A/N: Read and review. Three more chapters to go!

EIGHTEEN: Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

"I would like to propose a toast!" a young Gai announced loudly in the crowded bar. "To Hizashi for making the rank of jounin! You do us all proud!"

"Cheers!" The crowd of ninjas raised their drinks happily towards the newly minted jounin.

Hizashi smiled and raised his drink before taking a long sip. "Very nice, Gai, and without the tears. I'm impressed."

He looked over to see his boisterous teammate's eyes welling up with fat tears and he immediately became wary. "Gai, don't!" But he was pulled into a painful bear hug before he could do anything else.

"It's just that I am so proud of you!" Gai cried out through the river of tears, squeezing tighter. "You have become a shining beacon of what hard work and YOUTH can accomplish! To make jounin at your age is truly an amazing feat! I…I just don't know how to express my joy at this moment!"

"You can start by getting us another round," Hizashi say coolly and Gai could sense an undercurrent of killing intent from his Hyuga teammate.

He looked down to see that in his overjoyed enthusiasm, he knocked over both of their drinks and anyone who knew Hizashi knew he did not tolerate anyone interfering with his drinking; friend or not.

"I'll be right back," the Green Beast said hastily before dashing off towards the bar.

Hizashi shook his head at his friend's antics and waited, scanning the bar for familiar faces and cute girls. He saw Sarutobi Asuma approaching and waved in greeting.

"Well, Mr. Jounin," Asuma greeted good-naturedly, "how does it feel?"

"No different from yesterday, I assure you."

Asuma laughed. "I didn't realize you were so desperate to get away from your family. Now that you're jounin, the missions won't stop and worse—they might give you a genin team to supervise!"

"Oh, god!" Hizashi laughed at the thought, bringing his hand to his forehead in mock dread. "Can you imagine? I'd have those kids traumatized in a week. I'm horrible with kids; they weird me out!"

Asuma laughed out loud at Hizashi's choice of words just as Gai returned with the drinks. He happened to look towards the entrance and his brow furrowed with confusion. "Hey, Hizashi, isn't that your brother over there?"

Hizashi snorted, not even bothering to look up from his beer. "Gai, I know you like jokes but that was the worst one yet."

Asuma took the bait and looked over, raising his eyebrows with curiosity. "No, Hizashi, I think Gai is right."

Irritated, Hizashi scowled. "You guys…" but when he looked over, his mouth dropped open with shock. There standing at the entrance was his brother looking utterly and completely lost in the dive that had become Hizashi's favorite place to hang out.

He excused himself quickly and made his way over to Hiashi whose facial expression was a mixture between curiosity and revulsion as he looked over the bar scene. Thankfully, he wasn't wearing his more noble attire, opting instead for simple yet elegant clothing but Hiashi's manner and poise easily set him apart from the commoners that frequent the current establishment. Hiashi couldn't be more out of his element, Hizashi lamented, which begged the question:

"What are you doing here?"

Hiashi looked at his brother with satisfaction and gave a small nod in greeting. "Hizashi—"

"Is something wrong back at home?" Hizashi asked anxiously immediately stepping into his role as Protector because something had to be horribly wrong for Hiashi to be here.

Hiashi blinked with surprise. "No, I—"

"Is it on fire? Did the Council revolt? Is it those fucking Cloud ninjas again because-"

"Hizashi, please calm down! I assure you everything is well."

Hizashi took a step back, flabbergasted. "Then what are…you doing here?"

"I came to congratulate you," his brother said simply handing him a rectangular shaped box, "on making jounin."

Hizashi could only stare at his brother in amazement. "I don't understand. What is this?"

Hiashi smiled. "It's a gift. That is what you do for such occasions. Open it."

Hizashi took the gift but still couldn't let the matter rest. "They allowed you to come all the way out here—HERE—just to give me a gift?" The elders have always been very strict about monitoring Hiashi's whereabouts and overall schedule. And he was never alone. "Where are your servants?"

"I imagine back at the complex," Hiashi answered evasively, looking around with interest at the festive atmosphere. "I snuck out."

Hizashi's amazement immediately ricocheted up to horror. He could only imagine the pandemonium back at home at the realization that the head of the clan was missing. "You snuck out!" He held on to the slim hope his brother was kidding.

But Hiashi was unfazed. "Open your gift, Hizashi."

The younger twin looked down at the gift in his hand and back at his unflappable brother, amazed at the indifference Hiashi was displaying at the moment. Did he not realize the trouble he caused for himself? The party—his party—continued to go on around them but it mattered little to Hizashi now with a family crisis looming in the near future.

Thinking he should appease his brother's request so that he may quickly get him home, Hizashi tore open the box to look at the gift inside. However, his shock was born anew when he saw the contents. "This is father's headband."

"Yes," Hiashi said proudly.

Hizashi shook his head. "I can't wear this. This is for you!"

"But you made jounin before me," Hiashi stated reasonably. "So you should be allowed to wear it."

"But you're the eldest!"

"That doesn't matt—"

"Don't say it doesn't matter!" Because the order of their birth had always mattered in all things, especially for Hizashi.

Hiashi frowned, perhaps realizing his misstep, and looked away. "I want you to have Father's headband."

It would hurt his brother not to accept the gift but still… "There will come a time when you make jounin. What will you wear then?"

Hiashi smiled deviously, "I was thinking I would simply wear your headband given you will no longer need it. The elders wouldn't know the difference."

Hizashi didn't think he could take anymore incredulity that night. His brother's behavior up to this point was bordering on insane. "You can't be serious."

"I am very much so," Hiashi returned gracefully. "Just give it some thought, Hizashi. Now," he said with anticipation, "I would like to try a beer. Where do I acquire one?"

Hizashi sighed in defeat. His brother had evaded his caretakers, snuck out of the clan complex, traveled clear across town alone—Hizashi blanched at the thought—to give him their father's headband and presumably spend time with him on his special day. The least he could do was buy him a beer for the hell he was going to pay later once the elders found out where he's been. Taking him home now or later wasn't going to change that. "Follow me."

Hiashi gave him a genuine smile that did not abate for the rest of the night as Hizashi introduced him to his friends and the joy of partying with one's peers.

But it did not compare to the smile he made when Hizashi handed him the gift box with the younger twin's worn headband inside.