AN: Ladies and gentlemen and anyone that falls in between, fair warning. this is going to be painfully, terribly slow. These things take time. And Neji and Ino are particularly stubborn when it comes to each other, and becoming a team.
Music of the update "Flaws" Bastille, "Pompei" Bastille.
Ino leapt into the air, using her chakra, and the newest taijutsu skill Lee had taught her to propel herself and with a flip to rise further. It wasn't quite flying, and required a shit ton of her chakra to maintain, but was fun nonetheless. It was the height that Lee used to apply the force of his blows as he was as light as her, if not lighter. If she could cut him off at the source, above, he wouldn't be able to pummel her as bad. Bonus points because she had managed to shock him. Lee hadn't expected her to follow him up.
She charged forward, slashing with kunai as he dodged and weaved, a grin on his face as he easily blocked. Ino smirked "Shintenshin no jutsu" She called.
Birds bore down on him of all types and feathers, pecking sharply and then invaded his mind. Lee, startled by the unexpected onslaught, lashed out reflexively, expelling her, twirling and flipping mid air. Ino who could not maintain her clan jutsu and stay propelled. She had only just returned to her body when she caught the tail end of his foot lashing out upon instinct, rather than intention. The blow was crushing. Bruised painfully, she spiraled, the force of the gravity from the old hag's seal on her, as she lost control of her descent. He had only just taught her the technique 5 minutes earlier. The ground hurtled below her.
"Someday I'm going to murder you all in your sleep!" Ino cried as she plummeted and impacted like a comet. She hit hard, obliterating the ground beneath her as stars flooded her eyes. Someone had caught her fall, a bit late, but better than never. Sharingan tomoe spun.
"S-sasuke?" She murmured, reaching, only to feel the cotton of the mask on his face, and for the silver hair to come into focus in her vision. The scar tissue, brushed her fingertips. It was puffy, a sloppy replacement to leave such a scar, but if Ino had read the file right, then the girl had been much younger than she was, when she'd first placed the sharingan in Kakashi's socket.
"-no? Ino? Look at me" Kakashi said, as her eyes dialated.
She pulled away, curling, feeling betrayed and unsure why as she turned into the crater she'd formed. Her last coherant thought was that Sakura would be jealous of this crater. The world spun and there was no more thinking to be had. Ino turned her head shutting her eyes with another moan as she coughed.
"Yamanaka?!" Even Neji was concerned, as he leapt into the crater. He flash stepped down to her, calloused hands on her face, brushing the hair and dirt aside as he examined her head, while Kakashi held her neck still. She'd hit her head something fierce in that fall.
"I am so sorry" Lee blubbered, tears in his eyes as he leaned over them, grabbing her hand.
Neji's fingers moved delicately along the surface of her scalp, checking for bumps or possible fractures. There was no blood that he could tell Goosebumps formed on her arms at his ministrations.
"Can you move?" he asked, his thumb delicately stroking the side of her cheek to see if she would rouse.
Periwinkle eyes fluttered open at the most delicate touch, and she didn't realize how much she'd scared the stick in the mud Hyuuga, Kakashi, or Lee until both their faces were jammed right into hers, worry wide in all three pairs of eyes, Neji's Byakugan summoned.
"Maybe." She croaked, trying to answer him.
Kakashi sighed. She'd taken all of the training with minimal complaint though she was vocal in her hatred of calisthenics and taijutsu, she still did what she was told and didn't cause a massive scene over injuries that happened. For the most part, the blonde shrugged them off, and returning to training harder that when she'd come out before the injury, her eyes darkening. This seemed out of character for the loud mouth blonde, who gave new meaning to the word attitude, and never seemed to put up with anything. He'd always thought discipline was never in the blonde's vocabulary as the whole team Asuma had struck him as the lazy type, but he had to admit at this point, he had underestimated her.
"I'll go get help. Keep her here, and prone." Kakashi ordered vanishing.
…...
Neji couldn't help it. He felt responsible for her. This whole thing had started because Neji felt like he owed her. She had saved his life. Then Tenten had been suspended because Ino had reported it, and he thought her petty and self centered.
Neji had waited for the phasade to drop, for her true character to show up, for her to begin mouthing off to him and Lee, but Ino had taken everything he had thrown at her and more. It was why he had increased her training regime, pushing her further. Everyone had a breaking point. It was important to witness hers before they ended up on a mission together. There was only one problem. She hadn't broken. She'd continued to rise to meet the challenges. It had...irked him, the way she threw things back in his face. The way she refused to give in. Like she was challenging him, all the while with her heated looks. Had Tenten ever trained this hard, this fast?
Had Tenten ever gotten under his skin the way she seemed to?
Both sets of arms lifted her delicately, keeping her prone as Neji and Lee hauled her out of the crater. Neji felt a stab of guilt as he glanced at her.
"'m fine" She protested, as she sat up.
"Hey I don't think you should try to do that so-" Lee had started, before she promptly vomited on him. Lee yelped and let go of her in his surprise.
Neji fumbled with her, as she fell backwards. He caught her, and gently was able to reposition her, so that her head rested over his shoulder, in case she needed to expel the contents of her stomach again.
"jus- peachy" She murmured, slumping against Neji.
"Nngh." Ino groaned, her legs giving out from under her. Her entire weight, pressed against him, and Neji couldn't help the small tremor that passed through him.
"I've got you." Neji cradled her and picked her legs, up into his arms as he repositioned her. They disappeared with a swirl of leaves.
…...
Kakashi had brought Sakura with a crew of medic nin who took it from there. Ino was tested, checking and rechecking for injuries and fractures. 2 hours later, the team stood up from the waiting room to Sakura's furious expression. Kakashi visibly paled. Lee, who had stopped shedding "manly tears" over his fallen comrade, now stood stoic faced.
"Nothing's broken. She has a very minor concussion." Sakura said, tone dripping with righteous fury, as she stood, glaring down the three anbu members. "Which is a miracle given the gravity seal placed on her. But as Ino-Pig has the hardest head of anyone I have ever met, it's not entirely shocking. She will need rest, but with the healing I put on her, she should recover in 48 hours."
The three breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"You should have known better Kakashi sensei to apply Naruto's seal to them." She scolded.
The two members of team Gai turned death cold stares at the masked man. Tsunade's idea, indeed.
"Eh..." Kakashi scratched his head, sheepishly.
"Take it off immediately." Sakura ordered her stance akimbo. Kakashi sighed but those verdant eyes refused to relent. With a shrug, his hands whirled through the seals, and released. Neji and Lee breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your training methods seem to have changed since I was in the field, Kakashi sensei." Sakura began sharply.
"Mah, mah, Sakura chan" Kakashi began. "They start at noon."
"That is not what Ino has been telling me." Sakura replied curtly, hands on her hips as she stared her former mentor down. Medic Sakura seemed to be even scarier than regular Sakura.
"I start them at noon" Kakashi said. Now Kakashi and Sakura looked pointedly at Neji.
"We've been doing extra training in the morning to get used to the seal placed on us." Neji defended. Actually the idea had been some of Ino's...
"I know she needs to be brought up to speed before your mission next month, but 6 injuries in the past 4 weeks is a little much, Neji. If you keep pushing at this rate she might tear or fracture something. It's not worth the recovery time she'll have to spend and your team will be benched while waiting." Sakura said sharply. "Tsunade will need to be notified."
Neji winced, the verbal rebuke like a solid blow.
"I understand." Neji said, cowed.
"I'm not convinced that you do." Sakura replied icily. "You're supposed to be a leader while Gai is absent. Maybe you should start acting like it. It's your job to protect your team, even if it's from yourself." She said jabbing the accusatory finger in his chest as she poked him.
"Oh knock it off, Forehead. It's not like I lost an arm or anything." Ino appeared around the corner. "In fact, since that seal disappeared, I'm feeling pretty damn good" Her hair was down, recently washed from her hospital visit. Ino trained in full anbu gear for protection, but currently she was wearing her purple cropped top and skirt, middrift showing as she moved. Sakura must have brought her clothes.
Even Lee was staring at the blonde, quite a shock to the medic pinkette who stared back at her friend with mildly annoyed envy. Sakura spent her time in the hospitals which kept her skin pale. Ino had been outside and around the village. Her skin was still flawless, but now it was tanned, and tone where it had been wane and creamy before. The bronzed color of her skin only brought out the blue of her eyes and the gold in her hair. She looked like Summer personified. And with her hair down and her attire form fitting, it was suddenly hard to forget that she was, indeed ,very feminine.
Yamanaka Ino was attractive, a fact that hadn't quite escaped Neji's notice, but had been successfully avoided and circumnavigated up until now. Neji tore his eyes away from her, turning on his heel, his low ponytail swishing behind him.
"Hyuuga?" Ino asked with a frown.
"Take the rest of the day off, Yamanaka. We'll see you in the morning." His gruff reply came, as the door slammed.
Ino exchanged looks with Forehead, who shrugged, not understanding the abrupt aloofness of the Hyuuga Prodigy.
…...
Ino wasn't ready to accept that aloofness was a prodigy trait.
"What was that about?" Ino asked, as she had finally tracked the Hyuuga down to the Branch house training grounds.
Of course they were pristine. That Neji had this much space to do with what he wished was insane when Ino considered what the Yamanaka clan. Even as a branch member, Neji had been borne to privilege. The fact that his blood was not considered as "pure" as the main branch just gave him a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
Neji didn't reply, simply continued going through his katas, and began to pick up speed.
Ino stepped down in front of him, blocking the blow he meant for the log. "You gonna answer me?" She demanded. She would not be ignored, least of all by him.
The crop top fit her torso loosly, exposing her very nicely toned abdomen. Neji averted his glance, refocusing on the task at hand. She was his teammate. He wanted to respect her.
"You heard Haruno." Neji replied firmly, striking the practice logs again. They exploded upon contact. Ino didn't even flinch.
"I heard her, alright. That doesn't mean she was right." Ino retorted grinning as she ran her fingers through her long hair.
Neji sighed. Control. Focus. Discipline. "I don't want to do this right now, Ino."
The sound of her name coming off his lips did startling tingly things to her stomach. She rolled on her toes to get the excess energy out. Had he addressed her with her actual name before now? Why was it Yamanaka in front of others, but Ino with no one watching?
"I do. You want to slack off training just because I got hurt? If this is some sort of stupid test, I'm not failing it." Ino retorted, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I have taken everything you dished out, and if you are trying to screw with me to see if I'll quit, then you've got another thing coming buddy!" Ino yowled.
Neji winced, his ears hurting at her screeching. "Haruno said you need to rest ...This isn't a test Ino. I've been pushing you too hard." Neji replied with a sigh as he shook out the sweat from his hair and grabbed a towel. That was twice he'd said her name. Now if he could only do it in public... Ino was just a little distracted by the towel, but the point in fact caused her to focus.
"W-what? why?" Ino asked. She had thought this was their crazy regime and she just couldn't hack it all this time, and he had been throwing everything he had at her. Why?
"Because I don't want what happened to Gai and Tenten to happen to you." He said it as if it were a simple thing.
"..." Ino was speech less. Neji, the one who barely spoke two words to her during training, who was gruff was just confessing he didn't want anything to happen to her during mission. Ino sighed, a slight smile on her lips.
"Neji. You have to trust me." She told him, as she lightly touched his arm. "I've proved it up to this point that I'm not gonna bend or break. You know you can trust me right?" Those blue eyes seared their way into his.
"..." Neji didn't reply, he looked away.
"Well I guess that's our first problem." Ino replied trying to ignore how much his silence hurt. She had thought...well it didn't matter what she thought. Neji didn't trust her.
Ino walked away.
She missed the way his fists clenched and the way he raked a frustrated hand through his hair before he exhaled the breathe he'd been holding.
…...
Chouji and Ino strolled through the village, grocery bags in hand. They were headed to kurenai's house to visit the tiny monster machine known as Asuka. She was getting so big already. 4 years old. Ino's heart clenched. She had bought hair things to put the girls hair up in pigtails. It wouldn't be long before they were replaced with senbon. Kurenai wanted her daughter to bear her father's lineage. Ino couldn't help but cringe. She selfishly wanted a few more years of pigtails, and bows and ribbons. Of playing dress up and dolls, and how she imagined being an adult would be glamorous and pretty. She wanted to protect her, protect her childhood and innocence. To see Asuka's hands run red with blood made Ino want to curl up into a little ball and disappear.
It was selfish. The village needed her, needed the Sarutobi legacy. She would have hard expectations pressed on her from the beginning. Was this what her father had felt when she'd joined the academy? Ino shook off the thought. It didn't matter. She would live in the present while she had the chance, and savor every moment with little Asuka that she could. And when the girl went into academy, Ino would be there for her, to help her.
"Ino? Ino?" Chouji asked waving his hand in front of her.
"Oh. Sorry Chou. Just thinking." Ino replied, swatting the hand.
Chouji chuckled. "You ready to-"
"YAMANAKA!" Someone shouted.
Both sets of ninja turned. Ino, sensing the amount of chakra coming off the obviously irate brunette, passed off the groceries to Chouji, who unprepared, had to over balance to catch them all. She was getting real sick of people using her last name.
"Tenten." Ino said, hands on her hips "What a pleasant surprise, to what do I owe-" Ino was promptly decked in the face, by the bun haired weapons mistress.
Ino rolled with the punch, surprised by just how hard she'd hit her. Had she not rolled, the girl could have broken her jaw with that amount of force. Steel eyes alight as she turned, wiping the blood from her mouth with a swipe of her shoulder.
"Care to explain that?" Ino replied. Tenten clenched her fists. "What wasn't it for? You turning me in, you taking the place of my team?! You trying to get them killed!" Tenten yelled.
Ino allowed the chesire smirk to slide across her features , knowing it was her trademark to annoy her competition, rising to her full height as she glowered at the shorter nin.
"I didn't try to kill them. I followed the perimeters of my mission. Something you should try if you get the chance." Ino baited.
Tenten swung again, and Ino dodged, retreating to the side. "You never should have turned me in. That was the most ridiculous, low blow thing you could have done. But then again, what do you know about team loyalty?" Tenten snarled.
Ino's eyes narrowed.
"It wasn't personal, sweetie. It was my job. I wasn't about to risk it for you. If you can't take the risk, stay out of the field. Oh wait. You are-" TenTen slugged again, following through with some very familiar katas but Ino danced away.
Okay the field comment had been a little petty. But Tenten was asking for it by bringing up team ten, and Ino had a policy about this shit. If they asked for it, then Ino was inclined to give it back full force and full throttle.
Ino danced around Tenten's blows, dodging, weaving and redirecting them, intrigued in spite of herself at how similar the form of her and Neji and Lee really was. This only seemed to make the brunette angrier as her combos grew faster.
"What is this really about Tenten? That I reported you? I was just doing my job! I could have been suspended if I hadn't."
Looking back on it, Ino had been careless. She'd underestimated the brunette. The weapons mistress caught her arm, and made Ino pay dearly for it, by wrenching it. Ino cried out in pain. She finished, by kicking the blonde to the ground. Ino groaned in the dirt. Ugh. Now her hair was dirty. She supposed she should be grateful Tenten hadn't broken her arm, but they both knew if that happened, then this would have to be reported. She weighed her options between how long before jounin arrived to break up the fight, and how pissed off she was.
"Seriously?" Ino replied rising painfully to her feet. She rubbed her arm with some medical chakra, flexing it. Ino was determined, in spite of dirty hair, and a ripped top (it was brand new, god damn it) She wasn't going to hurt her. She wouldn't get anywhere by violence, even if the brunette had started it.
"Are you mad because I replaced you? Some mislead sentiment for former teammates? Or the fact that Neji can't follow his own mission protocol?"
Tenten's kick found purchase on her ribs, and Ino felt the damaging crack.
Steel eyes narrowed, as she stumbled back, only to see Tenten coming at her for the follow through. Oh that was it.
Ino was taking the gloves off. Her hair was dirty, her brand new top was ripped, and she'd cracked a rib. She hadn't retaliated and twice this bitch had taken advantage. Ino was all for the non confrontational approach, until bitches had to be put down. Ino turned, rolling with the last kick, redirecting it past her, and volleyed with a shattering punch to her collarbone, followed by a roundhouse kick that was too quick to block, incapacitating Tenten. She had heard the crunch, and supposed it was irony that Lee had taught her with precision and efficiency how to disarm his former teammate.
Tenten gasped stumbling, but the girl stayed on her feet, still ready for another round. Ino had to give her credit where it was due. A broken collarbone was no simple injury and for the girl to still be on her feet after that was incredible. Nothing less from team Gai.
"I'm sorry. For whatever misplaced notion you seem to have about me replacing you. I can never replace you. And if you weren't an idiot you'd realize that. That's not how cells work. The only thing I can hope to do, is to do my part. Whatever issues you have with me, leave the mission out of it, because Tsunade herself scolded Neji for not following through on it."
"Because he was trying to protect you!" Tenten shouted.
Ino regarded the girl with sympathy. "Neji doesn't give a damn about me. All he cares about is his damn rules." She retorted turning her back on the bunned ninja.
Tenten was about to launch again, when Chouji interfered brown eyes serious.
"Enough! You've gotten your answers." He said, grabbing Tenten's arm. "Don't' make me report this."
Chouji, though loveable, could be deadly serious. He knew Ino could handle her own battles, and normally didn't interfere, but let Ino handle herself. Fortunately for Ino it was usually when someone threatened his teammates.
"Hold still, Ten" Ino said, applying her medical chakra. Tenten flinched, trying to fight the grip, but Chouji was ironclad. Ino set the bone back in place, healing the bruises. She breathed a visable sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry. I really am. But you're mistaken." Ino told her, turning, and picking up the groceries Chouji had abandoned.
Tenten stood there for a few seconds, rubbing her now healed collarbone, and then disappeared with a swirl of leaves.
…...
"Can't catch me Aunty Ino!" Asuka squeled, as Ino rounded the coffee table, chasing the tiny toddler around Kurenai's house.
Kurenai, looking frazzled (what mother with a toddler wouldn't?) , but better with Chouji sitting down and having tea, groceries unloaded and Ino effectively distracting her girl.
Ino reached a hand out, grabbing the precious bundle and tickling the nonsense out of her as the girl squealed in belled laughter.
"A-A-UNT-Y-I-I-N-NO—OOOOO" She laughed. "PUT ME DOWN!"
"Never!" Ino replied, cuddling the girl close as she kissed her head, and cheeks and arms and any limb she could get in contact with.
"You're stuck with me forever!" Ino cackled. Asuka laughed more, and eventually Ino relented in her tickling.
The door knocked, leaving all of them on guard. It wouldn't be the first attack on the girl, though Kurenai had prevented her daughter from knowing. A quick look to Ino, who had the fussing toddler in hand, and retreated into the girls bedroom, cooing to Asuka about how she should show her the newest doll she'd gotten from her Uncle 'Maru.
Kurenai nodded to Chouji who opened the door.
One disgruntled Hyuuga stood outside of the door. "Akimichi." He nodded at Chouji.
"Neji? What brings you here?" Chouji asked, exchanging disgruntled looks with Kurenai.
"Is Ino here?" Neji asked urgently scanning the room for the blonde. Both were surprised, but recovered well. The only one who could get through the illusions would be an Uchiha, or a Hyuuga.
"Yes, she's in the back" Kurenai replied. "Can we offer you some tea?" She asked, ever the polite hostess.
"No thank you. May I see her?" Neji asked.
"Absolutely" Kurenai replied motioning to the hallway.
Neji made his way into the back bedroom and was blinded by the sheer amount of pink and glitter scattered the area. The room was full of unicorns, princess castles, stuffed animals, and hearts. It was Ino all over it, including the canopy bed with pink ruffles. Startled, he saw Ino playing dolls with the tiny toddler. Asuka Sarutobi was the spitting image of her father. It was the eyes, a painful reminder to all who encountered her.
"Ino-" Neji said. Ino was on her feet, kunai in hand, before making it disappear just as quickly. She glared at Neji. "You should know better than to disturb me, here, of all places." Ino snapped.
"Aunty Ino! You're missing your part." The toddler demanded.
"Asuka baby, hold on. My captain is here. He needs to tell me something. Will you go terrorize Uncle Chou for a bit?"
"Can I jump on him like a tam-tamp-oline?" She asked.
"Trampoline. And Yes. Absolutely" Ino smiled ruefully at the girl, as she ruffled her hair. Asuka was a girl after her own heart.
Neji couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corners of his lips as the pealed laughter split the room. Asuka made her way towards Chouji sprinting with toddler speed. They heard the muffled oof, as she demanded "the tampoline".
Ino sighed, and rose to her feet, putting away the dolls. Her countenance changed. Gone was the softer side of Ino and in it's place stood the hardened warrior.
"Well? What is it? Mission? Emergency? That's the only reason you'd be here." Ino said bitterly.
"I heard she hit you." Neji said quietly.
Ino turned shocked. "Really? That's why you're here? I don't need you to fight my battles for me, Neji. I can take care of myself." Ino retorted.
"You forgot to heal this." Neji said, hand on her jaw, turning it delicately towards him.
"Maybe because I didn't want to." Ino replied, swatting his fingers off of her.
Neji's brows furrowed.
"It doesn't matter." Ino replied, trying to push past him.
"It matters to me. What happened?" Neji said, side stepping in front of her.
"Tenten went off a bitch-capade and I stopped it." Ino retorted. "Nothing to worry about. If that's all you'll excuse me, Sir"
Neji sighed as the blonde made her way past him, back into the living room.
"They went outside to play" Kurenai told her. Ino nodded, and headed to the door. "Where are you going?" Kurenai asked as the blonde didn't stop.
"I'm just seeing Neji out. I'll be back in a bit. Chouji can babysit for the time being."
Kurenai nodded, looking at the Hyuuga peculiarly.
Neji followed her out the door. Where Ino rounded on him, grabbing him by his Hyuuga jacket.
"Never, EVER, visit me here. Do you understand?" Ino snarled, periwinkle blue looking fiercely into pearlescent colored eyes.
"I needed to find you-" Neji began
"YOU gave me the time off. I can do whatever I damn well please with it, and you will never ever come looking for me here ever again!" Ino demanded
"I don't understand-" Neji began.
"As someone who has had clan assassinations, and abductions, I'd think you would understand how important anonymity is." Ino retorted. "A Hyuugas whereabouts, even a branch member attracts too much attention. So unless Konoha is burning to the ground, never come here again." Ino retorted. "Kurenai has already moved 3 times in the past year."
Neji faltered as they walked. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."
"Well now you know. Don't do it again." Ino bristled. The place had been a bit remote.
"Will you tell me what happened?" Neji asked.
"No." Ino retorted, but the laugh lines were pulling on her face. At least she wasn't angry at him any longer.
"How long have you been helping..." Neji didn't finish.
"Since Asuma..." Ino's throat tightened. "She's property of team ten."
"And you babysit on the side?" Neji quipped.
"Whatever Kurenai needs. We chip in with groceries and clothes for her and take turns watching her when Kurenai has missions. Its not easy being a single mom. It takes a tribe you know" She quipped.
"Or a clan." Neji replied. Ino rolled her eyes.
"Or a makeshift family of people who love her." Ino replied. "Konohamaru should be coming by later to relieve us."
"Just how far are you planning on accompanying me?" Neji asked, as he quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Enough to make sure you go away." Ino replied, the smile appearing.
"Ah." Neji replied, feeling a smile of his own.
"Ino!" The pinkette medic waved. Ino sighed and waved. "Forehead girl. Coming to check and see that I'm taking time off ."
"Har har." Sakura rolled her eyes. "I came to see if you were up for Thursday night."
Ino's eyes lit up. "Um, Of course! Does this mean my time out from training is reprieved?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't push it pig. Take the next 48 hours to rest. You've already blown through 10 of them. I just figured with all the work you've been doing, you need to unwind."
"You mean you need to unwind, and need an excuse to do it." Ino smirked.
"We need to unwind." Sakura replied.
"Okay. What time?" Ino conceded. Which meant Sakura was right.
"8pm. Don't be late!" Sakura disappeared.
"Wouldn't dream of it, forehead." Ino waved. Neji stood, waiting for Ino.
"You standing there to look pretty Hyuuga?" Ino quipped.
"Har Har" Neji replied. Ino sighed. "Guess this means I have to invite you and Lee huh?"
"Lee at a bar? Drunken fist master remember?" Neji replied eyebrow arching.
"Bring him anyways. He'll be well looked after. Its a rookie eight reunion after all" Ino waived, as she disappeared.
Rookie eight? Neji thought. Ah. Shikamaru was in Sand.