I do not own Naruto

Chapter 10

Emi's Pain

"Marry me? Say yes."

Hinata could barely breathe. She leaned out of the hug and stared into Naruto's face with wide eyes.

"What?" The same phrase was currently going through Neji's head as well.

"I love you Hinata. When I found out you had been kidnapped I almost couldn't handle the thought of something happening to you." He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. "I wanted you to be safe in my arms every second that you were away."

He pulled back to look at her face. Hinata still stared at him blankly. Naruto glanced at Neji who was standing off to the side with a very disapproving look on his face. But Naruto knew that Neji would let Hinata make her own choices without butting in.

"I can't live without you. You are so important to me and this incident only made me realize it all the more. Please say yes."

Hinata opened her mouth slowly to speak, but before she could say anything the rest of the two teams came out of the underground. Naruto and Hinata quickly stepped apart and Hinata smiled as though nothing different had just happened. She walked towards her team laughing as they teased her about being caught and introducing herself to the new Faura ninja present.

Naruto looked over at Neji who was now walking towards him. Naruto flinched.

"I know, you think it will never work. Blah blah blah. Just shut it Neji and let me be happy for a little while."

"Actually I was going to say 'Good luck'."

Naruto's shocked face looked up at Neji.

"If you can make it work, then I know she will be happy."

Naruto stared for a second. "I would have thought you would be the one saying that it goes against the clan and would never be accepted."

"It wont. But she is my cousin and more importantly my friend. I want her to be happy. I want this to work for her."

Naruto smiled. Neji looked away as if nothing had happened. Emotions were something to keep hidden. When you showed your emotions, you showed your weakness.

The others were still talking and double checking to make sure Hinata was ok. Hinata laughed them all off and waved away their concerns. Emori walked over to stand beside Neji.

"So, do you think we should escort them back? Or should we just head back home?"

Neji glanced at him. Home? Where would I call home? It had been a question he had asked himself every time Hinata had said 'home' whenever they had been in Konoha together. She considered the compound her home, but that was just where he lived, not where he felt at home. There was no such place for him. It made his stomach twist in a strange way, and he pushed the thought from his head.

"Lets make sure they get back without trouble."

Emori nodded and went to tell Emi and Isao about the new journey ahead.

***

Neji looked up at the gates of Konoha as they passed through, the sign of the leaf blazed above it as a beacon to those who came near that this was the place of the leaf ninja. Emi walked beside him and gazed up at the symbol too.

"I have never been here you know. This will be my first time to another ninja village."

Neji looked at her. He had noticed that over the last few days that they had been traveling together she had been talking to him more than she had before. Now she talked like he was just one of the team, like Isao. He never really talked back to her but that was just who he was. He usually didn't speak unless it was necessary.

"It's a lot bigger than our village. But our village is better."

She turned and grinned at Neji as though daring him to contradict her. He just smirked without looking at her. She was always much happier outside her own village. Now he could see that she was genuinely happy when she was not around the people of her clan.

They went into the gates and had to head straight for the Hokage's office. Neji and the rest of his new team lagged a little behind the others to follow. Since they were not accustomed to the village and Neji was a part of their team they stuck together. Isao was constantly commenting on things he saw as they passed through the village.

"Oh that restaurant looks good! Can we eat there later Emori? Come on! Ooooh and look over there!" Then he started to whisper, "That girl is pretty."

Neji glance over to see if he recognized who Isao was talking about. However he quickly sensed an approaching ninja who had the intent of possible bodily harm. At least Neji counted it as such.

"NEJI!!!!"

Lee zoomed past as Neji dodged the tackle. He gracefully stood there as Lee stopped and turned for a second attack. This time Neji was prepared for a counter-offensive. As Lee rushed forward, Neji slid into his signature pose, and just as Lee got within arms-length of Neji, he reached out and caught Lee by the shoulder, flung him over his back and cut off the chakra flow in his legs.

Lee landed on the ground with an ungraceful roll and leaned up on his elbows giving Neji a tearful look.

"That wasn't very nice Neji." Tenten said laughing, as she approached.

"Hn." Neji shrugged and walked over to Lee. He lightly kicked him over onto his back and put his foot onto Lee's back. The surge of chakra he let out of his foot made Lee flinch but it also gave Lee back the control of his legs.

Tenten gave Lee a hand up and then started walking with Neji while Lee got distracted by something else.

"So your back. How's life in the Sun Village?"

Neji just looked at her and raised an eyebrow. You know I'm not one for small talk so why are you asking?

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Oh right. You don't talk unless you feel like it. It's been almost too long since I talked to you"

She turned around and looked at the three Faura and smiled warmly.

"So who are you guys?"

Isao and Emori both grinned back at her, while Emi only graced her with a simple smile.

"I'm Emori, this is Emi and Isao."

"I'm Tenten. I was Neji's old teammate from when we were genin. I used to be his best friend. But that was back when he was nice."

Isao laughed at Tenten's carefree way of talking to Neji. Tenten gave him a look which he chose to ignore.

"Oh right, you were always like this." She laughed at her own joke.

Emori smiled at her again.

"We are headed to the Hokage. We don't have time to talk." Neji said.

Tenten feigned surprise. "He speaks!"

Isao and Emori laughed and Neji rolled his eyes.

"Bye guys. Catch ya later." Tenten winked at them and disappeared into the streets towing Lee along with her.

Isao hurried to slide in beside Neji. He slung an arm over Neji's shoulder casually.

"So, she's cute. Is she single?"

Neji glared at him and then looked pointedly at his arm which was still draped over him. Isao quickly removed it.

"You would have to ask her that." Neji replied simply.

Isao sighed dramatically.

"You can't give a guy a break? Come on Neji!"

"We are falling behind." Neji sped up his walk so that they were forced to follow.

Emori and Isao rolled their eyes and trudged along behind him, but Emi, following last, was smiling softly.

***

Tsunade sat behind her desk and listened to a detailed account of the mission from all sides. First she heard Hinata, then Naruto, and then from Neji.

"Well it sounds like you have all had a rough time of it. Emori, I would volunteer a place for you and your teammates to stay tonight but I assume I will be overruled by the Hyuuga who are also taking care of your ambassador. They have their stingy ways of hospitality and god forbid I should get in their way."

She waved them out of the office, proclaiming about the piles of work she had to catch up on while simultaneously reaching for a bottle of sake.

Emi smiled.

"I like Lady Tsunade."

Neji glanced at her from the side and felt his lips twitch a little in a smile. He hadn't meant to but it was obvious she had seen it because her smile grew wider at the sight.

"Come on. We have to check in with the ambassador, I expect he will have some kind of message for us to take to father." Emori rolled his eyes.

Neji headed back through the streets listening to Emori and Isao talking about the things they saw on the street. They seemed to make it their goal to visit every store or restaurant while they were in Konoha. Emi just walked silently beside Neji. He noticed though that she was becoming the shut-in person that she had been when he had first seen her. Her face adopted the bored look and she straightened into a walk that said she was above everyone.

Is it because of the ambassador and other Faura at the compound? Whenever we leave the village and she is away from everyone, she is relaxed, even friendly. But when we go near another Faura it is like…Neji made the comparison in his head just as he got uncomfortable with the idea. …Like me. I am different around the Hyuugas. She is different around the Faura.

He led them through the gates of the compound and inside waiting for them were Hiashi and the Faura representatives. Emori walked forward and bowed to Eiji, the ambassador.

"Eiji-sama."

Eiji walked forward and placed his hands on Emori's shoulders.

"Emori. It's good to see you. How is the Taiyoukage?"

Emori chuckled. "He is well. I'm sure he is causing trouble as per usual."

The wrinkles that gently framed Eiji's eyes pulled up into a smile.

"I'm sure he is. As are you. How long are you staying?"

"Just the one night. We need to head back and report to the village. They haven't heard from us yet."

Eiji nodded. "I hope you will stay here."

Hiashi stepped into the conversation.

"Of course. You are all welcome to stay here with us for as long as you like."

Neji hated the smile Hiashi wore. It was a fake smile that conveyed hospitality but not friendliness. It was a smile that he only showed to important people that he wanted to keep in good favor.

Neji turned and started to walk away towards his old rooms. At least it would be nice to sleep in a familiar place again. Though he was getting used to his rooms in the sun village it still wasn't quite the same. However as he turned, a small hand reached out and touched him gently. Any other time it would not have been enough to stop him, but since there was only one person close to him, so he turned in surprise.

Emi was standing there staring at the ground. Her hands were held into fists and her jaw was tense. He waited. She looked up at him slowly. Everyone else was too occupied to notice the silent exchange, but in that moment when Emi looked up, Neji saw a depth of pain in her eyes that made his own mental scars twinge in agony. His breath caught and she stared, silently pleading with him.

He waited for only a second, keeping his face emotionless, before nodding and silently slipping away from the crowd with her close behind him. He led her down behind the houses, making sure to stay in the shadows so they would not be seen. She must be hiding from them. Why else would she run at that moment? The questions about what he had seen in her eyes were swirling around his head.

He slipped out the back of the compound. If she wanted to hide from her clan it was safer to wait till after everyone else was asleep before returning to the house. As soon as they were out he sped to a run and led the way to an old abandoned practice field that had once been his favorite place to practice. At the time he had liked it because it was quiet and no one would bother him.

He slowed to a stop and leaned against a tree, letting himself slide to the ground. She ran up close behind him and watched as he sat down. She sighed after a moment and sat down next to him.

Does she think I expect an explanation? As if to prove he didn't need the explanation he leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Whenever he had gotten frustrated at his life he had come to this place. He would sit perfectly still under the stars. It had been a place of peace in his internal chaos.

"I'm sorry. I know you are probably tired. You can go back if you want. I can find my own way back." Emi said softly.

Neji opened his eyes to give her a look. Does she really think I would leave her alone in a foreign village without any protection? She isn't as smart as she looks.

As his eyes told her this without his words he noticed that her hair had come undone and was hanging straight down her back in red waves like water. The moon cast light onto her face and made her eyes glow and sparkle. He quickly turned away before his eyes could betray him. He had known all along that she was beautiful. But he didn't think it affected him anymore. So why am I trying to get my breath back? It's like she stunned me.

Emi sighed and leaned back against the tree beside him.

"Fine. I am sorry that I dragged you out here, but I had to get away before Eiji turned his attention to me."

Neji tried to decipher what he could from what little she had told him. Normally he wouldn't care enough to think about other peoples lives but for some reason her life and problems fascinated him. I want her to smile again.

Neji almost physically flinched at that thought. Why do I care what she does? He was making himself angry. It was like he couldn't control the direction his own thoughts were going.

"I hate them." Neji glanced quickly at her. Her face was clouded with anger and hands were balled into fists again. His mind flashed back to the first moment he met her, when she was a beautiful tiger, all anger and beauty.

"They think they can control me. They put barriers up, and seal my strength away. They fear my rebellion. But I rebel because of their overpowering control!"

He leaned away just in time as she turned and punched the tree with enough chakra that the trunk groaned and swayed, while the branched shivered as if in fear. Her breathing was heavy but she gently pulled her fist out of the small hole she had made. She slowly stretched out her fingers and examined the small scrapes and cuts on her hand.

"They torture me when I disobey." She looked up and met his eyes. "My brother and Isao are the only ones who know and don't use it against me. All the other Jounin, my father…"

She looked down and blinked away the tears that had been forming in her eyes. Neji finally realized he had been staring at her through her little rant and turned his face away. He focused his eyes on a light far in the distance so that he would not be tempted to stare again.

Emi was silent for a few moments.

"Please don't tell anyone I told you. It is forbidden even of me. When I am with them, my life is not my own."

Neji sat completely frozen for a moment. Could it be that her seal works as mine does? Can they control her with a simple jutsu?

He looked over at her. She was watching his face, waiting for some kind of reaction from him.

"I won't."

Emi sighed and closed her eyes, slouching back against the tree as if she was exhausted.

"You know? You are the first person I have told." She looked up at him again. "Ever"

Neji looked back at her for a moment before leaning back and looking up into the stars. The stars had always made his problems feel like less of a burden. Now he stared at the heavens, silently asking questions he would not say aloud.

***

He stood up. They had been sitting together in silence for at least an hour and Neji could tell Emi was getting tired. He would never have admitted that he was tired as well.

"We should get back."

Emi looked up at him.

"Do you think they'll be asleep?"

Neji sighed at her reluctance.

"Maybe. But I can sneak you in. I know where you were going to sleep anyway. It's near my room so I can just lead you there."

Emi nodded and yawned, stretching out her limbs. Neji instinctively put his hand out to help her up. His mind flinched away from the physical contact. However he also wanted to help her up. His eyebrows drew together at the confusion in his head. She reached up and grabbed his hand in a casual manner and hauled herself up, letting go to brush bits of grass off her pants. He was surprised that he had not felt his usual uneasiness when he touched other people. But then, she was becoming his friend. Maybe this is normal? Before anyone else got to be close to me they knew me well enough that they never touched me.

He walked slowly back to the compound and she stayed next to him the whole time.

As they came onto the compound, they saw that most of the lamps had been put out. Neji glanced at her and saw that her stone face was back in place. He went up to the gate and pulled it open, signaling to the Hyuuga guard there who he was. Then he slipped off into the shadows of the houses again. She followed right behind him as he stalked the shadows. Finally he slipped into a door at the back of one of the houses. It was further back than the rest and much simpler.

Emi followed him down a small hallway. They moved quietly as she could tell the walls were thin and not made for privacy but rather space. Neji moved like a ghost to the third door on the right hand side. He slid the panel open and slid inside, Emi following silently behind him. He stood just inside the door.

"This is your room." He whispered. "Emori is next to you and Isao is beyond him."He pointed to the left wall. "I am on this side." He pointed now to the right side of the room where the bed was. Neji watched as a slight blush spread across her face. Why is she blushing?

He had seen a hundred girls blush. He could walk around Konoha and meet the eyes of a random girl and she would flush crimson almost instantly. But he had never found it so fascinating as he did on her face. The light rose color that bloomed on her high cheekbones was for some reason enough to make him stare for half a second. Then he got himself back together. He shook his head at his mind. What is wrong with me?

"Thanks Neji." Emi whispered. Neji turned to leave but once again her small hand stopped him, and this time, it didn't let go right away. "Ill explain more to you later… about me. I know you probably don't understand anything I said."

"You would be surprised." He murmured.

She looked at him for a moment before letting go of his hand.

Neji bowed his head once and left the room. He quietly walked down the hall and slipped into his own room. He pulled his clothes off and threw them into the basket of laundry that would be washed later. He didn't want to get anything else dirty; he was very picky about the state of his clothes. He smirked a little as he thought back to once when Hinata had asked him about that. "Why do you wear white if you are going to be so picky?" He hadn't really bothered to explain to her that white made him feel even cleaner. It was like if he wore something impeccably clean, maybe he would forget about the things that made him feel dirty, like the seal.

He lay down on the bed, and welcomed the unyielding feel it gave him; as though he was sleeping on the ground. He knew he would be up at dawn tomorrow, even if he didn't have to because it was so ingrained in him. He pulled the blanket up to his chest and put arm over his eyes. The sleep overcame him like a drug, and the last thing he remembered thinking about was the moonlight in a pair of glistening eyes and waves of red hair.

***

A/N- Please Please Please Review!!!!! Almost no one has been reviewing. *sob* Even if you hate it I want to know so I can fix it. PLease let me know if it sucks. :(