A/N:OMG Y'all are so nice! Thankies for all the reviews! Please keep um coming!
Can I just say that you guys are AMAZING! I mean reading all of your reviews I started blushing~ Thanks so much! I'm glad I waited to do this plot, I've been working on my writing a lot and wanted to make this a story you'll be able to come back to later and enjoy it just as much.
More reviews mean I update faster! Love ya!
AND CAN I JUST SAY Y'ALL A BUNCH OF PERVERTS XD "Please go into more detail about the mission. " But I'll give my babies what they want XD.
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Neji panted as he saw multiple ninja scattered about the floor. He tried to pull his arm free but froze as the grip grew harder. His blank, pupil less eyes starred in disbelief at the leader that brought his cloth covered arm away from his face.
"This is chakra resistant gear, a pure chakra attack like that will have no effect on me." His voice had become angry and wrathful.
The Hyuuga gasped as he pulled his arm back, straining the tendons and muscles. Neji groaned as the man slowly turned it farther. His yellow eyes were glaring fire at the brunette now. The other rouges began to compose themselves.
Neji quickly scanned them with his Byakugan; they hadn't taken any damage to his attack but had simply been knocked over from the force of it. He growled, getting agitated and dropping his cool.
"Will you cooperate now?"
"You have a better chance of getting me to eat dog shit!" Neji voice like venom as he glared at the man from over his shoulder.
"That can be arranged." The Hyuuga tensed as the man stood and held his arm behind his back and the man pressed his chest against the brunette's back.
"You're-" The Hyuuga growled as his head was yanked backwards painfully. He watched as the man moved his covered face over the pale skin Neji neck and bit down through his mask. The brunette hissed at the unnatural pain.
He'd been bitten by many kinds of animals but never had a person bitten him. The man bit down again in a different place, harder.
Neji yelped through closed teeth. He had this panic was over his skin, like a chill. His body was telling him to get out of there. That he needed to separate himself from this man. But even as his brain worked a mile a minute the leader of the rouges paid no mind and continued to assault the Jounin's neck.
Before the Hyuuga could move, a blind fold was forced over his eyes. He began to struggle as he realized it was made from their anti-chakra cloth. His Byakugan became useless and he couldn't control the flow of chakra in his head.
The man pulled away from him and pushed the Hyuuga's feet out from under him. Neji fell to the floor with a painful thud. He arm was thankfully let go, but only to be tied behind his back once more.
#
Neji stood outside his old teacher's small apartment. He couldn't bring himself to knock on the door. Humiliation filled his blood as he remembered what'd happened on the mission. Gai had been the one to find him. Covered in the blood of the enemy, a blood covered kunai in his hand as he made his way through the forest.
Gai had stopped him and the Hyuuga had attacked him thinking he was an enemy. The embarrassment hit the Hyuuga as he remembered his appearance. Once pure white Hyuuga robes were dirt covered and stained with blood. They'd been torn and ripped.
Not only that but he couldn't even bring himself to remember the complete pain that had washed over his teacher's face.
"Neji?" The Hyuuga flinched as he looked up at his strange but skilled teacher. Might Gai stood with his door opened, starring confused at his student standing outside of his house.
"Tsunade told me to report to you after I was released." The brunette stated in his normal calm tone. He looked at his mentor but saw the flash of pain from the forest and turned his head away. His long dark locks covered the twitch in his cheeks.
"Do you want to come in?" Gai's expression wasn't readable at least not in Neji's current panicked condition. His teacher stepped aside and ushered the brunette in.
Neji moved slowly passed his teacher, the usual silly and obnoxious man was quiet and calm. It threw the Hyuuga off slightly and he began to wonder if his teacher was disgusted with him. He felt the shaking come and his breathing became shallow. He wasn't really fond of Gai but he didn't hate the man and he'd known him for a long time.
What if Gai thought he was gross? What if he hated Neji now? He was one of the only people who knew. Neji felt the hollow hole in his chest push against his ribs and lungs.
"Neji!" The Hyuuga jumped at Gai's loud voice. His teacher had moved in front of him into the small apartment. Gai raised a large dark eye brow at the Hyuuga with a strained expression.
"Are you having a panic attack?" Neji blinked and looked down at his trembling hands; he clenched them tightly and gulped before trying to stand up straight.
"No, I'm fine." Gai obviously didn't believe him and walked slowly, watching his old student carefully until Neji sat down on the couch.
"You want something to drink?" The older man kept his eyes on Neji the whole time. The Hyuuga shook his head and Gai could see how shaken up he was.
Gai grabbed a glass of water and sat it down in front of the brunette, before sitting across from the younger man.
"Gai-sensei, I said I didn't want anything." Irritation flared behind lavender eyes. Neji regain some of his composure and glared at his teacher. He was messed up at the moment but he would not be pitied.
"Of course." Gai grinned as he saw his student's usual scowl. The older man remembered just how stubborn the Hyuuga could be when it came to his pride. So this conversation was mostly likely going to be more of a power struggle rather than a friendly catching up between the two.
"Neji, I want to apologize." Neji's glare disappeared for a moment as he looked at his old mentor with questioning eyes. Gai rubbed the back of his neck and intertwined his fingers, gripping his hands tightly.
"I-If only I had been more mature and notice the situation-" Gai was cut off.
"Gai-Sensei, We are both Jounin, I hope you realize this." And there was Neji's pride kicking in. The Hyuuga stood out of his seat, fists clenched. "So then we are on the same level of ability, I am just as much to blame as anyone else. I was the one who wasn't paying enough attention!"
The raising of the Hyuuga's voice caught Gai by surprise. It was only on scarce occasions where Neji would get truly angry. Gai looked up at the long hair man and stated with a serious tone.
"But I am still your teacher and I was responsible for you." Neji and Gai were locked in an intense stare as the older man continued.
"You don't understand how difficult it was for me to not want to kill myself when I found you. I'd thought you were dead but when I found you, it was worse than you being dead."
Neji's eye flickered and his grabbed his hand to stop it from shaking.
"You'd been hurt in a way no one should ever be hurt. Do you understand how guilty I feel?"
Gai's question was in a kinder voice. The Hyuuga had turned his head away so his hair covered his face. The older man stood up and reaching over the table between them and rubbed the long hair man's head.
Neji allowed it for a few moments but soon swatted the hand away, his glare returning, a strange burning sensation running over his forearms.
"You don't need to feel guilty; I should've been strong enough to at least protect myself." Gai could see the whole "soft" act was never going to get through to the Hyuuga, he'd always been hardheaded.
Gai walked over to the Hyuuga who looked at his old teacher.
"Neji, What would you have done if you were in my position and Hinata-Chan was in yours?"
Neji's eyes grew wide as Gai could see the activity and rage fueling behind them. That pure, blind rage that Gai had felt when he'd found Neji. Half crazy, bloody and dirty with mud the Hyuuga had began to attack obviously with the intent to kill but when he realized it was the older man he'd stopped and starred at him with blank eyes.
"I-I think I understand Gai-sensei…" The Hyuuga couldn't help but want to vomit at the thought if what had happened to him had happened to Hinata. He wouldn't be able to live with the shame and guilt.
Gai smiled softly and gave Neji's shoulder a reassuring grip.
The calm and understanding moment quickly turned as bad as Neji's vision flashed to the rouge ninja and he slapped Gai hard across the face, infusing Air Palm and sent his mentor flying across the room. The crash brought Neji back. The Hyuuga saw his old teacher slammed against the wall. He felt the hands still on his shoulders, his arms, and his waist. He gripped his head and sunk to the ground.
Gai had even register what'd happened until felt the pain all along the side of his face and neck. Neji'd dislocated his jaw, not something to be alarmed about. He'd had many things dislocated through the years of training. The thing alarmed his was the pure fear he'd seen the Neji's eyes.
"Did you have a flash back?" Gai said as with a crack, realigned his jaw and rubbed in softly. Neji stayed in his vulnerable form, curled in on himself. His shaken voice barely auditable.
"I a-apologize…I just…" Neji gripping his head harder, he'd just attacked his mentor because he couldn't tell the difference between him and that man. He could hear Gai's footsteps as his teacher came over to him.
"How often have you been having flash backs?" Gai's voice was concern but had urgency in it.
"Since I woke up in the hospital…" Neji released his grip on his head and starred at the ground with shaking eyes. He gulped loudly to try and clear his throat. He utterly hated himself; he couldn't believe he'd just attack Gai or that he lost control so quickly.
"Neji, I think you should go talk with Tsunade…"
#
Neji could only assume the simplest answer that he was going to be killed. He accepted as he felt the leader of the rouges force him to his knees and held something sharp against the back of his neck. His hair on his arms stood on end and the point of the knife was slowly tracing the arch of his neck.
The snickers and chuckling coming from all around him angered the Hyuuga but he'd take his dead with pride and dignity.
Then the knife moved to the front of his neck and Neji held his breath.
The sound of clothes tearing confused him. Neji heard the room become quiet as the man's voice was different than before. Filled with a wanting that annoyed the Hyuuga, like a wolf starring at a rabbit.
"You really are too pretty to be a boy."
Neji glared through his blind fold. As soon as he felt the hand touch his bare chest he kicked the arm with his leg and used his other to move farther away from the unwanted heat.
A dark laughter filled the room and the man order one of his men. "Clear that table."
The Hyuuga's body tense he couldn't believe what was happening; this man certainly wasn't going to rape him! He was a man, certainly if the man wanted a woman he could find one.
"You can't be serious!" Neji spat like venom, even through his blind fold he glared in the man's general direction.
"Oh? And on what grounds do you have to doubt me. Even as we speak I'm imagining what kinds of sounds you'll make, I wonder if you're a screamer?"
The small room filled with laughter, a dark and evil, sadistic laughter. Neji inched away from the man, realizing how crazy the man was. He needed to escape, he'd been fine with dying but he was not going to be tortured and raped by this insane man.
A snap came from somewhere in the room and Neji felt two pairs of arms hooked under his arms. He quickly fought against them and pulled his bound arms away from the others. He stood shaking as he tried to get his hands loose, another round of laughter from the rouge ninja around him.
He tried to place a number, maybe seven or eight. Could he out run eight skilled ninja, without his Byakugan and his arms bound behind him?
#
"Neji! Neji! Focus!" Gai gave his old student a rough shake. The Hyuuga gasped as he gripped his teacher's shirt harder. He slowly game back, recognizing Gai and that he was still inside the older man's apartment.
"I'm s-sorry, that usually only happens when I'm by m-myself…" Neji gulped as he brought a hand to wipe his face, hiding the look on his face. He felt weak and frail; he didn't want anyone to see him like this.
"I'm taking you to Tsunade." Gai stated as he pulled out of the Hyuuga's grip and went to grab his green ninja vest. Neji stopped him and hissed.
"No! I'm just not used to people touching me yet…" Gai looked back at his student with complete sadness masked by guilt.
"Neji…" The Hyuuga looked away from his teacher and asked.
"Please just let me deal with this by myself. I don't need your-" Neji stopped and his voice grow harsher. "I don't want your help."
The older man starred at his stubborn and pride filled student. He stopped and sighed, he couldn't protect them anymore he needed to let them deal with their struggles themselves. Even so, Neji's case was different; he was the type of person that even if he wanted help, he'd never ask for it.
"I'll stay out of on one condition."
The two locked in that intense stare again, neither one giving any room for the other to win.
"You have to talk to at least one person about what happened. Doesn't have to be today or tomorrow but you need to talk to someone about this, Neji."
He went to grip the Hyuuga's shoulders but stopped and simply clenched his fist. The side of his face pulsed with a dull pain.
"This kind of injury in much more than physical, it can destroy a person. Please tell me you'll tell someone. It doesn't matter who."
"Who could I?" Neji's voice was more turned at himself as he looked down at his shaking hands. "This horrid shame I feel would kill me if I ever told anybody."
"That's where you're wrong. There are people who care enough about you that won't even consider looking down on you." Gai leaned down so he was look right at the anger and sad lavender eyes.
"And crying is not a sin."
"I am a Jounin of Konoha, as well as a mature man, as well as a Hyuuga, I don't cry!" Neji's pride flared as he held his head up a little higher. Gai smiled as the old Neji surfaced.
An idea clicked in the older man's head.
"Anyway, just think about what I said, okay?" Gai opened the door for Neji. The Hyuuga suddenly became suspicious; he could see the gears moving behind the older man's head.
"Alright…" Neji grabbed his bag and stepped out of the apartment. He turned back at his teacher but simply rolled his eyes and walked away feeling his since of arrogance returning.
He did think about what his mentor had said. He walked around the still early morning Konoha and spent a good couple of hours visiting several locations.
He found the tea shop he stayed in the day before. After a few minutes of thinking and his stomach growling at him he entered. The lady behind the counter gave him a polite smile as he sat down and asked.
"Green tea? Same as yesterday?" Neji blinked a bit surprised. He lived in Konoha his whole life but never had someone remembered his order.
"Yes, and an order of Udon noodles please." The girl bowed and walked away leaving the Hyuuga in a happier mood.
Maybe today would be better.
He kept his thoughts on things that made his repress a smile. He thought of how Lee always went crazy at training and how Tenten and him would just stand back and let the other two go at it. He remembered Hinata's face when he began sending her friendly smiling instead of hate filled glares.
He grabbed a napkin and ran his fingers over it as he realized how close he'd really grown to lots of people. He lowered his eyes as Gai's voice rang in his head.
Maybe he should talk to someone…But who?
The girl brought his order over and he thanked her. He enjoyed his lunch as he listed people in his head.
The annoying blonde was not even going to be a consideration. Neither were the members of the other teams, he didn't know any of them that well. Hinata might be a possibility. Tenten? Probably not, the girl had about as much compassion as a cactus of Suna.
Neji drank his tea and sighed.
What about Lee?
The Hyuuga starred at his drink and watch the ripples in the liquid. Lee was probably his only definite choice. It was obvious the other male viewed the Hyuuga as a friend, but with something like this what would Lee do? Neji was in no condition to be insulted or shunned. But Lee wasn't one to turn people away.
If Neji really did tell Lee everything, he'd be giving Lee the kind of power over the Hyuuga that scared the long haired brunette.
"Ah! Neji! I thought you'd be in here." Speaking of the Konoha's green devil.
"Lee?" Neji turned to the happy, bowl haired man. Instead of his spandex he was wearing his civilian clothes, a loose green shirt and brown shorts. He made his way over and sat across from Neji, a smile painted on his face like it always was.
"How's your vacation been? I still can't believe I'm supposed to stay still for two whole weeks." Lee laughing happily and looked at the Hyuuga.
Neji waved him off with his normal blank expression. "I guess it's been fine. My legs have been getting a little stiff."
He ate more of his noodles as Lee began to go on about something he'd done yesterday or the day before, Neji didn't care. He just nodded when appropriate and continued to finish his lunch.
"And then Tenten hit me." Lee laughed as pointed to the mostly eaten Udon. "Can I have some?"
"Lee, order your own." The green loving man pouted playfully and whined. "But I just want one, Come one Neji-Chan!"
The Hyuuga cringed at the girly suffix added to his name; he sighed and lifted one of the thick white noodles up to his teammate.
And in from of everybody in the shop, Lee ate the noodle straight from the chopstick and slurped happily as he sent a confused glance at the horrified look on Neji's face. He'd meant for the other man to take the noodle from the chopsticks not eat it off them. The Hyuuga didn't dare look at anyone who was now starring at the two men sitting together, sharing food.
"Lee, learn some manners." Neji hissed as he wiped the chopsticks off with the napkin. Lee just tilted his head and dismissed the subject.
The two sat in silence as Neji finished his lunch and sent glares at anyone who dared to send suspicious stares his way.
Neji finished and gave the girl the money before getting up and leaving the other man behind in the tea shop. Lee hurried after the Hyuuga and walked next to him as the two walked around together.
"So why were you looking for me earlier?" Neji asked as they walked out of the restaurant district and walked along the main road.
"Hn? Oh, well…Gai told me…" Neji froze in his steps, it wasn't a chill but panic that ran threw his veins, his whole body tense up as he stared straight ahead.
Gai had told Lee? Why would he have done that?
"You know about the whole you socking him and all." Lee had still been walking and grinned to where Neji had been but soon realized that the Hyuuga had stopped. He turned back and asked. "Neji?"
That Neji'd hit Gai?
Neji's eyebrow rose as he realized that his was talking about when he'd hit Gai with Air Palm.
Oh, thank god.
"Oh, that." Neji tried to force the shaking and anxiety away. He could see the look in Lee's eyes, they were confused about something.
"Neji? Are you okay?" Lee walked back to the Hyuuga and starred at him. Neji began to realize how close he was and felt that tightening in his throat. He quickly took a small step back. Lee noticed Neji's action.
They'd been friends and rivals since the day they met. And never once had Lee seen the uncertainty in the Hyuuga's face.
Lee frowned a little and took in their situation, he gently grabbed Neji's elbow and pulled the two of them into an alley way away from the busy and loud street.
"Lee?" Neji's voice regained its annoyance as the two made their way down several turns until Lee stopped. He felt his wrist and arms sting and the physical contact made him uneasy.
They were deep in the labyrinth that was the apartment district's alley ways. The only light came from the few dim apartment lights that were on and the small but of sunlight that was still visible. The low rumble of generators and the mild scurry of a rat or two filled the air. The Chunin looked at Neji and he was expecting answers.
"What wrong?" Neji pulled his arm away from Lee angrily. He glared and snapped at the green loving shinobi. The darkened atmosphere seemed to only fuel the tension in the Hyuuga.
"I don't need to explain myself to you! What goes on in my life is my business!" Neji knew he sounded childish getting so upset over something so petty. But the strange anger coming from Lee confused the Hyuuga. It wasn't rage it was more towards aggravation.
"It is my business; you're my friend so I'm making it my business." The usual carefree, youthful Lee became serious as that anger flickered behind black orbs.
"Leave me alone, Lee." Neji turned to return to the main street but the other man grabbed his upper arm and pulled the sleeve down in frustration. The Hyuuga tried to pull away as he realized what was really making Lee mad. The rope burns that were healing away but still felt as fresh as when he'd gotten them. The tanner ninja froze with Neji's arm in his hand. He slowly ran a hand down the delicate, once porcelain skin.
Lee could feel the indents where skin had been ripped from the arm and left ugly red marks. The chunin looked over at his teammate with sad eyes. Neji on the other hand was furious and ripped his arm away from Lee and used it to punch him right against his temple.
The Hyuuga panted as he pulled the sleeve of his shirt back down and watched Lee try to focus his eyes. The taller man knew how to take a punch and had merely staggered back.
"Do not touch me." Neji's voice was dripping a dangerous poison that even Lee knew to be wary of.
Lee held a hand to his forehead and growled through clenched teeth. "How'd you get those?"
Neji held his arm and glared at Lee. He stayed silent and Lee became furious.
"Neji!"
The Hyuuga couldn't believe how persistent Lee was being. His mind told him to leave but his feet wouldn't move. The last thing he wanted to do was explain the injury.
"Neji…" Lee's eyes dropped their glare as he tried to step closer to the Hyuuga. Neji wouldn't let him close the gap and just held his arm to his chest, his own lavender eyes closing into slits as he stared at the ground, remaining silent.
The chunin sighed and looked the Jounin once over. He scratched the back of his head and cooled off from his anger.
"I…I'm sorry I yelled, I was just concerned…" Lee tried to explain as Neji did his best to ignore his teammate.
"Thanks but I don't need your 'concern'." Neji knew he shouldn't be angry with his teammate; Lee couldn't help but care for others. It annoyed the Hyuuga that he was trying to force everyone away. But the other option was to let everyone in and Neji didn't want that.
The two stood silent for a few seconds until Lee turned back to the way they'd came.
"Do you want me to leave?" Lee asked, his usual caring self returning. Neji felt the sting of guilt; Lee was just trying to understand what was going on.
He stood in the alley way and wrapped his fingers around his arm, squeezing it tightly.
"Lee." The chunin turned around and looked at the Hyuuga. Neji walked towards him and tried to say what he wanted but he couldn't find his voice. He gulped and pushed away that anxiety when it showed itself.
"I got the burns…" Neji's muscles all over his body flexed as he continued. Lee starred at him with a slightly surprised expression.
"I got them when I was bound by the enemy…"
The Hyuuga felt the lump fill his throat as Lee blinked and exclaimed.
"Oh, I hadn't realized you…Geez, Neji, You scared me there." The Chunin's laughing threw the long haired brunette off.
"Everyone gets injuries on missions, it's not gonna hurt your pride if people find out you got hurt a little." Lee's voice was light and happy. Like his worries had been washed away.
Neji stared at the other man for a moment. Lee though his pride was hurt just because he was captured?
Did he not know?
Lee took Neji's silence as embarrassment. He rubbed his head and motioned back to the main street. He hid his concern as well as he could. He had a strange feeling in his gut that something was up with the Hyuuga but he didn't want to confront Neji too directly.
"Did you wanna head back to street?"
"I suppose." Neji's voice was steady as the chills ran over his skin. Had Lee not seen Gai carrying him back? Had he not seen the ripped clothes or the mess the Jounin had been in?
Neji pushed it back as well as he could. But the feather touches crept up as they started to leave the labyrinth of back alleys.
#
It'd only taken the men a few seconds to secure the Hyuuga and tie his wrist down. By this point Neji was fighting back any chance he got, kicking his legs towards faces and he'd head butted one of them. The leader's low chuckle was all he could hear even with all the commotion around him.
#
As the memories began to climb closer to what he'd feared the Hyuuga became tenser and was completely aware of everything Lee did as the two walked.
He began to sweat as the invisible fingers ran over in chest and made his breath stop. The other man had quick caught on to Neji's strange behavior.
"Neji?" The Hyuuga jumped at the sound of the other shinobi's voice. Usually calm and uninterested lavender eyes were now quick and wide. They were trying to focus on what was in front of them and not what was playing behind them.
Rock Lee had decided enough was enough. He slapped the long haired brunette Jounin hard across the cheek.
The fuzz of white noise filled the Hyuuga's head as the memories disappeared. He took a shallow inhale as the heat entered his cheek. The Hyuuga felt the calm wash over his skin like cold water. Washing the invisible hands away and cooling his tormented skin.
Lee could see the Hyuuga had calmed down but the fire under his skin was all the more fueled. The surrounding area didn't have many people, the sun was setting so many people had already began to return home.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Lee raised his voice at the now concerned looking Hyuuga.
"I thought you'd been acting weird because we failed the mission, but now I'm starting to think it's a bit more than that!"
Neji slightly regained his composure and turned his stubborn head away from the other man. Lee's fire exploded.
He jumped at the brunette, tackling the Jounin and the two tumbled to the ground. They were caught in a short stress fueled fight. Lee got a hit the Neji's chest, hitting one of the Hyuuga's larger bruises though he didn't know it. But Neji returned the anger and pain with a few quick and rough jabs to the other's face.
In the heat of the battle between the two men Neji had completely forgotten about his Gentle Fist until Lee's hand grabbed his wrist to stop another punch. The tight, coil of the fingers around his wrist made the pain from the rope and friction return in a flash of fear.
The Hyuuga's eyes were covered in a thick sheet of fear and anxiety, Lee stopped and panted as he still held firm. Neji's mind wasn't in the present all he could see was the enemies face and the hands and body that hurt him the way they did.
The panic got the better of Neji as the shrunken lavender of his eyes dilated and the warm liquid filled in the crooks of his eyes. The Hyuuga felt the tightening of his throat and how dry it became.
Lee all but jumped in the air at the realization of Neji's tears overflowing on to his cheeks. The black haired man released Neji's hand and blinked quickly.
"Neji? W-What? Did I hurt you?" Lee got off the Hyuuga in frenzy and helped the long haired brunette sit up. The black haired shinobi place his hands on Neji's shoulders gently, he rubbed small circles into the soft skin of the crooks in Neji's collar bone. Lee could feel the shivering coming from the other man. He frowned as he helped Neji stand and down the street.
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