Chapter 22

Authors note: This chapter has mature (18+) content. It has a lot of important dialogue before and I don't want those of you who'd rather not read the M content to miss out. So I will put a warning before the adult content.

As he promised to Hinata, most of Sunday Neji had been busy overseeing preparations to leave. Despite whatever was happening in his personal life he still had obligations to both the clan and the village. So he spent his day in meetings and ensuring the quality of the goods they were procuring. He also saw to the safe shipment of said goods to Konoha. There was a lot of money at stake here.

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Neji was due to leave tomorrow, and Hinata found herself conflicted whether she should attend the gala. Darui had visited her and she fessed up to him about Neji coming over a few nights ago and about his confession to her.

"Well damn…" he said finally. "That doesn't really surprise me though. I was observing his behaviour over the course of his trip… and that man tried really hard to come see you as much as he could. That's not the behaviour of someone who isn't committed. Did you tell him how you feel?".

"Umm… no, not in so many words. I mean I loved him before, but I don't know what I feel now. It's confusing and seems too good to be true and I-I don't want to rush into anything" She whispered, still not quite trusting that he loved her and would want to still be with her six months down the line, "I want to give it some time" she finished.

Darui laughed and called her crazy lightly and said that Neji would be crazy to change his mind.

He grabbed an apple off the counter and polished it on his sleeve, "There is a gala for Neji tonight. He leaves tomorrow morning... why don't you come?".

"Yeah he did tell me about it, but I am still debating whether to go. I don't know what seeing him tonight would accomplish".

Darui shrugged his shoulders and made a noncommittal sound munching on the apple observing her. "Well I guess it depends on how badly you want to see him one last time. I can escort you... so let me know".

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An hour after her conversation with Darui, Hinata found herself at a local boutique almost despite herself. She browsed a few racks of dresses determined that she would only go if she found a dress she liked. After trying on a few dresses she finally found the one.

But... it was probably the most provocative dress she had ever worn outside of a mission. After some deliberation she purchased it.

She had no idea what her goal was… but she wasn't going to see Neji for six months after this and she wanted tonight to be a night she remembered, whatever the future may hold for them. She had been taking a back seat when it came to her feelings for Neji for a long time, so tonight she decided to change that. Tonight she would take what she wanted.

It was a satin dress in a mauve color and was held up at the top by two tiny straps that ended in a draped cowl neckline at the front. The straps showed off a modest amount of her back and criss crossed. It wasn't too revealing in the front or the back, but the light and flowy material clung to her showing off her slim figure and deep curves. The dress was long but had a small slit in the skirt coming up to her mid thigh on one side, and it fluttered seductively as she moved showing off a hint of skin now and then.

It was a dangerous dress she thought looking at herself almost not recognizing who she saw in the mirror. This was a dress that made her feel like a woman… and this was a dress that sent a message.

She fluffed up her hair arranging it in artful waves, and paired the dress with a strappy neutral heel, a red lip and spritz of her signature perfume before leaving the house.

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Neji was at the gala dressed in a fitted black suit and had his hair tied in a low bun (as was his custom when he wore western clothes). He kept peering every now and then at the door hoping that Hinata would come. He hadn't gotten a response back from her whether she was attending or not so this was probably a long shot, but he had every intention of going to see her later on if she didn't come tonight.

He had regretted their quick goodbye yesterday more and more as his departure loomed nearer.

He made small talk with the various dignitaries and sipped on champaign as the evening droned on while restlessly waiting. And finally it was a small commotion at the entrance and a few heads swirling in the direction of the door that got his attention.

There, at the entrance was Hinata being escorted by Darui. Neji resisted the urge to go forward to her at once and push the other man aside, instead he planted his feet deeper into where he was standing.

When he was finally able to see her fully, all rational thought went out of his head as he took in her slinky dress. Sure there were other women who were dressed as glamorously at this event, but they paled in comparison to her. The material of the dress flowed and clung to her figure and she outshone every woman in the vicinity for him.

As she walked he noticed that her hips swayed mesmerizingly and the dress highlighted her hourglass figure to perfection. Her hair had been styled in soft waves around her shoulders and she seemed to glow from within. She looked hot as hell... he thought swallowing nervously as he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach.

Hinata first went to the Raikage to pay her respects. And the older man engaged her in a lively conversation. Neji stood where he was, looking at her almost feeling intimidated to go up to her. Who was this woman?

He didn't even realize he had been staring until one of the ministers came to talk to him, she was clearing her throat trying to get his attention until finally he noticed and bowed in respect at her.

Throughout the next few minutes Neji kept his eye on Hinata where he could and tracked her chakra when she was out of sight. After talking to the Raikage, Darui seemed to have steered Hinata towards a group of his friends at the other end of the room.

Around 8PM dinner was announced, Neji had been seated at the head of the table next to the Raikage as an honored guest. Hinata had been seated further down the table and was engaged in a lively conversation with the people around her. Stifling his disappointment he turned his attention to A-sama and was surprised to find Darui seated across the table from him. He had been too distracted tonight... this shouldn't have been a surprise obviously.

Neji nodded his head respectfully at the older man. They made light conversation throughout the dinner and Neji got to learn from those around that monsoon season was coming up for Kumo in the next few months. Again he felt trepidation about leaving Hinata hearing all this. As he got up from the table and put his napkin down, he found Darui standing next to him. Despite their common link in Hinata, they hadn't talked of anything personal in the time that Neji had been here.

"Neji" the man started off, "I don't want to get involved between you and Hinata... but I do know that in the past you've hurt her" the man sighed continuing on as if he found this conversation to be unpleasant, "I really do think you are trying to be better, and do better. But if I ever hear of you hurting her again, you will have me to deal with" the man finished simply. The words didn't surprise or offend Neji.

He nodded his head in understanding and was grateful someone here looked out for her so well. "Thank you… for looking out for her. And I would appreciate it if you kept an eye on her in the next few months though the monsoon season. I wouldn't typically leave her here like this especially now that I know how dangerous it is, but she asked me for space and I have to respect that" he said to the man being honest.

Darui looked at him for a few seconds and nodded before turning and leaving.

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The Raikage dragged Neji into a cards room afterwards, and insisted he play a few hands of poker. Without wanting to be rude Neji obliged the Kage and it was about an hour afterwards when he spotted Hinata again. She was on the dance floor dancing with some random man he didn't recognize. He knew it was impossibly rude, but he had waited long enough tonight.

Neji walked onto the dance floor and asked to cut in from the gentlemen he recognized to be from one of the noble families in Kumo. The man looked outraged, but Neji stood firm, he only had so much patience and he was leaving in less than 12 hours.

His persistence won out and the other man left because Neji refused to back down.

Now that was out of the way, Neji turned to look at Hinata finally up close up. She was smiling at him, amused. He had been right, she was glowing tonight, and her makeup was different. It looked good… great actually.

Her eyelashes looked even fuller and longer than usual and she had a dusting of subtle sparkle on her eyelid. She had what women called eyeliner on, and when she looked up at him, her eyes captivated him. Her lips were red and he couldn't resist staring.

She quirked her eyebrow when he didn't act for a few seconds and that cued him to finally move into motion. He took one of her hands in his and settled his other hand into the deep curve of her waist as he picked up on the music and led them through the dance.

She danced really well, he observed. They hadn't danced before.

"Did you wear this dress for me?" he asked mischievously after a few seconds had trickled by.

"W-what?" she spluttered turning red.

He enjoyed watching her blush spread from her cheeks down to her neck and then lower…it's been a while since he saw that. She didn't blush as much anymore he thought regretfully and resisted the urge to touch her cheeks to see how warm they were.

"I knew it," he said, continuing to tease her and she threw him an exasperated glance.

"Maybe I wore it for Darui" she said archly and Neji's face fell at that, but without missing a beat a few seconds later he parried, "No I think it was for me".

She shook her head in amusement as she glanced around the room.

A few couples were on the dance floor and some of them had moved rather scandalously close to each other. She turned her eyes back up at him as she realized that he was caressing her waist slowly as they danced. She felt that simple gesture all the way deep in her stomach and down to her tippy toes.

"Should we get a drink?" she asked, overwhelmed with sensations all of a sudden.

He looked down at once and assessed her face but nodded in agreement. He gracefully spun them out of the dance floor and into the corner of the room where there was an exit to a terrace patio. He grabbed two champagne glasses from a waiter as he followed her out into the night.

Hinata paused in the terrace but then turned and walked towards a hidden alcove to the side. The space was slightly enclosed with thick leafy vines growing on the walls and there was a half moon shaped padded bench to sit on. They each took a seat slightly away but facing each other.

"So…" Neji trailed off seeming a bit unsure of himself "you look stunning tonight".

She smiled at the compliment ducking her head as she took the drink from him, "thank you… you don't look so bad yourself" she indicated nodding her head at his sleek suit.

He took a sip of his drink thoughtfully and looked out into the night sky for a few seconds before saying, "Thank you for being here tonight, I was going to come see you anyway… but i'm glad that you are here."

"You were going to come see me?"

"Yes… yesterday didn't really feel like an adequate goodbye". He said swirling the drink in his glass.

"Did you... still want to come over?" she asked not really knowing where this was coming from.

He looked at her all of a sudden alert and still. "Come over?" he asked again for clarification.

"Yes…" she looked at him directly feeling brave. Perhaps it was the wine she had consumed tonight.

"Hinata… it's not that I don't want to… but I don't really trust myself around you to be completely honest. It was hard enough for me to leave that other night when I kissed you... and believe me, I want to kiss you really really badly right now".

She swallowed nervously, and swirled the champagne in her glass pausing to think and took a quick sip of her drink. Afterwards she said something he wasn't expecting.

"Neji… to be honest I've dated a few guys since I've been here".

He felt his stomach sink at that news, of course she would have dated people… but he didn't really want to hear about it. He nodded in understanding looking at her, not knowing where this was going.

"None of those relationships lasted too long, but they were all useful in helping me figure out what I don't want".

He resisted asking her who they were and how long the relationships had lasted and instead settled on sipping his drink.

"I'm not ready to give you an answer to your proposal. I did love you… since I was a little girl I think.. actually, I was infatuated with you as a child… and after we became engaged, I fell in love with you. I know I should have told you all this" she said glancing up at his shock.

He seemed to have stopped breathing and was still as a statue sitting straight with a stony face as if his entire worldview had top tilted at this very moment.

"But over the last year I focused on myself and I managed to escape those feelings so… I don't know what I feel for you anymore. Thank you for telling me how you feel… I don't think I said that the other night. I appreciate it and will genuinely think about your offer. But I can't promise you what I will end up deciding… but… I do know what I want right now, so…" she said looking at him unabashedly, "Neji, do you want to come over to my apartment?".

He was quiet for a few seconds.

Probably overloaded by everything she had just unloaded on him… but slowly he took a deep shuddering breath in filling his lungs. It looked as if he was going to talk, and ask follow up questions, and try to convince her of something... but words seemed to be failing him at the moment.

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If someone had punched him in the stomach, it would have hurt less than what she just confessed. Neji's mind whirled absorbing this new information. Of course he had known she liked him, he had liked her too. But he hadn't known that she liked him or cared for him any more or less than any other random person she could have been assigned to marry.

It was such a waste… he thought, sighing.

He thought about all this time they had spent apart and the miscommunication that led them here. If he had known this before she left, he wouldn't have let her go. Because it was clear to Neji he had started falling in love with her slowly back when they were engaged. But those feelings had been so close to his heart, he hadn't seen it.

She had been his heart… and he hadn't realized it until she left and until he found her again. Everything that happened with Tenten had been a distraction that took his attention away from a real budding relationship that had developed between him and Hinata at that point in time.

But… at the end of the day, now a year and half later they were at different places in life, on different journeys and they were both imbued in separate realities. Their lives were no longer interconnected.

Neji's mind flashed back to when they got engaged. It probably hadn't helped that he had treated her so awfully in the start, he had set himself up for failure just with his poor attitude. Everything he had once called her and told her in that meeting room flashed through his mind and he felt sick. How could he have talked about her like that?

She had been a sweet girl even more vulnerable back then than she was now. But he had disrespected her, embarrassed her, humiliated her, hurt her and at the end caused a lot of damage to their relationship by his lack of commitment to their engagement. His eyes moistened and he blinked trying to clear the moisture and the emotions he was feeling.

In the end he tipped his head back and downed his drink. "Hinata...I don't deserve to come back home with you".

And she also tipped back her head and finished her drink, after which she got up and walked towards him.

He looked up at her feeling slightly broken and she looked down at him radiating confidence in her femininity, "Neji… at this moment in time. I don't really care".

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* Mature content up ahead. *

After that everything had happened very quickly. Neji thought about saying goodbye to all the dignitaries left but people were getting inebriated and wouldn't notice that they had left. So he thought to make his excuses tomorrow morning and grabbed Hinata's hand leading her out of the Kage's compound. He signalled to his guards that they were leaving and they nodded back with blank faces, professional as usual.

About 30 minutes later they were at her building and they took the elevator up to the fourth floor. Hinata unlocked her door walking in with him.

"Should I make us some coff-" she asked slowly turning around, but was cut off as Neji grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him.

"Stop me anytime you want, but i've been wanting to do this constantly since I saw you in that grocery store" he murmured, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a kiss. She was a bit taller today as she was wearing heels and they were able to easily stand and kiss.

They kissed deeply and passionately almost as if the feelings from a few nights ago hadn't dissipated. She grabbed his jacket and tried to remove it and got it three quarters of the ways off but had to break apart for it to fully come off. Neji made an impatient sound wrenching his jacket off and throwing it on the couch behind. He did the same with his tie before moving forward to kiss her again.

She grabbed his face with both her hands as they kissed desperately, shivers moving through their bodies. Hinata started unbuttoning his shirt and before long it was open at the front. He made a deep sound when her cool hands touched his overheated chest again grazing over his abs. She really loved his abs it seemed. But he was already turned on enough so he reached down and hooked his hands around her thighs and pulled her up wrapping her legs around his waist. She put her hands around his shoulders steadying herself in surprise.

Without waiting he moved in to kiss her anywhere he could reach... her face, her jaw, her ears, her neck…. he nibbled and licked the long column loving the soft moans she was making as she arched her back. He sucked on her neck wanting to leave some marks behind until she pried him away from her due to the over simulation.

He moved her up into his arms more securely and walked into her room. He wasn't stopping tonight until she stopped him.

He dropped her onto the bed and felt his heart stop watching her sit in the middle with her hair wildly framing her. Her dress was riding high on her legs clinging to her figure. He took off his shoes, shirt and was in the process of taking his socks off when he almost fell over as she started to take off her dress.

His eyes glued on to her as she unzipped the back of her dress and shrugged her shoulders as the straps fell off and the bodice pooled at her waist bearing breasts that were covered (to his disappointment) in a black strapless bra. His eyes continued to skim over her flat stomach and stopped at her curvy hips.

He still remembered her naked from a few years ago (it was engraved into his mind) but that had been a very brief experience. This felt surreal to be able to look at her like this to his heart's content.

She made a small uncertain sound, and that is when he snapped out of his haze realizing maybe she was starting to feel self conscious at his staring.

"You are so…. beautiful" he said moving forward eagerly as she laid down. She raised her hips so he could pull the dress off of her, revealing a black lace thong and long legs. He picked up one of her legs, looking at the heels she was wearing and quickly snapped the buckles off, kissing each of her feet along the process.

They stared at each other for a minute, again the air heavy around them.

She sat up after a minute and came up to the edge of the bed where he was standing and reached up to kiss him again. They were both flushed by now with passion and Neji's hand moved to her back snapping off her bra as his kisses got a bit more desperate.

Soon they stood chest to chest touching without any barriers between them and his hands gently moved up and down her back while she moved on to kiss and suck at his neck. Neji made a rough sound as she wrapped her arms around his back and moved down kissing his chest and then moved even lower to his stomach. His abs jumped as she licked them, and he was getting so turned on at how hot this was and at how sexy she looked.

"I can't Hinata" he said desperately, as he pushed her onto her bottom and then over to lie on the bed as he moved over kissing her breasts.

She muffled a surprised cry by putting her hand over her mouth at first because the sensation was so strong, he placed his hand over her own trying to hold her hand and went from sucking one nipple over to the next. She bit his hand desperately needing something more, feeling a storm of feelings rushing through her body now. This was leagues above what she had felt before.

She was shivering and so was he, she just noticed. He moved himself over her and settled into the vee of her hips grounding his erection through his pants on to her.

She cried out... that was it! That was what she was missing, she eagerly wrapped her legs around him and rocked her hips into his, getting the hint. He fisted the cloth next to her head as he pushed his face into her neck taking deep breaths, struggling for control.

After a few seconds he got off her and sat on his knees. Looking at her still laying on the bed with her hips moving, looking bereft. She didn't see his hand move, but rather felt it as he deftly moved the lace of her panties aside and swept over her slickness.

She opened her mouth on a wordless scream as her back bowed and she shattered at that unexpected simulation. Her thighs were quivering and her body shook as she came down from that high.

Neji was still sitting on his knees looking conflicted and she knew why. She knew what was supposed to come next.

So she took the decision out of his hands and sat up without any words unbuckling his pants. He hissed as she pulled his erection out…. she was a doctor, this didn't shock her, but his reaction did.

He shivered and moaned, closing his eyes, bowing his head on to her shoulder. She hesitantly moved her hand up and down him as he bucked his hips into her hands.

"Hinata I am going to cum if you don't stop soon" he warned and she did stop. This isn't how she wanted to end the night.

He was disappointed but looked up at her in relief, only to be surprised when she pushed him and ended up laying on top of him.

"What-" he was cut off as she grabbed his erection and slowly rubbed herself on it.

"Oh fuck" he said, now it was his whole body that was rigid.

His grip turned iron as he lifted her off him by her hips and switched their positions so she was under him.

"If I don't control this tonight, it's going to end before you know it"... she glanced up at him wide eyed because his voice was thick but he smiled to reassure her.

His eyes were serious as he asked the important question, "Are you sure Hinata? I can't reverse this once we do it". Her only response was to reach up and grab his head bringing him in for a deep kiss.

He groaned when her tongue met and clung to his. He reached between them, and rubbed his thumb in a few circles over her clit and she started to feel that sensation again, as if her thighs were on fire.

"Ah" she moaned in surprise when he slipped a finger inside her and then after a few strokes added another sweeping in and stretching her trying to get her ready. She was extremely wet and her breath was getting choppy now at what he was doing. She moved her hips on her own figuring out what felt good for her and was enjoying that but before long he reached down and grasped himself, moving over her. He moved once and then twice getting himself wet and her eyes started to close at this point in desperation. She moved her hips trying to draw him in.

Before she knew it he expertly held himself over her and moved smoothly in one thrust and he was inside her.

She did feel the burn and a slight twinge but it was a good burn. He held himself still over her, letting her adjust. And after a minute or two she moved her hips experimentally from side to side getting used to the full feeling, now the lust leading up to this moment was broken a bit but she clenched her inner muscles experimentally loving the feeling of fullness.

A strangled sound came as her eyes flew up to Neji who looked like he was gritting his teeth. Sweat was beaded on his forehead and upper chest from the effort of not moving and controlling himself.

"W-what should I do?" she asked.

"Wait just a minute, I want this to be enjoyable for you" he said through gritted teeth before taking a deep breath and moving out and then plunging back into her.

She cried out, not expecting that feeling and moved her hands on to his shoulders bracing herself. He moved back and then continued to move in and out of her in a steady rhythm, and slowly it started to feel better. Understanding what felt best for her, she tilted her hips up and wrapped her arms and legs around him, moving in sync.

He thrust into her a few more times before he felt his vision turning red and a familiar feeling of deep pressure build up at the back of his spine. He moved his hand between them desperately circling her clit once, twice and then a third time and thanked god when she came. Neji pulled out of her immediately and spilled onto her stomach, shivering and holding her tight. And she held him closely back luxuriating in all the feelings of the night.

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