Author's Note: Thank you for following the story. Please disregard the plot holes and keep in mind that this is a romance rather than an action story. In this chapter, we explore deeper into their relationship. One complete chapter of NejiSaku moments, on to the story.
Chapter 3 | Heal My Wounds
Eventually, they came upon the path that led to his abode. It was a separate unit, like the one she had, with only respectful branch members, like him, had a legitimate claim to stay here.
The Hyuuga prodigy glanced at the pinkette and then said, "You can take your shoes off here… like before."
"Okay, this wasn't my first visit."
He held open the sliding door for Sakura as she entered. She felt a tightening in her stomach as he closed the door behind them. She was one of his few visitors in a while. There was a hint of tension between them every time their gazes crossed.
The living room was exactly as she remembered, spotless, well-organized, modern contemporary, perfect for a stoic, collected Hyuuga like him. The air had a natural aroma, not overpowering but rather a subtle reed scent that he liked. During his absence, the reeds grew saturated.
"Your house… is well-kept." She said, looking around.
He fussed with his white cloaks and hung them up alongside his sling carrier and sword. Even after he went through and turned on the lights in most of the rooms, it was still quite dim.
"Hm... Not much time to actually be home."
Sakura had been here before and knew better, but what she hadn't noticed was a mini medical cabinet above his drawer, where basic first aid supplies and sterile wound dressings were kept. A classic hospital-phobic shinobi.
When he saw where Sakura was looking, he pointed and said, "Oh, yes... Just anything happens, the Hyuuga medics have everything they need. They're yours to use."
"Oh, great." She said, nodding.
The pinkette went through it and found a few things scattered around and a lack of supplies. In no way, would anyone dare mess with his belongings. And she wondered why there were so many kinds of painkillers.
"I'll be back shortly, please take your time."
"Everything is good, I'm fine."
Soon enough, she was left alone to her own devices as Neji walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open.
The room the front door led into was an open living room and dining space, with the dining table on the right. A peek into the small kitchen, it was spotless, but the completed cooking utensils showed that he wasn't just doing it for looks. To her left was a small and cozy living area, modern couch with a softly curved back in subdued light blue was just what he needed after a long day of missions. He didn't have many visitors, so two cushioned seats were fine, and a solid wood coffee table completed the living room.
She raised her gaze to the back of the room, where his fairly large bed sat, and wondered if he and his ex had ever shared it. Imagining the Hyuuga male in a romantic or sexually suggestive setting made Sakura miserable. Although she knew she shouldn't let it bother her, it did. Here her feelings of jealousy reached a peak, and she realized she was being completely ridiculous and should probably just crush the bed.
She shook off her daydreaming and looked over at the desk next to his bed. She walked over to the wide, solid-wood work table, where numerous scrolls and a great deal of paperwork were neatly stacked. When Sakura looked up from his work, he saw the Hyuuga prodigy's medical report sitting on his desk, closed, with a classified sticker affixed to the front cover; it seemed important enough to warrant a glance.
"Haruno." He called, over his shoulder.
"Y-Yes?" She gasped, cocking her head to indicate that she was paying attention, but her attention remained fixed on the report.
"Better not to pry." Said the prodigy, continuing to work on removing his Anbu gears from his body, he gave her a once over.
"No, I didn't even look at it!" she asserted, hoping it wouldn't sound so dubious. It might not have been wise to directly inquire about Hyuuga's private life in light of his 360-degree vision.
"Hmm…" not believe her in the least, but he chose to let go.
Across the room, she caught a glimpse of him in the bathroom, where he had already shed his Anbu flak vest and chest plate. He set his weapon case down on the vanity counter. He had arduously taken off his gloves and was fumbling with the arm guards until he managed to free them. With all his gears off right now.
He struggled to take off his forehead guard, and his stunning features showing just a hint of annoyance.
"Allow me." As the pinkette approached the man, she was aware of his inability to use his right hand effectively. He was a foot taller than her, standing at six feet with a wider, eye catching frame.
"Hm, please..." He complied.
He hummed and submissively lowered himself so she could reach him. Honestly, this healing hand was sorely missed.
She saw it as a good sign of trust from the Anbu captain, rather than an intrusion of his privacy.
As she got closer, he felt her hands reaching around untying his forehead protector. She unwrapped the bandages from around his once-present caged bird curse seal, the wrappings fell slowly to the floor. The seal was broken during the critical moment in the war, revealing his now immaculate forehead. His long, dark hair hung loosely from his ponytail, brushing his shoulders, and draping down to his waist.
The pinkette grabbed a handful of his hair from his nape. The sensitive touch jolted him, but he welcomed it. She ran her fingers through it to tame it and tied it neatly for him.
They hadn't had a mission together in over two years. Why did it feel so intimate to him that she did this for him in his quarters? Neji found solace in the quiet, but it was with an odd familiarity that brought him comfort.
Before he could object or say much of anything, Sakura lifted his sleeveless shirt and saw that it was stuck to the wound on his shoulder. Her beautiful brows were furrowing in annoyance.
"It would be easier for me to treat your wound this way," she said, motioning for him to take off his shirt, "It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."
The pink-haired medic was, after all, performing a professional healing procedure. He was accustomed to baring all in front of any medic. The pain in his shoulder was greater than it looked.
"I don't bite, Neji-san."
"Fine."
To her relief, he handed her the hilt of a kunai with understanding. Pupilless silver orbs watching the emerald's from the mirror.
"You read my mind," she said, reaching out for it. "I'm sorry." As she cut the shirt.
She dragged it off gingerly to prevent further injury to the man, avoiding his wounded shoulder and pulled the garment over his head.
Every scar was a crowning glory, lending a semblance of toughness to his body, now exposed for her to behold. She had no doubts about his achievements for Konoha; any woman in the country, or even a guy, wished for a boyfriend as perfect as him.
"I'm pleased that you made it easy for me to undress you this time." She laughed, his attitude easing her in some way.
"You're welcome."
"Your cut has reopened…" She commented with worry.
"I'm fine. It's not that bad."
She avoided his sore shoulder and punched him in the broad chest, "Yeah, I was the one fretting and making a big deal about it."
"You just- fractured your patient!" He took his revenge by ruffling her soft pink hair teasingly with his good hand.
"All right, all right, I'm sorry!" She softly laughed, not even the slightest bit bothered by what he did.
For some time, the two of them simply stared at each other in silence.
"Why don't you just wait for me outside?" She walked to the medical cabinet to get some supplies. She was still able to locate what she needed despite the lack of supplies.
Neji conceded, realizing he'd never beaten her in the ward. He nodded and went to the living room, his weight sank into the plush cotton upholstery, waited for his wound to be treated, checking on his wounds absentmindedly. He refrained from lounging on the couch to avoid staining it with his blood. He lowered his gaze to his right shoulder, which ached so much when he tried to move it, but he did not whine.
Her attention was drawn to her favorite patient, who was now sitting on the couch shirtless, when she returned with some antiseptic wipes. Sakura felt translucent orbs floating across her nightshirt as she approached him, giving her stomach butterflies. She was somewhat surprised that Neji had observed her attire, his face set in perfect stoicness.
The goddamn Uzumaki shirt.
"What? Something bothering you?" Sakura asked casually.
Dressing casually was nothing new to the pinkette, whether it was an oversize dress shirt or something from an old teammate. Her pink hair added a touch of femininity to her overall look. She liked wearing these clothes at home with her regular black shorts underneath, and felt comfortable even without her bra on. She pouted, unsure whether he was looking at her shirt or her flat chest.
As she inched closer, white orbs fell to her chest. Fuck. She didn't have a bra on.
He was accustomed to sharing a tent with a female comrade, such as Tenten. When the kunoichi changed in the tent, he and other shinobi would have their backs turned. They may be seen roaming with a crop top.
The Uzumaki t-shirt was too large for her and plunged low in the front, though he should know better as a gentleman Hyuuga. Neji tried to keep his eyes off of her chest out of courtesy, but now that he had, he could never unsee it. Yet, his expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing about his emotions.
"It is none of my concern," he said with a stiff, cold face.
"Just a few examples, I have Uzumaki, Hatake, Uchiha, Yamanaka… and even Inuzuka."
Sakura placed the medical kit on the coffee table and then sat on her knees in front of the prodigy.
"Never knew you're such a weird collector." He said with a smirk on his charming face.
Carefully crafted her question and challenged him, "Would you mind if I had one of yours?" Watching for his response.
Frowned in contemplation, he asked, "Why?" Perplexed.
"For fun!"
"But what fun would that be?"
"Only when it comes to your clothing." She teased again, gauging his reaction to see how he'd take it.
Was Sakura flirting with him or was she just being friendly? He thought. Well, in this case…
"You could've just asked for my clothes instead of stalling." He mused.
She carefully considered his words and immediately picked up on what he meant. Before her face turned pink, she explained, "Please don't think I'm some sort of pervert!" Her cheeks flushed beautifully, "I'm not your fan either!"
"That's what you did, wasn't it?" He smirked and looked at her amusedly.
Neji cut her off just as she was about to argue, he placed two fingers under her chin and brought her face up to meet his silver-white eyes, "Start the healing already, Haruno-sensei." he spoke in a pleasant voice, calling her by her title.
He seemed to be waiting for some sort of a response from her, his fingers still in contact.
"I'm obviously working on it!" She allegedly objected, pouting her pretty lips.
Neji's smirk softened into a smile. He wondered why he was acting so... daringly tonight.
By being in such close proximity, the invigorating scent that emanated from the pink-haired medic, helped him feel better about his wound. It was a fresh, sweet scent that she possessed; perhaps it was strawberries?
When Neji took his hands away, she frowned in disappointment. She found herself wishing for him to touch her again. She tipped her head sideways to examine his injured shoulder and placed her hands on his arm. "Gomen ne, this will hurt a little bit… like usual."
When the antiseptic wipe touched his skin and caused the familiar sting, he tolerated it well.
Her emerald green eyes darted between the task at hand and him, taking in every detail. As a trained professional, Sakura was able to keep her blush in check.
First, she took in the sight of his lean torso that was perfectly sculpted. Started from his well-defined arms, chiseled pectorals, abdomen that gleamed with a well-defined six-pack, and a V-line to his crotch. Focusing extra attention on each of his scars. Similar to Kiba, Naruto and Sasuke from her peer, this body was among most elite shinobi in Konoha. It was very strange because there was no one else she thought about more than him, giving, enticing and irresistible. She reminisced about treating this body, and yet she was still straying over it.
She had finally let her inner self ruled when a vivid mental picture of herself pushing him onto the couch, climbing over straddling him until he blushed, then luring him into a slow, deep kiss while her mouth ravaged his body and continuing south on the trial. She was so close to passing out at the thought. Sakura jerked her head, snapping out of her trance.
A pair of emerald eyes had been staring at him for some time. It was only natural for Neji to be aware that her hand was reaching him and feathering its way across his torso in line for the agreed-upon medical reason, shouldn't she be used to dealing with male patients?
She instructed him to turn around so she could treat his back, the prodigy did what he was told, now with his back now facing her. The tension in her seemed to be releasing, she was proud of how quickly and professionally she had returned to her medic mode.
After disinfecting his wound, she got off the floor, went to the bathroom, and washed her hands with natural soap. Sakura returned with clean hands and sat with her feet on the couch. She first focused on the deep puncture wound on his shoulder, examined it and gave it the utmost attention.
She asked the standard protocol questions about his medical history and the nature of the internal injury, "So, will you share your injuries with me?" She slipped a hand around his bicep and lifted it just enough to examine the condition of the joint.
"We are on a mission to take out the remaining Root rebels."
"The mission was successful, right?" Assuring him that his wound was not serious, the pink-haired medic asked.
"Up until the Root rebels used the suicide jutsu to kill us from a short distance, we were fine."
"They shouldn't be able to hurt you, despite that. Given your skill though."
Given his mastery of the Byakugan, any attempt to assassinate him would be futile.
Sakura sprayed the contents of a tiny bottle from the medical kit onto his wound in order to increase the rate of chakra absorption and speed up the healing process. He was slightly hurt by the sharp sting, but he handled it well.
Neji sighed, knowing he couldn't get away with it. "Well, I suppose I'm... straining from the attack that is coming on my squad."
"Overstretched Kaiten then," she said in his stead, "which explains your burn tenketsu and lacerations, Neji."
"It doesn't hurt all that much." He apologized.
"You're a good Taicho, but you can't always put others before yourself." She huffed.
"That's not true, Haruno," he said, turning to face her until their knees were touched. "It was my duty."
"Yes, Captain Hyuuga. You chose to save lives, and I chose to preserve yours." She chastised him, calling him by his title, "I'm relieved that the veins weren't cut too deeply. I can easily heal it with chakra."
Pressing a glowing chakra fingertip precisely into his wound and penetrating her chakra to mend the laceration. The cooling sensation of the healing chakra contrasted with his warm skin, soothing but not excessively cold.
"You worry far too much."
"Neji, don't ignore even a small wound. It was my duty as well to make sure you were okay." She huffed, looked perturbed, and the lines of worry marred her lovely face.
"Mhm." In agreement, he hummed.
She meticulously fixed the damage to his laceration while burning the blood away.
Jade green eyes briefly caught the unique silver white eyes briefly, keeping his usual poker face expression on.
He'll ask me why I'm here in the compound, right?
"What brings you here?" He made an effort to ask as casually as he could.
There, he brought it up.
"Do you mean my stay here?"
"Mhm."
"Hinata-chan invited me since I have nowhere to stay. War destroyed my apartment, and I don't have a lavish compound to call home." As a matter of fact, she said bitterly.
Hinata-sama… He was undoubtedly baited.
She applied a specialized medical cream that she had made on her own to precisely rebuild and seal the wound so that there would be no scar after the laceration had healed. Neji couldn't help but be amazed at how well the wounds had healed.
"Your parent…?" As far as he can remember, her parents survived the war.
"They sold their home after going through so much during the war and are now traveling the world. I'm here for that reason. Why, Hyuuga-san, don't you seem pleased to see me here?"
"I never considered that… your stay is welcome."
"Here, I'm making up for it by giving you medical care."
Observing her dexterity and her soft skin while working on his shoulder. The captain of the Anbu remained silent throughout the entire treatment.
As soon as the deep laceration on his shoulder was treated and healed nicely. She gathered bandages from the coffee table, grasping the edge of the wrapping and began to secure his shoulder.
Then, after a few moments of thought, Neji broke the silence.
"It's far too late. What's keeping you up?" He asked softly.
The pinkette mumbled, "Couldn't sleep," with a sigh.
"You look like hell." He spoke with an air of delicateness.
"You don't look too good yourself." She answered back.
"You're here taking up my sleep, so that's why. Try to rest, at least."
"I can't, I don't like being watched by the clan!"
"Absurd."
"You must think that this is absurd, don't you?" Sakura chuckled while tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Hyuuga respect privacy and does not intrude." Neji answered calmly.
After completing the bandage, she inspected her work before tying a small knot at the end. The Anbu captain gave a curt nod and ran his long fingers over his perfectly bandaged shoulder.
"This should help you feel better for the time being. Please allow me to help you if you ever need it. Just across the hall."
Sakura started to heal the minor cuts and bruises on his arms. Checking his appearance, she saw that he had an array of superficial abrasions and bruises marked all over his arm. She was curious whether or not they were all the result of his mission. She knew that Neji had not provided all these specifics when he described what had transpired during the mission.
"Neji, I wonder if…?" Sakura asked with intrigue.
"Just ask away."
The man held a prominent position in Konoha's ninja forces, he may not be a powerhouse like the Seventh Hokage, but he was a perfect shinobi, more than capable of carrying out an S-rank solo assassination mission on his own. The likelihood of a fight requiring assistance was negligible. With his Byakugan, he could easily track subversives and criminals' activities. He wouldn't have been elevated to the Anbu captain if he lacked the required skills and , he was mortal and human enough to be wounded. He told her how he got all those scrapes and bruises.
The pink-haired doctor was alarmed by this, "You whaaaat?!"
Sakura stared at him, completely flabbergasted.
"Give me a moment to finish what I'm saying. In the midst of a battle, my Tenseigan chakra mode went out, and I began to fall…" The white eyes subconsciously shifted to the pinkette.
"I was able to maintain my momentum, which minimized the damage I was taking..."
"Neji? Are you kidding?" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief.
"My apologies." He didn't understand why he felt compelled to apologize, but he did. "I-I got sidetracked, I guess."
He must have terrified his teammate, that was not one of the things Sakura was expecting. Byakugan had no barrier to Genjutsu, not to mention that he had the Tenseigan.
"Anything dares to trouble the haughty Hyuuga." She suppressed her chuckles. In all the years she knew him, the prodigy never got sidetracked while on a mission.
He was made to feel worse about his own failures by her mockery of the cost of the simple mission. His pride and self-esteem had been shattered. He cursed himself for looking weak in front of the pinkette.
"You had the guts to ask for my clothes as well." He made a witty remark to lighten the mood.
Though she hadn't felt that way, after hearing him say it, she realized that she had been rather straightforward.
"You make a good point!" She eventually acknowledged it while laughing.
She took a deep breath and quietly and meditatively went back to the task at hand. Something was wrong with him… Sakura made a mental note to check the medical report on his desk, if anything went wrong with his Tenseigan.
She found that working in silence and companionship with Neji was easier than with anyone else she knew, time passed unnoticed. The seriously injured were initially taken care of and the only wounds left to be seen were the minor ones on his face.
Her body was screaming at herself as exhaustion finally took over. Sakura moved forward until her face grew close to his. Sakura caught a glimpse of him and focused on the calmness in his face. He captivated her with his mesmerizing two moons, he became more attractive, alluring, and magnetic as he grew older.
Had he yet fully developed and controlled his Tenseigan? After all, it took time to learn such legendary Dojutsu. However, Neji was largely self-taught through observation alone and with his incredible mind. He was most likely brilliant enough to figure out how to master it.
As if the Hyuuga sensed her eyes on him and lifted his gaze; they swam out of focus, half-lidded eyes were trained on his face.
It was at that moment when pink tresses brushed up against his cheek, her lean body colliding with his, slumbering down on his lap. Hyuuga were known for their ability to suppress their emotions to an extreme degree, and he was no exception with female clients constantly pouncing on him.
"Sakura…?" Neji cleared his throat and tried to gently rouse her. He probed her with his hand on her back and asked, in a hushed tone, "Are you okay?"
He cradled her upper body in his arms, searching for her face, and found a sleeping pinkette. There's got to be something he's overlooking. He checked her pulse by placing his fingertips on her neck. Her heartbeat was steady and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Despite his perception, he wanted to be absolutely certain that she was okay.
Her chakra level was normal, so there was no sign of chakra exhaustion when he turned on his Byakugan and read her flow. She had a chakra disruption in her brain, a sign that she was working so hard on her never-ending medical research, and dark circles under her eyes indicated fatigue from the long trip from Suna this morning. She appeared to have simply fallen asleep from exhaustion.
The cherry blossom looked so peaceful as he held her on his lap, his heart skipped a beat. His previous feelings for her during his entire stay in the hospital returned in force. She was the only person he engaged in conversation with. When his eyes could barely see anything, she was a source of motivation for him, and during the healing process, he listened to her and placed his trust in her.
When she got into arguments with her boyfriend, Neji would listen as she talked about how she could mend their relationship. He couldn't offer her much advice, but he did listen. Every time she brought up the Uchiha, he felt weighed down. What made him feel this way? This could be explained by him never having seen anyone in his boyhood or having an extended conversation with any girl, let alone having nothing to do during his protracted hospital stay.
Neji had no doubt that Sasuke was a good match for Sakura, the avenger had changed significantly since his sin and had taken steps to atone for it. A scroll of peace was taken by Neji and Sasuke in an effort to bring peace together with the Hokage. Their respective kekkei genkai, two equally potent dojutsu, Rinnengan and Tenseigan, have returned Kohona to its imposing glory and strength, standing alongside the all-knowing Hokage. Neji held the man in high regard, and they often worked together to keep the village safe from intruders.
Never in his life had he felt this way. Whatever was wrong, he needed to fix it right away. She was his medic, his friend, and he wasn't the jealous type. He had faith that the new Uchiha would treat her well and never abandon her again. Wait, jealous?
Understanding in an instant the source of his distress and the realization of his growing feelings for her. This will undoubtedly cause a lot of problems for them. If he makes it awkward, their trust and their friendship may both be lost. He felt terrible for having such an indefensible thought. He made himself emotionally cold until he buried them deep inside of him.
Pushing the memories aside, it's easy to forget how unknowing she can be occasionally when she just nods off anywhere. He wondered whether she felt secure being around him given that she was losing her sense of awareness as a shinobi.
He gently took hold of her by the shoulders, with a measure of decorum, he tucked one of his pajamas from his dresser and put it around her body as a mark of decency to avoid making direct contact with her flesh. He picked her up in bridal style and carried her back to her room, assuming it was next to his with the lights on. She was so petite and warm when he brought her into his arms. She provided all the warmth that he needed. Loose clothes, soft breathing on his neck, warm skin, he felt his heart pounding.
It wasn't the first time he had done so. How many nights had he held her like this, carried her back to her tent after long hours fighting for lives in the makeshift medical station, how she would move closer to him in his arms for warmth. As they fought together to fend off attackers in the endless defensive battle, wave after wave, night after night? He never wanted to let go of her.
Tell me what you want me to do... Sakura.
In contrast to his previous relationship, Sakura had a different impact on him. Though it had taken him a while, Neji was finally ready to come clean about his feelings for her as he took a moment to just watch her sleep as he held her, enjoying himself with her as much as he could.
Once they were inside her room, he made his way over to the bed and gently lowered her onto it, he accidentally pecked her forehead in the process. He wouldn't mind, and he planted a firm kiss on her forehead once more, this time with real intent.
Neji slipped her under the covers, putting a soft pillow under her head and making her comfortable. He looked at the dozing pink-haired kunoichi, his lips curving into a faint smile looking at her, he would have liked to stay and watch her for a while longer.
She rubbed her eyes sleepily as her emerald eyes cracked open, shifted into a defensive stance as she scanned the surroundings. Usually when she heard even the slightest noise, her ingrained shinobi instinct would make her alert, grabbing her kunai and ready to strike. Taking in the white ceiling of her room, to her surprise, not expected to see a familiar face loomed over her.
Sakura mumbled, "N-Ne-ji?" A hint of blush on her cheek.
She was healing the Hyuuga male in his room, then she was back in her room. It didn't take her long to realize that Neji had brought her back to her room when she passed out from exhaustion. She blushed; she forgot what it was like to be in his arms again. He sat on the mattress next to her, keeping a close eye on her.
"I'm sorry. Did I offend you?" He spoke, his voice soft.
"No, it's fine..." Sakura explained, realizing that there was no threat or enemy present. She had a fear of being kidnapped and held hostage on a mission when she was thirteen.
"Relax, it's your room..." Neji encouraged her, "You fell asleep on the couch."
She uttered, "You should've... uh... woken me up."
"It's okay. I don't mind."
"Are you okay? Your face is red," he asked abruptly. He leaned in and raised the back of one hand to his forehead, then placed another hand on top of her forehead to feel the temperature. "Are you running a fever?"
His hand felt so warm as it lightly pressed against her brows. Even with such a light touch, her heart raced.
"Your temperature is normal." He said and withdrew his hand. A noticeable flush had appeared on her cheeks since just now, and combined with her slightly accelerated chakra flow around her heart, it was clear that something was bothering her that she was a little nervous and a little stressed. Could this be a sign of... infatuation? Then again, what else could it be? His face lit up with smugness as he secretly smiled at the way she was responding to him.
"I'm surprised you still fall asleep wherever you go when you are tired, as you did last time."
"I'm sure you do. I haven't slept for the past three days. I came really close to solving a medical equation."
"Is this… always happening?" His voice sounded innocent, but he quickly regretted it because he feared it would come across as jealous.
"No… I didn't." She was right. It had been years since she had woken up in this state. She must have felt safe and secure with him. It could have been his loyalty, reliability, scent, or even his mere presence that may have done it. He was all of this. Her heart was warmed just by seeing him, even for a brief moment. She wanted to pull him into bed with her. She came to realize that was what made her so obsessed with him.
"Okay," he said, as his anxiety subsided.
With his shoulders relaxed, he made a slight adjustment and shifted to sit in the right spot, next to her. It wasn't the position he desired, but this was the best option right now.
Neji tenderly brushed her pink hair away from her face, it was kind of gentle and loving and she was caught off guard. The way his white eyes shone in the low light when she looked into them made her wonder if they were having the same filthy thoughts. Uncertain of his next move, Sakura blinked at him. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach again.
His long chocolate locks fell in a few strands, covering his still bare shoulders like a curtain. From her vantage point, she saw his straight jawline, angular nose, and perfect lips, immaculate face marred with a frown, was still beautiful. Just having his face close to hers caused a tingle to spread throughout her body. She missed him.
"Stay still." He commanded and held her place as she lay on the bed.
Without realizing it, she watched the chakra pool in the beautiful white eyes of the man before her as his Byakugan activated unknowingly. Veins formed around his temples and white irises appeared slightly strained as he focused on her chakra flow.
Neji scanned her veins on her throbbing temples, and a few tenketsu struck expertly were all that was needed to stop her chakra flow from interfering with the healing process. Just as he had suspected, there were swollen veins and chakra disruption around her temples.
"Relax. Your veins are so tense." With great skill and accuracy, he sent a steady, tiny stream of wind nature chakra from his fingertips, flowing smoothly in and out of her tenketsu node, in a gentle pressure.
"Tell me if this hurts."
She let out a soft sigh of relief. She had been feeling drained and exhausted for no apparent reason. She couldn't remember a time when her head wasn't in agony, stiff and tense. She wasn't used to being treated this way, so taking a break, receiving medical attention, and letting someone else take care of her healing seemed so nice.
"This is one of the best ways to instantly relieve your headache. Once I've sealed the pain and stabilized your chakra flow later, you'll feel much better."
The chakra contact was initially uncomfortable, but her eyes closed slowly as a reflex, and it actually felt soothing, pain started to go away and relieved her slight headache. When she finally felt well enough to open her eyes again, she did so slowly, this time staring at his handsome face, and he returned her gaze.
His eyes never left the kunoichi's face as he kept looking for signs of discomfort.
She accepted and then rejected her unrequited love after he entered into a clan-arranged marriage. She needed something to stop her growing attraction to him. He was the third and final reason why she agreed to the diplomatic mission.
After a few minutes of his healing touch, she could feel his chakra resonating with hers, which slowed down her heartbeat and calmed her veins.
For five minutes, she had been staring at him, deep in her thoughts.
It was too distracting if she kept her intense gaze on him like this. "Close your eyes." The prodigy uttered a low voice.
She did as she was told, a smile on her pretty face the whole time.
"Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah… I'm feeling much better now. Thanks, Neji."
"I just returned the favor…" His words were few and far between.
"Accepted with pleasure, captain." She responded while beaming.
Hearing her called him by his title made him wince.
"I appreciate you watching out for me, but you should've told me you were tired." He emphasizes that he would have dismissed her if she had.
"Nah, it was my job, and I... worry about you, too." she admitted.
"Hm."
This must be the Hyuuga Gentle Touch, they can either obstruct or aid in the healing of the Chakra passage. The mutual reciprocal of elements that move in line with the Yin-Yang principle serves as their theoretical underpinning, enabling the Byakugan to be adaptable and flexible. Hinata told her some skilled Hyuuga could perform this. Neji, she surmised, was one of them. Given his excellent chakra control, which was theoretically very similar to medical ninjutsu.
"Since when did you become a therapist?" Sakura teased, her lips upturned into a smile that gave the message of amusement.
As he concentrated the treatment around the veins, which were undoubtedly swollen, he said, "I'll have to start charging you." The word felt good when he said it.
"I'm being nice to you, Neji!" Sakura let out a sigh as he worked to restore her chakra flow to normalcy, she disagreed and was playfully shocked. "You arrogant jerk! I was praising you."
The slight upturn of his lips in response to her comment.
Under his gentle touch, Sakura's chakras began to flow more smoothly once again. He might be an arrogant jerk, but he was also the most reliable comrade she could always count on.
After a brief pause, she asked while chewing her bottom lip and still keeping her eyes closed, "Neji… Is there anything you can't do?"
She thought highly of him, but she probably didn't realize her abrupt change in line when expressing her admiration for him. With her eyes closed, Neji's slight blush went unnoticed.
"I valued your compliment. Do not talk." He sternly told his patient, with no sign that he'd even heard her remark, his attention remained on his healing efforts.
Although it wasn't much, it was enough to ease the agitation and tightness that had formed in her brain.
Her 36 hours sleepless streak had finally caught up with her, and she was clearly exhausted from the long trip from Suna. It didn't take her long to fall asleep. She was in a state of complete rest as she dozed off when Neji pulled out his chakra from her veins. Checking on her tenketsu, her chakra flow had stabilized and the stress in her brain had subsided.
Neji removed the hair tie and placed it on the nightstand, freed her messy bun by running his fingers through it gently, and draped a soft duvet over her shoulders. He took one last, long look at her sleeping face and kissed her forehead. Crossing the room and quietly closed the door behind him, retreated to his quarters.
The Hyuuga prodigy, being a stoic man, didn't seem to be enamored with the prospect of a relationship. It was not his intention to enter a marriage engagement. His clan was most certainly planning the second one for him. His first engagement hurt him so much that he began to have doubts when a woman he thought loved him didn't really mean it, they just admired his looks and status.
Neji was glad to see the pinkette again. Hanging out with her was fun and relaxing. She brought back all the feelings he had long since forgotten. But... if he were to declare his interest, he wondered if he was ready for another relationship.
She hadn't seemed uninterested in him, and she'd be in the compound until the Hokage wedding, so there was no rush. They were able to spend some quality time together later and rekindle any buried feelings that had been left behind.
End Note:Thanks for reading this! I hope you enjoy their moments as much as I enjoyed writing them. Drop me a line and let me know what you think.
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