Title: Things that could have happened had Hizashi been the older son
Author: Runespoor
Rating: T
Summary: series of unrelated drabbles/ficlets. See title.
7.
It's one of Hinata's tasks to bring the tea tray to the dojo where Hizashi watches over his son's training, for no other reason than because Hizashi feels it his duty to never forget about her, about the brother who sacrificed himself so Hizashi could live.
Neji himself hardly pays any attention to his cousin.
He focuses on his training, practising again and again until his performance looks taken straight from one of the family scrolls. His seals are always perfectly formed, his jutsus as precise and academic as a demonstration.
He's slow to learn new tricks and he rarely ever uses shortcuts, always favouring a beautiful flowing move over a sharp tug of the wrist, but once he adds something to his training routine he is only satisfied when he has reached formal perfection.
Hizashi occasionally sees Hinata training, and her style couldn't be more different from Neji's if she tried.
Which, after all, would only be fair.
He tends to believe that in an actual fight Hinata would be more effective; she has the viciousness and willingness to fight dirty that a clan heir can hardly be expected to possess.
It would only be fair if Hinata tried to take Neji's counterpoint whenever she could because their fathers were brothers, and Neji is the Heir and Hinata a scrambling Branch House member, and Hizashi sometimes regrets that he didn't think of taking her in as his daughter when Hiashi died.
Maybe that would have changed something, though Hizashi doubts it.
Hinata was two when her father died; he doesn't know if she has memories of him, but it doesn't matter. He can't begrudge her for hating him anyway – for depriving her of a father who doted on her.
When she meets his eyes as she straightens after she laid the tray down, Hizashi sees the hatred and the challenge in her eyes, and somehow, he knows it's about Neji – Neji who is training, unaware, not looking at either of them.
This one is mine, her eyes are saying.
Hiashi knows he should worry more about the claim Hinata makes on his son every time she acts as a servant in the house of her uncle, knows he should worry more about the depth of her loathing, knows he should do something to assure his son's safety from the one supposed to protect him, but he doesn't because he doesn't have the right.
Every time their eyes meet, Hizashi is reminded that he stole someone from her – and it would be justified, laws of the blood, more ancient and powerful than clan rules, when she reached out and plucks Neji's life like a daisy.
All Hizashi feels he's allowed to do is let Neji train, as long and as perfectly as he wants, knowing in his core than in a real fight Hinata would win.