December 31, 2020

Happy new year! : )

CHAPTER 13

Rain poured from the sky. Neji anticipated this as clouds had been casting shadows all morning. Thunders rumbled in the distance. Outside the grass was already drenched and the ground muddy. He finally turned away from the open screen doors that led to the garden and turned his gaze toward his companion sitting against the wall near a corner of the room. If Sai would look up he would see the curious expression on his partner's face, but he was too busy with his sketches.

They had returned from Sasuke's mission only an hour ago and had arrived just before the rain began. A pair of medic ninja were waiting outside the manor, however, for a routine health examination of the kunoichi's condition. Oddly, though, Neji thought that they were a day early, but he must have had the date mixed up. Upon checking the time, he expected the checkup to be nearing its conclusion and wondered if he should start preparing tea for the medics but soon vaguely heard their voices being carried along the hallway outside. Moments later, he hears words of farewell being exchanged and Sasuke's light footsteps began approaching the sitting room.

Sai finally glancess up as their charge slides the door open and entered. It was a curious thing, Neji observed, but kept his gaze on the female whose weariness was evident on both face and stance. She walked across the room and sat on one of the cushions on the other side of the table where he sat. A set of scrolls were waiting for her there, and grabbing one she immersed herself in it, frowning and glaring at the new list of missions. Minutes later, she absentmindedly snatched one of the pens on the table and began scribbling on a piece of paper to finally write her report for the day. They'd spent the whole morning running around the village while Sasuke chased around for lost kittens without any help from him or Sai as it had been a task assigned for her alone. Some of the felines, however, were nin-cats and were sneakier than the regular ones, but he'd found that it was good training for her since she was building her body back into shape. In spite of her dislike of those menial tasks she'd soon learn the value of them as most genin had and would come to understand.

Before going back to occupy himself with writing his own report he stealthily cut his gaze back to his dark-haired associate in time to find his dark eyes darting around Sasuke's face as if looking for answers. At times he'd snap his head back towards his sketchbook but those dark eyes frequently would stray back towards the female. A brown eyebrow raised slightly but Neji checked himself and controlled his expression.

There was something odd going about, he decided. The mood in the house had changed in the past days. He couldn't exactly figure what it was, but it was rousing his suspicions.

As he began composing his own report, several instances popped into memory all of a sudden. An appropriate, but surprising offer of a towel to wipe off her sweat with. An offhand suggestion to him of buying more tomatoes (Sasuke's favorite, they'd learned) instead of bean sprouts as they were planning their shopping list. A piece of chocolate prepared with each set of her medications. He'd immediately dismissed them as part of Sai's peculiar attempts at building likeability, but looking back at those instances those actions felt less unnatural than the usual mechanical accounts and enactments from whatever reading material he gets them from.

It couldn't be. He shook his head mentally at the idea that the two were in a relationship. The idea also took him back to the time he had caught them in an intimate position in the very room they were currently occupying, but Sai had already explained incident. He hadn't worked with Sai often, but he'd like to believe that if his friend Naruto could place a great amount of trust in him then he could as well. Besides, he'd always found the younger shinobi to be very professional and strict in the executions of his duties.

And Sasuke… well, she was just Sasuke.

He wondered if he should include his astonishing but unconfirmed observations in the report he would be sending to their village leader tomorrow, but thought better of it. He judged the indications to be highly unlikely, although decided that a more detailed surveillance was necessary.

Late in the evening, he lay awake on his bed. The rain continued heavily, beating the windows and the roof, muting any other sound. Realizing sleep would elude him until he calmed his worries, Neji got out of bed. Reaching for his robe he threw it on and stepped out into the completely dark hallway and found the door to Sasuke's room. Upon opening it he discovered her curled into a ball sound asleep. Despite the darkness, he'd found it unnecessary to confirm if it was actually her. A blanket was securely wrapped around her except for her head. Usually she kept her feet exposed, but the wind howled from outside. The storm made the night particularly cold. He closed the door.

He started walking back towards his room but paused and turned to look further down the hallway. His partner occupied one of the other rooms further in across from theirs. Neji had only been in it once when they had been deciding on which rooms were strategically best to lodge in. His own was nearer to the stairway and just beside Sasuke's. Apparently the one directly across from her room was off limits. From an earlier inspection of the belongings he had determined from that it had once been occupied by the infamous brother, Itachi.

Before realizing it, he'd already began approaching Sai's room. Just a peek would suffice. Noiselessly and devoid of hesitation he slides the door open just a few inches.

The bed was empty.

"Where were you last night." It was pointless to either be indirect or pretend ignorance. Neji wanted a straight and immediate answer. He narrowed his eyes, openly showing his displeasure. Sasuke was conveniently occupied with weeding out a civilian resident's garden and completely out of earshot.

"I was summoned to personally give a report."

Summoned very late in the night during a storm? It was both a suspicious time of day and unsuitable because of the weather. "I have not been informed of this."

"I had the impression that your presence was not required regarding Danzo-sama's concerns."

"And I had the impression that you are under Hokage-sama's subjection despite your affiliations to another division. Unless by Hokage-sama's orders, you report your affairs to me, unexpected or otherwise. Do you understand that, Sai?"

Several tense moments passed between them.

"Hai," he replied, smiling again with no mirth. The pronouncement was unconvincing, but Neji didn't want to argue, nor did he want to demonstrate his growing suspicion. With an inward sigh he thought that the weariness of working with the same person was finally taking its toll on him. His gaze went to the back of Sasuke's head, and noticed that the tip of her ponytail nearly touched the ground as she crouched about the small backyard garden. Once in a while the wind would carry a grunt of frustration or a muttered curse whenever she chanced upon a particularly stubborn weed. The weather was warm, as if the storm from the night before never took place.

Meanwhile he and his partner were comfortably seated under heavy shade, served with some snacks and refreshments courtesy of the two elderly female residents who were presently coming out bringing even more snacks and refreshments. Why they thought it necessary was lost to him. There were barely any space left on the table. He'd had breakfast just over an hour ago. A full meal that consisted of miso soup, pickled vegetables, slices of rolled omelet, and grilled fish along with a full bowl of rice. During prep time the night before, he wanted to add some steamed tofu as well, but thought Sasuke hadn't much appetite still at this point. Watching her toil over the shrubbery beneath the sunshine he deemed that indeed a traditional, well-balanced breakfast was the correct choice.

"Neji-san, have some sweet buns. I made them myself." Kirei-san, wearing a light pink shawl over her stooping shoulders with her gray hair in a bun at the back of her head, very slowly made her wait out of the doorway that led to the kitchen. Her heavily painted lips smiled at them as she approached with a tray filled with plates and bowls of different treats.

Beauty-san, younger only by a year to Kirei-san, soon followed with her own full tray. She wore a shawl of mint green upon her equally stooping shoulders and wore her white hair in a bun a bit lower at the nape of her neck. Like her sister, she traversed across the porch in that painfully slow fashion that Neji wondered if she would even reach their table by the time Sasuke finishes her task. Upon finally reaching them, she took the seat across from Sai, addressing him sweetly. "Have some of my cookies, Sai-san. They are not too sweet."

Neji watched as the pile on his small plate grew several inches higher. A brief glance showed that his partner's plate was in the same condition. By the minute it seemed the number beverages were increasing in variation as well. On a wheeled cart beside their table were three teapots with hot tea and several pitchers filled with iced juices. To be polite he nibbled on a sandwich and biscuit. The elderly women prattled on about village gossip and proclaimed stories of their eventful youth. Their chatter could have turned into absolutely nonsense but it didn't matter because Neji was not listening at all. The two women were completely happy with his single word responses and an occasional nod.

Although his face was turned towards their hosts, his sharp gaze was eyeing Sasuke and the blonde and green-eyed Asami, nephew to the two women. Having been handed a cold beverage Sasuke was urged on to take a break under the shade of a tree with the young man. The lively smile and the eager bearing in which he spoke to her annoyed Neji. He was also standing close to her and leaned in just a bit too much, in his opinion. Sasuke was a criminal. Civilians shouldn't come close and become friendly with enemies of the village. Neji sneered as the pair's hands touched when she handed the empty glass back to the man. The contact was clearly plotted and deliberate. That crafty son of a-!

"Oh, my! I am so glad you feel the same Neji-kun!"

Neji blinked in confusion as his mind began to wade back into the conversation. He had no idea what he had just agreed to but smiled at the Kirei-san who somehow had moved from her seat across from him to his side without him noticing. The wrinkly, heavily made-up face looked up at him with an evidently practiced timidity.

"As I was saying, Neji-kun," she was stressing his name as if in suggestion, and of what he wasn't sure but he wasn't given the time to sort through the situation as suddenly his eyes went bulging out of his skull as her shawl unexpectedly fell off her shoulders and exposed a generous bosom barely contained in very revealing outfit.

"A woman can get very miserable and lonely sometimes," she continued, grabbing his arm while pushing her breasts against it. He dimly wondered if his eyes would ever return to its normal size. "I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you have agreed to… comfort this incredibly lonely woman." The overtly sweet smile at the end seemed to foreshadow great horror. He shivered irrepressibly. What the hell did I say to her!?

"Oh, Neji-kun!" With a strength he didn't expect she possessed she attempted to draw his face towards her puckered lips.

Sai! Help me!

Successfully managing to turn towards his partner he felt his jaw drop. A shawl-less Beauty-san was on Sai's lap, blushing like an innocent girl with her skirt hiked up almost to her waist. Sai blinked innocently as she slowly guided his passive hand onto her left breast. "Ooooohhh, Sai-kuunnnn!" She moaned almost comically in an overly sexual manner, but Neji had nothing to laugh about. The dark-haired shinobi glanced at him in that lifeless expression of his, but with the time they spent together Neji understood that it was a look of query and uncertainty.

Don't let her take advantage of you, idiot! He shouted inwardly, too confounded to actually speak. He hoped that his horrified expression would be enough warning. Sai quickly grabbed the woman's other breast, smiled, and nodded to him proudly. Sai, noooooo!

"Kyaahhhh! Neji-kuuuunnn!" Kirei-san's stubborn arms fastened even tighter around his shoulders as she attempted to mimic her sister and climb onto his lap. Neji disliked being rude to his elders, but the situation was not only getting out of hand it was a clear violation despite what he may have said when he wasn't listening. His attempt to wrestle the old woman off of him without hurting her caused the hind legs of his chair to break and they fell back together on the porch with her on top of him, her ample bosom landing on his face.

And within an instant the air shifted and a sharp weapon was advancing towards his neck.

Sai felt the hostile intent and without concern shoved the woman off his lap. With practiced ease he brandished a scroll and a brush and soon an ink-drawn tiger slammed Kirei-san off of his partner. Flipping over, Neji righted himself and brandished his own weapon. As if on cue both shinobi turned their heads toward the garden to find Sasuke gone.