To Have a Mother [Hiatus]

Episode Nine: Neji's Desired Reality

TW: Vomiting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Akari was preparing a late breakfast when there was a knock on the door. It was a rather strange hour for visitors and Akari couldn't imagine anyone who would even be available to come over. However, there seemed to be a panic in the pulsing knock on the door that worried her. So, she turned off the stove and opened the front door to reveal a rather discombobulated Neji Hyūga. His skin was pale and his whole body trembled as if his pained him to stand. His eyes were tearing as he seemed to stare right through her.

Shocked, Akari blinked before being able to speak. "N-Neji? W-What happened to you?" She reached for him and he darted backwards.

"N-No!" he said weakly, falling to the ground. "D-Don't... touch... me."

Akari was quick to prevent his head from hitting the concrete and gathered the boy in her arms. He was shaking violently and his skin was on fire despite the cold sweat building around him. The boy glared up at her, vainly trying to fight against her.

"Hush, boy." Akari whispered, "It's alright now."

Neji hadn't the breath to respond after his attempt to break free of her, so he continued to stare at her through his blurry, unfocused vision until he was placed in bed. "Th-There's no need to treat me like a child, Akari S-Sensei."

The jōnin rolled her eyes and sighed. "If you have the strength to argue, you have the strength to tell me what put you in this state."

Neji breathed slowly to calm the raging migraine in his head. "If you must know, this is a punishment. I-In Hinata's leave, I was permitted to spar with her sister, H-Hanabi. Although more skilled... she is still younger and I s-severely overestimated her en... endurance. D-During a moment of frustration, I injured h-her to the point where she had to-to retire for the day."

Akari's heart dropped at the realization he was speaking of the Hyūga main family's juinjutsu. "Th-The curse mark... caused this?"

"Y-Yes." Neji confirmed with slight pain in having to speak, "Since I could still walk, they dismissed me to go home, but..."

In truth, Neji did not really understand why he chose to come back here when he'd made clear yesterday that he would not. Thankfully, he didn't even need to explain himself as Akari cut him off anyway.

"You walked all the way here from the Hyūga District?" She spoke with a sort of panic in her eyes. "You are in no condition to walk that far alone. If you needed me, you should have just--"

"I-I did not need you." Neji replied, avoiding her eyes. "I s-simply did not want to be at home... It wasn't that f-far a walk."

Akari sighed, gently stroking his head. The boy winced in pain, causing her to withdraw her hand. "Alright." she said, "I was in the middle of making breakfast. You can have mine and I'll make myself another. And some herbal tea will heal your headache in no time."