Okay, I finally got off my ass and updated once again. The next chapter may not be out for another two weeks or so, due to the fact that I am extremely busy. No, I don't have a social life of any sort, I'm just busy working to support my habit of chocolate peanut butter cup ice cream. Aaaand I'm contemplating on eventually starting a NaruHina compilation of one-shot lemons/smut stories within the next month or so. I already have about a dozen or so ideas but sadly it will take me awhile to get them all written down, haha. So on that note, please enjoy this chapter, review it if you have spare time, and the next chapter will be out in the not-too-ridiculously-far-away-future. Meanwhile, I will be cramming my face with more ice cream. I am eating it straight from the carton. Do not judge me...

The Demon's Contract

Chapter 14

Three days went by, thankfully without any complications. Sasori's shoulder remained bandaged up, and Sakura had recommended that he wear a sling to keep himself from moving his arm too much. Hinata had recovered from her illness, with Naruto by her side for the majority of the duration. She hated being seen in such a pathetic state, but it wasn't as though she had a choice, as Naruto had been vehement about keeping an eye on her.

"You wouldn't be much good to me if you died because you got sick," he'd told her with a smirk. That part had been true, but he'd decided not to let her know that he was actually concerned about her health. He wouldn't even admit it to himself.

On the fourth day, Kakuzu returned to the mansion to give Hinata his latest report. To Hinata's surprise, he was not wearing the black hood and mask like he normally did. His dark brown hair went down to his shoulders, and his mouth was stitched together at the edges, giving him a glasglow smile. He appeared to be in his forties, but Hinata had a notion that he was older than he looked.

"How has the investigation been going?" Hinata inquired as he sat in the chair in front of her desk. As usual, Naruto was standing a few feet away, seemingly amused by Kakuzu's off-putting looks.

Kakuzu pulled a sheet of paper out of the file folder in his possession, then handed it across to her. "I haven't found you a definite answer yet, but I narrowed down the list. Yakushi Kabuto has been employed by a man who guys by the name of Orochimaru for the past two years. He had a grudge against your old man, but he doesn't have the resources to pull off such a scheme. Not only that, but he's drowned himself in the work that this Orochimaru person has been loading onto him."

"Should I be concerned with Orochimaru?" Hinata asked him warily.

He shook his head. "No, he has been working on a new line of medication that he's been trying to put on the market. Many of them have some rather unsettling side-effects, from what I discovered, but your father was not someone he was concerned about. If Hiashi had been in the pharmaceutical industry, then Orochimaru would've had a reason to get rid of him. And Kabuto only seems obsessed with helping his new boss in this shady business, so he wouldn't even care to waste any of his precious time trying to get revenge on an old employer."

"You don't know that for sure," Naruto retorted, skeptical of the older man's claims.

Kakuzu gave him an annoyed scowl. "Kid, I think I know what I'm doing. And so far, I've never been wrong when it comes to eliminating suspects. I do a thorough investigation, and as long as I'm being paid, I carry through with my services until the client is satisfied."

"And it looks as though Momochi Zabuza was not responsible for what happened either," Hinata mused as she scanned over the paper he'd given her.

"Zabuza ended up going to jail soon after he was fired," Kakuzu explained. "He tampered with too many vehicles and, as a result, many of the cars were not up to safety expectations. Several people were injured as a result of his actions, since many of the cars were sold without anyone knowing that he'd tampered them beforehand. He's had a year in prison so far, and has three more to go before he is released. Not only that, but he does not have the funds or connections that would allow him to hire so many people to go after you."

"He's only serving four years for tampering with vehicles?" Hinata asked, perplexed. "I thought it'd be longer than that, to be honest."

The stitched man shrugged briefly. "Too many technicalities, and they couldn't pinpoint just how many he'd intentionally sabotaged, since some of the cars may just have had ordinary mechanical problems. But either way, Zabuza is not your guy. So that leaves you with the Uchiha brothers, and Shimura Danzo. And there's no guarantee that both of the brothers were involved. One of them could have arranged the whole scenario without the other knowing. It will be difficult to investigate those three, but I'll have some answers by the end of next week."

Hinata rose from her desk, a stack of bills in her hand. "I am very satisfied with your findings, Kakuzu-san," she told him, handing the cash to him. "I hope you are able to provide me with more answers the next time we meet."

"I will," he assured her, greedily stuffing the money into his overcoat. "See you then."

Naruto waited until Kakuzu had left the room, then glanced over at Hinata. "So, what's your next move? Are you going to wait until Kakuzu gives you a definite suspect? Or do you want me to just kill all three of them to make it easier?"

Hinata shook her head. "No. I suppose I'll wait until he has more information, but if something else happens that might clue us on who was behind everything, then I will go ahead with my plan."

"And what exactly is your plan?" Naruto questioned, raising an eyebrow.

The young woman flashed a small smile. "You'll see."

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"So...how are things going on between you Neji-sama?"

Tenten bristled, then slowly looked over her shoulder to see Sakura staring at her questioningly. "W-what do you mean by that? There's nothing going on between us." With that, she continued to polish the doorknob on one of the many doors in the corridor.

Ino snickered. "Ah, come on, Tenten. You can tell us. I mean, I see the way he looks at you, and you can't act as though you don't know what I'm talking about."

The brunette's face turned bright red. "No, I don't! He doesn't look at me any different than he does you."

"Bullshit," Sakura scoffed, dusting off the the painting in front of her. "We can tell he liiiikes you."

"Shut up," Tenten mumbled, accidentally dropping her rag. "He doesn't like me like that."

Ino and Sakura exchanged doubtful glances, then both sighed and shook their heads at their friend's stubbornness. Either Tenten was hiding something, or she was that oblivious to the occasional stares from Neji. Regardless, neither the blonde, nor the pinkette were satisfied.

"It's pretty obvious that he likes you. So why don't you make a move?" Ino asked.

Tenten crouched down to retrieve her fallen rag. "Like what? Spill tea on him? Or maybe I can trip and fall flat on my face in front of him, since I haven't done that yet. Either way, I'm sure I'll make a moron out of myself in front of him eventually..."

"You need to be more confident," Sakura told her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You know what, let's change the subject. How are things between you and Sasuke-kuuuun?" Tenten teased, wanting to divert the attention away from herself.

"S-Sasuke-kun? Well, uh...I haven't seen him since the Gala, so..." Sakura trailed off, moving on to the next painting on the wall.

Ino smirked, re-dusting the painting that Sakura had just done only seconds ago. "Well, you know where to find him, so..."

The pink-haired female turned to her, high annoyed. "Yeah? And do what? Act like some crazy stalker or something? And why don't I show up in my maid's uniform while I'm at it, huh? I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know that he danced with a lowly servant for the night."

"So what if you're a maid? What's that got to do with anything?" Ino demanded.

"Ino... You're lucky that you have Sai," Sakura murmured with a melancholy undertone. "Sai doesn't care that you're a maid, since he's a butler. I'm not saying that being a servant is bad or anything, but... Someone like Sasuke-kun wouldn't want to be with a person like me. He'd look for someone with a high social status."

"How are you so sure about that?" Tenten asked, her hands on her hips as she stared at the pinkette.

Sakura turned to her, her green eyes filled with despair. "Don't you feel the same about Neji-sama? Like he's too good for you?"

"Well..." Tenten couldn't deny that she did feel that way.

"Damn, if you're so worried about hooking up with someone who is 'too good for you'," Ino deadpanned, using air quotations, "There are other single guys who work here. Sai and Pain are taken, but that leaves you with a few others. How about Sasori?"

"He's nice. And good-looking," Sakura admitted. "But he's waaaay too serious. It was kind of awkward while Konan and I were bandaging him up. I can never tell what he's thinking, and I just don't see any chemistry with him."

Ino nodded in understanding. "Deidara?"

"Again, nice enough guy. But he's a lazy stoner who likes to use freaking blowtorches and other weird stuff to cook with," Sakura muttered, cringing at the meal he'd made yesterday. It had been burnt beyond recognition, as well as part of the wall. Since then, Sai had confiscated the blowtorch, hiding it along with the several others he'd taken on previous occasions.

"Alright, what about Hidan? He's pretty hot."

Tenten shook her head vehemently. "No. He scares me sometimes. He's okay when he's in a good mood, but when he gets mad, he gets mad."

"Okay, so that leaves Tobi," Ino offered.

"No," Sakura and Tenten deadpanned. That was a definite 'no'. Tobi was sweet and all, but his jaw-dropping stupidity and clumsiness could agitate even the most calm and patient of people.

"Well, the only other one I can think of is Naruto," the blonde responded, a smirk playing on her lips. "And we all know who he wants."

Tenten chuckled. "Too bad that he won't admit it. 'Our relationship is strictly on a professional level'," she said in a mock imitation.

"Maybe we can get him to admit it," Sakura murmured thoughtfully.

"Really? How?" Ino asked incredulously.

Instead of answering, Sakura smirked deviously with an evil glint in her eye.

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Naruto lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling with boredom, clad in only a pair of black sweatpants. Hinata had asked to be left alone for a little while, as she had some things to think about. He was curious about what she was planning in her head, but he knew that she would tell him once the time was right. For now, she was probably playing several different scenarios in her mind, contemplating on what would be plausible for certain situations. Hinata was smart and calculating like that, and the subtle hint of ruthlessness that she kept hidden away was a nice touch. She was preparing herself for whatever may come their way.

There was a knock at his door, and Naruto lifted his head slightly, frowning. "Come in."

The door opened, revealing Sakura, Ino, and Tenten standing in the doorway. They were all smiling at him innocently, but he knew better.

"May I help you?" he asked flatly, sitting up.

"Probably," Ino answered, leading the other two as she drew closer to his bed. "We were just wondering if you could answer a question."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose," he muttered, lazily flopping back down.

"Okay, what's going on between you and Hinata?" Tenten asked, staring at him expectantly.

"What do you mean by that?" The blond male asked with feigned ignorance. "There's nothing going on between us."

"Liar," Ino retorted, her hands on her hips. "We're not stupid, ya know."

Naruto smirked, his eyes closed contently. "I didn't say that you were. I'm just telling you that Hinata and I don't have anything going on."

"Yeah, okay," Sakura scoffed, not buying his statement. "It's pretty obvious that you at least like each other, am I right?"

"We like each other to a degree," he responded dismissively. "But that's about it."

"Either admit to it, or we'll make you admit it," Ino threatened. They were now standing at the foot of his bed.

Amused, Naruto sat up and stared at them challengingly. "Yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?" He hadn't expected the three maids to pounce on him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hinata emerged from her bedroom and gently closed the door behind her. She'd spent the past hour going over many possible outcomes of her current situation. As much as she wanted to wait for a definite answer from Kakuzu, she was still on edge about having to sit around in the meantime. All had been tranquil for the past few days, but anything could happen at any moment. Not only was she contemplating on her next move, but her mind kept wandering back to everyone else around her. Ever since Sasori was injured, she couldn't stop pondering over the others' safety.

Lost in her thoughts, she wandered past Hanabi's room, only to stop in her tracks moments later. Hinata turned back around to face the closed door of her sister's room, staring at it thoughtfully. She hadn't gone in once since Hanabi's death, as it was too painful of a reminder as to what she had lost. However, for reasons she didn't understand, she gingerly grasped the knob and turned it, slowly opening the door.

Hanabi's room had been left untouched for the most part, though Tenten had at least remade the bed. Unlike the soft pastel purples and blues in Hinata's room, Hanabi's was decorated in much more vibrant colors. The walls were a bright, lime green, with multi-colored curtains and decors all throughout the room. Several plush animals littered the floor, as well as various books and comics.

With her heart heavy, Hinata warily walked into the room, looking around at everything. It looked as though Hanabi had never been gone, which made it even more painful. She strode over to the dark cherry dresser, gazing at the array of junk that Hanabi had left strewn on top. Amongst the piles of hair accessories, schoolwork, and assorted toiletries, a small black box caught Hinata's eye. The indigo-haired girl hesitantly picked it up and opened it, already knowing what was inside.

Hinata stared at the delicate platinum chain, an Aquamarine dolphin hanging from it. She'd given it to Hanabi for her thirteenth birthday, using her sister's birthstone as the gem of choice. The younger girl had only worn it on a few occasions, as she had been afraid of breaking or using it. Hinata carefully pulled the chain out of the box and held it up in the light, her lips trembling. Hanabi had been ecstatic when she'd received it, claiming that it had been the best present of all.

"Thank you, Onee-chan! I'll make sure to always keep it safe."

Hinata wasn't even aware that she was crying until she felt warm tears sliding down her cheeks. She quickly replaced the necklace into its box and set it back down on the dresser. Brushing her tears away, she quickly left the bedroom and shut the door behind her, letting out a shaky sigh. I promise I'll avenge you, Hanabi... Mother and Father, too. Just give me a little time. It won't be much longer...

She headed towards the servants' quarters, figuring that she should tell Naruto about her next move. It had been tough for her to come to that decision, but she knew it would be the best for everyone. As she drew closer to that wing of the mansion, she could hear strange sounds coming from one of the rooms. It sounded like a mixture of swearing, yelling, and laughter. Curious, she continued her way down, realizing that it was, in fact, coming from Naruto's room.

"Will you stop it already!?" Naruto did not sound happy in the least, and as soon as Hinata reached the room, she discovered why.

Ino, Sakura, and Tenten had decided that if they couldn't persuade Naruto to admit to liking Hinata, they'd take a different approach. And that method consisted of tickling the blond male. None of them were aware that Hinata was staring at them from the doorway, slightly puzzled.

"Admit it and we'll stop!" Ino shot back, digging her fingers into his sides.

Naruto squirmed, restraining himself from knocking all three of them into the wall. Hinata would be quite distraught if he killed three of her friends, but what they were doing was pissing him off to the extreme. "Knock it off!" He laughed, growing more and more furious by the second.

"Not until you admit that you like Hinata!" Sakura teased, poking his toned stomach and causing him to jerk.

"Why you-!" Naruto attempted to kick his legs as Tenten mercilessly tickled his feet. "I'm going to kill you!" he exclaimed in between laughs. His eyes flashed from blue to red, though none of the three maids noticed this. Luckily for him, Hinata did.

"Enough," she spoke up from the doorway, causing the females to cease their assault. "What are you doing to him?"

Naruto glowered at his girls, breathing heavily as he slowly calmed himself down. His eyes reverted back to blue, but his blood still boiled with rage. He hated being made to look like a fool above everything else, and he had to remind himself for the hundredth time as to why it would not be a good idea to kill the maids.

"We just wanted him to admit that he likes you," Ino replied with a smirk as they got off of the bed. "We were close, too."

"You have three seconds to get out of this room," Naruto warned with a menacing undertone. "One...two..."

The girls were out of the room in a flash, laughing as they ran away from the fuming male. If it hadn't been for Hinata, it was likely that they'd be on the floor in a bloody heap.

"You have a bunch of lunatics working here, you know that?" Naruto growled, somewhat embarrassed that she had walked in on it.

"Well, now I know your weakness," Hinata mused with an innocent smile. "Are all demons like that or is it just you?"

He rolled his eyes and got off the bed and tugged a shirt on to cover his bare, glistening chest. "Very funny. You're lucky that I'd rather not upset you by eliminating your servants," he muttered, pulling on a pair of socks.

"They aren't all that bad," she responded with a shrug.

"I beg to differ," Naruto grumbled, shaking his head as he slipped his shoes on. "But anyway, have you made a decision as to what you're going to do?"

However, before Hinata could open her mouth, they heard a commotion coming from downstairs. Stunned, she and Naruto hurriedly rushed out of the room and ran down the hall. Before they even reached the staircase, an eerily familiar sound rang through Hinata's ears and she felt her heart sink. It was the sound of bullets shattering glass and ricocheting off the walls.

Not again...

Okay, finally getting some damn action going on in the next chapter. Plus, it's about time that Naruto got off his ass ;) Anywho, as I said before, the next chapter will be out within the next two weeks or so. And I'm all out of ice cream. Fuck...