Disclaimers: A, I don't own Naruto.

Bleeding Martini
By Areku1993
Chapter three: Hyuuga Neji

"Ah. And so this team needs an extra member for an important mission."

"That's correct." Tsunade laced her fingers together. "You three are the strongest team of chuunin we have. We need one of you to assist this team in a mission to protect a young girl from Sunagakure while she stays in our village."

"What team?"

"Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata."

Neji narrowed his eyes. Hinata.

"I'll do it," He sighed, standing up. "Just another oppurtinity I can use to become a jounin. I hope you two aren't offended,"

Tenten and Lee grinned. "You'll be a jounin soon," Tenten encouraged. "Sure we'll let you do it. Your dreams are bigger than ours."

Neji and Lee blinked. "Who are you and where is Tenten?"

Tenten sighed. "Never mind... Dorks..."

Their conversation was interrupted when the door was thrust open and in strode Martini, looking shy and quiet. She sat down and looked at Tsunade. "I'm here."

"I can see that!" Tsunade grinned. "Welcome to Konohagakure, Martini-san! Where are Kiba and Hinata?"

"They're taking my things to the embassy." She replied. Looking around, she asked, "Did I interrupt anything?"

"We were just choosing which of them would assist Kiba and Hinata in protecting you." Tsunade gestured to Neji. "Martini-san, this is Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's cousin. Neji-kun, this is the girl you'll be protecting, Martini."

Once their eyes were locked, Martini's made a great show of moving around. Neji knew exactly what each eye position meant; the first was she thought he was cute. The next, she wondered why his eyes were so pale, which she answered by remembering he was a Hyuuga. Then their eyes locked again and Martini looked away, embarassed, as her cheeks flushed red.

"Why are you embarassed?" He asked in the silence.

Martini turned an even deeper red as she spoke. "I think... I think your hair is pretty. That's all."

"I saw that in your eye movement. It was a stupid question on my part," Neji replied. Tenten looked at her superior teammate quizzically. She had never known Neji to be so polite, not even to his own family, or them, or even Gai-sensei. What was going on?

Lee was just as puzzled. Tenten was acting strange, and so was Neji; and Lee hadn't said a word since they got there. Why was everyone so strange today?
"So, Neji-kun, you're a Hyuuga like Hinata, no?" Martini asked, regaining her composure. Neji nodded. "Ah."

Martini crossed her legs and put her hands on her knee in a dignified way. "I'm sorry, Lord Hokage-san, but I don't want any Hyuugas assisting me. I's rather you reassign me to a different team."

Tsunade quirked a brow. "Why?"

"Well..." Martini brought a hand to her face and touched her lips, as if trying to stop them from trembling. "The man my father was accused of killing... The one he murdered... Was a Hyuuga..."

Everyone sort of blinked, Neji the hardest.

"Hyuuga Hinairo," She went on. "Your grandfather's brother, Neji-kun... He was killed when he was just a little boy... I'm grateful he had a brother, for if he didn't, the Hyuuga clan would have ceased. I'm sorry, but I'm not very comfortable having two Hyuugas around all the time..."

Neji opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Kiba looked around the doorframe and said, "Martini-sama, we have a problem."

Martini gazed up at the smoldering building with glassy eyes. "...Where will I stay?"

"The Sunagakure embassy was on fire when Hinata and I arrived. The residents were just putting it out." Kiba gestured to the burnt woodwork. "Looks like you'll be bunking with me for the time you're here."

"She could stay with us, Kiba-san." Hinata said quietly. "We have plenty of extra room..."

"Yeah, but we have a guest room ever since my brother died of pneumonia." Kiba replied. "We need something to fill that space."

Martini smiled at Kiba. It was the first time he had seen her smile, and it made him feel... Happy to see her so content. He smiled back.

Tsunade looked up at the wreakage and sighed, rubbing the back of her head. "How am I going to explain this to Gaara..."