His first awareness was the shaking of the cart. He could not open his eyes. He could not move. His body had shut down, repairing itself, replenishing his energy stores, regaining its strength after the weeks of the day schedule he had forced himself on. If he was in danger, he could probably wake. Even in this sleeplike state, he was aware of basic things. He could sense his people nearby who he had sired. His guard. They would not let anything happen to him. With this knowledge, he could rest without too much worry, but there was another he could not identify that was constantly at his side.

This person's presence was like a warm breeze, warding off the cold and darkness. It was a presence that lulled him into allowing his care to be in those hands. Rather than a dark, dreamless state of being waiting to be awakened, this presence brought a comfort that told him it was okay. It was okay to sleep. Okay to rest. Okay to be cared for. This warm, gentle breeze caressed him, keeping him afloat in the darkness within its embrace. He wanted to hold this feeling and keep it close, but then it was gone, leaving him once again waiting with uneasiness to awaken.

Neji's eyes opened. The smell of incense hit his nose. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. When he opened them again, he sat up, the blankets pooling at his waist. It appeared he had been brought home since falling unconscious. He looked to his right, seeing through the sudare, blinds made up of thin reeds that separated his sleeping area with the rest of the room, a silhouette of someone waiting. "How much time has passed?" he asked quietly.

"Five days, Master," Natsu replied instantly.

Five days. He must have been quite out of sorts. Normally, eating every 2-3 weeks was fine. By the end of that time period, there was hunger, but enhanced abilities remained, and full focus stayed intact, barely impaired. However, a day schedule required feeding every 5 days at the minimum. Negative effects caused by hunger doubled, tripled if sleep was denied at night as well. At the camp, it was difficult to eat. There were too many eyes. Asuma could manage if he was the only vampire there and his body had somewhat adapted to a day schedule over many years, managing every one and a half weeks.

Between the last time he had fed and the time he had found Gaara, it had been over three weeks, several of those days lacking sleep at night. It had been the equivalent of not eating for over two months. Still, five days seemed quite long considering his lack of blood loss.

"How is the bo—… Gaara-san."

"The young master is healthy. He had sustained an injury to his arm, but it was treated. He has been asking to see you."

Neji closed his eyes, breathing in slowly. He still felt groggy, but he had slept too long. "Bring me blood and send someone to inform me of the manor's status."

"Yes, Hyuuga-sama."

He heard Natsu leave.

His behavior was concerning. What had he been thinking? Putting everything aside to look for him. Which reminded him, he needed to hear from Sugo sooner rather than later and see if information on their attackers had been found and if Gaara's kidnappers had any hand in it.

Speaking of Gaara, what should he do with him? He would return him as promised, but the boy admitted that his living situation here was better than at his home. Would it be wise to keep him here? His movements would be restricted, and it would become difficult to continue hiding what he was when Neji did not age.

Did he have to keep it a secret? Neji had never intended to hide it, he just never offered the information. The boy may even be willing to go home if he thought he was a monster. Would that not be the best? He had become too attached to the boy. His judgment becoming impaired by letting the boy come with him in the first place. They were mates, but that did not mean Neji had to love him or give him attention as he had.

He became lost in thought, as he waited for his food to be brought, his thoughts occasionally derailing because of his muddled brain. Whatever he had been fed must not have been enough.

He heard a set of footsteps, no two sets, approaching his room, his mind focusing in on them. The first set was quieted but not silenced, someone who was not skilled in fighting, but trained to move gracefully and efficiently, someone meant to be seen not heard. The first set he heard kneel quietly at the door, a servant then. The second however was very faint to the point even Neji could barely hear them. Someone who was not meant to even be seen. "Master, Young Master Gaara is here to see you."

Natsu? No, Haru. The difference was minimal, but Neji could tell it was the younger twin that had spoken with his slightly softer tone. He could not even gather the energy to be annoyed at Haru as he had often been recently. Before he could think of refusing to see Gaara, the door opened with force.

He was ready to muster up his anger at the break of etiquette, but it was how the door opened and the quickened second pair of footsteps that made him know it was Gaara who had done it. Neji could see his silhouette. No one had a silhouette like him, though the blind blurred his features, he could see the tray in his hands, his confusion as he looked around the room. This was the first time in his room, wasn't it?

It was obvious Gaara was curious by the way he looked around, Neji did not even have to clearly see his expression to know that. He almost wanted to smile but stopped himself.

In Gaara's hands was a tray, the smell of food wafting into the room. Was Gaara still trying to do servant chores? Gaara looked at the sudare separating them, looking for a way to raise them to get to him. "Are you now okay?" he asked, his voice trembled slightly like he was nervous. Neji did not know how he could barge into his sleeping quarters yet be timid asking such a question.

"I am tired," Neji replied. "You should not be in here."

Gaara shifted. He seemed anxious. Neji's eyes turned to the tray of food. It was not a smell that he recognized. Why would the kitchen prepare him food anyway? Wouldn't they know that he would want blood first thing after waking? Plus there was not enough time after waking for the kitchen to be informed of his waking and prepare dishes for him.

"You slept for a long time," Gaara said quietly. "It's been a long time since you ate. Since you are not well, I made food from my country… tried," Gaara trailed off. "Vegetables different here."

Neji sat contemplatively for a short while, seeing the steam rising from the bowl. "Haru, raise the sudare."

The servant who had been waiting outside the room quickly came in to do as Neji asked, raising the blinds that acted as a partition, securing them before quietly excusing himself. Seeing Gaara's face clearly now, he seemed unsure of himself, going to Neji's bedside and sitting beside the futon and placing the tray down.

The food seemed to be some sort of soup. There were chicken and udon noodles in a brownish-yellow broth, with a variety of vegetables: carrot, lotus root, leek, onion, and bamboo shoot. Akira set the bowl in his lap, picking up some of the noodles clumsily, swirling it around the chopsticks with the otamajakushi, a spoon with a long handle. He used to spoon to keep the noodles from dripping as he brought it for Neji to eat.

Everything Gaara was doing looked awkward, up to where he waited for Neji to eat the food offered to him. He looked uncomfortable, and he was using the otamajakushi and chopsticks wrong. The chicken was a luxury item that would sit heavily on a sick person's stomach along with the noodles.

Neji leaned forward and ate it. Gaara's eyes lit up as Neji ate it, then turned worried as he picked up vegetables and chicken for him to eat. "I'm sorry. It does not taste delicious like one at home. It… tastes weird."

"It's good," he lied casually. It did taste odd. The broth was something he had never tasted and he had never seen these vegetables put in udon before, but it was not bad. He was not sure if he liked it or not. "I will have a few more bites."

Gaara's eagerness could not be missed as he quickly went to give him more, seemingly intent on feeding him. "You made this quickly. I have not been awake long."

He did not answer immediately, focusing on his task and making sure Neji had another bite before he responded. "I just had feeling you would soon wake, so I made it. I was lucky."

Neji ate a few more bites, each one growing on him a little, but soon his body refused it, putting its demand for more blood first and making the solid food unappetizing. Neji shook his head when Gaara brought the food to his mouth again. "I am fine."

Slowly, Gaara put the food back into the bowl, concern marring his face. "You haven't eaten much. Are you really okay?"

"It is… too much for me right now," he carefully selected his words.

The boy put the chopsticks down, staring into the bowl. "You do not eat. You work all the time. During the day you are weak. You are sick, and it became worse looking for me." Gaara trailed off, his hands were clenching the bowl tightly.

Did he think he was the reason Neji was here? Well, he wouldn't be completely wrong. If Neji had not brought him along, he would have fed sooner and arrived back at the manor sooner even with the attack. "Do not concern yourself over it. I am fine now."

"Then about before what happened…. When you did that to me… what does it mean?" Gaara's face turned red, firmly keeping his eyes averted down.

Neji frowned. "What did I do?"

His face turned a deep red as his expression became one of embarrassment and humiliation. "Sorry. I spoke wrong. Don't remember it." He was stumbling over himself, back peddling from his question. He was quickly putting the food and utensils back onto the tray.

He put his hand on Gaara's, hoping that the sign of friendship would calm the boy. "What did I do?" he asked again.

Hurt flashed across the boy's face which he hid as quickly as it came. He pulled away from Neji's touch. "Happy you're healthy. Sleep lots." Words were fumbling out clunkily in fragmented sentences. Without preamble, he left the room.

Haru rose, about to follow his young master out. Neji stopped him with a question. "Are you aware of what Gaara-san was referring to?"

Haru stopped, keeping his eyes properly averted to the ground. "I am unaware of the situation Gaara-sama was speaking of. Our traveling party arrived a day before you arrived with the shadow guard."

He did not seem to be lying, and though Haru annoyed him, he was reluctant to believe he would lie now when he had never done so before even when he was being rude. So, he changed the question, "Did he really make the udon?"

"Gaara-sama has holed himself up in the kitchen the past 5 days trying to recreate his homeland's food that is given to those that are ill. It appears Japan and his home country have very different foods that are available, so he had to try many times. He also did not seem to know that meat is a luxury item and went through several chickens, but none of the servants dared to speak against the young master."

Perhaps he should have tried to eat a bit more. "Leave."

Haru bowed and left to follow after his young master.

Neji contemplated whether he should get up and attempt to dress himself. Natsu was taking too long, but he was not sure if he had the presence of mind or coordination to do so. He hated feeling weak.

Eventually, Natsu returned with the blood he needed, feeling his strength returned with every additional drop of blood entering his system. The fog that had clouded his mind lifted, and he could finally recall and analyze the problem at hand.

Natsu dressed him though there was not much time until sunrise. Neji probably should have rested in his room for the rest of the night, but he wanted to deal with manor affairs and send messages out to his advisors to meet in three days' time. Though Asuma would be unable to meet, it would allow Kurenai time to return.

He went to his study, sitting behind the desk and seeing the stack of things that needed his attention that had piled up over the month. He may as well get a start on it while he had some time.

He had only just settled into his work when the first person arrived. Neji continued his work as he allowed the shadow guard in.

Iruka entered, bowing to Neji. "Hyuuga-sama."

"Did you find who was responsible for the ambush?" Neji asked.

"The attacker killed himself before I could capture him," the guard replied. "However, he had a note addressed to you." Iruka approached Neji, presenting a small piece of paper with both hands and keeping his head bowed.

Neji accepted it. His name was indeed written on the outside. Curiosity piqued, he wondered who would attack him just to get his attention. If Gaara had not been with them, the attack would have been a mild annoyance. The attack was not set up to kill him, assuming that the attacker knew what he was. At most he would have been injured, but it would have healed within moments. And given that it was a single attacker, it was unlikely a bandit and had targeted him directly.

Even if the attacker did not know he was a vampire, it still did not make much sense. Why carry a letter for him yet try to attack him unless it was a suicide mission and meant to get his attention. But there were few who knew of his existence directly. He moved under the daimyo he had instated on his behalf. The target should have been Kishimoto.

Neji unfolded the piece of paper, his face paling as he read the single sentence.

Don't forget about me, Yu-kun.

Yu-kun. There was only one person who ever called him that, who would use his name so affectionately. His hands turned white from how hard he clenched his hands. This… This had to be a joke. Someone was trying to make a fool out of him. It couldn't possibly be him. He had searched for so long, found false lead after false lead. It couldn't be him.

And yet…

The calligraphy was undeniable. The broad confident strokes that were elegant yet showy. How could Neji not recognize the handwriting of the man who taught him to write? But how could it be? He spent so long searching. He had finally given up. He had decided to move on with his life. Why now? Why?

"This. Why did you not give this to me sooner?" Neji could barely get the question out. His voice was tight and his words were rushed. The longer he stared at those words, the harder it was to breathe, like something was constricting around his chest as his blood turned to ice making him unable to move.

"I had intended to give it to you sooner, but the young master was missing at the time. The time had not been appropriate." The guard chose his words carefully, but Neji knew. The guard was blaming him. When Iruka had returned, Neji had thought of nothing but finding Gaara. He hadn't let Iruka get a word in when he returned. It was all because of Gaara.

A chill ran through him. Since when did he start putting his life and health second to another person. Had he not learned his lesson? Was he not just repeating his past mistakes? He tore the paper in his hands, but he hardly noticed.

"Do you have anything else to report?" He asked, but he did not hear himself. He didn't even remember dismissing him. He just kept clutching that piece of paper in his palm. It was just a piece of paper, but it felt as if it weighed a ton, a constant awareness of it as Sugo came into the room next.

"Hyuuga-sama, I've come to give you the report of the state of the manor," Sugo said. The old man's voice for some reason set Neji on edge. Was that a tremor he heard? Was Sugo nervous? The hairs on his arms stood up as he waited for Sugo to speak, but his mind kept wanting to go back to the note.

"We have discovered the identity of the traitors. There were two."

Neji's body immediately tensed. Two of them? He had let that many in underneath his nose?

"The first was the Kishimoto boy you had taken in. He had received orders from his father to sabotage you. It seems he saw his punishment as an opportunity, blinded by greed."

His fist clenched. "And the second?"

"Kotetsu was caught with letters from Kishimoto. When we went to confront him, he killed himself."

Kotetsu was a relatively new guard. In fact, he was still human, scheduled to take his place as an official shadow guard in a year. It was the humans who guarded the mansion mostly during the day, and it was when security was lightest, and the vampire shadow guards that were present were weakest. As most attempted intrusions came at night, where most expected security to lighten, it often worked out in his favor. With Kotetsu's suicide, it was an obvious admission of guilt.

But a traitor had been within his trusted guard. Had he not treated his guard well? Had he not saved them from a life of poverty and abuse, had them fed, clothed, educated, and even given some of them names. Those who would have died on the street or barely scraped by, he took them in with only asking their loyalty in exchange. "Did you discover the reason for his betrayal?"

Sugo bowed deeply. "It appears Kotetsu had an interest in men. The boy discovered this and seduced him."

Neji wasn't even moving. Not breathing. "Do you have proof?" his voice caught, but Sugo stayed bowed, not saying anything about his cracked voice.

"We found the original ledgers hidden in the boy's room along with a token of the assassins who had attacked the young master along with letters between the guard and boy."

Of course. It all made sense. The problems happened when that boy arrived. The boy was from a well off family who received a high education. The boy seduced another who had an attraction towards men, used him to get what he wanted, and like a fool, the man had gone along with it all. Skills, opportunity, motive.

"Where is the boy now?" Neji asked, his eyes looking forward but seeing nothing.

"In the prison. After interrogation, he confessed to his crimes."

"Kill him at dawn. As for his father," Neji paused. His face turned to stone as hatred and anger filled his eyes. "Ensure that no one survives."

"Yes, my lord." Sugo excused himself.

Neji sat at his desk. He did not work. Did not speak. He was just a fixture of the room, staring out into nothing, the piece of paper still in his hand. When Natsu came in, asking if he should prepare a bath, Neji did not answer. He stood up silently and went into the garden bypassing Natsu entirely.

The garden had always been a place of reflection. Just himself and no one else. When he walked in the gardens no one would approach him, though they may watch from afar. No one except one.

Neji stopped to stare at the soft purple hydrangeas, its petals mostly fallen off with the approaching winter. The sky was showing signs of early dawn, growing to a lighter shade of dark blue, but there was a light in the distance. If he concentrated, he could hear screams of panicked citizens, could smell the smoke in the air and the smell of burnt flesh carried in the wind. Fire alarms were being raised throughout the town as people rushed about to try to control the flames that were slowly lighting up the sky as it spread.

This peaceful and quiet garden belied the chaos outside his walls. As he reached down with one hand, cupping the flower, in the other, he never let go of that small scrap of paper.

He had made a mistake. He had let his guard down and had become lax in his discipline. Give up? How foolish of him. And how did he allow himself to get involved with that foreigner? To be swayed. He should have learned his lesson long ago. He was repeating his mistakes all over again. He crushed the flower in his hand, looking at it with an impassive expression.

He would hurry the process to send the boy home and keep his distance as well as resume his search. Every person's room would be searched secretly and root out any more rats. This had to be brought under control, and this time, he would not allow himself to be swayed again.