Hatomi and Ino
Author's notes: Haha, poor Neji. Again: this is free-writing for fun so most of this is made up on the fly and I tie loose ends up as I go along, well, try to anyway. Does that mean I'll be mentioning the Red-Eyed Byakugan again? Maybe. It depends if I want to be extra mean to Neji and kill off one of his students or Kankuro in front of him. ;)
Rated M for sexy time between characters, swearing, drinking, and gore.
I don't own Naruto though I wish I did. I'm borrowing the characters, messing around with them, and handing them back in slightly traumatized condition.
A week passed in a new kind of routine for his team. They would do laps, Kuma would work on her chakra control, Tora her aim, and Akino his speed. Meditation then Neji would fling Tora around while Akino and Kuma sparred. After lunch it was more chakra control for Kuma, speed drills for Akino which meant trying to catch Neji, and Tora would leave with Sakura.
The days Sakura did not take Tora they would to the laps and personal training as well as mediation in the morning. Neji would still fling Tora through the air while Akino and Kuma fought. He spread it out a bit more and they could do yoga. He added in balancing exercises for Tora and Akino. Kuma hummed through them without challenge so Neji had her practice her aim while spinning.
Thursday they had trained as if Sakura was coming then taken a D-Rank mission. It had been weeding but none complained. They finished early and managed to get a second which had been dog-walking. There were no complaints and Neji tried not to laugh when Kuma walked her dog while standing on her hands with the dog's leash around her ankle.
Friday they trained as Sakura was coming and she was an hour late. They had been doing yoga and she had been caught up with a patient. Neji did not mind and she told him he did not have to buy ice cream as she still had the Chocolate Fudge from last time. Neji inclined his head and let out a breath. Kankuro had not responded to his letter and flowers.
He always checked once he dismissed his students and Ino gave him a pout when he came in. He did find it funny she had asked about Hatomi his first day in but he had pretended to know his female half and she huffed. Apparently Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama had went along with the prank of sorts, saying Hatomi was extremely shy so did not leave the compound much.
Neji knocked on Sakura's door and they went through their typical routine. He sat on his sleeping bag dressed in clothes to sleep in and fiddling with the teddy bear's foot within moments. Sakura brought in the popcorn and the ice cream, shut the door with her foot then sat on his sleeping bag. She offered him a spoon.
"Why hasn't he responded?" Neji asked.
The Chocolate Fudge was heavenly and Neji easily grabbed more as Sakura thought about his question. She shook her head.
"Maybe he's on a mission," Sakura said.
"Hn,"
"Maybe got hurt on a mission and is in the hospital,"
"Hn,"
"Maybe you shocked him so much he went into a coma,"
Sakura grinned. Neji smirked. The mission suggestion did make sense. Kankuro was not always in Suna. Neji did not want to think about Kankuro being in the hospital because of a mission though.
"Maybe he's trying to concoct the perfect letter and can't so he's decided to hell with it and is making his way here now," Sakura said.
That would be nice. Neji ate more ice cream, trying not to be upset but he could not help it. This was the second time he had put his heart on the line and had his heart stomped on. He hated waiting.
"You want me to do your hair?" Sakura asked.
Neji nodded. She smiled at him before getting in behind and brushing out his long locks. It felt nice to have someone caring for him and Neji let out a content breath as she deliberately gave him a scalp massage. She went back to brushing and Neji felt her braiding his hair into the same style he had worn Sunday night.
"We're not going out tonight," Neji said.
"Huh? No, we're staying in. I just thought these really suited you," Sakura told him.
"Hn,"
Neji ate the ice cream as she finished with the braids and tied them off in black elastics this time. Neji said nothing as she did his makeup but did frown when she got him to stop eating the ice cream so she could put lipstick on him. He went right back to it once she was done and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Jeez, slow down, you've eaten half the tub," Sakura said.
Neji looked at the ice cream and frowned. He had eaten half the tub. He pouted when Sakura took it from him and left the room. Neji pulled the popcorn closer and rested his head on the bear. Sakura came back and frowned at him. She settled across from him and placed a hand on his knee.
"Let me touch up your nails," Sakura said.
Neji hummed in agreement and held out a hand for her. His nails were not in need of a touch up; at least he did not think so. Sakura began trimming, filing, and painting the few chunks missing and Neji watched idly. They both stiffened when the door bell rang.
Sakura was up and out of her room as Neji activated Byakugan and saw Ino walking into the front room. Neji reacted before he could think. He tugged off his black attire, hid his bag under Sakura's bed then found a pair of shorts he hadn't seen her wear and a white tank top with a heart on it. He shoved the gel things down his shirt as Ino walked down the hallway. He de-activated Byakugan.
"Who are you hiding in here, forehead?" Ino demanded.
Neji sat on his sleeping bag towards the sappy movie Sakura had put on and pretended to be enthralled in the movie as Ino tugged open the door to Sakura's protest. Neji turned, gasped and shrunk in his position, letting a flush come to his cheeks as Ino stilled in the threshold of the doorway with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.
"I can explain—" Sakura tried.
"Hatomi?" Ino questioned.
Neji nodded and almost laughed when Sakura fell into her room. Her back was turned to Ino and Neji saw the stunned expression on her face. She let out a breath, gave him a wink, and turned to Ino who still stared in wonder.
"Yeah, Hatomi," Sakura said.
Ino shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Neji. Neji almost glared right back but remembered who he was pretending to be. He squeaked instead and snuggled closer to the bear.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Ino asked.
"Because Hatomi's not used to going out or having any friends and I knew you'd want in on the sleep overs and she's not ready for that," Sakura replied.
Ino scowled but let out a breath. Neji bit his lip and squeezed the bear tightly. Ino huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. Neji gulped.
"Fine," Ino muttered. "But isn't Neji supposed to be serving his punishment with you tonight?"
Sakura's eyes went wide. Neji inwardly cured then smirked. Outwardly he coughed and flushed. Neji sent chakra to his back, mimicking what Sakura had done and hoped this worked.
"Neji-san said I could come in his stead and Sakura-chan agreed. He's still, um, mopey about Kankuro-san and didn't feel up to leaving the compound or taking visitors," Neji said.
He had made his voice the same pitch as Sakura had last week. Neji wanted to jump for joy. Sakura looked amazed but Ino had not caught Sakura's look. Sakura wiped it off when Ino turned to her.
"So I guess if I go to the Hyuuga compound to check on him I'll be thrown out?" Ino asked.
Neji gasped and nodded.
"Please don't, Ino-chan, Neji-san is in a very bad mood," Neji said.
Ino sighed and put her fists on her hips. She shook her head.
"I suppose it can't be helped," Ino muttered.
Neji had a feeling she was still going to go to the Hyuuga compound. Neji would have to teleport into Hinata-sama's room and let her know Ino was coming. Damn it, he wouldn't even be able to change.
"Well, you two have fun," Ino said.
She left with a backwards wave. Sakura walked her out. Neji activated his Byakugan to make sure Ino was leaving then teleported. Hinata-sama gaped when he appeared then started giggling. Neji didn't bother to shift his voice back to normal.
"Hinata-sama, Ino is on her way here to ask about me," Neji said.
"You mean Neji-niisan, correct, Hatomi?" Hinata-sama asked innocently.
Neji huffed but nodded. Hinata-sama giggled.
"And what am I to tell her?" Hinata-sama questioned.
"I went in, well, my stead and Sakura agreed. I'm still mopey about Kankuro and in a bad mood: not taking visitors or leaving my room," Neji answered.
Hinata-sama hummed and tapped a finger against her mouth.
"So, Hatomi went in Neji-niisan's stead and Sakura-chan agreed because Neji-niisan was upset about Kankuro, not up for leaving and is in a bad mood and wants no visitors?"
Neji nodded. Hinata-sama grinned. She inclined her head and Neji let out a breath. He groaned when she took a camera out of her drawer.
"You owe me Neji-niisan," Hinata said.
Neji could not argue against it. He let her take a few pictures then teleported back to Sakura's room. Sakura got up from looking under her bed and gave him a curious look.
"I went to tell Hinata-sama about Ino. She is heading towards the compound," Neji said as he de-activated Byakugan.
Sakura pursed her lips but gave up and started giggling. Neji sighed and glared at her. She was laughing too hard to notice his glare.
"What?" Neji asked.
She did not flinch under his glare and kept laughing.
"You went like that with the voice and everything?" Sakura returned between giggles.
Neji sighed and nodded. Sakura laughed harder.
"She took a picture too. Can you fix my voice now?" Neji said.
Sakura kept laughing but shook her head. Neji raised an eyebrow at her and scowled. Sakura shrugged.
"Hey, if Ino comes back we'd be in trouble," Sakura said.
Neji sighed but inclined his head in agreement. She had a point. It did not mean he had to like it. Neji sat back down on his sleeping bag and Sakura went back to fixing his nails. Luckily the polish had dried on the hand she had repaired before the whole fiasco with Ino.
"So, Hatomi, tell me why Neji is so intimidating," Sakura said.
Neji groaned as she chuckled at him. Neji pouted but said nothing. Sakura kept laughing as she fixed his nails. Finally she was done and Neji got to sit back.
"Okay, fine, fine, don't play along. We can go back to talking about Kankuro then," Sakura said.
Neji opened his mouth then closed it. He did not want to think about why Kankuro had not responded, at least not without the rest of the tub of Chocolate Fudge ice cream. Neji sighed.
"Do you really think someone like, er, well the female me would be intimated by the male me?" Neji questioned.
Sakura shrugged.
"You're the one who said it, not me," Sakura told him.
Neji frowned. He had said the first thing to come out of his mouth as an excuse for Ino as to why Hatomi would not know him. Neji met Sakura's eyes and she waited, munching on popcorn.
"Do you think I'm intimidating?" Neji asked.
Sakura smirked.
"As Hatomi: no,"
She laughed when he rolled his eyes at her. He grabbed some popcorn but minded his lips. She shook her head at him.
"As Neji? Well," Sakura said but trailed off.
Neji blinked. She shook her head again.
"When I first saw you, yeah, you were intimidating as Hell and I partnered with Sasuke. Even when we all started to become friends because of Shikamaru and later Naruto you were intimidating. Then you changed to the all black attire and to be honest, it got worse. I mean, I know you as a friend so it wasn't so bad but sometimes when you were sitting with the other guys having ramen or whatever, not talking, just kind of listening: yeah, intimidating.
"Then we started talking during physicals, not just the medical questions but other things. You opened up a bit more and then I kind of saw this softer side to you. The clincher was that first Friday you spent here. Now I don't see you as an intimidating Hyuuga. Don't get me wrong when you glare or go quiet there's a bit of eeriness there but even Hinata has that because of the eyes. I don't think you or any Hyuuga can get away from being intimidating," Sakura explained.
Neji stared at her as she munched on popcorn. He sighed and shook his head.
"So, complicated yes sort of?" Neji enquired.
She flushed but nodded. Neji put his head on the bear's and frowned. Sakura patted his knee.
"It's the Hyuuga decorum thing. Stand up straight, hold your chin up, no smiling, don't fiddle with things, be some kind of machine without emotions. Add white eyes to that and you can't help it. Even if you were more like say, Naruto personality wise, you'd be intimidating whenever you got serious because of your eyes," Sakura replied.
Neji hummed but inclined his head in agreement. He had always thought his eyes were fear-inducing and he looked at them in the mirror every day. Short of always smiling, he would always make people uncomfortable. Hell, if started grinning all the time now people would wonder what the Hell was wrong with him.
"Huh," Neji said.
Sakura shrugged.
"Hey, people are intimidated by me too," Sakura said.
Neji blinked. He raised an eyebrow at her and she laughed at him.
"No really! Apparently being trained by Tsunade-sama does that. God, you should see the new med-nins when they're around me for the first time. Eyes all wide, sputtering, tripping over their own feet. You would think they're not trained shinobi," Sakura said.
Neji chuckled. His students had been the same way the first day they met him. He was glad they had gotten used to his white-eyes. Speaking of his students.
"How is Tora doing?" Neji asked.
She grinned.
"She's amazing, really," Sakura said. "She remembers everything you tell her and everything thing she reads. Her chakra control is off the charts. She's a bit shy with it though, you know, like she doesn't want to show off or she thinks she's not good enough. She reminds me of me in that sense. She healed the fish today too, something I hadn't done for three weeks, Ino the whole month. I think I could even teach her more advanced skills like the Strength of a Hundred Seal then Creation Rebirth. She's that good."
Neji smiled at the thought of Tora being good enough to have the same rhombus on her forehead as Tsunade-sama and Sakura. They both jolted when they heard the front door open. Neji shifted towards the television as Sakura stood.
She made it two steps before Ino shoved open the door. Neji gaped again and flinched behind the bear as Sakura held out her arms as if to protect Neji. Ino sighed and huffed before glaring down at Neji. Again, Neji almost glared back but huddled behind the bear instead, putting on some shaking, and a bit of tears. He should get a damned award for this.
"So, Hinata wouldn't let me near Neji's room," Ino said.
"Ah, he's mean when he's mad," Neji said softly.
Ino snorted and Neji squeaked when Ino ducked under Sakura and leaned in close to him. Sakura sighed and rubbed her temples with one hand. Ino narrowed her eyes at him and Neji ducked further behind the bear, biting his lip, and keeping up the fake tremors.
"Ino-pig, leave Hatomi alone," Sakura said.
"Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you," Ino muttered.
"Why are you being so mean to her?" Sakura asked with a sigh.
Ino spun, whipping Neji in the face with her hair and stood toe to toe with Sakura who simply raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Well I'm sorry if I'm a bit suspicious of some random Hyuuga we don't know suddenly appearing one night, taking all the attention from me then wandering off. And I'm sorry but it is rare Hyuuga women grow as tall as Hatomi. Funny she's the same height as Neji though. Same general bone structure too. And I'm almost positive I'll find the same scars on her back as a certain Hyuuga prodigy even though there's no way she could have them," Ino said.
Neji gulped and for once he was not faking the fear in his eyes. She spun on him and Neji blinked up at her, still gnawing his lips. His eyes were damp and he didn't have to fake shivering.
"So, Billboard Brow, what do you have to say to that?" Ino asked.
She kept her gaze on Neji. Neji gulped as Sakura started laughing. Ino growled and turned to Sakura again. Neji let out a breath but kept snuggling into the bear. At least it was comfortable.
"Wow are you ever paranoid," Sakura replied.
Neji had never considered Ino much of a threat at any time so was not prepared when Ino spun again and grabbed him by the arms. He did yell and began struggling when Ino tried to get the shirt off. Sakura was there to help Neji a moment later and Neji snuck in a hand-seal but did not force as much chakra as needed into it. Naruto's Sexy Jutsu would come in handy.
Ino flung the ripped shirt to the ground and Neji tucked the fake breasts under Sakura's bed before sitting up and sniffling, holding his arms over his chest. Wow. The half-assed Sexy Jutsu had actually worked. He did have breasts the same size as the fake ones and had a feeling his back was scar free.
"The Hell, Ino-pig!"
They both turned towards him and Neji sniffled again. Ino rolled her eyes and Sakura huffed. Neji let out another scream as Ino grabbed him and spun him around so his back faced her.
"Oh come off it Neji, ah," Ino said.
Neji allowed himself a smirk but wiped it off his face when Ino spun him back around and forcibly pulled his arms down to reveal the breasts. Her eyes went wide and Neji kept the tears up and the whimpers as Ino examined his chest. She flipped his wrists over to reveal bare wrists and gaped. Ino backed up a few steps and Neji huddled into his body in an upright fetal position, crying as he did.
"Happy now?" Sakura asked.
Neji fell into Sakura's arms when she sat beside him and began sobbing anew. Really he was laughing but making it sound all whiny and wet. Sakura hushed at him, rubbing his back, and he caught Ino stepped back in shock.
"Ah, um, er," Ino tried.
"I mean really, the poor girl is traumatized enough because of her clan and now you do this at her first ever sleep over? Jeez," Sakura said.
Ino kept sputtering and Neji huddled closer to Sakura. His chest was cold which was plain weird. It had to be the breasts. Damn. He had even made his dick disappear. This was strange, way too strange and he really wanted Ino gone so he could dispel this jutsu and get back to being male.
"I wanna go home," Neji said.
He kept it in a wail then began sobbing again into Sakura's shoulder. Sakura shushed him and rubbed his spine. Ino kept trying to apologize and got on her knees beside Neji and Sakura. Neji squealed and shifted away, covering his chest with the bear as he went.
"Ino-pig, back off, you've done enough damage for one night," Sakura said.
Ino flushed but nodded and stood by the door as Sakura wrapped Neji and his bear into another hug. Sakura kept hushing him, rubbing his back, and he kept pretending to cry. It was not hard once he thought about why Kankuro had not responded to his letter yet.
"She's all ready self-conscious enough about her height and then you go comparing her to Neji like that? Of course she has the same bone structure as him, so do Hanabi and Hinata! I can't believe how insensitive you are sometimes," Sakura said.
Neji choked on a laugh and it came up as a hitch in his crying. Ino was waving her hands and biting her lip, trying to apologize but Neji wailed a bit louder.
"Ah, Hatomi, I'm sorry! Really I am! It's just, Sakura and the girls are always so jealous of me getting all the guys and you know I could totally see them using your cousin to get revenge as weird as that sounds. I mean Neji does look sort of feminine and—" Ino started.
"Neji-san is not a girl," Neji interrupted in a shout.
He went back to sobbing when Ino shut up. He heard Sakura snicker in his ear before she went back to berating Ino. Neji risked a peek and say Ino looking completely mortified.
"No, of course he's not a girl! It's just, ah, I owe you okay? Tell me what I can do and I'll do it," Ino said.
Oh that was tempting. Neji sniffled and took some time to cry into Sakura's shoulder as he thought. Sakura hummed in his ear and Neji took a few more minutes to pretend to calm down. Ino was offering him a shirt from Sakura's closet. Neji tugged it on over his head and fiddled with the hem until Sakura gave him the bear. Neji snuggled the bear close.
"Well?" Ino asked.
Neji snuffled and wiped his eyes. Ino offered him a tissue but Sakura took it from her and began gently wiping Neji's face with it. Thank god the Sexy Jutsu made his face more feminine as well because it had been all the make-up before.
"Go away and leave me alone," Neji said.
Ino paled then fell back on her ass. Neji pouted though he wanted to laugh. Sakura coughed to hide a giggle and continued to wipe the runny makeup off his face. Ino sat back up, kneeling again and chuckled nervously.
"No, seriously Hatomi, I'll take you out shopping, buy you lunch, give you huge discounts on flowers—" Ino began.
Neji shook his head, sending the braids flying. One whapped Ino in the cheek and she waved her hands so it didn't hurt her. Her bracelet got caught in the tips and Neji felt a tug on his hair. Oh this was too good.
He let out a wail when 'Hatomi' realized she had been attached to Ino. Sakura stopped things before they could get too bad and hushed his fake-sobs while she detached Ino's bracelet from Neji's hair. Ino looked ready to throw up mixed with a tinge of embarrassment.
"Go away," Neji shouted again.
Ino backed up and rubbed the back of her head. Neji threw himself into Sakura's arms now that he was detached from Ino and began sobbing again. Ino gaped.
"I mean it! Go away and never come here again unless Sakura let's you! And leave Neji-san alone! And, and," he stopped with a sneeze.
Well that had been unexpected. Sakura's hair had tickled his nose. He could use this. Neji pretended to get embarrassed by the sneeze and burst into tears again. Ino stared, face pale, eyes wide, biting her lip, and hands fidgeting.
"And leave me alone! Stop looking for me at the compound you, you," Neji said.
He faked trying to come up with a word. There were a lot of words he could use to describe Ino and her bitchy ways but Hatomi wasn't him. This was too strange.
"Big meanie," Neji got out.
He went back to sobbing in Sakura's shoulder. It was probably better he did. Sakura held him close, hushing him softly, and swaying back and forth to mimic a cradle effect. Ino gulped but nodded.
"You heard her Ino, time to go," Sakura said.
"Right, I'm really, really, sorry Hatomi," Ino said.
Neji replied by sobbing. Ino winced and stood, edging back towards the door slowly as if making any sudden movements would hurt Neji. Neji really needed to laugh.
"Yeah, just go and try not to make any more surprise visits, okay?" Sakura asked.
"Done. And I won't try to come find you Hatomi and yeah, I'll leave Neji alone too," Ino said.
Neji didn't remove his head from Sakura's shoulder but did see Ino give a final wave before she took off through Sakura's door. The door closed with a thud behind her and Neji waited until he heard the front door open and close. He activated Byakugan and saw Ino running towards her house, looking stricken.
Sakura burst into laughter and Neji grinned. He released the Sexy Jutsu and tugged Sakura's shirt off. She said nothing as he went digging under her bed for his bag. She did laugh when he threw the fake breasts at her. She choked when he took her shorts off and changed back into his night clothes.
He turned to see she had fallen over and had a hand over her eyes, blushing deeply. Neji snorted as he made sure all his parts were back (he had never been so happy to see his cock and balls before) and the parts he had added were gone. His tattoos were back as well and Neji poked Sakura with his foot. She had stayed on the floor on her back, flushing.
"You've seen me naked," Neji reminded her.
He coughed as his voice was still female. Sakura chuckled before sitting up and touching his back. The chakra went through again and Neji cleared his throat. It sounded deeper.
"Sakura?" Neji asked.
It was more for seeing if his voice was back to normal (it was) than to see what was bothering her.
"Yeah, I've seen you naked but in a professional setting. Jeez," Sakura said.
Neji didn't understand the difference so didn't bother to ask. Sakura snapped and he jolted. She grinned evilly and Neji raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, you can so use the Sexy Jutsu to mess with Ino," Sakura said.
Neji started at her then shook his head furiously. Hell no.
"The whole reason I told her to leave me and Hatomi alone was so I wouldn't have to be Hatomi anymore or have to wonder if she was randomly going to barge in on our sleep overs again," Neji told her.
He lowered his voice with a flush when she sat back a bit.
"Back to being intimidating by the way," Sakura said.
Neji groaned and grabbed his bear before pouting into it. She giggled at him. Neji was surprised the popcorn bowl hadn't flipped and dragged it towards him. His sleeping bag was a mess but he didn't care.
"Anyway, Hatomi can't completely disappear now," Sakura said.
Neji huffed.
"Why not? It's not like she existed anyway. And what in the Hell am I supposed to tell my uncle when Ino goes looking for Hatomi to apologize? And what if she wants Hatomi and me to go out together?" Neji went on.
Sakura rolled her eyes at him and waved him off.
"You're over-thinking. Just one or two chance meetings, nothing more, then Hatomi can go back to being a recluse in the compound," Sakura said.
Neji blew his bangs out of his face and pouted. Sakura giggled at him and fixed his hair. Neji watched as she began tidying up her ripped shirt and pulling his sleeping bag into some semblance of order.
"Besides, it'll be fun and teach Ino not to be so bitchy all the time," Sakura said. "She might even become less intimidating to guys and find someone to date which will give Tenten a chance to find a guy."
Neji opened his mouth then closed it. Damn Sakura and appealing to his heart in helping his teammates. Neji sighed.
"Fine, fine, one or two chance meetings and that's it. I don't want to be a girl as great as I may look as one," Neji said.
Sakura laughed but nodded. She began undoing his hair and Neji raised an eyebrow at her. She swatted him.
"You need to see me do the French Braids so you can do them yourself. I'll let you know whenever I come see you if you're to be Hatomi or Neji," Sakura said.
Neji scowled.
"Well if you're coming to see me to tell me who to be, can't you do the braids?" Neji asked.
Sakura hummed but shook her head.
"We might have minutes to "run into" Ino and you need to be as ready as possible. I'll even give you a dress or two to borrow I haven't worn in forever. I'm sure Hinata has something as well," Sakura replied.
Neji frowned but nodded. She made too much sense. She began showing him how to braid his hair properly and Neji wondered what he had gotten himself into. Ah well. At least Kankuro might find it sexy if he ever answered Neji's letter.
Reviews welcome and next chapter coming soon.
And yes of course Neji would know how to do the Sexy Jutsu. He's seen Naruto do it more than enough.
Did I mention I love how Hinata's just going along with this? I totally see her and Hanabi begging to play with Neji's hair when he's around and him going along with it because he owes them for being such a jerk when he was younger...haha.