A Last Request
Written by: Mikami
Warnings: Profanity, SEXUALITY, main character death.
The heat blistered down upon Uzumaki Naruto as he jumped from building to building in a free flowing frenzy. With the rate of his speed, he was able to salvage some of the cool air that was quickly leaving him. Today he left off the uniform orange jacket and decided to go with just the shirt; after all, sweat was already starting to accumulate around his neck and shoulders.
It was a few days after the mission to the Grass Country and the formerly dispatched squad took time to lie back and recover from minor injuries—mostly scratches and bruises. Tenten had to deal with a bit of a muscle strain in her arms and upper back while Lee and Shikamaru with various slices from the gangly enemy's sickle. The weapon had been dipped in poison but they were lucky to have drawn it out immediately. As for Naruto himself, the only thing he had to deal with was exhaustion from almost depleting his chakra due to shadow clones.
Unfortunately, Sakura received the worst battle treatment. It had been so long since she'd been in combat by herself and Naruto knew that she had forgotten what it was like to be slashed from head to toe. The petal-haired Jounin was out cold for a couple of days in the hospital since the squad returned to Konoha.
Naruto remembered she looked pale, ragged and sickly when the entire squad met back at the prep area. He, Shikamaru, Tenten and Lee were waiting around patiently when they heard a slow rustle in the bushes. Then out stepped Neji with Sakura in his arms—completely unconscious. Her bloodied limbs hung limply against the Hyuga as he wordlessly stepped forward when the rest of the squad flocked around to inspect the damage.
As Tenten, Lee and Shikamaru began to fuss over Sakura's lifeless form on the grass, Naruto had watched Neji turn away. With growing suspicion, the blonde looked back down at Sakura. Despite her tattered and blood-splattered appearance, the expression on her tired face was one of grief. It was if she had fallen comatose from a nightmare and continued to live it in her unconscious state; her cheeks were tear-strained and raw.
As Naruto jumped off a rooftop, the image of Sakura held steadfast to his brain and his emotions. She was out of the hospital now and back at home resting but he continued to remember the expression on her face. The haunting look of sadness that supposedly died with Sasuke transformed into a different one.
According to Tenten, she hadn't said too much ever since they got back. Sakura utterly refused to leave her home and preferred to lie in bed day after day. The doctor at the hospital advised her to take it easy but Naruto thought she was going a bit overboard and crossing over into the realm of anti-social. He visited her almost every day to bring some cheer and to see if she was changing her bandages. Most of all, Naruto wanted to repay the kindness she gave when he was in a coma.
Sakura would laugh minimally when Naruto would tell her a joke. But they were forced laughs; she tried too damn hard to make it seem believable but Naruto wasn't a fool. Something had happened in between the time she was rescued by Neji in the cave and brought to the prep area.
Neji's scarcity around town was also an additional factor that contributed to Naruto's suspicions. Upon the return of the defense document to the Grass Country, Neji had already disappeared when Murase Shigeko declared he'd have a small celebration in token of his gratitude. Shigeko wanted to thank the participants of the mission by treating them and their superiors to a gathering of entertainment and sake before he left for Grass.
Naruto couldn't spot Neji anywhere and wondered if he had heard the announcement. Nevertheless, Hyuga Neji was the one that led the operation and above most things he needed to be present in order to be thanked in the way Shigeko wanted.
When Sakura's injuries were a lot less severe, Naruto made a personal trip to tell her about the party. He'd been excited at the time, saying he never missed the rare opportunity to get drunk like Jiraiya. He also told her that he needed to even the drinking score with Kakashi and Asuma. But Sakura just smiled wanly and said she was happy Shikego was pleased. Then she told Naruto she wasn't in the mood to go.
After a torrent of begging and pleading, the blonde couldn't convince her. In fact, Sakura had even stopped paying attention and slipped into her own dismal, little world.
Sakura, cut the shit, was what Naruto told her when he became annoyed with her dull behavior. She gave him an unexpected reaction—against her will, Sakura broke into tears.
As Naruto left the area of buildings and turned into the woods, his pace steadily increased as he recalled Sakura's dejected state. He pursed his lips together against her cries; they still echoed inside his head.
Trees flew by quickly until he finally reached his destination. It was a small clearing of the forest where shorter trees resided. Attached to their lower branches were straw dummies that were suspended at different lengths off the ground with thick ropes. The area was quiet except for the sound of chirping birds.
Naruto landed on his feet, jumping down from a tree that had three dummies hanging from its arms. A few meters away he found Hyuga Neji, running one of the dummies through with a katana. As soon as the blonde took a step forward, Neji stopped all action and turned to acknowledge his presence.
The blood began to boil inside Naruto's veins while he eyed Neji in his poker-faced demeanor. The Hyuga had given him some attention and yet still had the nerve to appear impassive and emotionless.
On the other side, Neji lifted a perplexed eyebrow at Naruto when he saw him approach at a brisk pace. Only until Naruto was at a close distance was when Neji comprehended his comrade's infuriated facade.
The sun turned into a blinding, white-hot circle of vengeance the moment Naruto walked up to the Hyuga, looking completely pissed off. A small breeze flew by unnoticed when he abruptly delivered a hard-iron fist to Neji's face.
" You stupid FUCK," Naruto spat, disgusted.
The impact of his knuckles against Neji's cheek was solid and spiteful enough to draw blood. A spray of red misted the air when the sudden blow of pain caused Neji's head to snap to the side. His eyes widened briefly at the ruthless contact as a dreadful pounding pulsed in his brain.
A second later, all Neji could hear was the sound of Naruto's breathing which was coming out in quick, angry huffs. Slowly, Neji faced Naruto despite the manifesting throb irritating his cheek. A dribble of blood began to course down the side of his mouth and the taste of it was bitter against his tongue.
He watched his outraged comrade with an awkward sense of understanding. Then, Naruto shook his head in revulsion and stalked off down the forest path to leave Neji alone.
Neji's chin was still tender from the vengeful fist when he dropped the katana to the ground. Naruto didn't have to say much for Neji to understand what the assault was for. He expected it, not from Sakura's intention but from Naruto himself for her.
However, there was no more anger within the Hyuga. It had died since the squad returned to Konoha but all that was left was a dark void of confusion and guilt. He'd purposely stayed away from the usual places, all the while unsure on how to approach Sakura.
Maybe it was better if he broke ties with her. There was always time for her to grow happy again and forget him. Neji had unwillingly let himself admit that he'd caused Sakura a certain amount of trouble—he pushed her too far to edge for her to ever come back to him.
If Sakura hated him now, he was willing to accept it while allowing the opportunity to pass by. It only made sense that way.
The problem was Neji knew he would have trouble letting her go.
Sakura decided to open the curtains of her room just to see the silver body of the moon. She'd been indoors the entire day except for when she went out to buy groceries. Her parents had called on her a few times in the last day or two, hoping to see her. Sakura gladly visited them and made sure to help her mother with a small lunch get-together. Her mother wanted to hear about Hyuga Neji, since she was already aware that her daughter had been spending time with him almost every day for two years.
Cracking a false smile was the best Sakura could do since the thought of Neji forced her back into a pit of desolation. She cut off the topic quickly and talked about Tsunade instead.
The wind was blowing through her opened window and a few voices from outside were filtering in. They reminded Sakura of the so-called thank-you celebration held by Murase Shigeko in a conventional tavern on the other side of the village. Although only a fixed number of people were named, there were a few more that decided to invite themselves just for the drinks. Kiba, Chouji and Asuma were planning to show up upon Kakashi's extended invitation.
Sakura smiled distantly while thinking of the festivities. Tenten had urged her to go but she refused. She hadn't seen Neji for two weeks and wasn't in the mood to get drawn into another showdown with him, especially in public.
In fact, Sakura was thinking a lot about her own benefit and had come to a final decision. She looked out of her window toward the area where the Hyuga residence was located and sighed.
Being involved in any way with Hyuga Neji took its toll on her and to hope for something so unreachable from him was a fool's dream. A useless waste of her time. After Sasuke's death, Sakura never wanted to hurt like that ever again. But now here she was, reduced to a pathetic level of emotional suffering and tears.
After she trained with him, Sakura cursed her own foolishness. She should have just thanked him politely and went on her way. Unfortunately, there was something about Neji that caused her to stay. Sasuke had been a difficult man……and so was Neji.
Why am I always attracted to the complicated sort ? Sakura asked herself vaguely.
It was time to remedy her mistake. Sakura decided to cut ties with Neji; to break off their social "arrangement", leaving things as they were—broken and shattered. It was abrupt but better that way. Wounds would heal and time would pass.
Sakura raked both hands through her petal hair, feeling emotionally drained and needing some air. Heaving a sigh, she headed toward her bedroom door. Upon her exit, Sakura's eyes were suddenly fixed on the two kodachi that were placed neatly against a stand on her desk.
Discomforting feelings swept over her, reminding Sakura the weapons were never really hers. Now that she thought of it, there wasn't a solid establishment that Neji had actually placed the kodachi in her possession. She just……used them.
The beautiful, bamboo design of the kodachi was flawless in contrast to the steel shine of the blade. Sakura had grown quite fond of them after a couple of years and she realized this when she trotted across the room to pick them up. Then something caught her eye for the first time. Engraved on the bamboo, where it met the blade, was the symbol of the Bunke.
Sakura gave a cynical laugh, knowing her weapons belonged first and foremost to the Hyuga. It didn't matter; she knew she'd have enough to purchase two of her own later. They probably wouldn't be as great in quality as the ones from Neji but it was something she was prepared to accept.
Tonight was the celebration of Murase Shigeko's gratitude to Konoha and the participants of the retrieval squad were required to be there, including Neji. However, Sakura denied the invitation two weeks ago. Tonight was a time well suited to return the kodachi to its rightful place at the Hyuga household and to forget Hyuga Neji entirely.
Three elegantly clad geisha moved to the rhythm of the music like the gentle sweep of waves upon the sand as the fans in their hands told an entrancing story. Their colored kimonos contrasted stylishly with the white paint of their flawless skin and the deep red and black of their eyes. The last beat of music was played as the guests they entertained clapped with spell-bounded appreciation. The geisha bowed gracefully and the room was once again filled with the uproar of celebration.
" Divine ! Absolutely exquisite !" Shigeko exclaimed and turned to Kakashi. " I have a love affair with geisha. They're quite possibly the most enchanting creatures in the world."
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask and nodded his head.
" Well, they are quite enthralling when one puts aside the fact that they're only talking to you because they're paid by the host."
Shigeko chuckled and patted the Jounin on the back, " It's just like you to be blunt and truthful."
" Somebody needs to be," Kakashi replied heartily. " But, would you mind if a few other people join us ?"
" In what context ?"
" A festive context," said the Jounin with a twinkle in his eye. " Wait, they're here."
Shigeko turned around to see the door open and three more shinobi residents from Konoha greeted him.
" Congratulations on your success," Asuma smiled delightfully, taking the hand of a surprised Shigeko. Then he abruptly stalked off toward a geisha with a small jug of sake.
" Well I…don't suppose that more guests are a bad idea," Shigeko looked thoughtful. " I'm feeling a bit carefree and this will probably be my only opportunity in a long time due to my role as an Ambassador."
Inuzuka Kiba grinned while glancing over at Chouji. The two slapped Shigeko on the back and trotted off to join Shikamaru, who sat with his shoulders hunched over at the bar. Kakashi excused them politely and then excused himself when he caught Tsunade and Jiraiya's eye on the other side of the room.
" The hell are you guys doing here ?" Shikamaru said when Chouji and Kiba reached him.
" An extended invitation," Chouji flashed his teeth and also pointed to Asuma and Kakashi across the room.
Kiba swiped a cup from a geisha carrying a tray and a flask of sake. She smiled warmly at them and offered Shikamaru a refill. He put his hand up with a shake of his head and passed the next cup to Chouji.
" I've been here for an hour and a half. This celebration isn't picking up," said Shikamaru dryly. " Although Tenten and Lee seem to be having a great time."
Chouji looked over at the lowered table in the center of the room where Lee appeared to be having a great conversation with a geisha in a sky-blue kimono. Tenten was sipping her cup leisurely while taking time to laugh every now and then at his jokes.
" Where's the village idiot ?" asked Chouji good-humoredly.
" Yeah, it surprises me too. Naruto's late," said Kiba.
Shikamaru shrugged, " Don't look at me. I don't reserve space in my head for that kind of information. Anyway, the only ones from the squad that are guaranteed to forego the enjoyment are me, Sakura and Neji. Supposedly, Sakura called in sick. Strange, since she's already shut herself up in her house for practically two weeks straight."
" But Neji's here," Kiba said pointedly, glancing over down the bar.
" Of course he is," replied Shikamaru. " Shigeko made sure the squad leader was present."
Neji was a few seats away from the trio; his hand was fitted loosely around his cup of sake while staring bleakly into the alcohol's transparent depths. One of the geisha had already given him a refill and he thanked her impassively the same way he greeted Shigeko at the beginning of the evening. He refused the earlier offer to join Tenten and Lee at the table. Neji wasn't much for conversation, especially when it came to parties and celebrations. Usually he would keep to himself or talk quietly with a couple of people he knew.
Although Neji didn't bruise easily, Naruto's fist from two weeks ago smarted. It took awhile for his cheek to lessen in soreness but the message behind the assault hit home for Neji and it had been in his mind ever since. To put it frankly, Hyuga Neji was an unpleasant mess of chaotic emotions.
A faint reflection of orange flashed briefly in Neji's cup of sake and soon a shadow hovered above his place at the bar.
" What do you want ?" Neji asked expressionlessly, not bothering to look up.
Naruto slipped into a seat beside him and put his hands together solemnly.
" To apologize," he said. " I didn't give you a warning."
" It wouldn't have made a difference."
" That's exactly your fucking problem—indifference. The situation is now diagnosed," said Naruto, shaking his head with a grim sense of humor.
" Does this conversation have a purpose ?" Neji took a long drag of his sake forcibly and reached for a flask of his own.
" It's almost amazing how you still manage to be an apathetic shit-head even after you've upset somebody to the point of sheer unhappiness. It astounds me, really, the way you keep anything remotely tied to emotion at arm's length."
" I'm not surprised that Sakura confided in you. Sooner or later I'd hear your voice over my shoulder, fully armed with a profane lecture."
Turning toward Neji, Naruto looked him in the eye and pushed down the beginning of his temper.
" For once, do yourself a favor. I'm sure you've forgotten what happiness feels like since it seldom comes your way……and most of it is probably your own damn fault," Naruto added as an afterthought. " It's been two weeks and nothing's happened. Are you really prepared to let her go ?"
Neji's jaw tightened at Naruto's question as he automatically poured himself another cup of sake. He aimed to drink it but for some reason it began to taste bad.
" I'm not going to compete with the memory of a ghost," The Hyuga said.
Naruto scoffed loudly in reply, " Is that what you've been thinking all this time ? You're really making an effort to complicate things. Sakura's changed, Neji……a lot. Over the past couple of years, spending time with you changed her. If you hadn't noticed that, you're a fucking fool."
Lowering his voice, Naruto continued, " She used to talk about Sasuke all the time. One day, it was like his name vanished. That's when I knew things were getting better. Then all of a sudden, your name started coming up. She actually seemed happier when talking about you, as hard as that may seem."
" Some time ago, you told me to do you a favor," Neji said humorlessly. " I don't break promises."
Hey Neji, do me a favor and don't fall in love with her.
" Whether you wanted to or not, you have," responded Naruto. " And it's killing you because for the first time in your life, you can't control it. It isn't about control anymore……you need her."
Neji looked down into the flask and watched the sake swirl to the side while he rocked it back and forth. Naruto bombarded him with a series of truths and most of them he'd been denying himself to hear. Neji was all out of excuses and lies; he felt cornered.
" It's your decision. Don't be an asshole and pick the wrong one," said Naruto while standing up. He peered down at Neji, noticing how the Hyuga stopped making an effort to reply.
Before Naruto left to join Shikamaru, Kiba and Chouji at the table with Lee and Tenten, he briefly turned back to Neji. Some of the humor seeped back into his voice.
" I've always thought Sakura had bad taste in men," He said, lightening up. " First Sasuke and now you."
When Naruto left, a hidden smirk appeared on Neji's lips as he stared at the marred wood of the bar he was seated at. If there was one thing he learned from the past, Naruto was among the few that had the nerve to yell at him. The blonde had Sakura's interests in mind and his position was one of protection.
The conversation left Neji feeling drained and taking a step toward Sakura would be an enormous leap over his pride and outward demeanor. He had allowed himself to feel before, so what was wrong now ?
Fear……of being compared…afraid of one day losing her…
That night when he kissed her, Neji saw she was asleep and it had been easier for him to shed his inhibitions. The only empty part about it was that Sakura never returned the action or the embrace. He never really felt the true contact of her arms.
It was just a fool's fantasy.
" Hyuga-san, is there anything wrong with the sake ?" A melodious voice said from behind his shoulder. It was undoubtedly female and Neji was compelled to acknowledge. A distraction from his thoughts was more than welcome.
A geisha stood at his back and her hand softly touched the skin of his left arm. The look on her beautiful face seemed a little concerned as she slid into the seat that Naruto previously abandoned.
" No……Yaeko-san," Neji said quietly. " It's not bad."
Yaeko smiled warmly, enhancing the brightness in her dark, sparkling eyes. The spread of her red lips increased when Neji finally met her face. He nodded at her politely, noticing how well the deep purple kimono accented every delicate curve of her body. It made him remember what Shigeko said about geisha at the beginning—they were the most beautiful creatures in the world.
The young geisha beside Neji was probably not much older him but was a master in her art of entertaining guests and conversation. Yaeko appeared to be vying for his attention at the moment and for a while Neji desired to be rid of his inner turmoil.
She folded her hands in her lap, " What about you ? You don't really seem to be taking pleasure in the party."
" I'm trying to enjoy it. It's just coming off as a little boring."
" Well, you're not going to enjoy it if you sit alone," she said with a tinkling laugh.
The corner of Neji's mouth lifted as he slowly pushed the flask of sake away.
" I don't think I'll be drinking this anymore. It doesn't taste as good as it did a few minutes ago."
" They say it depends on the mood of the drinker for the sake to taste good or bad," Yaeko replied. " If there are problems weighing on your mind, it produces a bitter taste to coincide with what you're feeling. True or not, I think it's all possibly psychological."
" I see. So all I had to tell you was that the sake tasted bad and you can automatically assume what my mood is," Neji said, a little entertained by her insight.
" That's only what people say," she told him cordially.
" Intriguing," The Hyuga looked down again and found some truth in it.
" If the rest of the celebration is a bit distracting, perhaps you would like to join me in continuing our conversation elsewhere."
Yaeko gave him a charming smile and squeezed his wrist gently. A second later she stood up and gestured fleetingly toward one of the three doors on the other side of the room. They were single rooms that held more privacy than the public party area.
Exhaling, Neji pushed all anarchic thoughts from his mind and got up from his seat at the bar.
" I wouldn't mind at the moment," he said to her.
Sakura walked slowly through the woods to the residence of the Hyuga's Bunke. There was no rush even though it was late. She was sure someone like Lee would keep Neji at the party against his will.
She entered into the property and familiarized the old, red singled roof of the large house. The Hyuga residence was always quiet, with or without people inside. The clan members were seldom seen outdoors at this time because they were always in their own section of the house. Therefore, Sakura had the opportunity to slip into the garden like she used to.
The pools of water were tranquil with the stagnant air as she walked up to the back door. Neji never bothered to shut the shoji since there was never any need to. Hardly anybody roamed the back woods except him and the other members of the family. It was only by chance two years ago that Sakura wandered into his neck of the forest.
Leaving the kodachi on the porch didn't seem personal enough. The wall of fire between Sakura and Neji was above all else personal to a grievous extent; it caused her to pull open the shoji and step into the house.
It was dark inside, albeit a few lamps hung on the walls here and there. Everything was just as it was the last time she visited the Hyuga abode. Sakura didn't want to bother the other residents who lived in the other household sections so she quickly stole down the hallway and reached the large front foyer.
As quietly as she could, Sakura removed the kodachi from the back of her waist and placed the weapons on the circular, mahogany table in the center of the room. Then she stepped backward and suddenly collided with something hard and unmoving.
" I thought your old habit of trespassing died a long time ago," Neji's voice was low and his breath was warm against her earlobe.
A jolting sensation pushed Sakura's heart into her throat as she whirled around. His sudden appearance gave her quite a scare and she stared blankly at him for a few seconds with a hand on her stomach. Then by reflex, her behavior turned cold to once again cover the uprooted hurt caused by seeing Neji.
" You're home early," she said grimly. " I guess the party wasn't as enthralling as it was made out to be."
" It wasn't."
" Glad to know."
Sakura glanced down briefly and saw a tiny slip of paper between Neji's fingers. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the name "Yaeko" was written on it in a fine script and it made her remember Naruto mentioning the presence of geisha at Shigeko's celebration.
" Glad to see that you had quite a good time," a sliver of fear and jealousy seeped into her voice.
Neji looked at the slip of paper and eyed the written name passively.
" She was well trained," he said. " And she wanted me to believe that she could comfort me."
Sakura tensed and a lump formed in her throat as images of Neji with this "Yaeko" flooded into her brain. The thought wasn't completely dismissible since on sight Hyuga Neji was indeed very handsome and his cold, pokerfaced nature was apart of his unique charm. It tore at Sakura to think of him in the embrace of a lovely and refined geisha.
The petal-haired Jounin flinched at the stab of hurt and she spoke quickly to save face.
" I want to return these to you," she said, looking back at the kodachi on the table. " I don't need them anymore."
Sakura struggled to maintain her stern facade as she maneuvered passed him and began to head for the back door. She was already blinded with the desire to leave the house and everything in it. However, Neji's hand shot out rapidly and grabbed her by the wrist.
She yanked her arm and tested his grip.
" Let go," her voice was on the verge of upsetting.
But he held on tightly.
Sakura turned around and said more angrily, " I said let go !"
Her struggling became harder as she attempted to pry herself from his hand. It wasn't long before Sakura started to scream at him with unconvincing threats in a shaky voice.
" Leave me alone !"
Sakura's other hand came up to hit Neji but he caught it effortlessly amidst her sloppy thrashing and hauled her against him, bringing her close as physically possible. The instant proximity of their faces rendered inside Sakura a panic and she fought harder to break free. She didn't want to see his eyes—it would force her back into the difficult realm of pain.
" I hate you," she said. Her voice cracked while angry and hot tears spilled down her cheeks.
It was the second time Neji heard her say that. The first was when he refused to train her in the beginning. At that time her words meant nothing but now it had its full affect.
Slowly, Sakura's limbs waned in the vicious attempts to struggle free from him. With the weakening of her efforts, the emotional barrier inside her broke again and she was powerless against the onslaught of anguish. Sakura had to get away, far away.
" Please……Neji," her reply dropped to a frail and desperate tone. " Don't……do this to me anymore…"
Neji loosened the grip on her wrists gradually at the sound of her trembling voice. She was as defenseless now as she had been when he found her slumped over, unconscious from the loss of blood, sitting on a thick tree branch after the completed mission in the Grass Country.
The terrible feelings that lay sleeping inside him were all coming out at once and he was finding it hard to breathe under the weight. His lips were pursed in his fight to remain expressionless but the audibility of Sakura's anguished cries drowned his self-restraint. The guilt surged within Neji's body and coursed through his bloodstream to hit every fiber of his being.
Sakura expected him to back away but instead she felt both his arms encircle her waist, aligning their bodies to consume her in his warmth. Neji's hand slipped up her back, grasping her shoulder and tightening the embrace. He closed his eyes and breathed in the glorious scent of her being—her hair, her neck and the rest of her body. Her fragrance set free a greater amount of remorse within Neji and the longing to keep Sakura from leaving prevailed.
" Gomen…" His voice was a rueful whisper in her ear. " Gomen na……for everything…"
She felt faint and uttered something between a gasp and a sob when she heard Neji's words. Sakura's brain swelled with a harder desire to leave. If he were lying to her, it would undoubtedly destroy her.
Neji experienced her body shaking from tears and it hurt him to know at this moment Sakura didn't believe him.
" Don't you see what you've reduced me to ?" she said. " I never wanted to feel this way again…but you……"
" Sakura…what happened after the mission……wasn't intended. I lost myself, fearing that I'd lose you. That scared me."
He pulled back slightly to give her a chance to see the truth. Sakura's eyes widened with intensity when she saw the strange, soft look in Neji's face. She was about to lower her head but he placed a hand on her chin to keep her gaze.
" Look at me," Neji said softly. " Everything I said before…I want you to know I didn't mean. I was too occupied with running away."
" Why did you wait this long to say this to me ?" she asked sadly.
" I don't know but……it was foolish."
" You should have said something the day after you kissed me."
Neji's eyes widened, rendering him alarmed. Memories brought him back in a rush to the night when he entered the guestroom. He had been so sure she was asleep but apparently he was wrong.
The Hyuga's speechlessness triggered a sudden spark of amusement within the dark world of Sakura's pain.
" I was awake," she said simply.
A shard of annoyance made its way back into his tone.
" Then why didn't you……" Neji trailed off.
" Because I knew how you would take it. You'd deny me."
Neji sighed exasperatingly, knowing the truth when he was told. After he kissed her he had no game plan and it created an obstacle in his self-discipline.
" I waited for you," she said quietly. " And it never came……then I began to wonder if I was delusional."
" There was never any true intention behind it. I'm not lying."
" Neji……"
Please…Sakura……
Sakura looked at up him, wanting to believe. Neji was silently asking her for another chance; she could see it in his eyes.
" Only if you let me," he spoke faintly.
Suddenly, her face crumpled again as the damp paths on her cheeks were newly traced with another set of tears. Sakura's arms wound around Neji's body and buried her face in his chest, giving him the answer he needed. A warm rush came over the Hyuga as he breathed her in, bringing back the feelings of the night when he kissed her. But this time they were much more potent.
Inside, Sakura felt the anger die. All that mattered now was the sensation of Neji's embrace and the unspoken words of tenderness that lingered in the air. She tilted her face up to meet him, the tip of her nose softly trailing up the line of his chin toward his mouth.
The need for contact was too great and Sakura gave into her craving by brushing her lips against his. She stopped to look at Neji when he didn't return the action.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a slight smirk and one of his hands slid down her spine in a slow, aching manner. Sakura gasped, suddenly open-mouthed at his boldness.
" Have you wondered what could have happened had I stayed the other night ?" he asked, letting mirth seep into his voice.
She shivered as sensual thoughts from past instances began to envelop her brain.
" Yes," she replied. " Although they've all led to a dead end."
" My pleasure to prove you wrong."
Sakura started to question but Neji cut her off completely by pressing his mouth against hers. His sudden assault caught her off guard but she recovered quickly, matching him breath for breath and pulse for pulse. She whimpered under the caress of his hands that roamed over her cheeks, brushing the tears away. They found their way down her neck and around her waist again where he moved up and down along her sides.
Her body was melting against him and the only support she had was Neji's arms. The taste of her mouth was something he recognized as sweet and the kiss they shared intensified. All the emotions came out of the floodgate, knocking down inhibitions and drenching Neji and Sakura with the full weight of their yearning. Everything that was tightly pent up inside was set free in a matter of seconds.
Neji trailed open-mouthed kisses toward her neck as Sakura's hands crept up under the hem of his beige shirt and sank her hands into the sensation of his heated skin. Her fingers traced the hard lines of his stomach and swept up his back to caress the muscled angles of his shoulder blades.
" I want you…" she whispered eagerly after her lips enclosed his earlobe with a hot mouth. Her words made Neji's grip on her tighten possessively.
It had been too long since Sakura had this kind of contact and to be experiencing it fully with Neji filled her with a renewed desire to go forward and never look back.
She gasped his name when his bandaged hand moved over her breasts. Sakura inhaled sharply, disentangling herself from his shirt and entwined her fingers through his dark locks of hair. When they found the end of his low ponytail, she pulled out the tie that held Neji's chestnut strands together. She wanted to feel it, to lose herself among it.
There was no time to think or to plan. The voices in both their heads disappeared a long time ago and there was nothing left to keep them from each other.
Sakura's back touched the wall as she responded to him easily when he gently pushed her against it. She undid the tie of his forehead protector and heard the noise it made when she dropped it to the floor.
Neji could feel her writhing beneath him, wanting and needing him as she forced his shirt over his head. But Sakura was getting ahead of herself and he felt that he needed to even the score. One of Neji's hands slid under the slip of Sakura's red tunic while the other tugged at the zipper and yanked it down, exposing a black, mesh shirt with one strap. The fabric was sheer at her stomach while a strip concealed her breasts. He pushed the tunic off her shoulders quickly as his teeth grazed her neck, making her moan.
Sakura was trying her best to keep in control but Neji's ministrations were on the verge of driving her into oblivion. She could barely breathe but there was no regret. Neji peeled away her shirt, exposing the top half of her body. Sakura shivered delightedly against the hot pulses of his skin and she let out a sharp gasp when Neji's mouth descended down her chest and enveloped one of her aching peaks. Grasping his head between her fingers, she threw her head back in a fit of pleasure.
Please……don't stop…
She was sure now that this was the man she wanted—Hyuga Neji. Sakura had loved Sasuke all her life and she still did by treasuring the memories with him. But life was calling her back to the world and Sakura needed to see it for its possibilities. Neji was now apart of it.
Sakura arched her back, pushing against him in a desperate manner. Neji replied by tightening his grip around her slender waist. He looked up at her with a curious little smile as his hands found her pants and began to loosen them. A gloriously painful sensation stabbed Neji below his waist when Sakura tossed off her shoes to give him easier access. He followed suit by toeing off his own footwear and hooking his thumbs into the hem of her pants.
Neji purposely slid them down as torturously as possible, all the while peering up at Sakura through the valley of her breasts. Her mouth was open and her eyes were half-lidded, expecting something amorously unpredictable. Neji heard her whimper the moment he also rid her of her lower undergarments, leaving her completely bare to him.
Sakura was even more perfect at eye-level and Neji was on his knees, continuing to ravage her stomach with the heat of his tongue. He dipped lower as his bandaged hand crawled up the inside of her thigh and slid upward into her warmth. Sakura gave out a cry, her body suddenly jerked readily against Neji's hand. As he produced a growing wave of desire at the junction of Sakura's thighs, her hips began to pump him in an effort for more. His tongue circled around her naval before heading lower.
The next thing Sakura knew, Neji's probing hand was replaced with the wetness of his tongue. Her eyes shot open and she dared to look down at him as a time bomb of pleasure knotted itself inside her core. Sakura's hands were shaking and they desperately moved along the wall behind her in an attempt to find something—anything to hold onto. Her legs were beginning to give way, collapsing helplessly at the mercy of Neji, whose lips clamped onto her fiercely.
She writhed against him, her body language telling Neji that she was panting on the edge of insanity. Sakura's moans turned into vulnerable cries, becoming louder and faster with each flex of his tongue. The climax crashed upon her like a tsunami on land; an explosion of hot and pure sensation surged through her bloodstream, rendering her body like a livewire. Sakura sobbed feverishly from the blitz of pleasure as Neji slackened his grip around her hips and softly kissed his way up her body.
Numb and twitching weakly from his gift, Sakura's limbs wilted in his arms and he became her only support. Neji's mouth enclosed her earlobe and gave a suckle while Sakura's hands played faintly with the button of his shorts.
" Have I proved you wrong ?" he asked her devilishly. Neji smiled when she gave him a breathless nod.
" Neji…" she finally uttered, intoxicated with his essence. " Please……"
Neji was willing to do Sakura's bidding—he was at the point where he would do anything for her, no matter what she asked. He rid himself of the rest of his clothing and Sakura gasped at the feel of having his warm skin meld with hers. Neji's arms came from below, snaking under her thighs and lifting her up against the wall to lock himself between her aching junction.
She inhaled sharply near his ear and it turned into a cry as Sakura's arms frantically wound around his neck. She buried her face into his shoulder, feeling Neji join their bodies flesh to flesh. The rest of Sakura's thoughts were banished in nanoseconds as Neji established a slow rhythm, allowing them to sink in the beat of heightened bliss.
Neji let out a groan; Sakura was hot and pulsating around him—like heaven. His teeth began to grit and his eyes were suddenly clamped shut when Sakura arched into him, her heels digging into the back of his thighs. Her nails scratched red paths on his back but Neji could hardly feel it as his teeth closed tightly on her shoulder.
Sakura clung to him wildly, every stroke was pushing her against the wall, becoming harder and stronger with each thrust of Neji's body. She urged him on with every incoherent shout, mingling her screams with his moans. Every syllable of his name was rolling off her tongue and into his ear like an elaborate line of poetry.
Again and again Neji drove into Sakura's depths, and she met him thrust for thrust in an uncontrollable eruption of frenzy. Neji held onto her tightly as if letting go would kill him. The delicious throbbing of heat maximized to a thousand, eliciting a rapturous cry from Sakura when she shattered around him. The house seemed to shake and erode beneath Neji's feet as he joined her a second later in a blast of ecstasy, driving his senses into the pit of oblivion.
He wanted to see Sakura's face and the movement of her mouth when she screamed his name. Sakura stared at him, mouth open, gasping and panting with sweat. Her hand reached behind his head and pulled him into a breathless kiss. They devoured each other until they were left with their last ounces of strength.
Neji could hardly stand up but he ignored his lack of energy and rested his forehead against hers. Their faces and bodies were slick were sweat and the scent of their love. He softly kissed Sakura, warmly and chastely, telling her without words how much he needed and loved her.
Sakura smiled, suddenly letting out a giggle.
" You couldn't wait," she said, spotting the pool of clothes around their feet.
Neji grinned as he realized that they were still in the front foyer of the Hyuga household.
" Sorry," he replied impishly before kissing her again.