To Blindly Follow

greetings all. Guess what, I have another chappie for you!!! Woohoo


Kakashi stared at Neji for a moment. He looked over at Shikamaru, who shrugged. “Neji, do you really have that little trust in Sasuke?” Shika asked
Pale eyes turned towards them. “No, I just……..sometimes, it seems as if he wants to be rid of me,” he said, “He has been really …….testy.”
Kakashi sighed. “Neji, it is hard on him too,” he said gently, ‘Not quite as hard as it is on you, but, he worries about you.”
The Hyuuga looked unconvinced, but nodded. “I know, I am pretty much useless right now,” he said, “he barely sits down anymore.”
The other two nin looked at each other and Shika nodded again. “You need to learn how to do things on your own again,” the shadow manipulator said.
Neji stood and limped towards the bedroom. “I know that,” he snapped.
He stopped and laid a hand on the wall. “My family will be here today,” he said, “They are coming to try and convince me to go back to the compound.”
He turned back a little. “I don’t want to go back with them, but I am not doing Sasuke any good,” he whispered, “I think that…..”
“Don’t you dare!” Shika snapped, “Sasuke has done a lot of good for you and for you to up and run when it seems a little harder then what you thought…..that is really cowardly.”
Neji turned completely and tried to focus a glare towards the voice. “You are one to fucking talk, Nara,” the Hyuuga yelled.
He stopped and leaned against the wall. “I just don’t want to be a burden to him anymore,” he said, softly.
The older man stood up and walked over to the Hyuuga. He looekd down at him and frowned. The teen seemed so broken, not the strong fighter that Kakashi remembered seeing. “They really found a way to break you huh?”
Neji twitched a little and lifted his head. “I am not broken.”
Shikamaru laughed cynically. “Neji, you are, and you need to help yourself sometime,” he said, “now, you are going to tell your family that you are staying here with Uchiha or I will do it for you.”
“I agree,” Kakashi said, “You will not be able to get any better at the compound, they will not give you the chance.”
Neji sighed. “I know,” he said, standing, “I am tired; I want to get some rest before they get here.”
Shika took his arm and led him into his room. “We will let you know when they get here.”
Neji nodded and lay down. Shika watched him for a moment and growled in frustration. He walked out and looked at Kakashi. “This is not good,” he said, “They have him thinking that he is worthless, to the point that he thinks he needs them.”
“How can you tell?”
Shikamaru thought for a moment. “He thinks that he is a burden to Sasuke, that he needs them, though he does not want to go back,” he said, “he is broken, if only from the damage that he has sustained.”
The Copy-Nin frowned. “That is not good for his recovery,” he said, “He has to have a healthy mind for this too.”
The genius shook his head. “I know,” he said, “Sasuke is going to have to step up his prodding of Neji, he has to make him do things for himself.”
“Do you think that Sasuke is coddling Neji?”
Shika nodded. “Too much,” he said, “Naruto said he treats him almost like glass sometimes.”
Kakashi opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by a knock on the door. H glared at the door with his one eye and then walked over to open it. Hiashi Hyuuga stood there with Hinata and two others that Kakashi did not know. Hiashi nodded to the two nin. “Is Neji here?” he asked.
“I will go and wake him,” Shika said, “He just went to lie down for a bit.”
The Hyuuga leader nodded again. Kakashi stepped aside to let them in, shutting the door behind the last two. Hiashi and Hinata sat, while the other two stood silently. Kakashi stared at them for a moment, concluding they were branch members.
“Neji?” Shika said quietly, “your uncle is here.”
Neji moved a little and opened his eyes. He tensed when he hear Shika’s voice, not recognizing it for a moment. “Neji, it’s me, Shikamaru,” the Shadow manipulator said gently.
Neji relaxed and stretched. He tried to stand, but his left leg wouldn’t hold him up quite yet. It gave out and he crumpled on the floor. “Damn!” Neji swore, frustrated.
The others had been sitting quietly, but started when they heard the thump and Neji’s curse. Hinata glared up at her father. He looked down at her and sighed. “I know.”
Shika helped Neji up and assisted him out to the living room. “Uncle Hiashi, Miss Hinata,” Neji said wearily as he sat down.
“Neji, we have come to ask you to come back to the compound, at least until Sasuke returns,” he said, “we are all worried about you.”
“I would rather not,” Neji said, “you are the ones who put me in this position, and if I return, will I get to leave when he gets back?”
Hinata sighed. “Neji, please, I am worried as well.”
“No, Miss Hinata, because I will surely be fodder for the Elders,” he said, “Besides, I have Kakashi- sensei and Nara here.”
Hiashi glared at the other two nin and then focused back on Neji. “You must know that Sasuke has put in the petition to have you removed from the family and into his own,” he said, “I would hope that you would have more pride in your family than that.”
“If Sasuke has done this, I am sure it is for a good reason,” Neji said.
Hinata opened her mouth, but was cut off by Shikamaru. “He has given you his answer,” he said, “You can leave now.”
Hiashi’s eyes widened at the nerve of the Nara heir. “He is still a Hyuuga, until the petition goes through; he must learn his place,” he snapped, “He must return to the compound today.”
“NO!” Neji yelled, “I am going to make my own decision, this is my time to make my own life.”
Hiashi stood. “Neji, you must know that we never allow branch members out of the family without certain punishment,” he warned.
Kakashi stood as well. “You my leave, Hyuuga,” he said, “If there is indeed a petition, then Neji actually belongs to Gai-sensei now, until the petition hearing has commenced.”
Hinata grabbed her father’s hand. “Father, we must do this differently,” she said, “Please, let Neji heal before you force him into something he does not want to do.”
“All right, Hinata,” he said, “Besides, Kakashi is right, Very well, but Neji, I will be speaking to you again.”
Neji nodded and waited until they left before collapsing on the couch.


Sasuke and Naruto ran quickly away from the village, eager to get this mission done. “Hey, loser, what exactly do we have to do?”
“We will be home tomorrow night,” the kit said, “We just have to escort someone from a nearby village back to Konoha.”
Sasuke growled with impatience. “And they sent us to do it; couldn’t a Genin team have done this?”
“She requested you and Tsunade was a little suspicious, so she sent me,” Naruto answered, “She thinks the girl may have a crush on you, so I am here to act as a chaperon.”
Sasuke sighed. “Great!”
Naruto laughed and they continued to run in silence.

Neji sat up in his bed that night, unable to sleep. He was so used to Sasuke being there. He felt the side of the bed and groaned, falling back. He tugged at his hair tie and pulled it out. “I can’t sleep and the pills aren’t helping.”
Rolling over to his side, he curled up and buried his head in his hands. “Please, come back Sasuke.”