Hinata’s eyes blinked open as the first sliver of dawn peaked through her window. Her arm grasped for something instinctively. The subtle patting went on for a moment longer before her eyes sprang open with a cry, “Neji!?”
She caught movement in the corner of her eye, and the culprit red handed.
Neji flinched and made himself scarce. Abandoning the plushy at the door. He’d pulled this stunt a few times already, in a recent campaign to cajole her into morning spars. To the tune of a few tears, he’d had varying levels of success.
Hinata landed with a quick puff, as footsteps buffed the floorboards. Her brow twitched, her bloodline sputtered to life, however spurred by the persistence of her cousin, “Neji.”
Her voice carried a dangerous note. Neji glanced over his shoulder as she entered the hall. A glint in her eye sent a shiver down his spine. Both of achievement and imminent dread.
He knew better than to try and talk her out of it, instead channeling those words to cross the distance to the dojo- or dining room, depending on her determination.
A prickle at his nape and the knowing gaze of family redoubled his haste. Sure enough, when he glanced back, he’d preserved precious little distance from her fingers.
A mixed blessing. Her hands were curled and soft in order to grab a hold of his robe. Through their gaze, the expectation to do harm evolved to intent.
Gentle though she was, Hinata held her sister’s share of insight. Neji forsook any effort at grace, as an inch given would grant her a mile.
His stride met the threshold to bend doors in passing, and nearly cracked the frame where he juked into the dining room. Even as his eye pegged his uncle, he felt for the latch to his best hiding place.
Hiashi pressed the morning paper, and addressed the boy in the corner of his eye, “Slow start again, today.”
The thunder in the halls vanished in an instant. Ears met instead by the toll of wood chimes.
His brow prickled, for the moment Hinata stepped to the door a flicker of static betrayed her otherwise flawless composure.
“Neji.”
She spoke civilly. If not for the next words, he might think she was content with the scare.
“After class.”
And Hinata was not a morning person.
Like most clans, The Hyuga chose to tutor in private, during the early years. Only recently, Hinata had come to take academy classes. Even with a year apart, it was a surprise relief that Neji would not be spending the rest of the day basking in her promise of judgement.
Hinata was not intimidating. She was too kind for that, after all. Her power of observation was on another level though, and she could find subtle meaning that no kunoichi class would ever teach.
Neji was a prodigious fighter, yet even as he taunted her, his cousin was no less so in study. If only the teachers graded her aura during tests, they might see that her designs were far ahead of the rest. She was so vexingly humble.
Thankfully, that was less than his responsibility today. Second and third quarter came without interruption, and Neji even found a few topics to look into at a later date. The fourth on the other hand. That is when unease began to settle in.
Theory was one of his best subjects, as making accurate projections ran parallel to his talents. It wasn’t his top mark, but it was a healthy addition. It left him wanting for lack of a challenge though, and the solution was soon in coming.
It wasn’t likely that he would be all that worse for wear, but there was a growing unease as classes ended.
“Hey you, what are you doing over there hiding?” Neji furrowed his brow at the sound, but shrugged it off. He had other matters to deal with.
“This isn’t the place for creeps. If that’s too much to ask, go home blight eyes.”
His pace stopped cold. That was twice too many. That remark only came up around one person, and it irked him, that he could see her flinch before he heard the footsteps.
Hinata came down the road a moment later. Shaken, but drawing up the same face as she had that morning. It wavered when she saw him, and she relaxed instead.
“Neji-”
He cut her off, waving her over, “C’mon. We’ll be back with time to warm up.”
Hinata was somber, but her smile was genuine. Hopefully, venting some frustration would help her get over that hurdle. One thing he didn’t understand was why she ended up around the same jerk. It wasn’t like her to repeat a mistake.
It didn’t suit her, but she’d adapted their martial arts quickly enough.
Neji was pulled from his thoughts when a stranger barred their path. The boy stood around the same height, although he seemed larger somehow. He had blond hair and blue eyes. It wasn’t easy to tell with the shadows, but Neji saw there was something twisted about his face.
Neji drifted into the opening stance naturally, and completely when the stranger's eyes lingered on Hinata.
The boy was hesitant. Rubbing his neck before psyching himself up, and in a voice a bit too loud, “I came to apologize. That guy… He’s a jerk, but he’s like that around new people. I thought you might- If it happens again, I’ll step in. That’s a promise!”
Said as much to convince them as the boy himself.
“Who are you?” Neji asked.
Suddenly more sure of himself, the boy answered, “My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I’m gonna be a ninja before long, believe it.”
Likely a student then and, without a clan symbol, one of a few years.
“Don’t corner people like that. You’ll get hurt if you do something stupid.”
“Oh, yeah.” The boy, ‘Naruto’ voice as they passed him, “I’ll see you around, I guess?”
Neji furrowed his brow. That could have gone worse, and he’d be more careful in the future.
“Neji, you didn’t give him your name.”
He paused and looked over his shoulder. Hinata was fidgeting nervously, but not even a little afraid. It occurred to him then that she could be friends with someone in the group.
“You should be more careful who you hang out with. There’s a time and place for the people we get along with. Throwing yourself in the way of danger whenever you see them is recklessness. You only get one life, Hinata.”
