Chapter 5: Father and son
Author's Note: thank you all for your reviews, power stones and comments!
I wrote a special chapter from Hizashi's POV and his interactions with Neji.
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Today was supposed to be perfect. His beloved wife was supposed to give birth to a healthy child and nothing could have made him happier. But something went wrong, a complication during childbirth, the doctor said, and Hizashi was left alone while his wife was taken in the operating room.
Hizashi was anxious, very anxious, but there was nothing he could do except praying that his wife and child would be fine.
Finally, after almost half a day of waiting, a nurse came to meet him, holding a baby in her arms.
"Congratulations Hyuga-san, it's a boy." She told him.
After hearing that, Hizashi felt relief, and happiness submerged him. He carefully took his son in his arms and was shocked by how tiny he was. It was the first time he was holding a baby, he didn't expect him to be so small and so fragile. At this moment he swore to himself to always protect his son.
Then he remembered… His wife! What about his wife? Was she alright?
"Thank you. What about my wife?" He asked.
"I'm sorry… We did everything we could, but we couldn't save her." Answered the nurse.
His world fell apart. His beloved wife was no longer alive.
They may not have been married for a long time, but they loved each other.
He felt sad, very sad but he didn't want to look weak in front of his son and a nurse. Hyuga's pride…
"I-I understand… Can you give me a moment alone please." He said.
"Of course. Take your time."
Hizashi looked at his son, still in his arms, with emotion. His son was the last link between him and his wife. And knowing his wife, she would have wanted him to take care of their child. That's why he had to stay strong, for Neji.
"Neji, my son. Now it's just the two of us… Don't worry I will take care of you." He whispered.
Suddenly, Neji screamed and Hizashi panicked. Hizashi was a total novice with children. What was wrong? Was his son hurt somewhere? Maybe he unintentionally hurt him.
He inspected Neji to check if he was hurt but didn't find anything.
"Neji? Are you alright? Why are you crying so much? Are you hurt somewhere?" He asked, worried.
He didn't really expect an answer from his son but he had to ask.
Thankfully, Neji stopped crying and the nurse from earlier entered the room.
"Don't worry Hyuga-san, he must be hungry. If you're ready, I can take him to the nursery." She said.
'Hungry? Of course, babies don't cry only when they are hurt but every time they need something. I have a lot to learn about babies, it seems…' Thought Hizashi.
With the death of his wife, Hizashi had a lot to do. First, he had to organize her funeral. That thought pained him. Then he had to find a nanny who would take care of his son.
That meant that for now, he had no choice but to leave temporarily Neji alone in the hospital's nursery.
"Yes. Please take care of him, I have to make some preparations for my wife's funeral." He said while carefully giving his son to the nurse.
…
The funeral of his wife was discreet. There were only a few people, all from the clan's branch house, except one: his brother Hiashi.
Hizashi was not really happy to see him there. He still resented his brother for being the clan leader while this position should be his. Just because he was born a few seconds after Hiashi, his fate was decided for him. He became a caged bird and had to protect and serve the main house until his last breath.
"Brother, I'm sorry for your lost. I heard that your son is healthy, you must stay strong for him." Said Hiashi.
Hearing his brother talk about his son enraged him and reminded him that his son will suffer the same fate as him.
Hizashi hated the clan's main house for this, but he also hated himself, because there was nothing he could do to change the fate of his son.
…
The next day, Hizashi find a nanny. Her name was Hamari. She was an experienced old nanny from the branch house who already took care of a lot of children.
Hizashi still had work to do. Because the Third Shinobi World War just ended, he was often busy. That's why he asked Hamari to bring his son home. He and his wife had already prepared a room for their child before she gave birth.
…
A few hours later he was finally home and he saw that Hamari was already back from the hospital with Neji.
"How is Neji?" He asked.
"He is fine, don't worry Hizashi-san" Answered Hamari.
Hizashi trusted Hamari, he knew she was qualified enough to take care of his son.
He walked to Neji's crib to take a good look at him. 'He looks so much like her', he thought, thinking about his wife. The more he looked at him, the sadder he was. Then Neji began to smile and giggle, and all his sadness was replaced by joy. He didn't know that a baby could be so cute and funny.
"He is laughing!" He said.
"Of course, he is happy to see you!" Said Hamari.
'Happy to see me?' Thought Hizashi. That thought made him smile, but he quickly regained his composure. He had to maintain his image of someone serious.
"*Cough* Please take care of him Hamari, I have a lot of work to do. I will come back when I'm done." He said in a serious tone.
"Of course." She said.
…
In the following months, Hizashi felt that something was wrong with Neji. According to Hamari, his son was barely crying and slept much more than a child his age.
Hizashi sought the advice of a doctor, who replied that he didn't have to worry because "every baby is different" and it was not because his son slept more than others that he had a problem.
But one day, Neji didn't wake up.
"Hizashi-san, we have to bring Neji to the hospital right now!" Said Hamari, panicked.
She explained what was wrong with Neji and both of them rushed to the hospital.
Hizashi was terribly worried. He blamed himself for this. He should have taken better care of his son.
…
"Doctor, is my son alright?" Asked Hizashi.
"He suffers from chakra exhaustion. His life is not in danger but he needs a lot of rest." Answered the doctor.
"Chakra exhaustion?! But how?"
A baby was not supposed to know how to use chakra. He had heard of babies suffering from chakra hypersensitivity but never from chakra exhaustion.
"We think that he used his chakra by accident resulting in him losing control of it. But it's only a theory, it's our first time seeing a case like this."
…
Hizashi stayed by Neji's side during two days before Neji finally woke up.
The doctor explained to him that he had to watch his son for at least a month to be sure that an accident would not happen again.
This time, Hizashi would make sure nothing happens to his son.
…
In the following month, Hizashi and Hamari watched Neji all day and night.
Thankfully, it seemed that his son was fine. Neji often played and interacted with them, he didn't sleep all day like before, and according to Hamari, Neji was now even more active than other children of his age.
Hizashi find it weird. How was it possible for his son to change so much? Not even a month before he was underactive and now he was more active than others… Well, he didn't complain, he was on the contrary glad that his son was feeling better.
During this period, Hizashi also used to tell Neji stories in the evening at least once or twice a week.
…
One night while Hizashi was telling a story to his son. Neji said his first word.
"Daddy." He said.
Hizashi obviously heard that but he couldn't believe it. So, he asked "Huh? What did you just say?".
"Daddy!" His son said again.
It was not his imagination, his son really said "daddy". His son's first word was "daddy", at such a young age!
Hizashi felt both proud and happy. He rushed to his son's crib and took him in his arms. Both of them laugh happily.
"That's my son, ha!" He said.
Then Neji used something he shouldn't be able to use yet. He used his Byakugan.
"How is this possible?"
Hizashi was at first very surprised. How was his son able to use his Byakugan?
The Byakugan was not like the Sharingan, it couldn't be unintentionally activated due to strong emotions. Activating the Byakugan for the first time require training and control over one's own chakra.
'Control… That's something babies don't have!' Hizashi thought, panicked.
"Neji, it's dangerous, don't use the Byakugan!" He said, worried.
"Ba-u-gan?" Asked Neji.
"Your eyes!" Hizashi yelled, pointing his hand towards Neji's eyes.
Thankfully, Neji deactivated his Byakugan.
Hizashi noticed that Neji had no trouble activating and deactivating his Byakugan. Did he master it already? But How? Was it because he activated his Byakugan that he suffered from chakra exhaustion a couple of months earlier?
He had no time to think about it. First, he had to be sure that his son was alright.
"Are you alright? Are you in pain somewhere?" He asked.
"No, I'm fine." Answered Neji.
"Thank god! But… You can understand and answer me! How?"
Hizashi was shocked, he was not an expert about babies but Neji was only six months old and he said his first word just a minute ago, so he knew that his son shouldn't be able to answer him like that.
Hizashi thought about the situation. First, his son used his Byakugan then he spoke like it was natural for him. He has never heard of other children in the clan who could do the same.
Was his son a genius? A prodigy never seen before?
Suddenly, Neji started to cry loudly, and Hizashi realized something: Neji was his precious son and it didn't matter if he was a genius or something else, he had to protect him.
"Shhhh, don't worry Neji. Everything is fine. I will always protect you." He said while hugging me.
Hizashi stayed with Neji until he calmed down and fell asleep, he then returned to his study room to finish his work.
…
The next day, Hizashi decided to talk to his son.
He thought about Neji all night and concluded that his son was definitely special.
He walked to Neji's room and saw him playing with Hamari.
"Hamari, can you give us a moment please." He asked.
"Of course, Hizashi-san." She answered, leaving the room.
Once she left, Hizashi took Neji in his arms and sat on the chair near him.
"Neji, can you really understand me?" He asked.
"Yes daddy!" Neji answered, childishly.
"I see… Can you use your Byakugan again? I mean, the thing with your eyes."
He didn't want to risk his son's life but he wanted to be sure that last night wasn't an accident.
Neji seemed to hesitate but after a few seconds, he activated his Byakugan.
"Alright, you have to promise not to use the Byakugan until I allow you to use it." He said.
"Promise!" Neji said.
"Good."
…
Hizashi left the room after playing for a moment with Neji.
He was proud of his son, every father would be proud to have a genius child. However, he was also worried.
His son was born a genius. Unfortunately, he was born in the clan's branch house and was therefore destined to a life of service to the main house. With his potential, his son should do great things and not live a life of servitude…
Hizashi decided to tell Hamari that Neji was able to understand them since she would eventually learn it by herself. He made Hamari promised to not tell anyone about this.
Hamari seemed surprised and told him that it was the first time she saw a child so advanced for his age.
…
In the following months, Hizashi watched the progress of his son.
Neji progressed very quickly. He was able to learn and say the words Hizashi and Hamari taught him. Neji even tried to walk every day.
…
One day while Hizashi was filling important documents, Neji and Hamari entered his study room.
"Dadddyyy!!" Neji said running towards him.
Hizashi was surprised by how fast Neji ran to him. How can an eight months old baby who has only just learned to walk run so fast?
Hizashi sighed and thought that his son will always remain a mystery for him.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Tensei_Rigan
Tensei_Rigan I will sometimes write special chapters from the point of view of other characters.
You can still vote for Neji's love interest. For now, the top three seems to be :
1. Tenten only.
2. Hinata and Ino.
3. Hinata and Tenten
I will publish the next chapter on Friday with the result of the poll.
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