I know that I didn't put this information on the first chapter, but I will on this one. I don't own Naruto. There is some adult themes in this chapter, but nothing heavy. Enjoy!
A Change of Pace
Chapter 2: Mission!
Sakura walked a few paces behind Neji, letting her mind wander as her eyes were entranced by his long, chocolate tresses being teased by the breeze. She watched as his strong and upright form walked forward, with an air of dignity that no other nin she knew carried.
When did he become so—manly?
She remembered hearing of the missions he had been on. They never failed. Well, almost never. She remembered the mission that he had been sent on with a few of her other comrades, including the annoying but strong Naruto. Their orders were to bring Sasuke back from the Sound ninjas that had sealed him away in a chakra imbued container and kidnapped him. She remembered the wounds Neji received from that disgusting arachnid-like ninja. He was in so much pain, and nearly out of chakra, but he still managed to defeat his enemy—and he was only a Gennin.
That's right. That's the real reason I wanted to be a medical nin; for times like that, being able to save a life.
She thought back to that day. The normally stoic face of Hyuuga Neji, was twisted in pain. The bloodline limit whiteness of his eyes were hidden behind squinted lids and darkened by the shadow of slow, creeping death. His face and clothes were spattered with a mixture of his and his enemy's blood, now dried and crusted. She couldn't help but notice in all his agony and soiled visage, he was still beautiful. She always thought he was. Even then, despite a gaping wound inches away from his vitals, the contortions of his face, the low howls and moans seeping from his clenched teeth, the way his dirt stained hands clawed at the stretcher he was carried on, the smell of death seeping from his pores, and the agony hidden behind tear filled eyes; he was captivating.
Since that day he has steadily become stronger. So strong that he became Jounin rank, completely skipping the normally prerequisite Chounin rank, at the age of 18. Only one year older than the medical nin Haruno Sakura, Tsunade-Sama's apprentice and prodigy; walking directly behind him—preparing to go on a mission with him, for the first time as a stronger kunoichi.
Maybe in a year I'll be as accomplished. Tsk. Yeah right.
She uttered a low sigh at the thought of graduating to Jounin rank.
Neji could feel Sakura's eyes on the back of him. With his bloodline limit he could actually watch her looking from behind if he wanted to, but he didn't want to waste precious chakra on curiosity. But it was oh so tempting to spy on her like that. Besides, she was familiar with his Byakugan, and understood how it worked—for the most part, and he didn't want to risk her sensing a change in chakra use. It was enough that he could feel her eyes wandering along his form. It sent little tingles through his fingers. He balled his fists to try to shake the feeling.
Why now? Of all times, why am I feeling weird around her?
He couldn't shake the vision of her when she first opened the door this morning. The thought of her goddess like form beneath that paper-thin shirt caused a twitch in his lower abdomen and an electric current snaked its way up his spine. He dug his fingers deeper into his palm, clenching his fist tighter, leaving little half-moon indentations in his calloused palm.
Get a grip Hyuuga.
He sighed slow and low, closing his eyes momentarily and opening them again with regained composure.
They were finally approaching the Hokage Building.
Sakura watched as Neji looked lost in thought. She saw as his hands balled into fists, and watched as his chest and back heaved with a giant sigh.
She wanted to close the distance between them and see if he was alright, but she knew it would be futile. With his stoic face, he would probably look back at her with a straight lined mouth and she would lose herself in his pearled gaze, while he would remain unaffected. Those eyes were so hypnotic. Even without using his limit ability, he could deflate any woman with those half lidded eyes, and slightly furrowed brow. The intensity of his emotionless gaze would definitely disarm her if she didn't know any better. Good thing she isn't brought to mush so easily.
The hell with it.
She quickened her pace to close the distance between her and Neji's back. She slowly reached her hand out towards his shoulder and extended her long fingers to gently touch him. His hair, like silk strands tossed in the gentle breeze, lapped at her extended hand as she let it hover over his back. She paused, letting the tingling sensations run from her fingers down her forearm and up her shoulder. She felt a warmth spread through her belly as a shiver shook her core in a tiny tremor.
What the hell?
Her eyes widened and she withdrew her hand, at the same moment her comrade spoke up with a slight turn of his head towards her position.
"We should pick up the pace. We're almost there." He said without inflection in his voice or expression on his face. Just that same intense "Neji" look.
What happened to the smirk I saw this morning? Or was that just another variation of the classic Neji indifference?
She quickened the pace a bit and shook the thoughts out of her head.
Neji quickened the pace again as well, not really wanting the pink haired kunoichi to catch up at the moment. He could feel her hand reaching for him a minute ago, and part of him wanted to let her rest it on his back, out of curiosity. But the fear of the unknown, of what might happen if he allowed it to happen, gripped him tighter than mere curiosity. He really didn't want to find out what her touch was capable of doing to him if just the thought of her caused such a riot in his body.
They were now at the steps of the Hokage Building. Both sighed simultaneously as they began their trek up the steps to The Hokage's Room.
Knock. Knock.
"Enter" came an authoritative feminine voice from the other side of the door.
Neji pushed the door open and he and Sakura stood a body's width apart, side by side in front of Tsunade-sama's desk, waiting for her next words.
"Shizune!" The blonde, buxom bombshell yelled to her assistant, slamming her hands on her desk, "Close the door. We don't have all day!"
"Yes, Hokage-Sama" Shizune, the dark haired woman always seen by Tsunade-sama's side, hurriedly shut the door and stood outside.
Sakura could smell the tell-tale smell of sake in the room. The Hokage had been drinking again. The kunoichi sighed.
"I'm sorry to have to take you away from your holiday, Sakura, but this is of the utmost importance, and all the other medical-nins are on missions with other teams." She explained.
"What's going on, Tsunade-Sama?" Sakura asked, relaxing a little.
She sat back in her chair, and rested her elbows on the desk. She pursed her lips together and took a moment before answering.
"It seems that Kabuto, Orochimaru's assistant, is on the move on his own accord. ANBU spies in the Hidden Villiage of Sound have been stationed in strategic locations throughout that area, and they have seen him on multiple occasions moving on his own. They saw him last heading east toward the merchant town of Minohana, just outside the Hidden Villiage of Cloud. I have a feeling that there has been some kind of treason in Orochimaru's circle, and I want to know what happened, and what the slippery Kabuto is up to. I'm sure it's no good." She continued, "Sakura, first and foremost, you have healing abilities, but you also have had exposure to Orochimaru and Kabuto, and should you run into your former teammate you're the most likely to escape because you're levelheaded. And you," she pointed at Neji, "Hyuuga Neji, you are to be the leader. You let anything happen to my apprentice, and I will personally see to it that you fear a different destiny that I will have mapped out for your little Hyuuga ass! You need to disguise yourselves. I have already made preparations for your disguises. Shizune will show you." She instructed. "Now here is the part that you aren't going to like. I don't want to hear any complaining from either of you. Minohana is a popular vacation town, and why Kabuto is headed toward a couple's oriented town I want to find out." She explained, eyeing the pair standing in front of her—carefully watching their movements. "You and Sakura are going to have to act like a couple on vacation. Now I don't need you guys to act awkward and blow your cover, so you better get used to the idea!" She saw both the shinobi and the kunoichi slightly shift their positions nervously as they shot each other odd glances. "That is the exact kind of behavior I'm talking about." She slammed her hands on the desk again. "Get used to it. There isn't anyone else qualified for this mission. I'm sorry if it's awkward. That is all. Shizune is waiting for you. I have instructed her to have you prepared in the next few hours. You must leave before sundown." She waved her hand toward the door. "Shizune!" she yelled. She turned her chair around and gazed out of the window that overlooked the five Hokage's memorial.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." Shizune opened the door, and ushered the new couple out into the corridor and closed the door behind them.
"Please follow me" she led them into another room a few yards down. Inside were many costumes and wigs and props.
"What is all this?" Sakura asked touching one of the chocolate brown wigs to her right unconsciously swirling the tendrils around her index finger.
"This is a reserve room for all the undercover operations that many ANBU and Shinobi not unlike yourself have had to execute through the years." Shizune explained. "I need to make you the genuine thing. So you really don't have much choice in the matter of what you wear and how you look. So let me tell you now. No complaining." She said looking at both pairs of eyes intensely before continuing.
Neji had a severely annoyed look on his face. It almost looked like he was nervous.
"Are you chickening out, Hyuuga?" Sakura poked.
That was it. Neji had enough of his emotions around Sakura being a thorn in his side. He decided to play a little.
"Not a chance, baby" he said lightening his countenance and looking deep into Sakura's deep green eyes.
He moved close to her and gently ran his hand down her arm. He began at her shoulder and slowly let his hand glide over her soft skin before resting his hand on her forearm and tightening his grip.
She gasped, wide eyed.
He pulled her close to him and rested his face in her lavender scented mop. He inhaled deeply and smiled into her scalp, and let out a chuckle.
"Ah, baby you smell so good." He said slow and deep, drawing out the word "baby".
The vibrations from his voice made her scalp tingle and sent tiny lightning bolts down the sides of her head, slithering down her neck, skipping through her chest, and coiling tightly in her abdomen gathering heat there.
"Ok that's enough, sugar!" she emphasized the sarcasm in that last word, and giggled nervously.
She still felt the electricity surging through each cell of her body. She could still feel the heat from Neji's breath against her head, and she felt the heat from his body begin to soak through his garment's into hers and scorching her skin. Her hair rippled on the back of her neck as he slowly let go of her arm, letting his fingers drag light caresses down her wrist and the back of her hand. He looked at her lips and back to her eyes, and winked.
"Don't ever call me chicken." He said as the intense expression he normally wore crept back to his face.
"Ok that's enough." Shizune frowned at them. "The mission hasn't officially started yet, so you can jump down each other's throats later." Shizune giggled at the double entendre that they obviously ignored.
Sakura just stared at the shinobi in front of her, that she thought she knew. Sure she hadn't had many missions with him, and she really didn't like hanging around his team because of that disturbingly energetic green beast, Lee. Ok so she didn't really know him well at all. He always seemed so uninterested in anything except missions and destiny. How did he learn how to tease? She was definitely shocked. But she was also pleased. This mission might end up being fun.
Fun.
That's a word that hasn't been a part of Sakura's vocabulary for a very long time.
Her body starting relaxing again after that little tease-fest Neji seemed to enjoy raining down on her a little too effortlessly.
He's going to have fun too. He just won't admit it.
She smiled up at him, his face still turned away from hers expressionless.
She would make sure he would have fun.
Mission within a mission: Opereation break Neji's stone façade. Team of one; Haruno Sakura. Expected success rate: 100%
Sakura giggled to herself.
"Is something funny?" Shizune asked, rummaging around in one of the many shelves in the dusty room.
"Oh no, nothing really." Sakura stated regaining her composure.
Hyuuga Neji, look out. Haruno Sakura is going to break you. And you're going to enjoy it.
It's been a while since Sakura has had a mission, and she felt like she had just been given wings.
She had a mission.
She had two. Only one was known to her alone. And she smiled, and her heart fluttered in sheer excitement.
Shizune broke the tension and silence that had filled the room with a loud 'bang' as she pulled two suitcases from a shelf and let them drop on the floor at once.
She opened both leather suitcases, and checked the contents stuffed neatly inside.
"They were already packed?" Sakura asked.
"Yes. We have your measurements. So your clothing has been altered to fit you already." She answered.
"You have our measurements?" Sakure inquired.
"Yes. She has your and my measurements. You of all people should know how, especially with every six month check up, measurements are taken each time at Konoha Hospital." Neji chimed in, still expressionless.
Sakura sighed. He had a valid point. She had forgotten about all her routines she was stuck with at the hospital, only the night before. It seemed that when she was here, with Neji, all her mediocrity melted away.
She smiled up at him.
His eyes lingered on her pink lips twisted up into a smile.
Sakura noticed, and playfully bit her bottom lip.
She also noticed how his lips that were drawn in a straight line, parted slightly at the sight of her feigned vulnerability.
He knew she was teasing him. But it was still sexy. He admitted it to himself.
His eyes drifted up from her moist lips to her eyes that were looking off to the side at nothing in-particular.
She is definitely paying me back. She is quite the tease. She is going to pay for it. I will make it my mission to see to it that she pays in full. Operation Dominate the vixen Haruno Sakura. She's going to fall into my trap, and enjoy every minute of it.
For the first time in his life, he felt like he might have a little fun.
Fun.
Hyuuga Neji was about to discover what the word meant. He was about to completely devote himself to this mission, to both missions—one of which only he was aware of—until he was satisfied.
He twisted his mouth up in a sly grin that Sakura failed to notice.
This is going to be a wild ride. Thank you, Hokage-Sama.
Ok so this is the end of chapter 2. I know that the plot is a little predictable, but it'll end up being really good (I hope). Please read and comment