Authors note: Here we are again, and so soon! In this I was thinking both would be a little older and a little wiser, so late 20's. And we can assume that Neji is still alive, obviously. There's not much more to say than that. On to the story.
Hyuuga Neji was not the kind of man to sit idly by whilst others worked. Such laziness was not in his nature and it most certainly had not been encouraged by his uncle growing up. There were occasions when he would have liked to sit about and watch the sky as Shikamaru did but there was a time and place for both types of genius. It just so happened that sitting about was not for him. There had to be a purpose to the sitting otherwise his legs began to twitch and he quickly became agitated. Sitting for the sake of sitting, it seemed, served his disposition little good.
Idleness was the devil in disguise. And if ever there was a group of people that made him want to trek around the world for shits an giggles it was his family. Each member in the compound had a routine that they stuck to with religious fervor. For the first few days he had tried to do the same but he found it tedious when rest was forced on him. He was not rebellious but he was obstinate and he liked to work. It kept him occupied and was rarely the same from one mission to the next. At the very least the scenery changed. The whole issue got him thinking about whether he had always enjoyed such routines and he found that when he really thought about it the truth shone through. He hated it and always had.
That was a fact profoundly cemented in his mind after a whole months leave. He had been inactive for far too long and there was only so much training and tea drinking or mediating one could do before they slowly started to go insane with the monotony of it all. Thus when he received his first summons in what felt like forever he felt almost giddy. In fact, had he been anyone else, giddy might have been the best word to describe it. For all that he was relieved, his anticipation did not show on his face. Instead he gathered his things and swiftly exited the compound.
That was how he had found himself sitting before the large wooden doors of the Kage's office, a sight that was all too familiar to him. Until the months leave that had been forced on him, he had not taken time off from his duties in almost a full three years. His ANBU team was constantly on the move. They were systematically going through the bingo book and removing any rouge nins on the list. With new rouges constantly popping up they had their work cut out for them. No one wanted another Akatsuki debockle.
And his team was not the only one. One other specialty team had been traveling about the known world under Konoha's symbol eliminating any threats. He was not sure who was on that team, secrecy was of the utmost in ANBU, but he had an idea. There were only two members on Team Fox. One of them he was almost positive was Naruto, as the code name did little to hide his identity. The other was harder to pinpoint but elimination had it down to Tenzo or Sakura. If he had been a betting man his money would have been on the latter.
He could not be fully sure though. The two teams were never in the kage's office at the same time nor had he ever gotten a glimpse of the pair in uniform, let alone in action. They were out when his team was in. What he did know was that Team Fox always left and impression on the enemy, one that was deemed almost unfair. Intimidation was the name of the game and the hokage was using it to the fullest.
"Enter!" The call came from inside the office, the voice of the copy nin strained more than usual. Neji glanced around casually and found himself to be the only one there. The rest of his team had yet to arrive and there was no other team waiting. It was not like Sai to be late although it was a developing habit for Shikamaru and Kiba. Still it would not do to keep the Hokage waiting. One of them had to be there to hear the briefing and it might as well have been him.
When he pushed the double doors open a pile of papers greeted him. It took a moment but the sound of rushed scribbling finally stopped and the copy nin stood to address him.
"Hyuuga Neji," the older man began and immediately Neji saw the weight on his shoulders. That was unlike Kakashi, who had surprised everyone by assuming his duties as kage with a mixture of quiet command and tactful action that had naturally appeared under pressure. He was rarely effected visually by his role no matter the circumstances. Another side effect was that he was now oddly on time for everything, perhaps because everyone now came to him. Either way the only people not shocked by how well the man took to the position were his ex-students who feigned shock but secretly had known all along it was bound to happen.
Silver eyes took in his surroundings. There was no guard and no elders, nor was an assistant anywhere near the premises. The hokage was completely alone in his office which was rather unusual. It could only mean one thing; this mission was far from ordinary. Had Neji been another man his back would have straightened and his shoulders would have pushed back but he was not and he had entered the room with the attitude that graced him with every mission; absolute professionalism and a keen attitude.
The scroll in the copy nin's hand was black in color and Neji knew what that meant. It was rare, even in ANBU, to receive a mission that held that level of security and while he had received more than most he had never been alone. He had always been with his team. Whatever this was it was highly classified as the Kage examined the scroll in his hand quickly before handing it over. "I have called you in for a mission of the utmost importance."
Neji glanced over the scroll, which said so little that he did not really understand what he was being asked to do. All he knew is where he was going. Shiobara. He was heading east. The rest of the details were crossed out and illegible, presumably having referred to a previous mission that was linked. Thankfully Kakashi deemed fit to inform him.
"This is confidential, even among our own shinobi. Team Fox is in need of assistance. The target has been identified but unable to be acquired at the present time." Neji was confused. He had seen Naruto earlier that day spending time with his cousin in the rock garden. Surely if Team Fox was out then so was Naruto. Then again there was always the possibility that he had been wrong about both members and that Team Fox was in fact a completely different set of nins. If so, where in Kami's name had they been keeping such powerful nins until now? Buried under the mountain?
Kakashi continued. "I should say a fox, as only one member was sent out." That explained a great deal and for some reason Neji found that he was pleased by it. At least he had not been wrong all this time. His theory was still possible. If he was right, it was not hard to understand why Kakashi had made that choice. Naruto as well known and once he showed his techniques he left his signature, but then again so did Sakura. Both were easy to spot in a battle and it made him second guess his assumption. The only reason to leave Naruto behind was to avoid having blame cast on the right target and that would also lead to Sakura being left behind. Still Neji said nothing, though he was disappointed. He had hoped his theory was right and had hoped to see his favorite medic again. But if it was stealth the hokage was after then he understood the need for discretion.
"You will go to The Sarada Springs where you will sit down for lunch and meet the operative at 12pm on the dot two days from now. Can I assume you accept?" Kakashi asked eyeing the younger man carefully. He had been put on leave for a reason and they were all aware he had a habit of overworking. Kakashi was just checking to see that the rest had done him some good. In a sense it had. He could joyously assure the hokage that he was rested and ready to go on active duty again.
"Of course," the Hyuuga replied waiting for the order to head out.
Kakashi did not disappoint. "You have thirty minutes to leave. You will be travelling alone and I expect you to be in the city on time in civilian clothes. It will take the full two days. When you make contact with the operative and you will receive further instruction."
Neji watched the older man reluctantly return to his desk. After a moment of silence Kakashi glanced back to the spot Neji was still standing in. With a nod he gave permission for the Hyuuga to speak, looking a little frustrated at having stand on ceremony. "Who am I meeting?"
Both eyes closed in his typical fashion for a double crescent appearance and Neji greatly suspected that under the mask Kakashi found something a bit amusing. "You will know the op upon contact." Well, that could have been just about any shinobi in the village and Neji was hardly in the mood to guess. So without further ado he bolted out the door and home to get his things. Shiobara was far and if he wanted to make it on time for the meeting he could not afford to dally about.
Two days of solitude in the wilderness was not as ideal as it sounded. It was very similar to his meditation and he'd had plenty of that already. Even so it had passed quickly enough. The promise of some fashion of work was waiting in Shiobara and he was itching to get there.
When the edge of the city came into view he slowed his pace. On a civilian road into town he was not stopped by anyone and he passed a number of couples and market stalls. Shiobara was known to be quite busy and was the favorite vacation site to the local daimyo. The city stank of booze and smoke. Every where Neji turned there was some fashion of gambling house or tea house near by. And there were hotels at each corner. Shiobara was a tourist town, a well known vacation spot that housed any and every activity a visitor might want including a temple and the local daimyo's summer home.
The Sarada Spring, he soon discovered after asking a local merchant, was one of the nicest hotels in the area boasting a natural hot-spring at the other end of town very close to where the daimyo's home was situated. Midday was quickly drawing close and so with purposeful strides he made his way to the other end of town, doing his best not to draw too much attention. He was standing out despite his best efforts, of that much he was sure. A fair few people had taken notice of his eyes, a trait that was hardly common unless one found them selves in the Hyuuga compound. Thankfully in spite of the size the city was easy to navigate and the Sarada Springs were not hard to find.
He knew he was in the right place when he approached gate. It was an older establishment with a beautifully decorated traditional building. Someone took great care and pride in ensuring that the hotel was the epitome of traditional opulence. The humidity in the air was distinctly more concentrated, increasing with each step he took towards the establishment. The gardens were well maintained and because they were in the start of summer the blossoms were still flowering. The smell was heavenly, sharply contrasting to the lingering haze of drink and smoke from outside. Due to the lovely weather a number of tables had been set out for lunch on the veranda.
An older woman wearing a very restricting looking kimono shuffled up to him as he entered the grounds and bowed low. "Hyuuga-sama we have been expecting you. Please, follow me." A wrinkled hand extended to direct him up the path through she did not wait to see if he would follow. She seemed to expect him to.
Apprehensive, he followed along not sure how the elderly hostess knew his name. This was meant to be a stealth mission. He was dressed as a civilian. Either the mission had been compromised and his cover was already blown or the operative had given his name out freely, in which case what was the point of the uncomfortable attire? For even if this older woman had come across a Hyuuga before, he had certainly never been here. He kept on his toes as he was escorted through the main lobby and out onto the veranda.
"Anata!" Neji stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice and immediately Kakashi's hesitancy in telling him who he was meeting made sense. His apprehension about the operatives decision floated away, knowing she must have had a reason. "How was your trip?" The young woman that approached him was clad in a lovely navy silk kimono of the utmost finery and at first he thought his ears had deceived him. A black head of hair was pulled back into an elegant bun. A light dusting of make up sat on her high cheeks bones and a muted shade of pink adorned her lips. At a glance she would have fooled him, if only for a second. When he saw green eyes he immediately relaxed.
Kakashi was right. He had known her the minute she made him aware of her presence. By the time she had reached him he was already holding out a hand for her to take, having caught onto the game they were playing; although arguably she would have to tell him the details. She reached up to lay a kiss on his cheek. In that instant his heart skipped a beat but he composed himself in record time. He wanted to grin. He had always known it was her, the second more elusive member of Team Fox. His admiration for the woman before him had been high before but now it soared.
She was well prepared, he noted, taking into account their surroundings. The hotel was well placed and the disguise was good, almost too good. Her voice had changed slightly, or rather her manner of speaking had. She sounded controlled, in the same way that Hinata did when she was feeling confident enough to subdue the stutter. That may have been what she was copying. It was a good measure to stick to. As a member of the Hyuuga clan she would have been expected to act in a certain way and her speech would need to reflect it. The daimyo would suspect something if she did not act the part of a high ranking clan member's wife and she was taking extra precautions by sticking to that in the presence of any and all in the town.
The hotel's manager scuttled past to a table where he found that lunch was ready for him and for that he was thankful. He had not eaten properly since he left Konoha. The spread looked delicious but instead he found himself looking at her, trying to asses her current situation. He always found himself looking at her when she was present, a fact that he was fully aware of. She appeared to be unharmed and she seemed to be under no duress. She was beautiful, as always, but aside from that he could tell very little about her condition and thus the best thing to do was ask.
"It was tedious, but I am pleased to find you well." He squeezed her hand as they approached the table aware that she was already reading into his words for the underlying messages. "I worried about you travelling alone."
"I was worried about you too, but we are both here now," she assured him with a demure smile and a twinkle in her eye. She extended her hand out to the chair that had been pulled out for him. "Eat and then I will show you the room so that you can prepare for the springs. They are divine, and I'll bet you could use a wash after your travels."
The choice of food that she sat him down before was amazing and he briefly wondered how much Kakashi had given her for this mission. Whatever they were after must have been worth a great deal. She would tell him when they were alone and there was no worry of being over heard. In the mean time they had a role to play.
He felt the need to dive into the array of delicacies but held back. Even in moments of desperation his Hyuuga instinct refused to let him be anything less than polite. For her part she was playing to the role of a traditional Hyuuga clan wife very well. She prepared his tea and helped him with his meal as best she could before eating a portion of her own. Once finished, she sat quietly with her hands in her lap save when she took a sip of tea waiting for him to finish. Her skin was pale against the black hair and, while it made her eyes stand out, the lack of pink hair seemed unnatural on her. He hoped she had not dyed it. The pink suited her so much more than the black, but in one fell swoop she had taken away her most identifying feature and with the aid of some clever mimicking she was blending in expertly. Each move was precise and delicately executed as if she had been doing this her whole life. She was here in stealth and he wondered how many other stealth missions she had succeeded in without ever mentioning them to anyone.
Her natural way in the situation suggested this may not have been the first time she posed undercover as a wife, but then again it must have been something kunoichi's learned in the academy. Either way he found her convincing and if he did others certainly would. He knew he had a reputation for being over critical of his fellow team members. When he was full she signaled for the hostess who went to prepare the springs for them.
"Come anata, I have your yukata ready in the room," she said, placing her mug down on the table and standing to guide him off the veranda and into the main hall. She brought him to one of the rooms furthest down a long corridor, all the while keeping a hold on his hand.
Her smaller hand in his sent a jolt up his arm that burned in his chest. He would have enjoyed the sensation more if they were not being followed by the hotel manager who was clearly going out of her way to ensure they had her full attention. "Hyuuga-san, I have prepared to have dinner for you and your wife served at seven o'clock. Will this be acceptable?"
With a nod he acknowledged the older woman. "Hn." Sakura beamed at Neji showing him into the room and waited until the sound of shuffling feet moved well beyond their room.
"Oh thank Kami you're here," Sakura exclaimed smiling even bigger than he thought possible. That grin she had sported earlier had not been fake. She was genuinely happy to see him and for a moment he wondered what to make of that. She was, in his personal opinion, the most accomplished and beautiful kunoichi of their generation. It was a honor for him to be graced with such a warm welcome. She was a gem of Konoha, they all knew that, and he had admired her for some time. He had acknowledged it, buried it, and kept the attraction latent since the war.
That kiss however and the tingle that still burned from their conjoined hands had reminded him that perhaps the only reason it was latent was that he never really got to see her much. They were both so busy these days. A man would have to be blind not to see her for what she was, a stunning individual who shone brighter than all the rest in every way, and he was certainly not blind.
His thoughts were interrupted by her letting go of him and preforming a series of hand symbols. Suddenly she was more relaxed. Her shoulders dropped and her delicate walk returned to her usual confidant gait. "That's better." Her manner of speaking had returned to normal and he was pleased to hear it. He liked her as she was, and although it was for a mission he had missed her spunky manner and way of speech.
With swift movements she pulled a number of pins from her hair and no sooner had she done that the pink underneath the black wig was revealed. She shook her hair out gently. She looked relieved and he imagined that the wig was rather annoying. After taking a moment to organize herself she signaled for him to sit on the tatami mat and she followed his lead, folding her legs underneath her as the kimono was constricting. "I thought he would send Sai or Naruto even though I asked for you specifically. Kaka-sensei can be stubborn you know."
The statement both surprised him and pleased him. She had wanted him, had requested him by name for a mission of the utmost secrecy and importance. It was flattering to hear that from a woman as accomplished as she. Now he was more curious than ever to hear what was going on but he knew she would tell him soon enough.
"The room is sound proofed now so I can tell you what I've dragged you into," she explained watching as he folded his legs carefully, preparing for the mission briefing. "In short, I've run into a snag." That was even more surprising. Haruno Sakura stuck on a mission? That was practically unheard of.
He leaned in and stared at her, amused by the fact that she did not cower from the intensity in the gaze as most people did. He had not expected her to. She was rarely intimidated by anything, but he had seen grown nins shrink from him with out cause. He rarely came across someone who could endure a Hyuuga stare. Obviously she was one of them for her green eyes shone right back at his never flinching once. "Hence why I am here," he said congenially.
She nodded with a smile. "You see, after Orochimaru was disposed some of his forbidden scrolls were looted before we could get to them. Some were very valuable where as others are dangerous. Recently the daimyo here has been buying those he can find on the black market. We received intel that he has been keeping four such scrolls in his summer home." She pointed out the window to a tower roof that peaked out from beyond the tree line. Neji could see the problem there. If they knew, then what other nins knew? Many would see a local daimyo as an easy target.
He grunted in understanding and she continued. "Normally I would just break in and take them, but Kakashi said I can't be ID'ed or bring Konoha under fire. More to the point the Daimyo has a very sophisticated safe that I can crack, but it will lock behind me. I could knock through it but I think that would give the game away. It would draw far too much attention. I have fakes to replace the scrolls so by the time he notices we will be long gone. We need to get in and out without making a scene."
"Why all the secrecy?" That was now the only thing he did not understand. This local daimyo had no direct connection to Konoha and thus if the blame was placed on them it did not matter.
"Well, it's not been announced but Kiri has been wanting to settle a new treaty with Konoha for trade. Miyaba-sama supplies them with a great deal of their crops." And there it was. He understood now. "So they can't know it was us or the treaty goes."
The plan she had chosen was the most simple one given the options. She had altered her outset only slightly and included the minimum number of nins for assistance. The two of them could handle this without a problem. Just to show he understood he continued her explanation before she felt the need to. "Therefore you need me to get you back out of the safe once you grab the scrolls."
"Exactly, and possibly immobilize anyone should we be discovered," she said standing to move into the bathroom and prepare for the baths. He thought it over and there seemed to be one problem with this plan.
"Wouldn't I give up the game?" he called out quietly to her after a short time and found her already set for the baths. She moved to put her wig back on and let him into the bathroom to prepare himself. A bathing suit was resting on a small stool for him, which he put on rather curiously not sure why she had set it out for him. They were in a hot spring. They would be segregated and her modesty intact either way, but he decide to trust her. Perhaps there was an element here he had not fully understood.
"No, you are my ticket in," she said with an impish grin before she slipped through the back door. Curious he followed after her when he was ready. He found the back door lead straight into a private spring. He nearly chocked when the sight of bare shoulders greeted him. She hung her kimono up on a small stand and slipped into the pools. His eyes scanned over the bathing suit she had donned for the occasion. It was modest actually, but still he could barely keep his eyes off her. The strapless number was plain black but for some reason it suited her perfectly. The soft material clung to her figure but once under water hid the fact she was wearing anything at all upon a first glance.
Only because his eyes were trained on her did he notice the flash of something hungry, almost longing, in her eyes as she took in his bared physique. It lasted all of a second and as soon as it showed it was gone again, but it was too late. He had seen her eyes when she glanced over her shoulder at him and he held back a crow of satisfaction.
This knowledge changed everything. In an instant his outlook shifted. She had been genuinely happy to see him earlier, was still so now, and had requested him personally. On a mission as classified and confidential as this it spoke volumes about what she thought of him and his abilities, considering she was relying solely on him to get her out without causing a scene. And that look... she had not needed to say anything. He knew exactly what that meant.
Her eyes flitted over to him again before she sunk down into the water with a small smile on her face. A satisfied and supremely proud smirk threatened to spread across his features. It was written all over her and she was not bothering to hid it, or rather she was not hiding it well. His byakugan could pick up on the tiniest of hints and she was certainly emitting them. She was attracted to him, in more than just the physical sense. She respected him and that meant a great deal. That dormant attraction of his was no longer dormant. It was roaring at him to do something, anything, with this new found knowledge. And he planned to, but there was no need to rush into anything or scare her off by being overeager. They were at a hot springs for Kami's sake. There would be plenty of opportunities to get his point across.
He made his way over slowly, carefully considering his options and how best to proceed. His mind calculated and within seconds he had a basic outline for his objective, one that could be implemented immediately and developed over the course of their stay together.
"Hop in," she said peaking out at him from under long dark lashes. He slowly lowered himself into the pool, immediately aware of the fact that his long legs were brushing against hers in the intimate setting. She did not pull away. Instead she leaned back against the edge of the pool with her eyes half lidded in a sate of semi relaxation. As a nin on a mission she could not really relax completely, neither could he, but they would get as close as they could in the current circumstances. "We've got a whole night and day until the invitation so we had best brush up on our diplomacy," she said with a small smile that grew as she continued. "They are expecting us newly weds to make an appearance since we are in town for our honeymoon."
Honeymoon? This time he really did grin. How very opportune. That could not have worked out better for him. He was going to show her what it would be like for her to be his. When the charade was over he was determined that she would not want to share him with any others. In fact, he decided that the best time to start was right that second. When she felt the brush of his fingertips against her knees her eyes shot open and she watched carefully as he lifted her legs, which had been floating in the water, and placed them firmly on his own. He planted his feel on the far wall and watched as she took in their new position.
"We might as well get comfortable," he explained with a small smile. Speechless she nodded and ever so slowly her shock faded until she smiled back. Gradually her body relaxed once more until she was leaning fully on him. She let out a contented sigh and her eyes lowered one again.
Haruno Sakura had no idea what was about to hit her.
Neji let out a groan. The whole afternoon had been a veritable feast of relaxation. Why had he not been told such vacations were so encompassing? Had he known he would have insisted on going on one sooner, hijacking his companion to go with him.
Sakura had thought of everything. There had been tea in the afternoon along with a comfortable stroll in the garden. She was playing the part of a civilian so well, where as he stood out like sore thumb. Had he not known who she was he might have mistaken her for a devoted house wife. The only problem was that after a time in the springs they had been bombarded by the spa staff. They were rarely alone for more than a coupe of minutes, hardly enough time to speak of the mission in privet.
Oddly, he was in no rush to discuss the particulars. He was quite happy having Sakura stand close to him with her hand resting on his arm. It was selfish but he was using the mission to forward his own goals. He was killing two birds with one stone, or rather he was purposefully killing one whilst automatically bringing the other home for dinner as well. The popular spa was a perfect place to make themselves known and he now realized there had been a second reason she had chosen this place. Everyone who was anyone came to the Sarada Springs when in Shiobara. They were solidifying their presence as a newly wed couple so as not to raise too many suspicions, thus the walk and tea she planned were getting the job done without too much effort on their parts. More than that they wanted people to know he was here and by now the whole spa knew a Hyuuga was in their midst. The more open he was about his presence the less suspicious they would be of him in the end.
Ultimately he was beginning to think this mini vacation of theirs was only relaxing because of her. The activities were similar to what he would have done at home. Meditating was not all that different to sitting in a hot spring and tea was a regular occurrence in the Hyuuga compound, but he found this a far more enjoyable way to spend his time. Her laugh was infectious and he adored the way her lips twitched slightly before she smiled. Every smile was real; each one spread to her eyes and he was hard pressed not to stare when he saw it.
Who was he kidding? He was staring. He knew it and he was pretty sure she did too, although that appeared to be working in his favor. Each time she caught him she reacted, whether it manifested in a small blush or shyly looking away. The whole affair was all going as he had hoped. Now if he could only get rid of all the damned people he could cement all the hints together. The onlookers were convenient for the mission at hand but not for his personal mission.
He could smile at her and walk close to her all he wanted in public, but she could easily view that at being part of the mission. When they were alone and he had no professional reason to be showing her affection of any kind was when she would really begin to understand.
Thankfully their evening meal was not going to be served for at least another two hours and Sakura had decided to take advantage of the setting. After all it was hardly believable that two newlyweds would spend the whole day in the company of others willingly.
They were back in their room, in the comfort of the seclusion. She had immediately jumped in the spring enjoying the feel of the hot water against her skin while he sat near by sipping at a serving of sake. She had only just gotten in and while the rest of her was comfortable her neck was clearly not. Wigs were rarely comfortable, or so was his understanding, and he could hardly imagine she found the use of one to be anything less than a hassle. On top of that the cumbersome head peace looked quite heavy. The muscles in her neck were strained under the weight and he felt the need to relieve her of that nuisance.
Slowly, taking care not to alarm her, he stood and lowered himself down behind her making sure she could hear his movement the whole time. His fingertips brushed her ears and his voice dropped down a register. "We are alone here, yes?" he asked and waited for the quiet hum that followed, which confirmed his assumption. "And they will knock before entering?" His second question brought her to tilt her head up to get a glimpse of his face. Another small hum brought his fingers to feel at the edge of the wig. "Then you can do without this for a time."
One by one he pulled the pins out until the black mass fell into his hands. Pink hair tumbled around his wrists and he marveled at the soft texture. He had been right. The black wig was extraordinarily heavy. He set it aside with a small frown and turned back to the woman before him. A few pins had come loose and were caught in her hair still. He slid his fingers into the strands and gently removed the metal rungs rubbing the tips of his fingers against her scalp. He ran his fingers through her hair to tease out the remaining fastenings. One particularly stubborn one was clipped in at the base of her neck. With one hand he moved her hair away and with the other he began to ease the pin out. His thumb was rested on a particularly strained muscle.
A quickly pulse of energy through his fingertip brought out a low moan from the reclining medic. The sensual sound was tantalizing and it made him wonder what other sounds she might make under the right circumstances. He calmed himself. That one sound had sent a heat into his system that was hard to ignore. He would find out what else could bring about that noise soon enough. In the mean time he sent a few more pluses to the muscle and his eyes softened as she fully relaxed under his care.
"If you keep that up I might fall asleep," she mumbled readjusting herself. He took that instant to retrieve his sake and in a flash was back with his legs folded just in time to have her rest her head on them. He set his drink down, pleased to find that when her head tilted all the way back her eyes were closed.
He took a sip of his drink. "By all means. I will keep watch," he said enjoying his current lot in life. The strongest, most beautiful woman he knew was letting her guard down enough to sleep on his lap. A content smile settled on his features as he gradually sipped at his warm sake in the humid spring. He was not sure how long they sat there but he made sure to occasionally check her vitals to ensure she had not passed out or become overheated.
They had sat for quite some time and he knew they would soon be called for dinner. The position of the setting sun in the sky was telling. He looked down and the tranquility that had registered on his face warmed considerably. She actually had fallen asleep completely, and not into the kind of sleep most nins practiced, which was some half lidded mostly conscious form of napping. Her head had turned to the side slightly and he could not help but move a few strands that had fallen in her face. A long elegant alabaster neck line was now free to view, but his hands must have brushed her skin. She stirred and upon remembering where she was and who she was with her eyes fluttered to get a peak at him. And she saw him; she saw the smile he had not removed. Her eyes widened letting him glimpse the full range of green hues that shone back at him. Her lips parted slightly taking in what she was witnessing.
A flutter of silk in the hallway made him reluctantly turn his attention to the door. He was quite annoyed with the overattentive hostess. A small rap on the frame made them both pull away, her to place the wig on and him to answer the call. He straightened his yukata and slid the door along enough so that she could see him, but not Sakura, who was still righting herself in the background. As he suspected, it was the hostess and he stopped himself from sending an annoyed glare in her direction. " Hyuuga-san, I am sorry to intrude but your dinner will be served shortly."
"Thank you." He turned to find that Sakura had woken fully and was moving about behind him. With a quick bow the older woman scurried away and Neji found Sakura was already in the bathroom preparing to head out a midst people again. He supposed he should do the same. Thankfully he had brought a few items of civilian wear that had been gathering dust in his closet.
When he was satisfied that he looked acceptable he waited for her to emerge. When she did, he did not hold back the appreciative glance he sent before holding out his arm for her to take. The only thing that could have been better was if they had both been there as themselves and she could have kept the wig and makeup off. That was a thought... perhaps he would do just that. He had earned some well deserved rest and relaxation and he knew she had too. All he had to do was find some manner of explaining why his 'wife' suddenly had pink hair. Better yet they could find another hot spring for the occasion and forget the excuses altogether.
He would think over that some other time. Right now Sakura was waiting on him and he had to make sure she would want to go to a hot spring with him outside work. She sent a smile up at him and made a little show of straightening her shoulders. "You ready?" she asked, knowing the answer.
He was ready, he thought to himself, leading her out into the hallway and onto the veranda for their evening meal. It was then he spotted a small group of people excitedly waving at Sakura who gracefully waved back in response. He wanted to let out sigh. More people... damn. The intimate dinner he had in mind was suddenly shattered. Ultimately this was only a small hiccup, he decided, yet had to try his best not the frown under the circumstances. They would have the rest of the night together, and that presented a whole slew of possibilities. Oh yes, he smirked as they passed into the shadow of the night, so many possibilities.
End comments: I really liked this idea, which started as two separate fics. Anyway I enjoyed writing this and I know where its going so lets hope I can get it there in a timely fashion. The next chapter involves espionage, action and a great deal more Neji/Saku. I imagine it will be about 4 or 5 chapters at the end. Let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.