Neji combed back his long brunette strands that brushed his temple, his pearl eyes on his target. He thought it was currently a waste of resources to have him watching the female as she scurried about in her shop. Neji understood that this was protocol whenever a person moved into the village from another, to make sure they weren't a spy, but this was ridiculous. It must have been his fate to be watching her, of course he asked for his missions to stay close to home because Hinata's birthday was coming up. No matter his rank, he was a Hyuuga branch member first, and even though the main branch could probably take care of their own heiress he was her guard.
Naruto couldn't watch the girl even though they looked vastly similar because he was part of the team to retrieve the Uchiha. Shikamaru was completely useless for this type of work, especially since the girl was high energy, and constant motion. Hinata was part of the same eight man team as Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato, Kiba, and Shino to retrieve the Uchiha, so that took them out. Lee and Tenten were out on a mission with Gai, Ino and Choji were on recon, and numerous other jounin were needed elsewhere. This left Neji as the draw to watch the girl, now he understood why a jounin, especially one close to becoming drafted into the ANBU was needed to watch her. She had a high chakra source, there were also ingrained movements that spoke of heavy training, and there were other little things that identify one ninja to another, she was a warrior. Yet, she gave off no warning of being a spy, because she did not try to hide that she was trained.
"Excuse me?" He heard her voice beneath him even though he could still see her moving about the shop. Then he nearly slapped himself, a clone obviously, and he gazed down to meet blue eyes. "It is extremely warm out, if you must watch me, at least do it in the cool shop where I don't have to worry about your health." She stated. Neji was inclined to disagree, as it was part of his training, but his head nodded instead. His puppet like action made her grin brighter than Uzumaki, and again he had to wonder if they shared lineage. "Good, come in, I'll get you a sundae." She chirped. Neji tried to get the words out that it wasn't necessary, but his mouth stayed close despite his urging, he was no fan of eating a possible enemy's cooking. Though he did wonder exactly what her shop was, she had made many crème treats, frozen ones as well.
She bustled about behind her counter before turning to him and gazing at him closely before smiling. "You seem like a dark chocolate kind of man." She murmured while placing a frozen treat in a bowl, she then tosses some nuts on it, and paused. The girl glanced back and forth at him before shrugging and placing the treat before him with a spoon. "Go ahead, try it." She urged, Neji's body reacted beyond his command, and the frozen treat was in his mouth in a second.
He then placed down the spoon while his mouth worked the new sensation. Do not mistake him, he had gotten popsicles with his team, but he didn't much care for it and threw it away. This was different, the frozen crème settled on his tongue softly, giving him full flavor. Neji had to wonder if this was as close to heaven as he was going to get, as he was a killer of men. A chuckle had him opening his eyes, as he had closed them in mid-savor, to see the blond woman giggling. "I had the same expression on my face when Motoki gave me my first sundae." She informed him, and plucked something from a jar in front of her. It was a red, bulbous fruit with a long stem, and she popped it into her mouth. "I was right; you're a dark chocolate type of man." The girl mumbled around the red fruit, Neji really couldn't concentrate on his sundae. At least he was doing his job, keeping an eye on the girl.
"So, do I get a name of my watcher, or is it too early?" She inquired, that bewitching smile came out to play even as Neji listed the rules in his head.
"Neji." He muttered, and he yelled in his mind. That girl was definitely a danger to this village if she could easily get him to give out information.
"Just Neji?" She inquired, twirling one golden strand around her finger.
"Hyuuga Neji." He reiterated. That's it he was going to commit suicide when he got home, he had spilled information to a possible spy.
"Well, just Neji, I'm Tsukino Usagi, pleasure to meet you." She returned, and Neji loosened the tension in his shoulders. Tenten was always saying he was too paranoid, Usagi was just trying to be friendly. Neji understood how friendly when she reached across and wiped his cheek from him. "You keep hitting the side of your mouth, ice cream shouldn't be wasted." Usagi scolded, as his body was automatically feeding him while he talked. However, what was really bothering him was she was still playing with that fruit.
"What's that?" He inquired pointing to the fruit, he would make sure to never buy them.
"A cherry," She answered, and gave him a closed-lip grin. "Would you like to try one?" She inquired, holding one out for him to take. Neji recoiled the notion to reach out with his neck and mouth, and instead picked it up with elegant fingers. The fruit was a deadly combination, one that could ruin his figure if he got a hold of anymore. Thankfully, customers came in distracting though the girl, and Neji made a quick getaway. That girl was powerful, she must of have used a powerful genjutsu to get him to act that far out of character. He was acting like Kiba around any pretty female in the vicinity!
Neji was glad when the shift was over; let the next jounin deal with the girl. His trip home was brisk after dropping off his report, which was stagnant and to the point, and he settled into a family hot spring. When he got to his room, his orders for the next day were waiting, and he scowled. Picking up the scroll, he read over it, burned the scroll and fell into his bed. At least with a night-shift of watching the girl she won't be able to cast any genjutsu.
His shopping for Hinata's gift the next day was frustrating at best. Neji never cared much for his cousin until Uzumaki forced him to see the light, but even now he was having difficulties purchasing gifts. Especially for girls, Tenten wasn't overall thrilled with his gift of a coupon to a sushi bar and a set of kunai; in fact she was down right distressed. She made some comment about her being a girl too and then ran off leaving him with a room full of glaring females. Neji thought she would be pleased, she was aiming to be a weapon mistress and her kunai were looking a little worn. His dwelling on the past though wasn't helping him; he needed to concentrate on what he knew about Hinata. This of course was next to precious nothing, Neji wanted to rip his hair out.
"You look a bit distress there." He heard a female voice by his shoulder and scolded himself, his ninja standing was looking shaky. His bloodline activated automatically and he saw Usagi standing behind him holding a few bags with a half smile. "Anything I can do to help?" She inquired. Neji surrendered, she was a female maybe she would be able to help him even if she was an enemy.
"Hn." He finally offered.
"I'll translate that to a yes." She murmured and dragged him over to a bench. "Now, what's got you so uptight?" Usagi asked.
"My cousin's birthday gift." He answered.
"I take it your cousin is a girl." She muttered more to herself then him, so he didn't bother answering though he nodded. "Well, what does she like?" Usagi asked. Neji felt this question was useless, if he knew that he wouldn't need help, then again…
"Other than Uzumaki I have no idea." Neji returned.
"Uzumaki?" She parroted. "She likes swirls?" She asked.
"No, Uzumaki Naruto." He clarified.
"Oh, a boy!" She chirped in understanding. "Hmm, what does Naruto look like?" Usagi asked while flipping out a notebook, a pencil appearing magically in her hands. Neji was confused by the question and action but answered none the less.
"Much like you." He finally answered. "Bright blond hair, immensely spiky with his front bangs hanging at a thirty degree angle." Neji started, ignoring the tiny surprise on her face, he was a ninja. "Blue eyes, a shade or tint, darker then yours by a single hue." He continued. "Tan skin, three whiskers on each of his cheeks, and a horrid orange and black jumpsuit." Neji explained, and then tapped his head band. "He wears his on his forehead, with the band long and split to about his shoulders." He finished, and turned his attention to girl daring her to say something.
"Wow, I wish I had your memory, and observational skills." She uttered, tapping her pencil against the notebook. Usagi glanced over the notebook making small notations while her tongue stuck out slightly. "Give me about an hour and a half then come to my shop." She instructed and hopped off, her hands swinging with her bags; Neji watched her go before he noticed that he was just standing there. Then with a puff of smoke he was gone heading back to his room to catch a couple of winks.
An exactly an hour and thirty minutes later Neji was standing in her shop, the bell jingling merrily behind him. She walked out from the back, her long hair caught up in a single bun and her face was flushed red. "Wow, you're punctual, admirable trait." She muttered while wrapping the gift in paper and place it in a bag. Neji couldn't see what it was, but he would have time to look at it later. "No charge this time." She informed him while handing over the gift. "Oh, invite your buddy in from the heat; he must be awfully uncomfortable from craning his head this way." She quipped as she turned away walking back to the back.
Neji blinked at the show of skill, she had picked him out yesterday and now she picked out the resident stealth expert. He would have to make sure to inform the Hokage of the activity. None the less he stopped by the large tree by the outer window and whispered the instructions to the ninja. He was privy to a surprised expression on the ninja before he left, a superior smirk on his face; at least he wasn't surprised when she found him.
Night came quicker than anticipated and Neji was forced to leave the comforts of his home for his turn on watch. His bloodline was already activated as he approached the shop; she was just closing up with a yawn. "Gee, it was busy today." She murmured to herself holding a hand to her mouth. "Must get home." Zombie like she stated, and blinked with a chuckle. "Motoki-kun was right; it is a lot of work." Usagi said with a laugh, she began to sing softly as she walked. Neji didn't recognize the tune but it was soothing none the less. They reached her house, where he took to her roof and settled down for a long watch.
"Luna, Artemis, Diana, I'm home." She called as she entered and Neji perked up. On her admissions scroll she reported not living with anybody, so he fed a little more chakra into his eyes. The sight sharpened and he sighed, she was talking to three cats. Usagi stretched with a yawn, tugging at her shirt while heading to the bathroom. This was the only part of night watch that didn't agree with his code, none the less he kept watching to make sure she had no concealed weapons or scrolls. Noting that she didn't he made to dim his blood line for privacy. However, he caught sight of one of her curves and was hooked. Neji tried to release the chakra to his eyes, unable to believe it; he had seen women's bodies before during scans without flinching so what was his problem? He felt his cheeks heating up, and his eyes were beginning to slide, finally he was able to direct the chakra elsewhere. What was happening to him? Even now he had to fight down the urge to feed chakra back to his eyes to look upon her.
"Neji-san what's wrong, baa-chan can feel your chakra spiking like crazy?" A familiar voice asked, his eyes glowing in the dark.
"Just doing a perimeter scan." He answered not turning his head to the other male.
"Oh, okay, goodnight." His companion stated and bounded off, his shadow fading into the horizon. About thirty minutes later he felt it safe to allow his blood line to come back to life, and sure enough she was curled peacefully in her bed. One of her cats kept flicking its tail in its sleep causing her nose to crinkle in a fashion similar to her name sake. The night passed quickly enough leaving Neji bothered, confused, and quite ready to go to sleep. His sleep was fitful and filled with her image, Neji found the next time he awoke with a curse.
Two days later Neji found himself on a day shift watching her once more. Her shop was mysteriously closed, but Neji could find her chakra well enough. He found her kneeling before a dilapidated shrine whispering many names. His form alighted on a tree and she whipped her head to glare at him and he nearly retreated. Yet, at the same time he wanted to confront her, because a blind man could see the pain in her eyes.
"Do you think I could mourn in private?" She snapped at him, and turned back to the shrine. Neji felt his feet touch ground and approach her with simple steps. He was no good at comforting, staring at the tear trails on her face, but he had an idea to work off the energy, besides he needed to know anyway.
"Come on, get up." He hissed, and she turned baleful eyes on him with anger building within. "I doubt they would want you doing nothing and just crying for them." Neji prodded coldly, these were the same words he told himself many a time when he thought of his parents.
"Shut up." She whispered coldly and snapped up in a standing position.
"Get up and make me." Neji pushed a little and got the response he wanted as she glided to him. They sparred for over three hours, her skill showing through as he couldn't even fully close a single strike. Neji was impressed; he was one of the leading Taijutsu users in Konoha. This was the last day of her watch any way so he might as well spend it usefully. They finally grew tired and collapsed into the grass at the same time, she turned to him then.
"Thank you." She whispered, and then proceeded to fall asleep against his shoulder. Neji just picked her up and carried her back to her house. He had a report to make to the hokage. Tsunade dismissed the rest of the watch and he was free to do as he wished. For some reason he found himself standing at her shop surprise to find her up and about. She must have sensed him because she glanced up with a warm smile. Neji walked in at her silent command, and he sat on one of the stools with a stone-like expression.
"You are no longer under watch." He informed her and watched as her face practically lit up. Without warning she reached across the counter and hugged in joy, he tensed surprised.
"Thank you." She chirped, let go and went back to making her treats. Neji wondered at the warm feeling in the pit of his stomach, and he felt a small part of his mind reply that he was pleased that it was him that delivered the news. "Here, on the house." Usagi said handing over the same sundae he had last time, but this time an innocent cherry was plopped in the middle. Neji glanced over as she situated herself beside him; a matching dish in front of her except hers had a white crème.
"What's that?" He asked while pointing to the white crème.
"Hmm, oh, vanilla." She answered while eating hers with a delicate twist. Neji noted she left her cherry alone which he was thankful for, he didn't think he could handle anymore strange pressure in his body. She must have not cared for as the last spoon of cream entered her mouth; her tongue came out to play. He twisted anxiously in his seat, and instead focused solely on his sundae. This was insane, he must have been under a strange spell or something in her company, and he didn't understand why he was so anxious.
A satisfied groan had him stiffing in response his eyes trailing back to her. Her head was tossed back, her tongue still cleaning the corners of her lips, and Neji wrenched around. He was ultimately pleased that this mission was over, he didn't think his sanity could handle this strange turn of events. "Thank you for the food." He got out gruffly before practically flying gracefully out of the shop.
Usagi turned to watch his departure with a tilt of her head. An innocent blink of her eyes and her shrug was her only response as she licked her spoon. "He is strangely cute." She muttered her attention back on her sundae dish. "Weird, but cute." Usagi added. Neji at the moment had his own problems…
Hinata's birthday arrived with its normally jovial flair; the main house couldn't get much dimmer. Though Kiba and Naruto liven up the place when they arrived causing much titter and headaches for the head of the clan. Neji was a glorified chaperone as he stood stony watching as Hinata stuttered and thanked everyone for coming. The familiar blush creeping up her cheeks as Naruto picked her up and spun her around in a hug before leaving. Neji was forced to check on her and remind her how to breathe before he handed over his gift. He was going a lot on trust for he had still not checked the gift, and would prove to him one way or another if she was a spy or not.
Hinata gasped as she unwrapped the gift, and Neji had to nod in appreciation at the skill. The gift was actually gifts; one was a painting with Hinata standing alone in a flower field. Another was her being hugged by the blond boy of her dreams, the painting incredibly life-like. The third was a stuffed doll of the Uzumaki, one that made Hinata squeal and hug it to her chest. Last, was probably the best for it was Naruto clothed in his familiar dress, standing on the hokage mountain with a proud gaze. However, the bottomed open where a violet flower was situated into a pull out drawer for jewelry. Hinata actually ran over and hugged him, thanking him a lot before practically skipping off to her room. Neji knew he would have to go back and thank the girl as well as ask her how she knew what Hinata looked like.
Neji was surprised to find the store closed, but he could sense her chakra around the back of the store. He found her going through a graceful kata while dressed in a bikini, a white sarong hugging her hips. Neji found his lips sticking from reduced moisture at the moment.
"Ah, my stalker is back." She called while finishing one last combo, she pivoted to face him. "Hello." She greeted while walking over picking up a towel and a water bottle on the way. Neji forced himself to nod, that was a chore in and of itself, why couldn't he act normal around her? His team would be so surprise to see the king of ice acting like a bumbling idiot. Though if Neji could see outside himself, his expression has kept his secret well. "So, what brings you out this way?" She asked, "I doubt it was just to visit little ole' me." Usagi added, tossing her hair back and giving him a clearer view of her upper region. Neji felt his insides twist again, damn it, it was two words and then he was out of here.
"Thank you." He said gruffly, he really needed to leave this beguiling torture. "Hinata was thrilled with her present." Neji added, one hidden toe beginning to twitch.
"Really, I was a bit concerned, it was my first time doing a human sculpture with a built in jewelry drawer." She stated dabbing around her neck. Neji snapped to attention, his back ram-rod straight, as his eyes subconsciously followed the towel.
"She was pleased, so thank you." He choked out, trying to keep his pale skin from flushing. "Oh, how did you know what Hinata-sama look like?" He inquired, this train of thought saving him from embarrassment.
"Oh, the Hyuuga Heiress was treated to ice cream by her team, and the brown-haired boy was asking her what she wanted for her birthday." She started. "She mentioned your name when the brown-haired boy asked about a party." She finished, and then dumped the water over head. Neji felt his self-control slipping for some reason and bowed before leaving in a flash. "You know, I don't think I've ever finished a conversation with him yet." Usagi muttered to herself with a shrug.
For about three months and seven days Neji was a terrible time. Every time he came home from a mission, he would run into her, hell he even let her doctor his wounds once. She had the skill to go far in the medic nin field, but she had no desire to be a ninja as she informed him. His body was sending him for a loop every time he was in the vicinity of her. Neji's mind was also tag-teaming him, as it would play her image in his head when he would go to sleep. At least it took place of his nightmares that were a guarantee for a ninja. The images were taunting and his psyche was driving him nuts and tense. Neji finally submitted it was just the mystery and the curiosity of the actions that everyone he knew was committing. Hinata had even gotten Naruto as her boyfriend finally, making a lot of people sigh with relief. With that knowledge in mind, he went to find the one who has tempted his self-control.
Usagi was just pulling herself from her back-yard pool, and perching on its lip when she felt a familiar chakra. She grinned at the friendly presence while ringing out her hair, drawing water down her body. Usagi was then greeted by sinewy arms wrapping around her midsection and pulling her to a chest. She blinked in shock, but figured he must have needed some sort of comfort from his latest mission. Placing a towel between them she leaned back into his embrace. He shifted, one arm leaving her for a moment, she felt him jerk something, and then he tossed the towel away from between them.
Neji was surprised when she didn't react to his body's actions; perhaps she felt the same sensations as him. Then she placed a towel between them to keep him dry and this irritated him a bit, he wasn't happy with the connection. He tugged at his shirt with one arm; the strings holding it together loosen and fell away. Following that, he tossed the towel from between them, and skin met skin.
The soft fabric of her bikini top brushed his chest; it was wet and cold giving him a brisk feeling. However, it was her bare back that was resting against his abdomen that was causing stirs in his stomach. His body however wasn't acting insanely out of his control anymore, so it seemed content with just this. Bemused he rested his head on her shoulder, and brought them to a sitting position. If this was his fate, at least it wasn't too bad, her spell was quite nice.
Usagi was not startled when she felt skin against her back, she was surprised though that he was so forward. He seemed to come from a strict upbringing, she just leaned further back into his embrace and was rewarded by his head resting on her shoulder. Catching his reflection in the water she noted he was both confused and content at the same time. So her stalker doesn't know what's happening to him, she'll let him figure it out. Neji also gave off the air of going to get what he wants and wasn't willing to settled until he had it, he probably also treasured the few things he did have.
Neji smiled contently, it was an absent action, and stared into the water watching her facial expressions. She smirked as if she knew something he didn't and he really didn't care. "Want one?" He heard her ask, as she held up a cherry from her bag beside her. Neji let his body go and he nodded, she held it up for him to take and he did so, with his lips. She squeaked and recoiled her fingers absently to her lips, an indirect kiss. "Did you know that cherries have attractive properties?" She inquired, and Neji just leaned forward more. So, she did lay a spell on him indeed, his little hex girl.
