Title: Things that could have happened had Hizashi been the older son
Author: Runespoor
Rating: T
Notes: this drabble and the following two are somewhat related. I know, I know, the shock. Also, I'm not nice.
8. chuunin exam – take 3
A glance to Lee informed Tenten that she hadn't imagined the noise. Swiftly, she picked her katana up from its resting place next to her, muffling the sound of the blade sliding out of its sheath in the grass. Lee was already on his feet, shoulders taut, waiting for Neji's signal.
But instead of designating where the enemy was coming from, with the jerk of his chin that made him look both brisk and stoic, Neji only motioned them to halt.
"Stay put."
Tenten exchanged a look with Lee, but they knew better than to question Neji's order. Even his genjutsu, which was his weakest ability, was the best of the team's; unlike Lee, he wasn't tempted to fight by himself without letting the team know about it; and the Byakugan's sensorial input was valuable. There was a reason why Team Gai was by far the most competent and professional of all the genin teams in Konoha.
Neji stood up – unfolded, Tenten thought, vaguely wishing she'd been that elegant when she was at the Academy.
"You can come out, the three of you," he called in a clear voice.
Three genins slowly came into the clearing. One of them – Inuzuka, Tenten identified by the puppy sitting on his head – sent an ugly glare Neji's way. Konoha genins. Rookies, even.
Tenten put her katana back on the grass and crouched again on her tree stump, though she didn't let go of the weapon. Lee's position relaxed.
One of the genins was walking slightly before the others. It was a girl, with short blue-black hair and the most practical-looking, non-seductive parka Tenten had ever seen. More importantly – eyes. Hyuuga.
"Neji-sama," the girl intoned.
Tenten couldn't repress a start. Sama? She wasn't the only one surprised, judging by the Inuzuka's gaping. She quickly glanced at Neji (Neji-sama?) but he looked as composed as ever. As if it was normal, expected.
Tenten felt a jolt of guilt or unease. Of course she knew Neji was the Hyuuga heir, and the Hyuuga was the premier clan of Konoha, but neither she nor Lee had ever called Neji by any honorific… Maybe it was because they weren't from shinobi clans; but even back at the Academy, it had been that way too.
The Hyuuga girl was bowing a few meters away from Neji.
Not just a drawn-out nod; she was bowing at the neck too.
Her other teammate, the one with the sunglasses and the high-collared jacket – Aburame? – shifted. The Inuzuka looked as ill-at-ease as Tenten felt, and Lee – Lee had actually taken a few steps back, away from Neji.
"Hinata," he answered.
There was a pause Tenten imagined should have been filled by congratulations they'd made it this far and confirmations that they were alright.
He regarded her for a moment, with a remote expression Tenten couldn't remember him ever taking, almost distracted. It was like she – the girl, Hinata – wasn't there.
The silence of the Forest hung heavily upon the group.
Tenten found herself wishing for an attack. She realised she was gripping the hilt of her katana too tight, and she forced herself to relax. There was no reason to be uneasy. None at all.
Please let the Inuzuka blurt out something. Anything.
Finally Neji spoke up again. Tenten almost stopped breathing again when she saw the girl – Hinata – straightening, because it meant that - she'd kept her head bowed until then. Even then, her eyelids were still lowered.
"My team needs a Sky scroll. What is yours?"
No comprehending, Tenten stared at him. She could read nothing on his face. Not because it was closed-off, but because he looked so normal.
The girl's shoulders hunched, but that was her only reaction.
"Sky, Neji-sama."
Tenten watched with horrified eyes as she put her hand in her pouch and retrieved the scroll, before taking the few steps that separated her from Tenten's teammate and handed the precious scroll to him.
The heir to the Hyuuga took it and put it in his own pouch, next to his team's Earth scroll.
The spell broke.
Amidst the surrounding chaos, silent and motionless like black-and-white engravings against the coloured blur of a movie, only the two of them were looking as though what they had done was the normal, expected thing.
Tenten closed her eyes and refused to think about anything – about betrayal and powerlessness and loyalty. But she still felt the tears forming.