I would like to thank all of you who keep reading this story despite the fact that I take a freakishly long time to post new chapters... For that I am sorry.

I would like to announce two things.

First: My grandmother has gotten out of the ICU today (Technically yesterday on 1/4/13) and she is doing fine. The doctor said since we had a very nice reaction time they were able to get her into surgery and, although there was a problem after words, they were able to fix it and she spent three days in the ICU recuperating.

Secondly: I got two reviewers who were... amazed (or probably weirded out) about how I was able to write a chapter (despite it being so short) while waiting for new on my grandmother. I would like to say that... I strive under stress and most of my best ideas come when I'm unable to sleep at... 4 in the morning.

Anyways I got the new chapter up (only like 4 days after the last one, I think that's a record for me) so enjoy.

Disclaimers: I do not own Naruto. Only my OC(s) that appear in the story.

"Jerk." She mumbles as both her and her irritating Hyuuga companion sit down at the dinner table; five minutes late. When she had walked in behind the irritating Neji, sword less, she noticed that the table had only been set for five people and three of the people, including a fidgeting Hinata, were already sitting and waiting.

Currently she and Neji were sitting to the left of the head, he sitting closer to Hiashi than she; sitting in front of her was a young girl with straight brown hair and the same piercing white eyes that everyone in the family seemed to have, next to her and to the right of her father was Hinata.

"Well, it seems that the kimono fits you quite well, Rurousha-san." Hiashi said calmly, not even looking up from the soup that sat before him. Her eyes hardened slightly but she still smiled like any proper guest should.

"Thank you, Hyuuga-sama; I am honored to wear such a beautiful thing such as this. Thank you for loaning it." Her voice, airy and relaxed hid the inner annoyance that was directed at the male.

"So why are you here?" The young girl asks boldly, tilting her head slightly to the right.

"Hanabi!" Hiashi snaps, he was probably horrified that his own blood spoke out of line. She ducks her head in embarrassment but the swordswoman knew that the girl wasn't really embarrassed that she asked; just that she was caught asking.

"No," Kumo smiles gently at Hiashi who just returned her smile with a glare. "It's okay that she asked; I don't mind telling."

Hanabi seemed to perk up and, despite her best efforts, Hinata seemed to focus more on the conversation as well. Hiashi's eyes narrow slightly, wondering how much she would say, and Neji, too, seemed to turn slightly so he could give her a probing stare. She shoots both males a sweet smile before leaning forward slightly, absently pushing some of her hair behind her ear so that the males could see her face.

"You see," Her sweet smile seemed to turn devilish. "Neji recently asked my hand in marriage and your father gave his consent; he seems to like me very much despite his indifferent attitude. I'll only be staying for the night but perhaps in the morning you and your sister can take me shopping as a congratulation present?"

There was sputtering from three of the four Hyuugas and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling even though she wanted to giggle. Hiashi was coughing in outrage, Neji had dropped his spoon back into his soup bowl and Hinata was choking on her soup, her face lit like the fourth of July. Hanabi sat there in stunned silence, her white eyes wide and her mouth opened in a small 'o', then, suddenly, she blinks several times.

"I don't believe it! Who would ever marry such a boring guy?" Kumo actually giggles this time, seeing out of the corner of her eye that Neji was blushing with either anger or embarrassment.

"Hanabi-san, I don't know why you're so hard on Hyuuga-san; he's very nice and sweet when he thinks no one is watching." She shoots Neji a wink, an amused smile ever present on her lips as she leans back away from the table as she watches him glare at her.

Before anyone else could talk several maids come in and take away the soup bowls, soon enough the main course was in front of them and the maids were gone again. Kumo makes a small sound in the back of her throat before taking a bite out of the Hayashi Raisu. It was several moments before anyone else started to eat and, doing so discreetly, she hid a smile behind her spoon.

"This is wonderful, Hiashi-sama," She broke the silence before she felt a certain Hyuuga kick her with the back of his heel.

"Hn." Hiashi didn't even try to keep up appearances and respond with a proper answer; she would say that was one point for her. Deciding to play her part perfectly she places her hand on Neji's thigh, a small smile forming on her lips when she felt him stiffen.

"I'm happy you brought me here, Hyuuga-san." She whispered as she leaned into his personal bubble. She saw his check twitch from under her lashes and her small smile grew. "Perhaps I can …. Thank you tonight when we retire to bed."

Despite his best efforts the swordswoman saw Neji's cheeks flare up in either offense or embarrassment before he coughs into his hand, discretely pushing her away with his arm as it rose up. Hiashi looked livid but, to Kumo's amazement, he kept it held in when the maids came back in to take away the empty bowls and returned with Ichigo Daifuku (2). Hanabi kept smiling as if she found all of this amusing and Hinata was blushing deeply with the implications of her dear cousin getting married to a girl and having sexual intercourse before the wedding itself. Taking a small bite from the Daifuku her eyes suddenly brighten and she seemed to sit up straighter, her fingers coming up to place the pads against her bottom lip in awe.

"This Ichigo Daifuku is absolutely amazing!" She purrs, if she was a cat her ears would be perked and slightly twitching with excitement. "Who made it? I want to give my compliments to the chief!"

Hinata was doing a wonderful impersonation of a tomato as her younger sister's small smile turned into a bright and sly grin. Raising her eyebrow the swordswoman takes another bite of her Daifuku, licking the backside of the spoon as she peaks at Neji from the corner of her eyes; she got rewarded with another cheek flush.

"Hinata-Ane(3) made it, isn't it good?" Hanabi gloats, stuffing a large spoonful into her mouth before making an indecent moan resulting in her getting the evil eye from her father who seemed to be very close to blowing a blood vessel.

"It's absolutely," She pauses a moment to savor the taste before a sly grin forms on her lips. "Orgasmic."

...

The rest of dinner was spent in absolute silence before Hiashi gave the signal and everyone seemed to scatter like frantic mice. She could tell that her Hyuuga companion was furious but she also knew he wouldn't blow up until they were in the comfort of his room and she was absolutely drumming with excitement to see what he would look like when he wasn't in such tight control. Both of them were shocked when, after Neji opened his bedroom door, a maid came out of nowhere, latched onto her arm, and dragged her away.

"Gomen'nasai, Rurousha-san, but Hiashi-sama has requested that you spend the remainder of the night in a guest room; this way, please."

"Demo, my swords!" She gasps with fake distress as she looks over her shoulder to a stunned Neji; she was trying very hard to keep her smug smile off of her lips before she was almost roughly shoved into her new room.

"Gomen'nasai." The maid mutters again before the door was shut behind her.

Making a small sound in the back of her throat Kumo looks around her new room with her arms crossed behind her back. It wasn't as nice as Neji's room; it had a simple twin bed with nice peach sheets, the walls were that horrible mint green that crappy hotels paint their rooms to try and make their guests happier and the floors were wooden like the rest of the house. There were two nightstands, on one either side of the bed, and a small sitting couch in the corner of the room off to the right of the door; another door, presumably to the closet, was on the left right next to the door that led out.

Walking farther into the room she stops at the foot of the bed, placing her delicate hands on the soft comforter before there was a soft knocking on the door. Going over she opens the door to reveal a stoic yet still somehow irritated Neji Hyuuga; smiling she opens the door wider and he walks inside with, to her happiness, her swords.

"Ah, Hyuuga-san!" She greets brightly, closing the door behind her and leaning against it as she watches him set down her precious objects on top of her bed. "And what do I owe the honor of you gracing me with your presence in my room?"

His eyes said it all, he was angry and he was about to give her a piece of his mind.

"You're welcome, by the way." She interrupts him when he opens his mouth to talk. Frowning he crosses his arms over his chest and waits for her to clarify.

"We have our own rooms now… You're welcome." She couldn't hold it in any longer and a smug grin plastered itself over her face, her green eyes twinkling with enjoyment. His brows form into a V as he looks down, it was obvious that he was thinking and she leaned against the door more for comfort.

"So all of that was to… get your own room?" He asked, the anger dying a little in his eyes.

"No, not all of it, some of it was to fuck with your uncle." She scrunches up her nose and closes her right eye before shrugging. "Like I said, he's an ass; I don't like him."

He shakes his head, rubbing his temple with two of his right fingers before sitting at the foot of the bed and giving her a hard stare.

"You know, I wanted you in my room so I could keep watch over you." He admits quietly.

"Oh, hush." She waves her left hand at him before pushing hair behind her ear. "There are like, a hundred Hyuugas in this compound. Even if I wanted to try and escape I'm sure I'll be found out as soon as I walk past the bathroom."

His eyebrow rose and she gives him an 'are you kidding me' look.

"Really? I'm not a ninja but I'm not stupid. I know that the Hyuuga Clan has the 'all-seeing' eyes; I have no doubt that at any random moment someone will activate their blood limit and, if I so try, will see me trying to sneak out." He seemed clearly impressed with her thorough thinking but was either unable or unwilling to give her props; she didn't mind though, she kind of figured he was the type to not be impressed easily.

"So you will not try to escape tonight?" He asks for clarification.
"Of course not; first off, the all-seeing eyes. Second, after what I put you through during dinner you need a night of no worries. And, third, if I wanted to escape from this stupid 'village arrest' I would have done so last night when I was at your teammates house and she was blissfully asleep in her bed." Rolling her eyes she blows a loose lock of hair out of her eyes before reaching up and tucking it behind her ear. She watched as his eyes turned slightly suspicious, then annoyance, and finally reluctant acceptance.

"Very well then," Standing up he walks over to the door, causing Kumo to move away from it and watched with slightly tired yet still very aware eyes. Opening the door he slips out until she could only see his face. "Goodnight, Kumo."

That was the first time he's ever called her by name and, despite her better knowing, she couldn't help but smile gently.

"Goodnight, Neji."

1. Hayashi rice is Japanese style hashed beef stew, thinly sliced beef and onions in a demi-glace sauce served over or along side cooked rice. It resembles kare raisu, and, like kare raisu, is also eaten with a spoon. (Information found on )

2. These are daifuku cakes with strawberry and anko fillings. (I shall give the ingredience and the directions to make it now :O)

Ingredients:

1 cup shiratama-ko (glutinous rice flour)

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup water

For filling

1/3 cup water & 1/2 cup sugar & 1/4 cup dried anko powder, or 1/2 cup premade anko (sweet red bean paste)

6 strawberries

katakuriko potato starch or corn starch for dusting.

Preparation:

Heat 1/3 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a pan. Add 1/4 cup of anko powder in the pan and stir well. Set aside. Wash strawberries and remove the calyxes. Wrap a strawberry with about a spoonful of anko and rounds to make a ball. Make 6 balls. Put shiratamako in a heat-resistant bowl. Mix 2/3 cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Pour into shiratamako, stirring well. Put the bowl in microwave and heat the dough for about two minutes. Stir the dough. Heat the dough in microwave until the dough inflates. Stir the mochi quickly. Dust a flat pan with some katakuri-ko starch. Also, dust hands with some katakuri-ko. Remove the hot mochi from the bowl to the pan by hands. The mochi is hot and sticky, so be careful not to burn your hands. Dust hands with more katakuri-ko starch and divide the mochi into 6 pieces by hands. Make 6 flat and round mochi. Put a piece of strawberry and anko filling on a mochi piece and wrap it by stretching mochi. Rounds the daifuku. Repeat the process to make more pieces. (Information found on .com)

3. Ane- According to Google Translate it means "big sister"