A/N: Boyfriend co-wrote this chapter. Many thanks.
Lee had told Sakura where she could find Guy. He conveniently lived in an apartment on top of the gym. She remembered how to get there, fortunately. It was hard to forget considering her first car ride there was full of mixed emotions. She hadn't been back since Tenten's match against Temari.
She shuddered at the thought.
Poor Tenten, having to get caught up on all this all because of someone she was friends with.
Would she too end up that way if she continued to see Lee?
Sakura's hands gripped the steering wheel. She made a choice to help him and his friends. She can't just back out now. It'd go against her morals. Besides, in the short time she had gotten to know Lee, she began to grow fond of him.
"Please be my girlfriend! I will protect you with my life!"
His words replayed in her mind over and over again since she drove away. She wasn't sure if she could agree to it. It was way too soon.
Maybe he was just saying that because she had indirectly called him cute, desperate to connect to another human being on a personal level. A romantic one. Sakura couldn't pretend she didn't understand that. At one point, she had been in his place. She couldn't judge too harshly.
Finally, Sakura pulled into the parking lot in front of the gym. Lee had a spare key to the place, attached to his car keys. Otherwise, there would be no way to get to the apartment. She made her way inside, deciding whether or not she should skulk about or loudly stomp around to make her presence known.
Either way, Guy Sensei could think she was an intruder.
Oh great, now she's calling him sensei in her head. She really was spending a lot of time with Lee.
Sakura decided that she was going to walk normally. No need to overthink it. Now, to find the stairs.
The interior of the gym was dark, as it was after hours. No fights going on currently. The quiet was deafening. It was strange to think how a place that was once so full of shouting people could be so empty. It gave Sakura the chills.
She used the flashlight from her phone to find her way and ascended up the stairs. On the top floor there was only one door in a hallway. Some framed photographs littered the walls. Pictures of Lee and his family when they were younger.
Photos of Lee and Tenten winning sports competitions in middle school. Sakura lost count, but it appeared like they joined every club possible. Anything from kickball to wrestling, the two dominated every sport they decided to be a part of.
Neji didn't start appearing regularly in photos until she saw the same photo that Lee had in his room with the three of them and Guy. Even in some photos with Neji in them, Neji had medals and trophies from sports competitions. He even smiled. Just a bit.
A lot of framed photos came from more recent times, Sakura recognized. Pictures taken from matches the three of them have won in this very gym.
Hair sticking to their foreheads with blood and sweat, bruised faces, crooked noses, bloody gums staining their smiles. Every win was a proud moment.
It was clear to Sakura that Guy loved his students very much.
Then she saw the most interesting photo of them all. It was of Lee when he was a little baby. Guy had him in a baby sling attached to his chest, giving a thumbs up to the camera. They were in front of what looked like the gym, before the exterior began to show its age. Even little, Lee still had very prominent eyebrows, even if his hair hadn't grown in just yet. It was adorable.
Cheeks rosy, eyes closed, not a care in the world. His whole world was right there, Guy Sensei. That was his world. Not this crime filled world that was Konoha City.
Sakura briefly wondered who took the photograph before she shook her head to dispel the thoughts. She didn't have time to look at pictures all night, she was on a mission! She worked up the courage to step up to the door, but before she could put her knuckles to the wood, it opened.
"Miss Haruno?" Guy looked pleasantly surprised to see her. "I thought I heard someone waltzing about in here... Are you with Lee? Only my students have the keys." He doubted that she'd be here with Tenten and much less with Neji.
Sakura gulped. "About that. Lee gave me his keys. Your students," she said, fighting against her own voice as it began to waver. "T-they're in trouble."
Guy's face darkened as he processed Sakura's words. "Tell me everything."
ˏˋ ˎˊ
The head of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi Hyuga had seen enough and made himself shown. All of the Hyuga's except Neji would bow, he instead glares at his uncle. "Uncle, you would stoop this low just to get my attention? I've told you before, I refuse to return to the Hyuga Clan. Now return Tenten to us safely-" Neji would get in a fighting stance, challenging his uncle. "Or I will have to get her myself." Hiashi laughs hysterically at Neji's words, walking closer and closer until it was only the two of them in a spread out area. "I got you to finally come home though, did I not? You're still a child Neji, come home where you belong, I will let both of your friends walk out safely, but you must stay for that to happen." He wasn't asking for Neji to agree to these conditions. He was setting demands on his nephew and Neji just as ever, rebelled and challenged his uncle's words. "Or, I beat you and you let all three of us walk out here safely."
Hiashi raised a brow at Neji's own demands, his words definitely hit a nerve. However he remained composed, Neji has been gone and seemingly trained with others, he witnessed his new skills in his previous fights and chuckles. "Okay, Neji. If you want a fight with me, then I'll give you what you want." The rest of the Hyuga gasps and gossip with each other. "Hiashi is going to fight Neji?" "Could Neji even win?" "Hiashi's not going to go easy on the boy…" this could be heard by Neji, Hiashi, and even Lee. Lee himself knows Neji has been preparing for this day, now it is time to see if all he's learned is enough to beat his uncle. Hiashi would get in a fighting stance, the Hyuga's traditional fighting stance, his palms facing Neji as they circled each other, waiting for who would be the first to strike.
It would be Neji who would strike first. He went for a right hook to the head in which Hiashi would easily deflect it, but Neji wasn't done yet! He then quickly attempts a left jab to the body in which would be caught by Hiashi, his reflex speed and defense were that of equal to Neji's so far. But Neji pulled a quick one that the Hyuga hasn't taught him, he would pull Hiashi towards him due to his arm being grabbed and would throw a knee to the body which did get blocked, but it was all to leave Hiashi defenseless for one moment which caused Neji to headbutt Hiashi right in the nose! Hiashi stumbles back and holds his nose as Neji is freed and recovers into a defensive stance.
Neji could hear Lee cheer him on as the Hyuga members were whispering loudly to each other. "Neji got a clean hit on Hiashi!" "No way Hiashi let Neji catch him off guard…"
These words would fuel Hiashi's anger as he turns to the Hyuga members. "Quiet! You bastards!" He shouts angrily at his family before turning to Neji and wipes the blood off his nose. "Good attack, Neji. You've learned to use our traditional ways and mixed it in with your street fighting…clever boy."
Now Hiashi would be on the offensive as it was his turn to charge and throw a strike at Neji. He would attempt to deflect his uncle's attacks but it seemed to do nothing, his uncle's attacks were still connecting, it was as if Neji's arms were the one to be deflected and before he knew it now Neji was the one with a bloody nose, as while the Hyuga usually fought with open palms, Hiashi balled his fist and punched Neji square in the face.
Neji never got hit that hard, ever. Even when fighting Lee in an actual sanctioned match, who he knows gives it his all in the ring, never hit Neji this hard. Before he could recover Hiashi would hit Neji with a spin kick to the side of Neji's head. Causing Neji's ears to ring and his vision get blurry as he fell to the ground, he saw two of Hiashi's talking to him. He thinks his uncle is talking smack, but he doesn't know for sure due to the ringing.
He shakes his head and sees that his vision is clearing as he stands to his feet and tries to charge at his uncle, but Hiashi easily deflects Neji away, or so he thought as Neji would throw a kick at Hiashi in the body which sent Hiashi stumbling back and Neji would leap into the air and wrap his legs around Hiashi's neck in a horizontal position where he would flip Hiashi onto the floor and onto his back.
Neji would go on top mount and attempt to hit Hiashi while he was on the ground, but Hiashi was quite agile and swift in his old age. He would counter by attacking in the same ear where he kicked Neji, causing the ringing to return which throws Neji off and leads for Hiashi to throw an elbow into Neji's nose, causing more bored and now Neji to lay on his back.
"You're still a boy, Neji." Hiashi shouted as he punched. Neji in the nose again, the bottom half of his face and his top covered in blood. "But you wanted to a grown man, right? Well this is grown up shit!" He says and swings his elbow at Neji now, Neji was defenseless, his arms were down and Neji couldn't say anything as he struggled to breathe through his nose before he would exhale through his mouth, causing him to spit blood on Hiashi who's anger only lasted longer now.
"You fucking stupid, selfish boy." He growled and would stand up to grab Neji by the hair and dragged him across the room. Lee had enough of this as he could hear Neji screaming in pain. However, many of the Hyuga would step in front of him. "Sorry, we can't let you step in. This is a one on one between two Hyuga members." As this was happening Hiashi let Neji go and got on top of him once more and began to beat on Neji repeatedly, with everyone watching as Neji's eyes closed shut due to swelling, his cheeks and lips puffed him, his nose continually bleeding as Hiashi kept beating on his nephew.
"Do you get it, boy? You are outmatched. Acknowledge me as your Chief and I will let you live, your friends will leave safely. You have my promise." Neji would let out a raspy breath as he called for Hiashi to come closer. Hiashi was hoping to hear Neji acknowledge him so he leans in enthusiastically. "Yes, my boy? What is it?"
"Go…fuck yourself." He would barely get out before leaning up to get a bite of Hiashi's ear and as Hiashi punched, kicked, and pushed on Neji to get off. The way Neji got off was ripping Hiashi's right ear clean off which would cause Neji's uncle to scream in pain, seeing Neji's brused and swollen face, seemingly smile at him with his ear in his mouth before he would spit it out and caused his ear to hit Hiashi, along with some more blood. Hiashi had his his hands wrapped around Neji's throat, he tried to be a father and mentor figure to Neji, he tried to forgive Neji for his rebellion against him, even after they fought he wanted Neji to return home. But after this level of disrespect, he couldn't let it slide. His grip got tighter as Neji was gasping for air.
Just when Hiashi thought Neji was close to dead, the doors slammed open to see two figures he was familiar with, make that three actually as he would see Might Guy there, standing with Naruto Uzumaki and Kakashi Hatake of the KCPD.
There was one more person with them, a pink haired and green eyed girl who looked around the same age as Neji. Was she a friend of theirs? He would immediately let go of Neji's neck and holds his hands up, surrendering to the two policemen in front of him. Lee fought through the crowd of Hyuga members who tried stopping him earlier, only to see the state Neji is in which caused his eyes to widen in horror. He never imagined seeing Neji in this state and immediately looked up at Hiashi, rage filling his chest as he was ready to try and fight this man himself.
However, he would see the ones who stepped in, Naruto and Kakashi, Guy-sensei, and Sakura?! His anger was immediately replaced with concern as he rushed to Sakura, making sure she didn't see the state of Neji and what was going on.
Guy had also seen the state Neji was in and attempted to walk towards Hiashi however, Kakashi would stop him. "I'm sorry Guy, I can't let you hurt him. We need to take him in. Naruto, bandage his wound then put him in cuffs. Guy, I'm trusting you to keep your head on straight."