"Hinata, you have to focus."

Hinata nodded, panting. Neji held out his hand and helped his cousin to her feet. She took a deep breath and got into her fighting stance.

"Okay, go," she said timidly. Neji sprung forward and began to strike at her. She used her Byakugan, looking for his chakra points, but he moved so fast that she could hardly see him at all.

An open hand hit her on her shoulder. Immediately, her left arm fell to her side, limp. It was as though all the energy had been drained out of it, and it was all she could do to lift it. With one hand, she blocked Neji's attacks, trying to get into a position to hit him. Ducking away from one of his hand, she hit him in the chest with two fingers. He fell backward, staying on his feet but obviously disabled.

"Good," he choked out. He took a painful breath and tapped her shoulder, unblocking her chakra. Her hand was hit with a sudden flood of feeling, making the tips of her fingers tingle. She leaned forward and touched his chest, unblocking his chakra as well. He coughed once and stood up straight.

"Where did I hit?" she asked quietly.

"You missed any vital points. Aim your blows better. There are sixteen vital points in the chest alone, and you managed to miss all of them," he said coldly.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, just do better."

He got into his fighting stance, and Hinata followed. "…Go," she said, and he came at her with a series of rapid blows.

One hit her in her arm, and another on her collarbone. She made a small noise as the feeling in both of her arms lessened to near numbness.

Using all of her strength, she tried to hit Neji. No chakra would focus in her fingers, and her arms wouldn't move over her waist.

"Stop!" she yelled, but Neji seemed not to hear her. He hit her once in the stomach, just missing a vital point. She fell over backwards as the muscles in her gut twisted together. Neji fell over onto her.

He straddled her around the waist, his hand around her neck. She looked at him, a terrified look in her eyes. She tried to fight off the tears coming to her eyes, but the way her stomach was twisting was making that very hard.

"If you were ever in an actual fight, your enemy wouldn't stop just because you told them to."

Hinata nodded, looking away. Neji got up and pulled Hinata to her feet. Then he lazily tapped her arms and stomach, and the sudden unclenching of her muscles caused her to sigh in relief. Neji walked toward the house.

"What about our training?" Hinata asked, biting her lip.

"It's over for today."

Hinata sighed and walked back toward her room. Her stomach felt strange, and her left arm had been made numb four or five times. She had only hit him once. Once.

Maybe he was right. He had told her time and time again that she would never amount to anything. And, time and time again, he had proved it. This was only one of the many training sessions that had ended in Hinata's loss and Neji's anger.

She opened the door to her room and sat down on her bed. She had a picture of Naruto on her bedside table, and him smiling at her brightened her mood. Then again, the picture of her family next to it changed that.

She, her father and her sister seemed happy, but Neji wasn't. It had been a full family picture, but Neji hadn't been told. He had walked in on the picture being taken, with him not in it. All you could see of him were his eyes, and they were full of confusion and sadness. Hinata turned the picture away.

There was a knock at her door. Hinata got up and opened it. Neji stood there, a blank look on his face.

"Time for supper," he said, and Hanabi popped out from behind his leg.

"Onii-san, you gotta be happier! Hinataaa-san, I cooked the rice and everything!"

Hinata smiled as Neji sighed sharply. "Thank you, Hana-chan."

Hanabi skipped away, and Hinata looked at Neji. "It's really nice of her."

"All she did was boil rice."

"Yes, but she's proud of it."

"And?"

Hinata looked down. "Nothing."

She walked past him, careful not to touch him. He watched her go, then closed her door and followed. Hinata felt him walking behind her, but she was careful not to look back. Still, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled.

They entered the dining area, where Hanabi and Hinata's father were already seated. Neji waited for Hinata to sit before he took his place at the table.

Hanabi gave everybody some rice, which was slowly turning into mush, and curry. Everybody settled down to eat.

"I heard that there was a problem during your training today," Hiashi said, taking a bite of rice-mush.

Neither Neji nor Hinata spoke.

"Well? What happened?"

"N-neji-san was just helping me."

"What really happened?"

"I hit her a few times, that was all."

Neji stared at Hiashi for a moment, gauging his reaction. Hiashi turned to Hinata, an inquisitive look on his face.

"Really. Hinata, did you manage to strike Neji at all?"

Hinata looked down uncomfortably. "Mmhmm."

"Where?"

"Uh…well…"

"Why is that important? She hit me in the chest. Finishing blow, had we been fighting."

Hiashi and Hinata both looked at Neji in surprise. He looked away, eating a bit of rice.

"Neji-san—"

"What?" he asked, making harsh eye contact with Hinata. She shook her head.

"It is very important, Neji, and I would be happier if you wouldn't snap at me."

Neji stared at Hiashi for a moment before taking another bite of rice and looking down.

"I was just telling you the truth."

"No, you weren't. Hinata has never dealt a finishing blow on you. This will be no change."

Neji dropped his chopsticks. "Maybe she did this time."

"That's not possible. She doesn't have enough determination."

"Stop talking about her like she's not here!"

"Did you raise your voice at me?"

Neji closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "No, I didn't."

"And now you're lying."

"Well, excuse me for trying to find some worth in your own daughter."

"What did you just say?"

Hanabi looked from her father to Neji and back again. "How's the rice?" she asked brightly, hoping to change the mood of the meal.

"It's wonderful," Hinata said.

Hanabi smiled widely and dug into her food. The rest of the meal went in silence.

The moment Neji finished, he took up his dishes and left the room. She heard him wash them quickly and leave for his room. She bit her lip and picked up her plate.

"Don't mind him. He's just being a teenager," Hiashi said, taking more food.

Hinata didn't answer. She washed the plate as fast as possible and went to Neji's room. There was no sound coming from inside. She knocked a few times. There was still no sound.

She opened the door slightly. Neji was sitting at his window, staring out. He had taken off his shirt, had an angry look on his face, and his fists were clenched.

"Neji-san?"

He looked at Hinata, and his face dark. She tapped her fingers together in front of her face nervously.

"I'm sorry about father…"

"It's his fault for being such an ass."

"You didn't have to defend me, he doesn't mean it…"

Neji stood up. "He still said it. And you did hit me."

Hinata took a few steps into the room. "I'm still sorry. About making you angry before."

Neji's eyes widened. "I wasn't angry at you. Is that what you thought?"

"Well, you walked away and looked so mad…"

Neji shook his head. "I was angry at myself. I was fighting too hard for a training session."

He walked toward her. He had taken off his forehead protector, and it was lying on his bed. The seal on his forehead was framed by his long hair, and he looked so unlike himself.

Hinata looked away. "I'm still sorry."

She looked back and his lips met hers. At first the touch didn't register, but after a second she realized what was happening. She pulled away, a look of shock on her face.

Neji looked shocked. "I'm sorry…I didn't…" He backed away, his hands up. "Really, I…"

Hinata began to blush, her face turning bright red. Neji looked panicked. "I'm really, really sorry!"

Hinata ran out, her hand up around her face. Neji rocked his head back and stamped the ground.

"Crap…crap crap crap…" he muttered under his breath. He went over to his bed and punched it hard. A few doors down, he heard Hinata's door close.

"Damn it!" he hissed, resting his head against the wall. Why did he have to do that? Now Hinata probably hated him. He swore again and fell backwards on his bed, landing on his forehead protector. He groaned and sat up, throwing the metal plate against the wall.

Neji quickly pulled on a shirt and left his room. What was he doing now? He went to Hinata's door and knocked lightly.

There was no answer, so he knocked again. "I'm sorry," he said, biting his lip.

When there was still no answer, Neji sat down with his back to the wall. He let his head fall back and he stared at the yard.

Dammit, why am I so stupid?