Good luck Hinata!!

GOOD LUCK NEJI!!

I mean, Hinata.


"Once or best out of three?"

His voice is like stone; smooth, unbreakable, in low tones.

I know I can't do once; this must be a rhetorical question.

"Best out of three."

I am not going to act like some quiet, shy idiot. His right hand closes over mine, much warmer (and drier for that matter).

Strategy? To try. At least give him a hard time.

"First round," he says, looking at me. I feel the harshness of his glare and I look down.

"One, two...three!"

His hand is a deadweight. Pretty soon I'm down.

"Second round," he says, this time with a small smirk.

He thinks it's easy to beat me after all these years...

I'm not going to lose! bursts out a voice.

He's an arrogant jerk who is lucky enough to be MY cousin. I can beat him easy!!!

This confidence is annoying me...

"...three."

I'm...

His hand forces mine down again.

Not...

I fight, one inch above the hard table. My tendons stan out plainly. I'm struggling.

Going...

He's stalling! - to see what small amount of energy an hold me at bay.

He's not even trying!

To...

A surge of anger propels my hand. I ram our hands over against the table.

Lose.

Ouch.

"Nice job." But the smirk is still there. He knows how much that took out of me, knows that he's stronger, I'm weaker.

I picture him as an old man, rocking back and forth on his chair and smirking. (A/N: Rofl!! To me, anyway. I have a strange mind :)

I grin. It's so different, so completely alien on my face.

A flicker of doubt enters his eyes.

"Third round." His eyes are on mine, but so are mine on his.

I have a chance.

"One...two...three!"

It's over before I can blink. He slams his hand down, easily, flexibly.

I wince a the pain shoots up my arm. Curse him...!

He faces away from me, eyes forward, unblinking.

I know that smirk is still there, on the other side of his face. It annoys the crap out of me.

Ino and Gaara come over, Ino holding her arm and grimacing, the other taciturn.

Neji takes the challenge without a single word.

"Idiots, aren't they?" mutters Ino, sitting next to me and still massaging her fingers. "They make such a huge deal out of nothing."

"Agreed," I reply. I surprise myself. My tone of voice is actually not acidic, rather bored...

She blinks, looks at me, and then turns away. "Sorry about the whole bathroom thing."

I can't deny it; I'm surprised. Apologizing; her??

Is she just testing me? If she is, I'll just go along with the act.

Either way. I say, "That's fine."

A small smile is on her face. "Come one, then," she smiles, "Let's watch them at it."


I never expected Ino to first break the ice! That just surprises me (sobs).

Neji is so weird:) But no, it's not going to be Neji-Hinata.

Sakura/Kiba/Naruto are going to be in the picture soon, too :D

Lumberrrrrrrrrrrrrrry (is that annoying anyone? myself, for example?!)