In celebration of getting 100 reviews for Iming, here's a new chapter that I had intended to post Monday or Tuesday. Warning, it is super short.

Chapter 3: First Encounter

He withdrew his hand slowly from my mouth and I fought to calm my quickly beating heart. How'd he get in here? I turned to look at him and found him comfortably seated in a chair. It was hard to make out all his features in the dark, but I could still see the blonde hair and a slight glimmer in his eyes.

"Why are you here?" I asked devoid of emotion, ready to yell or fight if necessary.

He laughed lightly. "I'm not here to fight with you. I figured we needed to talk."

"About?"

He laughed again. I found it slightly annoying and tensed slightly more. His gaze turned to me. "Did you know there are 5 guards outside your door this very instant?"

My widened eyes must have answered him.

"I didn't think so."

"How did you get in here?"

He laughed harshly. "Easy, but that's irrelevant. We need to talk."

"About?"

"Sarutobi's proposal."

"I think the opinions on that have already been expressed." I answered coolly.

He nodded slowly then stood waking towards me where I stood. "I'd have to say that I probably think they are correct, but—he stopped in front of me—if it was just your body, I would agree very easily. However, the fact is that your mind is part of the bargain, and that is something, hat despite years of wondering I have yet to figure out."

"Years?" My voice sounded shocked. A hand reached towards my face and I flinched visibly expecting a blow. What I got was a hiss as the hand was withdrawn.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said frustrated.

"Well," I said sarcastically," I'm sorry if I find it hard to trust someone who had so many of my people killed."

He visibly calmed, then said venomously. "Trust me little prince, if I had wanted you dead, you would have been dead long ago. I would have killed you with that sword that hangs on your bedroom wall."

"How do you know about it?" I responded shocked.

He laughed. "I've been there. Your castle isn't the easiest place to get into you know, but I've managed to do so…more than once."

It simply wasn't possible. He had to have snuck by many guards to get into my room. It was impossible, and yet, how would he know unless he had seen it?

His hand again reached out to me. Vaguely, I realized it was extended to try to calm me down, but from my lips escaped a started gasp of surprise, and while it was not loud, it was loud enough that the guards were alerted and opened the doors.

The second he saw the scene, Neji was displeased. His hand was already on his sword before I had managed a word.

"No need to worry. He was just leaving." I said, trying quickly to think of a way out of this.

Naruto nodded in understanding. I walked him to the door past Neji who let out a light grumble as he passed. When we were at the door, he glanced back at Neji, challenge in his gaze. Swiftly, giving me no time to even react, he planted a kiss on my cheek before puling back and disappearing with a laughing goodbye.

I turned to see Neji. Eyes showing a rather large amount of anger now directed at the location where Naruto had been.

"We were just talking." I said simply, hoping to calm him down.

It didn't calm him completely, but he did relax visibly. He nodded. "You need to be more careful."

I agreed. However, he had done it, he had gotten past five guards, not to mention groups of guards at home. Naruto was definitely a man with power.

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All I have to say is "They finally talked." (Told You It Was Short)