A/N: Well, this is my first shot at Naruto fanfiction. I decided to write about team Gai simply because they are my favorite team in the series. There is probably some OOC because I admit I have difficulty getting a character's personality right, but I'll try my best.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Staying Down
Neji Hyuga had gotten used to the fact that his life was an endless routine. Ever since he had graduated the academy, his life had seemed to be a repeating cycle. He would curse the Main Branch of the Hyuga family, and then he would proceed to meet with his team. His ridiculous sensei, Maito Gai, would yell nonsense about the Power of Youth while his teammate, Rock Lee, would lap up everything and worship the ground Gai walked on. At least that's how Neji saw it. It was a pathetic display. Afterwards, Lee would challenge Neji to a spar and vow to defeat him, claiming that he would defend his nindo, his Ninja Way. Neji would then proceed to destroy Lee and their other teammate, Tenten, would scold Lee and tell him that there as no point because he would never beat the Hyuga prodigy. Apart from some interesting missions every now and then, every day was the same. Rinse and repeat.
Then had come the Chunin Exams a year later. Neji had told Lee that he would always be a failure, because that was his destiny and he could not escape it. However, Neji wished everyday that he was wrong, because his own destiny was one filled with pain. When he had fought his cousin Hinata and proceeded to defeat her, he had been enraged by her words. He would have killed her had the Jonin present not stopped him. Soon after, Lee had his match with the fearsome Sabaku no Gaara. In that fight, Lee had shown power beyond anything Neji could have ever imagined. He watched the fight with rapt interest, although he knew what the outcome would be. Lee was going to lose, as it was his destiny to be a failure. However, a small secret part of Neji wished that Lee would win, so that he could have the hope that maybe his could change his own fate. When Lee had been defeated, even after using 5 of the 8 Chakra Gates, Neji had not been surprised. He pitied Lee and silently thought of him a fool to defy fate. However, that small part of him roared in anguish, because he was once again condemned to carry on his cursed existence.
Everything suddenly changed when Naruto Uzumaki, the dead last loser and complete failure, defeated him. His life seemed to change. He was given the hope that he too could change his destiny. His life became better after that event. He began to be nicer to Lee and Hinata, as well as everyone else. Gai-sensei's speeches of Youth even made slight sense to him now, much to his horror. He began to believe that Lee would one day become a splendid ninja and admired the spandex-wearing weirdo. He even believed that Lee would one day beat him in a spar and surpass him.
It has now been 6 months since Sasuke Uchiha betrayed Konoha and joined up with Orochimaru. It has been 6 months since Neji nearly lost his life against Kidomaru of the Sound Ninja Four in a mission to retrieve the last of the Uchiha. Neji was amazed at how much his life and he himself had changed.
Currently, Neji was once again sparring with Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast. Tenten was the spectator, watching the fight while sitting on a stump in the little training field that Team Gai usually occupied. Neji blocked a powerful kick from Lee and struck at the Genin's chest, his hand blue with chakra. Lee dodged the blow and tried for a punch, but Neji dodged and slammed his palm into Lee's chin, sending the Leaf's Handsome Devil flying into the air before crashing into the ground, near a tree. He kept his stance, waiting for Lee to get up as Tenten watched.
Neji Hyuga had been shocked when Lee displayed his true power against Gaara, and he had been astounded when Naruto defeated him, but never before had he been as shocked as when Lee crawled to the tree trunk, sat against it, and said, "I quit, Neji. You win."
Tenten fell off the stump in surprise as Neji's eyes widened. The Weapon Mistress got up and looked at her teammate, "What did you just say?"
"I said, I quit," replied Lee. Neji looked at Tenten and saw the same look of disbelief he had on his face mirrored in hers. Rock Lee quitting? The idea was preposterous! The boy who had gotten up while unconscious to continue the fight against Gaara and prove his nindo was quitting?
"But why?" asked Tenten, her voice filled with both worry and disbelief. Lee sighed.
"What is the point? I am never going to beat Neji," he replied.
"What about all that talk of Youth and proving your nindo? What would Gai-sensei say?"
"It is just a friendly spar, Tenten. It is not important," Lee said.
"And since when has that mattered to you?" she replied.
Neji had been quiet the whole time, thinking about the situation. It was not like Lee to quit and stay down. The chances of Rock Lee staying down were the chances of Gai calling off his rivalry with Kakashi Hatake or the chances of Naruto ditching the color orange. It was unfathomable to say the least. In fact, Lee quitting was just wrong. Neji was not going to let his friend give up on his nindo, even if Lee did not believe he was doing so. He walked up to the place where Lee was sitting. He looked down at his teammate, his pale eyes intimidating. "Get up."
Lee looked up confused. "What?"
"Get up, Lee," Neji said. When Lee did not move, Neji extended his hand. "Get up you idiot," he said in that cold voice of his. Lee looked at the hand and took it, and for a brief moment Neji felt relief. Next thing he knew, he was on the ground with Lee on top of him, holding a kunai to his throat.
"Deception is a ninja's best friend, Neji. I win," Lee whispered into his ear. He heard Tenten giggle, and it soon turned into laughter as Lee got off of him. Neji was furious. How in the hell had he not seen that coming? How had the Hyuga prodigy been tricked so easily? And dear Kami, why was Tenten laughing? He got up and brushed off the dirt in his clothes, glaring at Lee. The boy responded by giving him the Nice Guy Pose, completely with the blinding smile.
"Do not worry Neji! This victory does not count! I was simply doing Tenten a favor. Our record is still 410 to 0, my youthful rival! Next time, I will truly defeat you with the full Power of Youth! YOSH!" Another Nice Guy Pose sealed the deal. Hearing his words, Neji turned on Tenten.
"This was your idea?" asked the Hyuga. Tenten stopped laughing and instead whistled innocently.
"Tenten wanted to see your reaction if I used a deceptive tactic to defeat you, so she came up with this brilliant plan," Lee supplied.
"Is this true?" Neji asked.
"Yes," she said, grinning. "Sorry Neji."
"There is no need to apology Tenten, our beautiful flower! Gai-sensei would be proud!"
Tenten sweatdropped as Neji gave a huff. "Don't be mad Neji. Besides, you should have seen the look on your face!" Tenten began to laugh, and Lee soon joined her.
Neji was now used to the fact that he was stuck on a team with two idiots and Tenten, who had her own 'youthful' moments. He was used to the fact that his life was not an endless cycle and that he could change it if he wanted. So as he stared at his two teammates, he felt glad at the way his life had turned out, and he joined in their laughter.
A/N: Well there you go. Ending was rushed and it sucks. Sorry for any OOCness. Please leave a review. Constructive criticism is not only allowed, it is wanted.