

Naruto. He's too close to finding out...

"I'm hiding nothing Father." She states with as much assuredness she can muster, but his eyes narrow in a disbelief that mirrors Neji's.

And with nothing else to say she bows and leaves, the burning in her chest lingering long into the late morning.


Temari

'He would be the first match.' She muses, the exact opposite of what he wanted.

But then again, Shikamaru Nara is more than meets the eye she's come to realize. Perhaps he would be ready for anything no matter if he was the first to go, in the middle, or the very last match of the day.

And his opponent is that pink haired girl she saw in the Forest, verdant eyes sharp and watching as she dodges the bends and curves of his slithering shadow techniques. She's heard little about her beyond that she volunteers/works at Konoha's hospital under the Hokage's mentorship, certainly more active in the village than Shikamaru.

She unleashes a smoke bomb that baths the ground floor in white, smell of lavender and something else she can't quite ascertain.

Whatever it is, it slows Shikamaru down temporarily, forced to cover his nose to not breathe in too much of the powerful aroma.

She leaps up behind him, landing in a punch that will surely bruise, nearly toppling him over.

Temari rubs her cheek absently, pursing her lips.

'Damn it, he needs to focus!'

Sakura tightens her fists, slamming one down to the ground creating a fissure Shikamaru starts to tumble into. Cracked pieces of cement jab into his skin at the same time and Temari winces, biting through the pricks of pain.

Sakura doesn't let up, rushing forward.

"Earth Release: Rock Trail!"

A series of boulders shoot up from the ground like missiles, Shikamaru leaping around them before they can land a fully direct hit.

'They're both getting exhausted, they've used up so much chakra already.' Temari muses.

"You better not give up yet Shikamaru!" His blonde teammate yells from further down, Temari studying carefully him for his next decision.

"I know your strength is one of your main ways of attacking, I just needed to wait for you to use it fully." Shikamaru remarks.

Sakura clicks her tongue, readying her hands only to freeze up.

'My shadow! But when?'

She made sure to cover up any blind spots quickly, only to see his shadow tag has used the shadow of her boulders and crumbled parts of the cement flooring to get closer to her.

He holds up a kunai to his throat, Sakura forced to do the same despite the pressure she puts on her hand to resist.

"Give up." He pushes, kunai drawing a sliver of blood dangerously close to her carotid...

The whistle blows, Hayate declaring the match over.

Victor: Shikamaru.

Temari leans back from the railing, pounding of her heart calming.

"I'd rather just be cloud watching." Shikamaru sighs under his breathe as everyone gathers back at the arena.

Temari rolls her eyes from behind him. 'Why is he even bothering with being a shinobi then?'

His eyes shift to her, catching her stare. This whole time she's been in Konoha and now he's finally acknowledging he knows she's his match.

She expects him to frown, bristle in fear like so many guys back in Suna do when she's nearby.

But Shikamaru simply nods at her, turning back around without a word.

Well, he isn't just the lazy fool she took him for upon briefly seeing him through the trees in The Forest of Death, being grilled and berated by one his apparent classmates. All her ideas of her match are blown away watching this new, calculated expression to his face.

This she can admit begrudgingly to herself, avoiding the stare of her brothers. Kankuro in particular arches a brow in amusement when she catches his eye.

"Better than you expected, huh?" He jokes, Temari ignoring his comment with a scoff.

"He at least didn't lose." She shrugs.

For over a year she hadn't paid any mind to her red thread, while other girls in her class gleefully squealed and fretted over who and where their match was. All she knew was hers was miles away across the desert and rolling sandstorms, too far of a distance to worry about. It didn't seem like her match was looking for her anyways, probably too caught up in his own missions and assignments.

And then Gaara's 13th birthday passed and he was apparently matched with no one, Kankuro had tried to assuage him that he too wasn't matched with anyone, but it didn't matter.

"I don't want to talk about this any longer." Gaara orders.

Remnants of cake lay splattered on the ground, icing mixing with sand.

Kankuro warily studies the way his jade orbs darken, sand slithering out of his goard ready to encompass the room.

"It's fine I have no one; I'm used to it after all." He mutters as he moves to stand.

He put up a wall of sand blocking them out once more, ensuring the topic would never be discussed around him again.

It only seemed to ignite his feelings that he isn't meant to be loved; not familiarly or romantically.

The only reason to pay attention to her own thread now was because of these exams, traveling east triggered the warm pulse of it as if awakening from sleep as they crossed into Land of Rivers.

Reaching Konoha made it throb, shining and weaving through the crowds directing her to a boy with spiky brown hair tied back in a ponytail. It cemented what she had already began to suspect as they passed through the border control of the Land of Fire.

This was where her red thread lived.

'It's so much different from Suna.'

The civilian and even a few shinobi could never handle a summer in Suna if this little bit of heat and humidity bothered them so much (sometimes they went months without even a drizzle). It rained here so often in the afternoons at this time of season, pattered at the rooftops and cobblestone streets. And once the storms past they leave everything shimmering like gold as the sun peeks out again right before the day's end.

Artisans sell jewelry and charms shades of sea-green to light blues, vendors promise fish, spices, and herbs she's never even heard of before.

Could she actually live someplace like here in the future?

"Hey, he truly was pretty impressive out there." Kankuro mentions taking her out of her thoughts.

'Focus. Red Thread or not, it's unimportant right now.' She reminds herself.

"Yeah, I suppose." Temari finds herself agreeing.

And despite not wanting to dwell on it, she wonders how he'll fair in the finals.


Sasuke & Sakura

'I hate this. I hate this.'

Sakura digs her nails into the bedsheets, not caring for the rips and holes she leaves in her wake. Despite saying she was fine, medical personnel took her away to be thoroughly assessed, treating the bruises and cuts upon her that she could've healed herself.

Her head swims, recalling all the moves she should've tried instead, all the ways she could've won...

'Weak, everything you learned wasn't enough.' Her bitterness croons at her ear, piercing and cold.

Absently she rubs at her neck again, tastes the residue of iron on her tongue.

A knock makes the whisper fade, arcing a brow seeing familiar raven locks and dark eyes in the corner of her eye.

'Sasuke?'

"You're beating yourself up over this." He states bluntly as he approaches her bed.

Sakura's brows furrow, part of her happy to see him visit while the other half wonders why he bothers if his words are just going to sting. She doesn't want or need to hear this from him when Lady Tsunade will do it to her later as well, remind her that nobody wins every match or fight they come across.

"Yeah, thanks for noticing." She answers dryly, laying back against her pillows.

His fingers brush at a bruise to her arm and she resists a shiver as their eyes meet, cheeks flushing glancing away.

This would be easier if she was unconscious and could avoid this topic altogether.

She watches as he pulls up a chair from near the window, opens the blinds letting afternoon sunlight in.

It's gotten cloudier since this morning, smell of rain in the air amid streaks of gray and white clouds.

"I just wanted to let you know, I'm going to participate." He mentions.

Sakura sifts up in bed again, emerald orbs sharpening in a way that annoys and amuses Sasuke at once.

She's surely about to lecture him, or twist at his hands in rage for his stubbornness.

But instead she clasps her hands together, expression a mask of calm.

"You're still in pain Sasuke, I can sense it too. That curse mark is still hurting." Sakura regards.

Sasuke nods, but he's fine. The mark hasn't killed him yet and it won't.

He's stronger with it, can finally exact his revenge...

Orochimaru knows this, will be watching from somewhere to see his performance in the preliminaries and finals.

A silence falls upon them, low hum of the wind outside slipping in humid air.

"I don't know why you bother telling me these things. You'll always do what you want even if it's going to bother and hurt me." Sakura remarks tartly.

Sasuke stiffens, eyes narrowing in return.

"I came to visit you." He clarifies.

"And hurt me." She counters back.

Her thread pulses matching her subdued rage, itches to find someway to stop Sasuke from continuing down this path.

Finally, she blows out a breath, realizing what he truly wants from this encounter.

"I won't tell the proctors about the mark, but I'm sure some of them already know." She decides.

Sasuke gives a curt nod, tension in his shoulders relaxing.

"Thank you."

Before he can move back, Sakura reaches her hand out, gripping at his wrist with a tightness that turns his fingers a blotchy red.

"I'll be watching. That curse mark especially."


Hinata

'Who's going to be the next match?'

Her gaze focuses on the monitor, breath stilling when she sees her name.

And right beside it is Neji's.

Kiba winces at her apparent bad luck, glancing to her warily.

"You sure want to go out there Hinata? Neji has had it out for you since forever." He frowns.

Akamaru yips his agreement, curling further into his jacket seeing Neji's bemused smirk across the way. He's been wanting this for ages, the opportunity now here to show his strength over her.

She feels Naruto's gaze too and her thread pulses, warm and reassuring.

They discussed this moment coming weeks ago back in the forests, weighed every option she should go with...

"I've been preparing for this moment as you know already Kiba. I can't keep running from him forever." She mentions. Shino nods his agreement with her while Kurenai-sensei expression matches Kiba's worry.

Her stomach slushes just a bit as she takes the steps downward to the arena, meeting the brunt of Neji's hate and rage full on.

"There's still time for you to forfeit and not embarrass the clan." He states with a note of finality.

His words are like a switch, Hinata straightening herself matching his stare. It disconcerts him for a second she knows, seeing her looking at him equally with as much anger and frustration.

"You know I don't intend to do such a thing. This is what you've always desired after all, to overpower me; kill me? I will show you all that I've learned and the confidence I've gained since our last practice match." Hinata replies.

Neji clicks his tongue, matching her posture as he puts his hands up in return.

'I've seen your little excursions in the forest with Naruto, there's nothing you can do that will surprise me.'

Hayate looks between them before holding up his hand.

"Begin!"

Byakugans instantly activate, clashing blow for blow as they pounce each other with gentle fist after gentle fist.

Hinata palm strikes at Neji's left shoulder, crackle of electricity rushing down his arms. It stops him for barely a second, jabbing straight at her right arm and elbow in return.

"A little electricity isn't going to stop me or slow me down enough to get you the win. Give up!" He hisses by her ear.

"It isn't just electricity." Hinata murmurs back, piercing at the chakra points of his right arm as well. His arm slackens just enough for Hinata to move away before he goes for her left side, tingling and burning rushing through his ears.

Neji scoffs, she may gotten a few hits in to his arms and chest region, but he's landed far more hits in a faster time. This is over for her and-

He blinks, vision abruptly blurring.

'Two Hinata's?' He shakes away the image to no avail, Hinata going in and out of focus.

His chest tightens, metallic taste bubbling up on his tongue.

'Blood?'

"So you see, it wasn't just electricity I pricked and struck into you. Each one contained a bit of Gelsemine via thin senbon needles. It's one of many poisonous flowers that grows wild in the Forest of Death, one that I knew I could use against you. After this, I hope Uncle will properly explain to you Uncle Hizashi's sacrifice."

Her breathing grows haggard as she finishes her explanation. Neji grits his teeth as his head begins to pound, hands jittering refusing to completely follow his direction.

He can still win this, her attacks are weaker and she's just as exhausted as him.

"I'm...I'm not going to lose to you of all people!" He snaps, rushing himself forward.

Hinata manages to sift backwards out of his way, body swaying from the effort.

Hayate appears back between them, ready to raise up his arm to declare this over for them both.

"It seems neither of you can fully continue this match so-"

"No, this isn't over!" Neji cuts him off, toxin making him cough up a goblet of blood. Hinata blurs in and out again, but she is falling now too. He just has to be the last one standing, prove that her determination alone wasn't enough.

But spots cross his vision, he hears his name yelled out before everything goes black.


Naruto & Hinata

"I still would count it as your win." Naruto murmurs against her side.

Hinata laughs weakly, shifting up against her pillows. His face is marred with scratches, some deep and others faint from Kiba's onslaught of beast attacks. She's happy for his win, wishing she could've seen Kiba's expression at Naruto besting him.

Late afternoon light shines on his blond locks making it shine a burnt orange red and she wonders how many more matches are left in the day or if everything has now officially concluded for the preliminaries.

"We both collapsed Naruto." She answers back softly.

Naruto grunts that Neji collapsed first at least to his eyes, but now perhaps he won't look at Hinata with such hateful eyes anymore.

He sits up off her bedspread, points to the bruises along her arms, the remnants of Neji's shutdown of her chakra points. His fingers lightly brush them, frowning at the way Hinata winces slightly from the pain.

"I can use your medicinal salves on those if that will help?" Naruto suggests, pointing to the leftover ointments and balms situated on the table beside her by the medic team. He recalls her having crafted some of her own, wondering how strong these are in comparison.

"You don't have to-" Hinata begins, Naruto moving right ahead grabbing a salve the color of tea leaves.

"It smells funny, but I've heard Sakura say these can help heal burns and wounds faster, you know!" He remarks, scooping out a handful of the ointment placing the thick of it onto her arms and shoulders.

'Ah, I'm going to smell like antiseptics and aloe.' Hinata muses.

Still, Hinata finds herself giggling, grimacing when a cough erupts up from the exertion.

"Lay back Hinata. I can at least do this much for you!" Naruto asserts.

Hinata pauses before doing as he instructs, watching him at work. He quickly realizes he's used too much of the balm, scrambling to get some towels from the bathroom before returning back to her side.

One of the medic nin, a woman who goes by Kanako comes in for her hourly rounding, bristling seeing Naruto there.

"Only family is allowed in right now." She mentions to Naruto, hazel orbs narrowing when Naruto makes no effort to move from his spot. Cerulean eyes stay sharp and daring to question him to leave, Kanako looking away first. She sighs, doing a quick check of Hinata's vitals before administering her prescribed pain medication. Her body warms as the liquid runs through her, everywhere that stings, aches, and throbs temporarily calming.

"By the way, she doesn't need to use all that salve boy. The injuries to her pressure points will go down in a few days." Kanako mentions.

Naruto huffs, wiping at Hinata's arms with a bit more vigor. "Already taking care of it!"

She stares between them for a painfully long minute or two before continuing on to the next room with a shake of her head.

"Maybe I should just let you rest." Naruto considers once he's sure they're alone again. He can see Hinata's getting sleepy anyways, lilac orbs drifting open and shut like a flicker.

"I'm okay. I want to keep talking to you Naruto." Hinata maintains and Naruto's focus falls to her lips.

Her fingers entangle with his own and his breath hitches, looking her over fully. When the medic team had first taken her away, her heart had gone into an arrythm-mic something and all he could do at the time was watch, thread burning, his own heart beating erratically to match hers.

Her favorite tan jacket had been torn apart, mesh attire underneath showing her true figure.

And now in this hospital gown he's gotten to see even more of her cream skin than he ever imagined he would be seeing so soon, reddening looking down the tile.

'Stop it! You're being just like Pervy-Sage!'

He knows Hinata is a girl, but he's never seen her without her jacket, seen that her body truly is changing just like his and the rest of their peers.

He swallows, finding his voice. "I thought...I thought for a moment when you collapsed in the arena you were going to die. My thread felt like it was on fire, it grew thinner."

Hinata squeezes at their joined hands. "The medical team got to me in time."

Naruto leans close to her, foreheads bumping.

"I don't want to ever worry I'll lose you Hinata, I want you to keep watching me grow."

Hinata's eyes widen, nodding slowly. "We'll keep watching each other grow."

Naruto's expression softens then, warmth of his breath fanning her cheeks.

He stiffens seeing Hinata's face begin to turn a rosy hue at their closeness...and crap, he hadn't paid attention to anything Pervy-Sage said on how to do this!

'Do I tilt my head? No, I'm supposed to left up her chin next, right?!'

"You can stop me if you don't want this you know." He grumbles out as his fingers fidget to lift up her chin. His palms must be sweaty, nerves twisting at his stomach.

Lavender eyes sparkle though with want, lips parting slightly and quickly Naruto sucks in a breath before pressing his lips to hers. Her lips taste sweet, the lingering of cinnamon she must've had as a snack once she awoken.

They hear the sound of the curtains flutter behind them and hurriedly break apart, Hinata activating her byakugan.

"Is it that nurse again?!" Naruto questions snappily at the interruption, Hinata shaking her head as her eyes roam the hallway. She listens for the patter of footsteps, searches for a chakra signature of a passing staff member.

'Nobody?'

Meanwhile Neji returns back to his room hurriedly, pausing at seeing Hiashi waiting for him, hands clasped tightly together turning them a pale white. He stands at his approach, usual stoic mask broken and uneasy.

"You shouldn't be out of bed so soon. I-I heard of how your match went with Hinata." He begins.

Neji merely shrugs, at least none of the doctors or nurses had seen him, having twisted around the corner into the byakugan's blind spot. "I just needed to take a walk and get some fresh air."

Hiashi's brows furrow skeptically before to Neji's surprise he bows low the floor, retrieving a scroll from his sleeve. Time has aged it a yellowish-gray, unfurling it slowly.

"It pains me that I took so long to tell you the truth of the matter regarding what happened with Hizashi. This message he left for you will explain everything." He relates.

Neji hesitates before slowly accepting the scroll. He weighs with what he saw mere moments ago, what he can officially confirm to Uncle now as well.

"There's something I should tell you as well regarding Lady Hinata..."

-x-


Now, is this cliffhanger a bit evil? Yes! But did I smile throughout writing that last section; yes! Has it still not rained yet at my house since I last posted? Yes! Well, new month, new chapter! I was going to post over the weekend, however I didn't finish my editing in time, so here I am posting bright and early on Monday morning my time before I head off to work; hopefully it brightens the start of your week as well!

Let me know your thoughts or just drop me a quick hello, I like hearing from you guys lol! This is my first time writing more in depth about ShikaTema, they'll have more moments from canon and ideas I created myself as we go on! Next time we should be finishing up most of the chunin exams and beginning the parts of the Konoha crush arc!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!