Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.

Snow Angel

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My promotion to ANBU Captain came just as the short winter season arrived. It was several months since my meeting with Itachi. No one had been able to the locate the missing shinobi. I wasn't sure whether I was amused or saddened. Naruto was so determined to find him.

"Shut up, here he comes!" I raised a brow at the sound of Ino's voice.

Lee had asked me to spare with him near the lake, but I hadn't thought much of it. The weather was unusually warm, so I had accepted his offer. After tracking down two major thieves and escorting a young heir to Kirigakure, I deserved a small break.

"Surprise!" I blinked as my friends jumped from behind trees and from within the leaves.

"What is all this?" I couldn't help but smile as Tenten and Lee carried a large sheet cake over to me.

"You have been promoted to ANBU Captain. Gai-sensei thought we should celebrate your sudden ascent into the springtime of youth. You are so youthful!" Lee was crying as he tried to embrace me, but Tenten reminded him that he needed to hold the cake—I was grateful.

"This is all for my promotion?" I asked as Gai slapped me on the back.

"You did great! Not to mention you did better than any of Kakashi's students. I always knew I had successful Genin," Gai said and shared a tearful moment with Lee.

I cut the first piece of cake, and then I stood back to watch them all. Kiba and Naruto were arguing near the edge of the forest. Sakura and Ino were trying to convince Hinata to take off her jacket and "live" a little. I even glimpsed Hiashi-sama mingling with the older adults. I didn't know so many people cared for me. My promotion mattered to every one of them, at least in the sense that they got free cake.

"For someone just surprised, you don't look very happy." I glanced at the Sannin standing next to me—Jiraiya, the "pervy" sage.

"Happiness can be displayed in many ways. I do not smile often," I said in a relaxed tone.

"Tsunade mentioned that you failed your first Jounin mission. Everyone fails a few missions. It only makes you stronger," Jiraiya said with a surprisingly serious expression.

"I know that." He was studying me, and I didn't like it.

"I find it odd that two reports by two respectable, young Jounin would differ so much. Naruto may not be the brightest kid, but his heart is in the right place. He wants to find Itachi to get his friend back. It makes me wonder, what are you getting out of this?" My eyes widened as his words, and I let a hard expression settle on my own facial features.

"What I reported was the truth. I am not a traitor." I left my piece of cake on the table, and turned to walk away.

"It'd be rude to leave your own party, Neji. I'm not saying you are intentionally betraying your village. Look at Sasuke, he left to obtain the power to kill his criminal brother. Noble reasons, but not very smart." Jiraiya motioned to my friends watching the exchange of words. "You'll upset them."

"First, you imply that I am a liar. Then, you imply that I am betraying Konoha. Now, you imply that I'm an imbecile. I can't imagine why you don't have more friends." I frowned and walked away.

Naruto got to me before I could leave the party. He talked about how much planning went into the party, and then he congratulated me on a job well done. He never mentioned my failed mission to track down Itachi.

"What did the pervy sage say? You look pretty upset," Naruto commented as we hovered near the hill that would take me away from my party.

"It was nothing," I lied and glanced over at the old Sannin.

It was warm enough for people to enjoy a swim in the lake, but I preferred to sit on the bank and ponder. People did not do things without reasons. I did not want the ANBU position for no reason. I wanted the power and responsibility. I wanted the trust that came along with it. The same would go for Itachi. I did not cover up his place of hiding for no reason.

He had moved. Itachi was not a fool. It didn't truly matter that I had lied about his location all those months ago. He was somewhere safer, more recluse. No doubt, he had accomplished more missions for the Akatsuki leader.

Like Itachi, I had moved. Hiashi-sama had rewarded me for bringing honor to the clan. He had a nice home erected on Hyuuga Clan property. It was accessible through a series of paths from the main house garden, but the distance allowed me some independence. I had a place to call my own.

It was near midnight when I finally broke away from my old friends. They had insisted on taking me to a bar, and I watched as most of them consumed a third of their weight in sake. It was rather disgusting, but it kept me entertained. Shikamaru had even graced me with his presence.

"Hinata-sama?" I left my shoes on the porch, and slid open the doors to my home.

A candle was flickering from within the kitchen, but I didn't sense anyone. I could have activated my Byakugan, but I didn't. Nothing was out of order.

I left my presents and cake on the table, and I padded into the dimly-lit kitchen. He was standing there, looking over the cake I had received from Hinata. I hadn't expected to see his face again. Uchiha Itachi.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I cursed when I was truly angry, and I was very angry at seeing him in my home—a criminal.

"Do you want me to leave?" I ignored his question and activated my Byakugan.

His expression didn't change as he saw my kekkei genkai. I had every intent of using it on him. My feet barely made a noise as I lunged forward. I used the body flicker technique to appear behind him, but he turned and dodged my strike.

My hands were glowing with chakra, but I couldn't land a hit. I graced his cloak several times, but I swore he was letting me. He did not raise a hand to fight back. I wasn't an opponent he could ignore, and I wanted to prove that.

I panted a little as he successfully dodged another attack. I had destroyed the cabinet of fine China I'd received from the branch house. When I lunged forward, I saw the open spot on his side. He hit me in the arm, knocking my attack away, and then he chopped me in the back of the neck. I fell like a rag doll at his feet.

"Where...is...your...partner?" I had to ask between pants—my arms shook as I forced myself to stand.

"Kisame is on a solitary mission. My Sharingan wasn't necessary," he said as he looked at me with onyx eyes.

"Why didn't you use your Sharingan? Am I that weak?" I clenched and unclenched my fists, a line of blood dribbling down my chin.

"I did not come here to fight you, Neji. You are not that important." His words stung, and I was sure that I had let him catch a glimpse of my emotions before I sealed them away.

"Then why are you here? Answer me," I said in a demanding voice.

He stepped forward and opened his cloak enough to free a single arm. Placing a hand on my cheek, he used his thumb to wipe the blood from my chin. His hands were softer than I had imagined, and I wondered why I had never noticed before. He went to remove his hand, but I grabbed it and placed it back on my cheek.

"You don't want your gift," he said as he removed his hand once more.

I watched him as he went over to a small box resting on the counter-top. It was wooden, but it was wider and longer than it was deep. I wondered why he came back. I wondered why he even bothered to bring me a gift. How had he heard of my promotion? We weren't even friends.

As I accepted the wooden box from him, I moved closer to the candle. I pried the lid off, but flower petals lined the box. I had never seen petals like those the box contained.

I had never asked him what the flower was even called...

I pushed the petals aside, but some of them had managed to drift to the floor below. A leather-bound book stared up at me. I glanced at Itachi as I removed the book, but his expression gave nothing away. When I flipped through the pages, I realized that they were all blank. I assumed he meant for me to fill them in. I did write, but no one really knew about my pastimes.

"Thank you," I answered in a quiet tone.

He nodded, and I noticed that his eyes strayed to the door. How long had he waited? We had one conversation, and something had happened. Had it already happened when my eyes met yours, Itachi? At least it wasn't raining.

"You can stay. I have a spare room. They won't come here," I said, referring to the rest of the Hyuuga Clan.

"Crimson doesn't suit you," he suddenly remarked.

I glanced down and noticed the blood that stained my robes. I put the notebook back into the box and led the way deeper into my home. I had only been staying there for two weeks, but I knew it well enough.

"You risk your life by coming here," I said as I slid open the door to the guest room.

"You risk your life by letting me in." He brushed past me and examined the quaint room.

There was a bed in the middle. A closet sat to the right. There was a window above the bed, and one on the left wall. Katana were housed on intricate shelves. It was plain. Even I had to admit that it was little better than an eyesore. He was staying the night, and that seemed to matter more than it should.

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