Ch1- arrogance and a gentle touch

A sigh escaped my pink lips as I leaned over grabbing my bag up from where it sat in a slump on my bed. I threw the tan colored strap over my shoulder in a lazy fashion and walked out my bedroom door and into the long corridor outside it. The vanilla incent my mother filled our house with over took the air around me as I walked down the hall way running my pale fingers along the white walls that made it up.

The walk always seemed endless mainly because I knew there would be no one at the door to great me, because I knew I really had nothing to look forward to. Mom and dad were off on missions a lot. Before walking out the door I walked into the bathroom and checked myself once in the mirror. My appearance wasn't my biggest concern right before a mission, just seemed decent to check myself before leaving the house.

My looks weren't really anything special; I mean I'm no Sakura Haruno. My hair is only about shoulder length and brown. My eyes are silvery blue. My body figure was pretty basic I guess, I wasn't physically tall only about 5 ft actually and thin. I finished checking myself then walked out the front door and out into the village street. It was busy as for usual right before school. Of course today I had a mission so I had to be out while younger ninja were rushing toward the academy. "Airisu, how've you been" Iruka called from across the dirt path that the village called a street.

I smiled and waved back in his direction "I've been fine, how about you?" I crossed the dirt path so I was standing in front of him.

"I've been good" he said with a smile "you're welcome to come visit the academy anytime, you know. You were an excellent student"

I nodded "I'll come back and visit you guys sometime. I'm actually in a hurry now, I've got a mission" I smiled at my former sensei.

"Make sure your careful Airisu, your smart but your still only 14"

I nodded "I know" I turned and started walking toward the village gates to wait for my team mates. The air was fairly cold so I knew it wasn't gonna be a fun night sleeping outside. A sudden jolt of weight on my bag almost forced to fall forward "god, INO" I almost growled as she laughed squeezing the life out of me. When she released my I turned to face my best friend. Behind her stood her boyfriend, Shikamaru Nara.

"You sure it's alright for you to go on this mission. You already look exhausted" Ino said as she pushed my bangs away from my face.

Shikamaru sighed "Usually id disagree with her, but she's right Airisu, you do look a little tired."

"I'm fine, now if you guys hold me up I'm gonna be late, Ino get to your dads shop before you're late. Shikamaru just make sure she doesn't harass another customer" I instructed with a smile.

"Ari" Ino yelled "that was just one time and that lady was being a ridiculous little-"Shikamaru put his hand over her mouth "I'll get her there don't worry about it, Airisu, good luck on your mission" with that they walked away.

I turned and started heading for the gate once more. My team mates, Sai (yes I know Sai is from shippuden but in this story he is her 14 year old team mate) and Sora were off on another mission and had been gone for weeks now. So today I was going on a mission with Neji Hyyuga. Considering the two of us were both considered incredibly smart, I guess lady Tsunade figured we could do this on our own.

Neji was already waiting at the village gates with a bag in and hand and one of his back. "Your late" he said in his usual overly arrogant tone. I hardly knew Neji Hyyuga. I didn't care to know him, as far as I was concerned he was a jerk. Still I plastered an authentic smile on my naturally pink lips and walked toward him.

"Yeah, I know I'm late, sorry you know how Ino can be" I tried to laugh it off.

He just scoffed at me "I don't care why you were late, let's get a move on you've put us ten minutes behind schedule"

I raised an eye brow at him "what the hell is this guys problem" was all I could think. A whole ten minutes, oh my gosh that's gonna kill somebody. I rolled my eyes. He shot me a look of hate over his shoulder and I just sighed. The entire time I followed him through the woods I could almost swear he was trying to lose me. Every time I caught up to him he walked faster. It was actually really irritating.

Not to mention he was all to entirely quiet, silence was kind of a normal thing for me cause my house was always empty, but geez this kid could talk and just isn't. I simply decided that his voice was arrogant and annoying and I didn't wanna hear it anyway. It was getting dark now and we'd been walking for hours. The mission wasn't supposed to be complicated in any way shape or form. Simply take a scroll to the land of grain, easy enough. Three day walk through. Another day added on if you stopped to camp. So a four day trip with the Hyyuga prodigy and all his ego, lovely.

"Neji it's almost too dark to see, we should stop for the night" is suggested calmly hoping he'd just agree with me. Not likely. He's a freaking Hyugga they pride themselves on sight I knew he wasn't having any trouble seeing anything.

"It's just past midnight now, we can keep going" he said and continued walking.

"Not everyone can see in the dark" I muttered.

"That's not my problem" he said without even looking back at me.

"It will be if I get hurt and you get stuck carrying me back to the village" I said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

He scoffed "if you can't walk through the woods at night without falling down and getting hurt then your not fit to be a ninja. Your parents are famous for their skill and accomplishments. Their some of the best known shinobi in the land of fire and you're telling me you can't even see in the dark"

A sick feeling welled up in my stomach, I hated when people brought up my parents then talked about me like just because they're so great at everything means I should be the same. "not everyone is born into the branch or house hold they should be in based on power and agility and strength" I hissed "I thought you of all people would know that, Neji" I moved around him in a graceful but fast manor and ran father into the darkness that consumed the woods.

"Myuzumi" he yelled out my last name and I heard leaves and sticks crunching under his feet as he ran after me. A loud yelp escaped my pink lips when a tree root caught my right foot and thrust my small form forward into the dry leaves and rocky soil on the ground. I felt a warm liquid trickle down my left shin "ow" I muttered probing my hurt leg with my fingers.

"Idiot, you just complained that you couldn't see anything, and yet you run off into the dark, sheer stupidity" Neji's arrogant tone met my ears. He was kneeling beside me now. "Hold still" he said dipping his hand into the bag he'd been carrying around the entire time. It was still kind of hard to see but it looked like he pulled out a row of gauzes. When I felt the cloth wrap around my leg I knew it was a roll of gauzes.

I bit my lower lip "Thanks, I guess"

His tone kept its original arrogance that made Neji almost unapproachable as he spoke "your right, I should know better than anyone that you're level of strength has nothing to do with your branch or your clan, or your parents" he didn't ever say sorry or apologize but it sounded like an apology to me. So I just smiled and watched him finish bandaging my leg. I half expected his touch to be rough or harsh when he grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet but it was gentle and almost kind. I simply shrugged and shook it off entirely. I will not be falling in love with Neji Hyyuga.