Mission & Affair

Four: Waterfall Scenario

Neji woke up around 5 o'clock in the morning with a full start. He looked outside, sensing if someone was out there. The only sound he heard was Sakura stirring in her sleep. He let out a sigh. They've been here for three days and she's still not comfortable having this house shared with him.

Women. He can't really understand what's going on thorugh their heads.

He stood up and went to the small room with the creaky door supposedly for their things but Sakura made him agree that they'll use it as a dressing room. He had to agree. He wouldn't want to undress in front of her anyway.

After dressing up, he grab his tool kit and hang it around his waist and proceeded outside. He and Sakura have decided that every morning and evening, they'd do a round up on the island, checking if there were spies or something unusual going on. Sakura's supposed to do the east side while he goes to the west. They return one hour later and report to each other.

Since he always wakes up before Sakura, he investigates the whole island himself and returns just as Sakura has waken up, newly dressed and Neji will investigate his side of the island again.

It's not that he doesn't really trust her about it. He just wants the job carried out clean and perfectly.

Neji returned around 6:30 and found Sakura standing in the doorway. "How was the island?"

Stunned, Neji stopped a few feet away from her and gave her a look. "What?"

She smirked and walked past him and down the cabin. She stretched out her hand and gave a small yawn. "I know you've been waking early and surveying the whole island then returning back to do the surveying with me."

Neji stared at her back in approval. So she was already awake during five in the morning.

She shrugged her shoulders and finally said something. "Let's make it clear, okay?"

Neji leaned back on the cabin wall and gave her a cold look. "Hm."

Sakura breathed in as she pointed all the things she needed to say. "First, as a team, we trust each other."

He just stared back with arms crossed over his chest. "That means, we do our assigned jobs together. No one frolics off alone and does the other one's job because he doesn't trust her – "

"I just want to be sure the people here are secure. I didn't say anything about not trusting you." He said flatly, walking down the cabin to her side.

Sakura gave him a hurt expression. "Well that's what I felt. So let's just stick with each other for two weeks."

Hearing the two weeks make Neji's head heavy again. Just yesterday, they spotted a Sound ninja hiding in the forest. He confessed he just wanted to see who the sent spies were.

After reporting it to the 5th Hokage, she gave her order saying their two weeks will push through.

Neji surmised it was all up to him to make this island safe. He looked back at Sakura who was still pointing out their new agreements. He had to admit, he wanted to push her aside thinking she's really not capable of being his teammate.

But for three days, she's been trying her best to earn his trust and believe in her.

Maybe he should give her a chance.

"Last, we make plans together. You and I suggest then we make plans. I won't take you for a leader and I know you feel the same. So we're standing on the same ground. Understand?"

Neji threw her another annoyed look. "What am I? A kid? Of course I understood it. We meet here after an hour."

Sakura muttered "Fine…" as she went on to the east and Neji looked back with a small thought lingering on his head then proceeded to the west.

An hour later, they returned and met each other, reporting no case of unusualness. Sakura then tied back her long pink hair and pointed at the old woman's cabin. "I'll go see if I can take a shower at her house. I'll meet you here." She said, running back inside the cabin to get her clothes. When she ginally got out, she got an idea.

"We can go to the small town in the middle of this island and see what else is there to eat or do or something."

"Fine." Neji answered, not really wanting to rouse another fight. Sakura gave him a cheery wave and went on to Grandma's place.

After showering and tried to do a 30 minute training, Neji scowled at the fact that Sakura's running late. "How long can a bath take?" he hissed.

Finally, he got to his feet and went to Grandma's house to check on her. He found Grandma sitting on the outside bench singing while watering her small vegetable garden.

"Obaa-san, where's Sakura?" he said a little too loudly, knowing that grandma's got a little hearing problem.

"Sakura-chan? Oh, the water runs low here. It'll take her time to fill up a bucket. I told her 'If you're in a hurry, just go to the waterfall' and so she went. She's probably done now.

Neji gave his thanks and muttered, "She'd better be done."

Good thing there was a path. Soon he could here the sound of gushing water.The area was thick with trees and shrubs. He had to call her so she'll know he's here.

"Hey! Saku-"

His jaw felt locked as he could no longer muster words to call on Sakura as he saw her beside the waterfall. Only her bare back can be seen, covered by her long damp pink hair.

He could feel the heat rising on his cheeks.

Damn. He had to move out so she won't notice him. But his nervousness got the better of him as he stepped on a branch and neji felt the sound was magnified a thousand times more than it should have been.

Soon, two kunai weapons were thrown to his position, one of it he caught with his right hand.

"What are you throwing these for?" Neji retorded, completely forgetting about the whole situation.

Sakura's shriek ripped through his ears as she sank more under the water. "Neji! Of all people!" she shouted. "What are you doing here!"

He turned his back to her and fumed angrily because of humiliation. "It's your fault. You were taking so long – "

"You shouldn't have had taken a look!" Sakura spat out trying to reach for her towel.

He turned around and faced her angrily. "Hey, don't even think about – "

He was cut short when Sakura yelled, "Turn around!"

He turned to his back again and yelled back angrily. "It's not like there's something interesting too see anyway."

"Why you – " Sakura finally got her towel but her foot slipped on a slippery rock and caused her to twist her ankle.

Sakura winced in pain. Of all the things that could happen. The pain is excruciating but she should she make Neji help her?

"Neji!"

"What?" he retorted.

"My ankle… it hurts. I…I need some help." She uttered as she bit her lips in pain. Neji felt the temperature of his cheeks rose again. She's naked and she's wanting his help?

He shook his thoughts away. "Even if I want to help, I can't now can I?" he spat out but turned around when he heard her sobbing.

She was now clinging to a rock. "Neji, damn it. I can't even stand up straight. Go to Obaa-san now." She ordered, and him with nothing else to do, followed what she said.

After five minutes Obaa-san came and Neji hid in the trees, listening to Sakura wince.

"Now, that's better. You better get dressed." He heard Obaa-san say.

"I still can't walk."

"Of course, you still can't. Well I can't carry you dear. Neji!"

Finally seeing Sakura now with clothes on, he approached them. His eyes still avoiding Sakura's. "Can we go now?"

"Carry Sakura home." Obaa-san said, as she slowly walked away from them.

Neji stared at her incredulously. "What?"

Sakura got his attention and pointed at her now bandaged ankle. "I can't walk. You have to carry me."

For a few seconds, Neji stared back at her blankly then crouched down. "Well, c'mon. I won't wait for you all day." Neji said impatiently as he felt sakura pressed her body behind him. He secured her legs with his arms and he stood up.

Good thing she wasn't facing him. He had never felt this uncomfortable before. Her arms now encircled his neck and her hair was dangling on one side of his face.

She smelled good.

Neji threw that thought away and followed Obaa-san's voice singing in the wind. It was after a while Sakura brought the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry you have to put up with me. I know I'm really annoying. Sasuke says it most of the time. But I do my mission effortlessly." She said softly. It actually sounded pleasant when she's talking near his ear.

"Hm."

"This will be okay tomorrow so don't think I'll be a nuisance."

Neji just nodded his head and they were enveloped by silence again. This time, it was Neji's turn to speak.

"I didn't say I didn't trust you, did i?"

Surprised, Sakura answered back, "No. I just thought of it."

"It's not that I don't trust you. I just make it a point everything goes flawlessly under my jurisdiction. And we barely know each other." Neji explained, the smell of Sakura's hair was intoxicating that he has a hard time talking.

"I understand. So are we in good terms?"

They had finally got past Obaa-san's house. "Yeah, sure." Neji replied as he saw their cabin in the distance.

"Ah finally. We're home."

Thankful that she's not looking, Neji smiled at the thought. "We're home."

I'll try to update all my fics. I'm really under time pressure when using the pc since dad uses it most of the time. Pls review because it's what keeps me going. ) thanks for readind. Read my other fics as well if you haven't yet and review!