A Last Request

Written by: Mikami

Warnings: Profanity, sexuality, main character death.

I want you to teach me the combat style with a blade……I want you to teach me……

There was a horrible pause circulating through the atmosphere and the only audible sounds were coming from the crickets in the bushes. Deathly seconds strolled by at a painstakingly slow rate and Sakura found herself falling under the influence of counting them.

Suddenly, a new sound replaced the evening noises. At first it was small and barely clear but soon it started to grate cruelly against her nerves when she realized what it was.

Neji was laughing.

Not a friendly laugh that would come after a humorous joke but a mocking snicker—derisive and shunning. It had been the very first time she'd ever heard him laugh but it was far from genuine; it was the type of response used to insult an opponent on the battlefield, as she had seen from him many times.

He kept his casual posture against the tree. With crossed arms, Neji's shoulders were shaking accompanied by the laughter that rippled his limbs. Pale eyes filled with condescending amusement, he continued on until Sakura's fists clenched tightly at her sides.

" A favor……" He said to her maliciously. " It makes me wonder what possessed you to think that I'd consider such a request."

His answer was no surprise to Sakura. Although it made her angry, she expected the arrogant response. On the contrary, her will was set firm and she was going to see to it that she prevailed.

Sakura was blunt. " And why not ?"

" I shouldn't have to answer that. You already know, so the purpose of asking 'why' is defeated."

" Is there a truth I should know about, Neji ?" Sakura put on a smirk and walked toward him. " Being the only one among our peers that has ever reached Anbu level has certainly put a certain insecurity on you hasn't it ?"

Neji's sneer faded from his face, being replaced by a skeptical eyebrow.

" Insecurity is for people that are infected with fear. As an Anbu, fear is irrelevant. What does that have to do with denying you a tutorial ?" He replied.

" Well, let's just say that since you're pretty much the only one who's handy with a blade, there's no rival. You're an Anbu, you're at the top. However, that insecurity I speak of sleeps inside you knowing that if any one else among us would have the chance to train with a blade, that individual could automatically exceed you."

Her words made a part of his control system start to boil. Haruno Sakura was right to a certain point—he had no rival; being an Anbu was being a shinobi on a different level. Neji had no desire for one either since being at the top was something he was comfortable with……maybe too comfortable.

" A useless trick of words." He said, walking past her. " Using them, you expect me to train a rival ? But then again, I hardly think I'd ever find one in you."

What he said slightly stung Sakura. It sounded too much like he was berating her status as a shinobi. Eyebrows drawing together in resentment, Sakura felt her hand reaching behind her, feeling for the pouch that held her shuriken.

" Then it's my pleasure to prove it."

A sharp whizzing sound alerted Neji's senses immediately as four shuriken were flung swiftly at his back.

Byakugan…

Without a backward glance he sidestepped them effortlessly, easing his eyes into the three-sixty degree field of vision the Hyuga skill gave him. But he discovered a moment later that Sakura had disappeared. Momentarily stunned, he noticed at the last second the attack coming from below.

The heel of Sakura's palm came up quickly toward his chin but he blocked it with a cross of his wrists. Locking eyes with him was a terrible feeling—white pupils, almost soulless with a web network of veins around the rims of his eyelids.

Her other palm aimed for his midsection while her leg shot forward to knee him at the pressure point in the thigh to dismantle his stance. But Neji had seen it by grabbing her arm and moving his leg out of the way.

Sakura gritted her teeth tightly, whirling around and swinging her leg for a kick. The back of her ankle connected with a defensive block from his arm. Neji's other hand rushed forward in her vulnerability, aiming for her chest. Sakura jumped back quickly; a flash of pain erupted in her muscles from where Neji had barely brushed her arms with the flow of chakra coming from his palms.

He smiled viciously at her, " This isn't the best method in getting what you want."

" Probably not," she flashed her teeth, " But it's the only way."

Neji saw her charge again and he resumed his stance. He never experienced too many battles that entertained him but this was one to top it all. He was ready when she came at him but the split moment before they contacted, a puff of smoke appeared before his eyes. Mouth opening, he had no time to comprehend the kick that came from behind.

Kage Bunshin…

He stumbled forward a few steps then whirled around to face four full-bodied opponents.

" Shadow Clone doesn't belong to just Naruto anymore, since it's considered an advanced skill." She said. " You forget that I'm a Jounin and Anbu is a team chosen from Jounins."

The real Sakura was on the far left; Neji had caught wind of it quickly. He pretended to lunge at the middle clone but instead brought his leg around to direct it to the left. She was able to avoid it but her body was jolted fiercely from the impact.

Three more clones appeared behind him, rushing hurriedly as Sakura fastened both her hands to his leg to hold him for her clones' attack. But he was too swift. Having mastered the Jyuken so long ago rendered him able to expel chakra from any part of his body. A wave of his hand caused the clones to deteriorate behind him.

Sakura took this chance to escape into the air while his attention was on the remaining two clones, which fought him in a series of taijutsu techniques. Brandishing two kunai in both hands, she prepared herself for the way down.

On the ground, Neji defeated the last two clones and craned his head upward just in time to have Sakura land on him. They collapsed into a heap of struggling limbs among the grass. Straddling Neji's waist and locking him with her legs, Sakura pushed the points of her kunai directly below his chin.

" A little persistent aren't we ?" He said in a contemptuous tone, his white eyes boring into her flaming emerald ones.

She replied, " Trust me, it's necessary."

" Touché."

And before she knew it, Sakura was sprawled flat on her back. He had wrestled his way to the top while dodging the kunai she threw at him in the process. It disappeared into the night sky while the remaining kunai he managed to snatch from her other hand. Pinning Sakura's wrists above her head, it was Neji's turn to point the small blade below her chin.

Growling in anger and refusal of defeat, Sakura's body thrashed under his, lacking the space to move. One of his knees had separated her thighs and his other leg was entangled tightly to one of hers; Neji's muscled weight was another problem that rooted her to the ground.

" I wouldn't call this necessary. This predicament in entirely your own." He said softly, dangerously.

The veins around Neji's eyes faded from his face as he looked into hers. And for the first time he noticed how full and pink her lips were, especially when they were twisted into hostility at him. What was more disturbing to Neji's senses was Sakura's struggling—which created a slow, almost aching, grinding movement against his own hips.

" I hate you." She spat. " For once, I wish you'd get your ass off that high and mighty stool that you constantly sit on. You're a perpetual son of bitch."

It angered her further to see his stoic face hovering above her. Sakura hadn't realized how close he actually was until the little weight of his chest brushed against her breasts. His body was warm…

She watched his lips curve upwards in that same smirk she'd seen all the time.

" You're like Naruto." Neji said sardonically. " No wonder you don't leave me alone."

Then suddenly all contact was gone. The point of the kunai loosened at her neck and Neji had nonchalantly removed himself from above her. Sakura followed suit by standing up, putting the kunai back into her pouch.

As Sakura brushed herself off, Neji turned away feeling a little disgusted with himself. Brushing those bothersome thoughts aside, Sakura was better than he expected. It was true they'd never fought each other but Neji always thought by watching her in previous battles he'd have already known her true potential. He hated to admit that he was wrong.

What Sakura offered was a challenge. There was no other way to find out if he was the best with a blade if no one out of their peers used one.

" Be here at dusk in three days." Neji said, starting to walk away. He had already come to a decision but with utmost disregard to the previous moment's physicality.

Sakura's ears strained to hear him as her mouth opened in shock. Did she just hear Neji correctly ? His shoulders were hunched over as he walked further from her as she was left standing in the forest.

Maybe she did triumph after all.

The nurse walked out of the room only minutes ago, leaving Sakura and Lee in the peace of their frequent visits. The white hospital sheets were fresh under Naruto as Sakura pushed a stool over to Lee so they could both sit down.

Lee had recovered from the Earth Country's mission two months ago, enabling him to resume standard Jounin assignments. Sakura had already told him the story of being issued a temporary leave and he took it good-naturedly.

" I've talked to Tsunade-sama about the whole teaching thing." Sakura said while reaching over to grasp Naruto's hand.

" And ?"

" And things are fine. I wasn't that angry about it; it just took me by surprise. At any rate, I'm still going to be teaching at the Academy for a bit. It all depends on Teruyo's excursion to the Water Country."

" I see," said Lee. " But I'm sure if she comes back alive with the group of our Jounins she'd lose the teaching permit anyway. Then the Academy will probably ask you to stay fulltime."

" I've haven't thought that much about teaching. I mean, I'm learning to like it. So far the kids aren't too much of a pain in the ass."

Lee executed his trademark thumbs-up sign and winked at his friend encouragingly.

" If they ever give you trouble, invite me in as a surprise guest speaker. I'll show them a thing or two."

Sakura laughed, her eyes twinkling. " Sure you will."

Seeing her mildly happy again was a welcome change to the usual gloominess Lee saw from her everyday. He smiled gently back at her, pleased that her recovery from Sasuke's death was starting to take place. He believed it would take long but he was willing to be there to support her.

" Thanks Lee." She said. Sakura was very grateful to have him.

" Always." He replied.

They continued on a conversation of sorts until Sakura abruptly stopped in mid-sentence.

" What's wrong ?" Lee asked seriously.

Sakura's mouth opened in shock as she implored Lee urgently to follow her gaze. While keeping her hand clasped with Naruto's, she swore she felt his fingers move. Turning wide eyes to Lee, Sakura beckoned him again. Naruto's hand squeezed hers.

Suddenly, Lee began to grin as he pointed her attention to the side of the bed. Sakura gasped in wonder when she saw that the ventilator machine was gone. They had been so occupied they missed the fact that the wires weren't even present and Naruto was breathing on his own.

Another nurse walked in and this time she was accompanied by a doctor.

" Oh, we already have visitors." She exclaimed with a smile.

" Where is Tsunade-sama ?" Sakura asked without delay.

The doctor stepped forward and patted her on the shoulder.

" She's currently taking care of some other matters so I'm going to be checking up on him today." He said pointedly at Naruto. " You'll be pleased to hear that his condition has been improving in the last few days. We've removed the ventilator and the pressure monitor when we considered his vital signs were stable."

" Naruto's been demonstrating reaction to stimuli lately and the results are increasingly apparent. Hand and feet motion and a shifting head from side to side. He's still unconscious but his eyes have started to blink and it's become more consistent over the last day." Added the nurse.

Lee's jaw dropped open ecstatically while Sakura's head swung back and forth between the doctor and Naruto in a thrilled state. Joy bubbled inside her stomach and she wanted to jump up and cheer; she managed to keep it down with the fact that they were in a hospital.

" When will he be fully conscious ?" She asked almost impatiently.

The doctor put his hands up in a calming fashion. " The recovery is a gradual process and it may take a few weeks for Naruto to be completely stable."

" Gradual like how ?" Lee implored eagerly.

" His response to the surroundings should improve to the point of more body motion. Also, he has yet to fully open his eyes and recognize certain things. Once his condition is deemed fair, he'll be moved into the rehabilitation wing—"

He was cut off immediately by Sakura who had jumped up and caught him in a tight hug.

" Thank you Doctor." She exclaimed excitedly.

" You're…welcome……" His breath was coming out in short wheezes, forcing Sakura to blush and let go with an apology. She turned to Lee with a smile that could light the gloom of the universe.

" I have to tell Kakashi !" she said.

" I have to tell Shikamaru !" he chimed in.

" Oh, and Hinata ! She'll be so happy !"

" Don't forget Iruka !"

Sakura bounded over to the green-clad Lee and even the doctor had to smile when he saw them jumping up and down like children who just received word that they were going to visit the candy store.

" Ahem…" He said. " Don't forget this is a hospital. Keep the volume down."

" Oops, sorry." Sakura giggled in delight.

" Not to worry Doc. We'll take it elsewhere for awhile." Lee agreed with a huge grin.

The energized pair of friends ended up being shooed out of Naruto's room when the doctor announced that he needed the time for a checkup. Lee and Sakura didn't mind since their thoughts were full of intentions to break the news to everyone else. Once they were outside on the hospital steps, Sakura expressed her glory vocally by shouting at the top of her lungs.

" Let's go tell everybody now." Said Lee with a ready stance. " Come on, I can't stand here any longer."

Sakura was about to oblige when she remembered an important meeting. The orange illumination from the west told her that dusk was nearing and something that challenged her right to be at a high shinobi level entered her mind.

Three days…

Lee eyed her curiously.

" Lee……would you mind waiting a little ?" asked Sakura.

It struck him by surprise seeing as how her actions only seconds ago proved she wanted the entire world to know.

" There's something important I have to see to." She continued. " Something I can't miss out on."

" Are you sure ?" He asked, puzzled. " I mean, this IS a huge piece of news. People are obviously going to want to know."

" Don't worry about it. I'm sure Naruto will be improving even better tomorrow and that will give everyone more of a chance to see him."

Lee sobered from the anticipation and said, " Okay. If that's what you want."

Sakura smiled in response and nodded her head.

" Where are you going anyway ?"

" To train."

And with that, she was gone. The smile she left him with was full of implication, as if daring him to find out. Lee started to question it significantly.