Angel of Mine

By Marshie-chan

Chapter Three: Desires

When Ino woke up, it was already twelve in the afternoon. When she pulled herself up from the bed, she noticed that Tenten isn't in her bed anymore. 'Damn! I overslept! Where could Tenten be?' She looked around the room and noticed that the disguises and Tenten's things are still intact on right where she had left them—indicating that the girl hasn't left the town yet. But still, her fellow kunoichi could have left a message on where she went.

'Today is another brand new day,' Ino thought as she opened the window of the room. From there, she could see the peaceful and quiet town. Closing her eyes with a smile on her face, she breathed deeply to enjoy the sweet scent of air.'Some people might think I'm the woman of the world. They didn't know that I'm only a simple person. I would prefer to sit under a tree or walk at the seashore while holding the hand of the man I will love forever.'

Suddenly, she heard unstoppable knocks at the door. 'That could be her.' However, Ino didn't bother to open the door because she was still enjoying the view outside the window. "Come in!" She called out, thinking it was Tenten who was knocking. She didn't even waste her time changing her sleeping clothes which are only thin pajamas and sleeveless blouse.

The door opened.

Neji took one step in the room and froze dead in his tracks.

If Neji saw himself, the look of utter astonishment on his face, he would not have believed it. He can't understand himself why this has to be his reaction when he saw the curves in Ino's body. Though she had clothes on, she was more brazenly sensual than a dozen naked women combined.

Neji's masculine instincts said he should rush across the brief expanse of floor space that separated them, take her into his arms, toss her onto the bed, remove what few articles of clothing she wore, and make glorious passionate love to her.

"Where have you been Tenten?" Ino asked who was still looking outside the window.

Thinking that Ino didn't know that it was him…that was his only chance to get out of the room without the blonde girl noticing.

But he couldn't move.

When the blonde girl looked at his direction, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw that it was Neji, not Tenten that she had invited to come inside, "What do you think you're doing in here?" She asked with her face reddening in anger and embarrassment

"Uh—I apologize." Neji said. The sound of his voice was strange in his ears. "I knocked. You said it was okay to come in."

"I thought you were Tenten."

Neji's smile was warm, with the touch of the devil in it. His eyes went from her face and down. "Did you really think it was Tenten?" He asked sarcastically. "Or did you know it was me? Most girls wouldn't be so… immodest in front of others."

"Such an ego you have, Neji Hyuuga! Get out! Get out!" The anger exploded within her. How dare him!

He smirked as he stepped outside the room, "Are you sure you wouldn't ask me something? Like… where Tenten headed off to?"

Ino felt humiliated. Where did her manners go? She was so blinded with her anger with Neji and she didn't even bother to ask where Tenten went without leaving a message. She cleared her throat before she answered calmly, "Well, can you tell me where she is?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in first?"

Ino sighed. This guy is really trying her patience! "Please come in, but leave the door open."

Neji frowned and met her in the eyes, "Are you afraid of me?"

"Not at all. I'm just worried that someone from Konoha might see us and think of something unpleasant… besides, I don't want Shikamaru to hear about me being with another guy… in an –ugh- one room."

"So, Shikamaru's being possessive eh?" He spoke as he looked at her from head to toe. Ino felt conscious and uncomfortable but pretended she's not affected by the way he stared at her body. "Well, he has every reason to. With your beauty, I'm sure that he had so many rivals."

The blonde girl folded her arms and sat on the nearby couch. She wanted to get mad at him again. "Where's Tenten, Neji?"

Neji sighed, "All right, just calm down," He sat on the couch opposite to where Ino is sitting. "Tenten went downtown with Lee to gather information about our target."

"Is that so? Without even leaving a message to me?" So Tenten and Lee told Neji what they're up to and didn't even bother to inform her. Gosh! Team Gai has got to be one of the most unpredictable teams in Konoha! No wonder, there are hardly Shinobis who wanted to team up with them.

"They don't want to disturb you." Neji said. "They knew you were so worked up because of the disguises. They could be back any time now. In the mean time, would you like to have lunch with me?"

Ino hesitated for a moment. Why not? She wasn't able to eat dinner last night and she's really hungry. "Okay."

Neji and Ino went on a nearby restaurant not far from the inn. They both ordered seafood salad which happens to be the town's specialty. Ino was so quiet while eating, and even without looking, she could feel that Neji is staring at her.

In the middle of their lunch, the waitress approached them with two glasses of juice. Ino frowned. She doesn't like to pair a glass of juice with seafood salad. She wants a can of soda or root beer. "Um… do you have some soda?" She asked the waitress.

"Yes, Oujo-san. But your boyfriend here ordered pineapple juice."

'He's not my boyfriend.' However, those words didn't come out. "Can you replace the juice with soda please?"

"Okay. Right away, Oujo-san." The waitress said and turned her back on them.

"I didn't know that you aren't conscious of what you're eating." Neji commented with a smile on his face.

"I've quit dieting years ago. But still… whatever I eat or drink, I don't get fat easily. I have the appetite of a horse." She jokingly said as she took another bite of the food in their table.

"Really?" Neji said, staring at her anxiously. "Well, you amazed me, Ino. You look modern at first glance… then you are an innocent woman with childish gestures but with a sharp mind. I didn't expect you to grow into a very witty, responsible and beautiful woman."

She wanted to tell him that the witty, responsible and beautiful woman is the skinny poor little girl that he doesn't want to notice before. Or even if he notices her, she could see in his eyes the sign of disgust.

Ino smiled, "Thank you."

"I like it better when you're smiling." He said in a nicer and honest tone.

Maybe her impression about him before was wrong. Neji had changed. He had grown into a more mature and responsible member of the ANBU team. And she couldn't understand why his treatment towards her was different than before. Was it true that Neji is also secretly attracted to her like what Tenten said? She wanted to giggle in excitement at the thought but she knew that it isn't right because she's going to get married with Shikamaru after three months. 'No, I shouldn't let this happen. I shouldn't let him near me like this. That's unfair to Shikamaru.'

"By the way," Neji suddenly said, interrupting her thoughts. "When Tenten and Lee come back, we have to pack our things immediately. Tonight, we're going to depart."

"Depart? Where?"

"We have to catch the boat heading to our target's territory."

Ino nodded her head and didn't ask for more questions. So now, it's decided. They're going to attack their target and finally this whole mission is going to be over. That means… she can go back to Konoha… and to Shikamaru. She sighed. 'What's wrong with me? I should be happy.'

When Lee and Tenten came back later on, they did what Neji ordered them. They hurriedly pack their things and left town, heading to a huge ship that can carry on fifty passengers. The four shinobis rented two rooms—one for the girls and for the boys. Unlike before in the inn, the cabins they rented in the ship are now next to each other. They also started wearing the disguises Ino had designed so that people wouldn't suspect that they are ninjas.

And good thing, they didn't come out suspicious.

Ino, herself, knew that she made a good job.

It was already night time when Ino felt the sudden urge to go to the shower. Well, she hasn't taken a bath since she had woken up at noon. It was a good thing she doesn't smell bad. She went straight to the Ladies' bathroom with her clothes and a towel.

After making sure that she had already locked the door, Ino turned the shower on. She was quite thankful that the water that came out from the shower is fast. It had been minutes when she let the water running and only turned it off when she applied soap in her body.

But then, when she turned it back on to wash the soap from her body, she got disappointed. It was so strange to find out there are only droplets of water that comes out from the shower!

"Damn! Why now?" Ino blurted out angrily. She could feel the soap in her eyes and it's starting to hurt. After minutes of waiting, she got even more disappointed when the fast water failed to come back.

She irritably covered her soapy body with a towel and went out of the bathroom. Thinking that almost all of the people are quietly sleeping in that ship, she entered the Males' bathroom to see if there's water coming out of the shower.

And strange enough, there's water that came out from there and it's fast! Well, she's already there so she decided to continue her bath and didn't turn the shower off. She didn't even bother to lock the door. The blonde girl was currently removing the soap from her body when the door suddenly opened.

A loud scream.

Ino yelled her lungs out to notice that Neji was there, with a glazed expression on his face while staring at her nakedness!

At that time, the blonde girl felt that her world stopped turning. She doesn't know how to cover herself right now. She secretly wished that the water could hide her nakedness in the eyes of Neji Hyuuga.

"Ino…"

She heard him slowly spoke her name. It was a good thing that she had gained back her sanity or else she could have collapsed right there. Her heart was beating so fast and it's as if her knees are about to give up. It's silly if she's going to reach out to her towel near the door because Neji was there.

Ino pressed her body harder to the wall near the shower. Neji entered the bathroom and closed the door.

The blonde girl swallowed. She could feel fear and excitement. Her eyes widened when Neji started to remove his forehead band (revealing the caged bird sign on his forehead), loosen his shiny brown long hair and took his sweater off. It was the first time she saw his naked body. 'Shit Ino! Look somewhere else! Look somewhere else!'

Her thoughts betrayed her.

Ino continued staring at him with a blush forming on her face. This guy is really dangerously sexier than before. Neji's shoulders were broad, strong in the chest and the rest of his body is perfectly muscular.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked when she found the tongue that she thought she had already swallowed.

"Joining you," He said teasingly.

"W-why? Are you nuts? Get out of here!"

"You're going to let me out of the Males' bathroom, Ino? You, why are you here?" He met her eyes challengingly.

Ino wasn't able to answer when she noticed him unzipping his pants. "You pervert! What are you doing?" She quickly turned her gaze to another direction to avoid seeing him undressing himself.

"Taking my clothes off, obviously." His voice was husky and with a touch of joy, noticing how nervous Ino is.

"Please get out Neji! The Ladies' bathroom ran out of water that's why I bathe here. I didn't mean to—"

She hasn't been able to continue her words when she felt him standing behind her. Her heart is pounding so fast when she felt Neji's chest on her back. The blonde girl closed her eyes. She didn't know what to do. If she uses her ninjutsu skills, she might wake the others or worse, their covers would get blown.

"I tried to stop myself, Ino, but here you are, seducing me. I'll give you pleasure if that's what you want."

Ino screamed when Neji suddenly hugged her from the back. She tried to jerk his arms away and confronted him. The guy was quick, however. His hungry lips crushed her own, kissing her passionately, fully aware of his boldness. The sensation and fear are fighting within her. She didn't expect that she would get to taste his sweet kisses again after two years!

"Ino, you're driving me crazy," Neji muttered in between kisses. His lips savored every inch of her lips and his tongue exploring the insides of her mouth. Just like before, Neji is really a damn good kisser!

But then, Shikamaru's face suddenly flashed in his mind and that was the time when Ino was brought back to her senses. "No… stop!" Ino yelled breathlessly when their lips parted. She pushed him away but she can't understand why she lacked strength at that time. "Damn you, Neji Hyuuga!"

"Yes, damn me." He replied as he began kissing Ino's neck and she was fully aware that the guy's hand is also touching her breasts. But she can't do anything because Neji's arm is like steel that keeps on holding her. "This is foolishness, I think, but I couldn't get you out of my mind since the first time I saw you, Ino. I tried to ignore this feeling but I was only punishing myself in doing it. And I intend to win you heart this time, whatever it may cost."

What did he just say? Did he just confess his own feelings? Ino waited for him to say that for years… but not this way… not in this kind of situation… not when she was already committed to someone.

"STOP!" Ino yelled once again, tears forming in her baby blue eyes. "No…SHIKAMARU!!"

It's as if Neji came back to his senses hearing the name Ino mentioned. He immediately let the girl go. He remained in front of her, frozen on his tracks. Ino took this opportunity and quickly grabbed the towel to cover herself.

"Shikamaru?" He muttered.

"He's the man that I love!" Ino blurted out as she tries hard to prevent the tears from falling on her eyes while gripping the towel around her body tightly. "I love Shikamaru! I hate you!"

Neji's white eyes glanced downward. His eyebrows met up and gritted his teeth out of pain. Pain? Is that pain she could see in his face?

Without another word, Ino left the bathroom. Good thing Tenten was already asleep or else, she would wind up asking her questions on what had happened. When she reached her cabin, she instantly let the tears flow down on her face. Maybe she had mistaken to accept this mission after all.

Ino didn't expect that what happened earlier is really possible. She didn't thought that Neji could do that to her or he could have a chance to do that to her. Worse, Neji seemed to forget that she was already engaged and only realized it when she called out Shikamaru's name.

The next day, Ino saw Neji on deck looking on the faraway island where the ship is heading—yes, that must be the enemy's territory he's staring at. "Neji…" She called out to him.

When Neji saw her, confusion was shown on his eyes that quickly disappeared. She approached him and she also looked at the island.

"I would like you to know that I'm sorry, Ino. I promise that it won't happen again." He muttered sincerely.

"It really won't happen again, Neji. I'm going back to Konoha. I'm sure your team can manage."

What she just said made Neji's eyes widen in surprise and panic, "What? You think it's just easy?" Ino can sense the irritation in his voice. "Hokage-sama will scold us, for sure! We must complete this mission with you in it! If you're still worried about the incident last night, I assure you, it won't happen again!"

Out of desperation, Ino sighed. Neji's right. If Team Gai completed this mission without her… it was still equal to failure. The blonde girl didn't argue with him anymore and preferred to walk on the other side of the ship.

Not far from her, she saw Lee and Tenten approaching Neji. She noticed that Tenten threw her a meaningful look that she quickly ignored right away.

Without her knowledge, Neji stared back at the blonde girl with a determined look on his face. 'Just you wait, Ino. I'll make you mine. All mine…'

TBC