AN: I cant stop writing these two. I keep coming back to old plot ideas, and keep writing more. If only it would work for my current fics. Plot bunnies are there, just lacking for my current fics.

Music of the update: "Neon Lights" Natasha Bedingfield, "Dust to Dust" The Civil wars, "Rhythm of your heart" Marianas Trench.

Brown eyes darted back and forth, perspiration thick. Ino's nose crinkled in disgust. The man's form was hairy, smelly and everything she did not want in a hostage, but he would serve his purpose nonetheless in getting her into the main area of the stone ninja base. Sure she could use her shintenshin no jutsu, but Ino didn't need it for something as simple as this. Ino smirked. Bingo. This matched the blueprints she had studied. A Yamanaka always got what she wanted and she needed that damn scroll!

Ice blue eyes narrowed as her goal was in sight, the locked room. Neji must have outdone himself to remove the extra guards. She addled forward, eyes darting back and forth as she carefully listened. Blessed silence. It was foolish to think her missions partner would do any less. The Hyuuga might have a hernia if they deviated from the mission's details after all. Ino's chesire grin tugged beneath the porcelean mask. Ninja never showed emotion, but just in case...

"Boar. Are you in?" Neji's voice through the com link jutsu sounded, but only in her ear canal. It was a jutsu implanted in her ear, experimental, but useful so far. Painful like a tattoo, but useful nonetheless and would not give away her position. Kiba could be an idiot, but every now and then he had useful ideas. That Aburame must be rubbing off on him. Or maybe Hinata's sensibleness.

"Boar?" Neji repeated.

"Roger, Mother hen. Keep your feathers on. Making the drop now." Ino replied. Of course having Neji's voice in her ears was a good and a bad thing. His voice, always steady, grew firmer, tense with missions. He was so damn focused all the time. Always worried about the worst things. She wondered if he ever let loose?

"What are you waiting for? Let's finish this and be done." Neji demanded, antsy as he waited in the woods.

A quick sharp reminder sliding into her hostage's back had him moving forward again. Her victim wasn't doing that well as she took in his vitals. Crap, he was starting to crack under the pressure. The last thing she needed was his panic to alert the others. Ino turned him quickly, summoning her shintenshin no jutsu. With a quick release she had him in her mind's grasps. Stationing him outside the door as guard, she jerry rigged the door before slipping inside.

The door opened, and the ninja yelled a battle cry. Ino had been prepared for this. Neji had made certain. Using her speed, she dodged the spear aimed for her heart, going for his middle, slicing into his internal organs, and parrying the katana meant for her head. She leapt over the twin swords, and a swift kick to his face knocked the man backwards. He was on his feet in seconds, only to jump onto her sword as she plunged it into him. Dark brown eyes stared at her with hatred, and dropping his swords, he lashed onto her wrist, trying to squeeze her grip. Ino smirked, and pushed it further in. He dropped to the floor, blood from his mouth.

"Boar?"

Ino rolled her eyes. Neji was worse than the Hokage when it came to certain missions. If he would only trust her...I mean had she ever let him down?

"I'm in Eagle. Now shut up, and let me concentrate." She growled, eyes on the prize, as she pulled out her senbon.

She examined it carefully, opening what looked like a powder mirror with makeup. Looks were deceiving. Instead it was chakra dust that would reveal the jutsu seals placed on it. She blew carefully on the chest the dust settling. Sloppy of them. They hadn't even trapped the others relying on their heavy guards to keep the scroll safe. Shoddy. It was put together with sheep and horse seal. With a few well placed jutsu of her own, she was able to skip around the trigger in the seal, leaving herself a way out of it without triggering it. She flipped her senbon, placing them inside the lock. With quick turns she had the chest unlocked. Scrolls a plenty, Ino knew which she needed.

"Eagle. This was easy. You sure this is what we came for?" She said, placing the scroll in her pack.

"Boar. Too easy. Get out of there AHG-!."

Neji! Definitely not according to plan, she felt her heart constrict in her throat for her partner before shutting off the emotion. Getting stuck wouldn't help either of them. Cognitively she knew Neji could take care of himself, but he was the one with the meticulous plan. Ino was the strength of their partnership in these moments, because the smart blonde could think on her feet when things didn't go accordingly.

Right now she needed to be strong, to finish the objective and get out of there alive. Periwinkle blue widened as she sprinted, bolting out the door. There was too much movement going on around the facility. She went over the escape plans in her head and decided on exit B. They'd be expecting her to take the other exits. Her guard in the hallway's senses were going off too. Having him open the door for her, they scrambled down the hallway as ninja descended. There were too many ninja approaching for this not to be a bloodbath. Seeing her opportunity she took it with a snatch of her victim, still under the sway of the shintenshin no jutsu, she yanked him into a closet.

…...

"Boar?" No reply. "Boar" He demanded. "Ino! are you safe?" Neji asked, as the last ninja fell dead from his gentle fist attack.

A cold wave of panic hit him as he listened for her voice and she didn't answer. He had spent countless missions with her, and each time it got progressively worse. The feeling, the worry that she would not return to him. The amount of risk she placed on herself. He wasn't supposed to feel like this. Ninja were to have no emotion. He was not known for his countenance. But much like the girl herself, Ino had managed to do something no else could in only the way she could. Get under his skin.

Scattered in waves, enemy ninja were unconscious or dead at his feet. He ignored them as he made his way towards the rendezvous point. Why wasn't she answering? Summoning his birthright, the Byakugan veins puffed, his vision exploding into clarity as he searched for her ki. Found her. She was stuck in one of the rooms, with an enemy ninja pinning her.

"Ino! " Neji cried, about to rush in, orders be damned. Then he heard her voice through the jutsu. He could hear what sounded like...Neji flushed, uncomfortable at once from the sounds she was making.

…...

"Ooohhh. Yessss." She purred, as she manipulated her guard, exposing a creamy shoulder to the elements.

"Ooh, Migoro." She moaned, cheeks flushed with a bit of henge.

Ninja burst in she emitted a high pitched shriek.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Ino worked his voice like a puppet into a growl.

"Intruders. We need you-"

"In a minute" He growled.

Her girly giggle as Migoro continued his administrations had them closing the door. "5 minutes, make it quick"

Ino made a few more noises until she was convinced they were gone and then she released the shintenshin, dropping her henge and the guard, and knocking him unconscious. She sprinted down the hall, and caught sight of the enemy ninja. She turned the corner, narrowly avoiding the kunai, and turned down another hallway. Ino had memorized the maps in her head. Somehow she had gotten turned around because this part of the house was not supposed to exist. Shit. She sprinted on, rounding another hallway straight into enemy ninja. She was able to duck, slicing into the group, managing the first strike. It was only through her training that Ino was able to dodge the volley of weaponry and punches aimed at her and retaliate with impunity. She'd have to thank Lee and Tenten later. She finished off her foes quickly, knowing the others were closing in on her. Her katana was drawn, and she sliced through the ceiling, jumping up into the roof.

"Neji?" Ino said, directly into his mind. When she could not reply to him with her voice, she had to result to her clan jutsu. He hated it. The very personal and private Hyuuga had more guards than most of the people whose minds she walked in. Her questions were always the same as she tread the places of his mind. What did he have to hide ? Especially from her?

…...

Neji jumped. Every time she did that it was like an intimate carress, a whisper across his senses. He could feel the pit in his stomach drop, a hum that shot all the way down to his toes. Her voice was in his head and he desired her more than he should. It wasn't fair. Neji was never the expert on feelings. He did not want to ruin their partnership. Shaking off the reverie, he ordered her to return to the rendezvous point. This was no time to be messing around. If the groups rallied, she would be in serious danger.

"Was that really necessary for me to hear?" Neji said clearly unapproving.

Had it been anyone else, they would have missed the subtle undercurrent to his tone, the undertone she had never heard until now. Ino however had spent countless hours in the Branch member's proximity and had learned to read and navigate the tones of the proud Hyuuga. Neji, the anbu captain, the anal retentive mission nazi, was jealous. Smug superiority, for there was little Ino loved more than forcing Neji to admit he had a heart and a soul. She'd have to bring it up later. Ino felt the grin burst full force beneath her mask as she set about her task.

"Sorry about that. I am on the roof and pursuing exit b." Ino said.

"No. Exit B is no longer a valid point of exit." Neji told her.

"Sure it is." Ino replied. "It's where I'm heading."

Typical Ino. Why was she fighting him on this? She had been far more tempermental as of late. It was getting old.

"Ino, don't! it's too dangerous." Neji replied.

"I'll be fine. Quit worrying, Mother Hen."

"Ino!" Neji cried.

"Boar, over and out." She replied before cutting off the link.

Damn her stubbornness. She refused to let anyone help her. It was times like these that being her missions partner was a daunting task. The hokage had charged him with getting her out alive. Even if she was fiercely independent and insisted she could handle herself, he was the squad leader. He was responsible for her. And with her increasingly taking considerable risk for the sake of a mission at the disregard to her own health only made his job harder. He sprinted, leaping through trees and foilage. She was going to try and jump off the cliff. Stupid, careless and unnecessary.

…...

Ino felt the first sprinkle of rain, before the sky broke, lightning and thunder crashing, and flashing before her as she battled ninja on the roof, soaking wet. Damn the fog was rolling in too. Her Katana was bathed with blood that washed off in the torrential downpour that beat down upon her. The body count was up to 23 and the enemy ninja kept on coming. What the hell was in this scroll that made it so damn important anyways? Ino cut down another enemy with a groan.

Damn rain. She was sore, tired, and running out of chakra. She had just washed her hair today too. And just as she was starting to think Neji was right; that's when they brought our their archers. Twenty of them. Shit. Ino's quick glance behind her told her this was her only exit. Neji would kill her if the fall didn't. A million times worse than the thought of her death, was her living to have to listen to one of his lectures. Ino leapt, and felt two of the arrows puncture through her shoulder as she fell.

…...

"INO!" Neji cried from the side of the cliff, watching her fall. Damn it. Because he had studied the map and terrain of the area, he had guessed successfully where the ledge was. He also knew plan B was a terrible exit strategy. He had no choice. He backed up for clearance. Taking a running leap, praying to any god that would hear him that he would pass the craigs or rock, he dove after her. Momentum was on her side, she was plummeting from a farther distance.

The wind hurtled past his face, but he kept his Byakugan open, tears nearly blinding him as she crashed into the roaring river below beneath the falls. He splashed after, but she was already being pushed under. Tumbling the moving water blocking his vision, he focused in on her ki. Diving, using powerful strokes, he reached her. Wrapping his arms underneath her armpits, Neji pulled her up with him as the river swirled. Choking, she coughed up water, and shrieked pointing before it was too late.

The falls at the top of the plateau with the scroll was connected by a series of rivers. One leading to the major falls. They had survived one dive, only to have another. Neji's eyes widened as he tried to grasp tighter to Ino. She knocked her head into his nose, breaking it, and kicked away from him. Crying out in frustration, Neji swam against the current, but it was no use. He turned using the momentum of the current to push off the lip, diving further out to try and avoid any rocks. Plummeting, the water hit him hard, the cold taking the breathe from his lungs, swallowing water, addling his senses. It turned him under and under and then he felt the pain. The breathe leaving his lungs was his ribs breaking. Neji kicked but he wasn't treading fast enough. His vision blurry, desperation pushing him, he kicked harder. He felt Ino's arms around him, and their combined power got them to the surface.

Neji tried to catch his breathe, sputtering, as the river swirled them onwards. Ino kicked, pushing them to the sides, and the current doing the rest. They washed upon the rocks of the cliffside, shivvering and trembling. Neji winced as he shakily rose to his feet, before dropping. Ino hissed as she tried to inspect the arrows in her, bleeding freely.

"What were you t-thinking?" Neji chattered, as he rose to his feet, using a gnarled tree branch for support.

"What was I thinking?" Ino said through pain` clenched teeth. "I was thinking this was exit plan B and that I would rendevous with you 3 miles from here like we had agreed to." Ino scowled.

"Exit plan B did not incorporate the far end of the house, or the second set of falls. The map was faulty." Neji replied, as he unmercifully broke the tips off the arrows. Ino bit off the murmur of pain, so angry with him.

"Then who's fault is that, captain?" She snarled. He cut her off, by breaking off the ends of the arrows.

"If you knew the maps were faulty, then you damn well should have the sense not to follow me-AHG-" She screamed as Neji pushed the arrows through. She fell to her knees, weak, and dizzy, before loosing her lunch. The nimble Hyuuga had dodged, damn him. Trembling, she felt Neji's gentle hands on the sides of her temples. He had shut off her pain receptors and massaged the knuckle of her hand. The nauseous feeling began to subside, her vision clearing a bit. He tried to bend to help her up but couldn't, as he winced in pain.

Ino stepped forward to catch him, as he leaned on his tree branch, chakra bursting to light as she applied it to his ribs on unsteady feet.

"Stop it." He bid her. "You need to heal yourself-"

"Hush" Ino replied those blue eyes silencing him as she placed a finger on his lips.

Neji was entranced. The glow from her chakra lit up her eyes, long lashes visible in the light. Lovely. The stray thought threw him. For someone who was so used to having clear definitions with missions and objectives, if he were honest he never knew what to expect next with Ino.

The feeling of his ribs being knit together, allowed him to turn to gain his composure. Whether she had noticed or not, he didn't know. But it didn't matter. They were not safe out in the open. He was far better when he was being useful. He pulled the bandages from his pack and began wrapping her shoulder tightly. She muffled the sound of her pain into her sleeve as he did it.

"Infection?" Neji asked her.

Ino shook her head, unable to answer as she lulled against him fingers lacing in his anbu vest. Neji sighed as he caught her and held her steady from falling. It had nothing to do with the warmth she brought with her against him, or the fact that it had been so long since he'd had anyone in his physical proximity that wasn't a sparring mate. She had overextended herself. Again. They needed to find shelter quick in this sort of storm. Teams would be out searching for them soon enough. If he put enough distance between here, he might be able to find shelter. His fingers brushed her wet bangs from her face. The volatile woman was so peaceful when she slept. Neji could not seem to reconcile the two. He made his way into the woods, blonde in tow.

…...

Ino awoke in a cave to the thunder. The sound would have awakened the dead, a sound the blonde mind walker had never preferred. It was still raining outside, so she couldn't have been out for that long. Her quick movements, however, had pulled at her wounds. She hissed in pain, before she realized she was only in her underthings. Neji's shuffling alerted her to his presence. Snatching the blanket, and wrapping it around herself she looked at Neji who was eying her incredulously.

"You're awake." He coughed, averting his gaze. Ino's eyes narrowed.

"You felt it necessary to unclothe me." Ino accused ice blue eyes threatening pain.

Neji's eyes narrowed. "Your wound is inflamed, and you are soaking wet. You already are burning up. Be professional" He reprimanded, turning from her.

Ino pulled her now dry anbu shirt on, folding the blanket and turning it into a makeshift skirt as her pants were still dripping.

"Professional? Like you jumping off that cliff after me?" Ino retorted, forcing him to turn.

"So you would have rather me left you to die?" Neji retorted, crossing his arms.

"I wouldn't have died!" Ino insisted. Why did he always do this? Turn things around on her like she didn't consider the risks. She was a ninja damn it. Why couldn't he just treat her like one?

"Because you could have swam perfectly with two arrows sticking out of you." Neji said, pulling on the knot around her wound. Ino swatted his hand, using her own chakra to seal the wounds, ripping off the bandage with animosity.

"I ended up having to rescue you from the second falls, remember?" Ino retorted, throwing the bandages in the fire.

"And you passed out almost immediately afterward. I was the one to carry you here" Neji replied, unconvinced.

That was it. Ino had had it with the stubborn Hyuuga.

"Because I used the last of my reserves to patch you up! This whole thing would have never happened had we had the right map. Why didn't you tell me the map was faulty?" Ino snapped.

Holding out mission information was a serious accusation. Did she even realize what she accusing him of? No, she couldn't understand how important these missions were, because they were too specific for her. She lived her life without regulations and guidelines. Why they had gotten into this mess in the first place?

"Because I didn't realize it, until I came to chase after you. The house is connected to the river, it may be connected at other points which is probably how stone does some of their illegal trading." Neji replied.

It was always about the mission to him. "So you leapt after me to get the scroll right?" Ino scowled. "My hero." She murmured quietly to herself. But Neji heard her. He always heard her.

"Of course. What else was I supposed to do?" Neji replied. It was easier to stand by the mission then whatever else was going on between them.

"Whatever." Ino rolled her eyes, sitting down by the fire.

"It's not whatever." Neji replied firmly, sitting down across from her. "What do you want me to say Ino? You deviated from the mission plan"

"I don't know. Compassion maybe? Some concern for my health?" Ino snapped.

Neji's eyes widened. "Ino? Of course I was-"

"Stuff it Hyuuga. This is your fault anyways."

…...

Ino sulked near the fire, shivvering as she waited for her clothes to dry. She let her hair down, brushing through golden locks that were drying still. Neji had left to go check the perimeters, set some traps and get them dinner. Ino inspite of her anger, had gotten out the supplies, readied the pot and spices for his return, and laid out the bedrolls. She'd also managed to hide the entrance to the cave more than captain know it all had.

She sat back at the fire, and fed it the extra wood Neji had obviously gather while she'd been passed out. She moved her clothes closer to the fire. She rested her head against her knees, tired of being angry, tired of being frustrated. She felt his presence, and perked up a little bit.

"I was able to find food." His voice sounded about as apologetic as it was going to get "I also ran into enemy nin. I stashed their bodies. We can rest for a while but I doubt we can get a full nights rest without moving on." Neji replied.

Ino sighed. Rising, she accepted the dead animal, and then noticed his limp. Dropping the animal, all thoughts forgotten, she unstrapped his vest and using a kunai sliced, the shirt open.

"Whoa-" Neji exclaimed, surprised by the animosity in the buxom blonde before him.

"Holy-" expletives flew from her mouth, as chakra got to work. She made note of the way his frame held his musculature. He was a sight for sore eyes, but prodigy geniuses always were. Did he know she could wash laundry across those abs and still feel dirty afterwards? No. He would never appreciate ascetic grace and attractive qualities for what they were.

"It's-"

"If you're about to say nothing Hyuuga, I'm going to shove a kunai so far up your-"

"A scratch-" He retorted. He looked into her eyes, and then realized she'd dropped her blanket. Ino was still in her undergarments. Face red, he averted his gaze, coughing to cover up his reaction.

"What-Ohmygod-" Ino cried in frustration, grabbed the blanket off the floor and wrapped it around her like a towel.

"Of all the stupid-unprofessional, idiotic, chuunin-" Ino grumbled, as she returned to the work at hand, patching his ribs. The purple coloration disspeared under her touch, but she recognized the coloration as it settled along his lower abdomen, and dipped further into the perfect v that she knew was waiting for her beneath his clothes. She would not oogle her patients, She would not oogle her patients-

"How far does this go? It's like one giant bruise" Ino retorted.

"Well they are stone ninja for a reason." Neji replied coughing, as he kept his gaze averted.

Had Neji made a joke? Oh my god. Ino might die on cue. Neji didn't makes jokes. Why was he making jokes? He was making a joke for her sake, trying to lighten the mood. Trying to also cover his own reaction to her being in her undergarments and distract from the actual problem at hand. Hnnn.

It was almost cute. Almost except for the fact that he'd nearly killed himself bringing her dinner. And that was almost cute too, except he was the entire reason they were in this mess in the first place.

"Ughh" Ino ground out between her teeth. "Take off your pants."

"I beg your pardon?" Neji nearly choked, suddenly feeling very exposed under those blue eyes.

"You heard me Hyuuga. Off." Ino's thumb twitched as she crossed her arms.

"Be professional for once. You're bruised and I need to tend it." Ino demanded.

Neji sighed. There was no dignity to this, but she was the medic. Protocal dictacted that she had jurisidiction over this particular area. Resigned to his fate, he unbuckled the belt, slid off the ninja boots, and peeled off his ninja pants, tight and flexible so as to not to get caught. His own undergarments were also boxer briefs, tight to avoid catching with the pants.

Ino summoned her professionalism, hands trailing along the bruise itself, following it down his abdomnen to that perfect v, trailing down the side of his leg. The tension left his frame as the pain did, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked down, and blushed again realizing she was bent over his leg, looking away.

"You know this would probably be a lot easier if you could just admit that you find me attractive." Ino retorted.

"E-exscuse me?" He choked.

"Its natural, Neji. Your pent up aggression, your over concern over my every move. Your absolute inflexibility when it comes to my safety. The way you refuse to oogle me, even though I'm in my underwear." Ino retorted, turning as she made way to her clothes.

Neji guffawed, grabbing his pants, and dressing quickly as she was turned.

"I dont-" He began.

"Think carefully about what you're going to say Hyuuga." Ino warned. "I'm just saying you aren't the only one." She turned to hide her dusting rosy cheeks, grabbing her clothing, and dressing behind the shelter of the blanket.

"I-" He began, but closed his mouth, the words that he wanted to say, refusing to come out of his mouth. Leave it to Ino to make him speachless. What was he supposed to say to that? That he found her attractive? That she had just confessed that she found him attractive. That they were smack dab in the middle of a mission where neither could act on said advances.

"Ino-" He began the words to an apology that he absolutely did not want to make. They were on a mission. The mission was the priority.

"This isn't a mix up Neji. I didn't misunderstand" She reprimanded. "So if you're about to spew some mission priority nonsense to me, we've blown that literally out of the water long ago. This here and now is about survival. And you not avoiding difficult conversations. So when you're ready to talk about it, I'll be carving up dinner." Ino retorted, sitting down, grabbing the animal and beginning to skin it.

Neji fled, needing the time and space to process. He didn't have an answer for her. He couldn't answer her. Why couldn't he answer her? Taking to the woods, he ran, expending some energy needing the release. Had she just- did he just admit to it, by default in leaving? What was he supposed to say to her on return? And would admitting she was right be the worst thing? Admitting she was right seemed too much. But was it? She was right, as much as it pained him to say it.

He was displaying inappropriate levels of concern on her behalf. And she was right that it was hindering the mission. She was trying to be professional, and he was concerned on earthly matters. Rain pelted him as the wind picked up. As Neji sat, the storm grew stronger, lightning striking as the clouds turned dark, and ominous. No one would be out in this storm now. He probably shouldn't either. Neji made his way back to the cave, already settled on the apology he owed her.

"Ino. You were right." Neji began.

"I'm sorry?" Ino asked, eyes alight with teasing.

"-I am sorry" Neji sighed, fighting the irritation he felt that she was deliberately trying to push his buttons. "-I ….haven't been 100% professional with you. I'm sorry I've let concern get in the way of the mission."

Ino eyed him. Standing, she threw off the blanket. Fully clothed, eyes predatory, she walked right up to him. Looking up into his eyes, he didn't dare move or breathe. She moved even closer, and he felt his breathe hitch, the proximity igniting his every sense.

"Ino?" His question was a breathe on his lips, Pearlescent Byakugan vulnerable. It was a situation he couldn't control, couldn't contain. Ino was a wildcard, in a deck that was stacked against him from the start.

Wicked cheshire lips curled into a hint of a smile.

"I'm an adult, Neji. A fully grown woman. I can make my own decisions, thanks. But what is it you want? And is it me?" Ino whispered in his ear.

Thunderstuck, Byakugan took in every move she made.

"Inquiring minds want to know" She murmured by his ear.

He was frozen, unable to act on what he wanted-desired- but struck still by duty, by everything he swore by. Ino recognized the look. Blinking and tilting her head, she acknowledged the struggle, her hands slowly wrapping around his neck. She would have to take it slow with him. He wasn't used to being unconstrained. Caged birds had to learn to fly sometime.

"Is this okay?" Ino asked him, heisitant.

Neji blinked. Ino paused once longer. It was clear she was waiting for a response. He felt like he was putting a weapon in her hand. What if this was some kind of cruel joke? What if it wasn't? It wasa risk. A small head nod was reassuring.

"If I try to kiss you, are you going to be upset?" Ino asked, black eyes lashes kissing her cheeks.

Neji felt the pit of his stomach drop to his feet and back. His body betrayed him, surging forward, and Ino rose to meet those lips, crashing against him. Inhaling, she tasted like sunlight, and sweetness, her honey wheat tresses, tangling in his anbu gloves, as he pulled her close. She took a sharp breathe before plunging forward, hands fighting to remove his hair from his ponytail. His brown hair was lovely, soft, and she gripped it in her fingers, pulling a little. Hungry lips met hers, crashing and converging in sweetness and ecstasy.

His stomach growled, and Ino's own stomach answered. The two broke apart, and Ino was the first to burst out laughing.

"Cmon. The stew should be ready by now." She said, taking his hand.

Shyly, he interlaced her fingers in his own.