A/N: I'm aware that it's a slow progress, but things are going to rush up soon. I just needed to make the setting so that things can manifest without feeling forced. It might take another chapter. This chapter also got super long - a whooping 8-9 pages - so I stopped myself here. It's the longest one yet! I just love writing the NejiHina, so I can get quite a bit carried away there.

I hope you all take the time to review and tell me what you think!

Chapter 9

Sasuke

As he exited the corridor, he saw the Hyuga Princess and his heart leapt. He had heard the rumours (okay, he heard it from Naruto) how she had adventured to the moon and had been blessed with Hamura Otsutski's chakra. He had heard about how completely badass she had been as she had retrieved her sister's eyes, only to then donate one of her own to her stupid cousin.

He had also heard how due to the fusion, her cousin had managed to awaken a power similar to his own. Sasuke snorted. Naruto had glorified it too much probably, he was sure. There was no way anyone could even hope to come up to his level, except perhaps Naruto, who had just been lucky.

It was sad that the only one who even dared speak to him was just Naruto.

He had decided to come up to her and speak. He didn't know what he would speak about (definitely not her failed confession) but he'd improvise. He had never been one to make conversation and was very much used to the girls speaking while he listened, bored. Karin certainly made that easier for him. He could tune her out as she began her chatter easily and focus on his food, nodding occasionally.

But if he would not talk about what he had witnessed, then what? He realized that he had never given her attention when they were kids, never even noticed the weird girl exhibiting stalker-like behaviour and darting from corner to corner. She had been trashed in the chunin exams by her very cousin, that much he remembered.

As he made his way, said stupid cousin appeared out of nowhere. He noticed how he stood next to her, a little too close for comfort. His princess, instead of shoving him away like she had shoved him, smiled up at him, her pretty blush accentuating her features. Sasuke stopped, observing them closely as his stupid teacher brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and looked at her so tenderly that only a fool such as Naruto would miss the obviousness of the spectacle right under his nose.

There was something definitely going on between those two. He had thought that the classroom awkwardness had been a bit suspicious, but now his suspicions transformed into confirmations, and he hated it.

"Student-teacher romance?" Sasuke drawled as he leaned casually against the wall by his elbow.

Sasuke watched in amusement as the pair split apart and looked over at him. Naruto had told him that the petite Hinata was all shyness and weird, but the cold gaze she threw him actually made him shiver. How could she have changed so soon? He supposed Naruto's rejection might have played a part, but judging by the quickness she had latched on to her cousin's arm, he supposed stealing her away from him might be tougher than he had initially thought. He wondered if she had really loved Naruto, or was just using Neji to make him jealous.

"Behave yourself, Uchiha," Hinata's cousin dared to say, a frown etching on his face. Sasuke noticed how his hand had actually twitched, and he guessed that Neji had stopped himself from throwing an arm around the cute little muffin, like that would protect her or in any way mark her as his.

"Well, I guess it's you who should be behaving yourself, Hyuga," Sasuke said as he boldly walked closer toward them. "I doubt the Hokage would appreciate a teacher and a student getting romantically involved, especially in his school corridors."

He liked how Hinata blushed as she got angry and flustered at the same time. As her cousin snarled and opened his mouth to retort, she grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Neji-kun, save your breath," she said, actually turning away from him and facing her idiot cousin. "Don't waste your energy on riff-raffs."

Sasuke's jaw dropped. While Neji's words had not bothered him the least, the other Hyuga's words actually stung. He supposed he had done it on purpose, to draw a reaction out of her. Anything to make her notice him. He wondered, once more, why he even cared.

He smiled devilishly. "That's right. I'd rather talk to you, Hyuga-chan," he said, bowing slightly, and immediately chided himself at his lame comeback. "Or should I call you Hinata?" he continued.

"You can call me goodbye," Hinata snapped as she turned around completely, hair slapping the other side of her face.

Sasuke smiled, knowing she could see him still with her 360-degree vision. Even angry, she was extremely cute. It did not suit her at all, and that's what amused him even more. She made him want to hold and protect her. When Karin was angry – which he apparently got her all the time on purpose or not – it was an epitome of a wild night ahead.

He wondered if it was the same with Hinata. He also wondered if she had slept with her cousin, and decided she must have, by the signs she was exhibiting - and the love mark on her neck which had come unveiled when she had swished her hair. His eyes had not missed that. He could only imagine what she was hiding underneath her clothes.

As if guessing the perversion of his thoughts, her face donned a disgusted look. She took Neji's hand and pulled him slightly, an indication that she did not want to stay in his presence for another second longer. Neji threw a final, nasty look at him before following suit, turning around and allowing her to lead him away.

Sasuke's smile slowly dropped from his face as he looked at the retreating pair and he clenched his fists. He would never have guessed that Neji was capable of landing such a hot chick, even if he had the hometown advantage. He had actually always thought that Neji Hyuga's dick was as frozen as a Popsicle and he was incapable of loving anyone.

Well, Sasuke had to give him that. He had not thought himself capable of love as well. He harbored deep affection for Karin, but what he felt for Hinata Hyuga was way different.

He would show that uptight Hyuga ass exactly why he should be taken seriously. It would be a pleasure to snatch her away from him, and he would show everyone he was capable of doing just that. He gladly accepted the challenge. He would show Hyuga Hinata that he was not someone who could be so easily ignored.

He wondered how she would feel wrapped around him, imagining her blushing, her sweaty body encased in his and her moaning in pleasure as she looked up at him like a god and he smiled again as he felt his arousal. He decided that she needed him to show her a good time. He would also show her how passionate a lover he could be, so much better than that stoic bastard she was with.

Sakura

Kiba floated around happily, getting her a drink as Sakura sat at the table, nervous. No, she wasn't nervous about being at the Inuzuka compound. She had arrived with the excuse to apologize to Kiba for the way she had snapped at him earlier. In truth, she hadn't seen Inuzuka Hana at the hospital where she went after school, so she had decided to drop by their residence.

The emotions she was wrestling with threatened to eat her whole, and she feared it would not be long before she burst. She needed to get it out before she did. So the next best thing to do was to keep herself distracted. She poured herself into her work and duties, but this was the time she was usually free if Ino had a date. And apparently, nowadays, she seemed to have one every day, which made Sakura wonder what excuse she'll need to drop by the Hokage's office later. She hoped it'd be something to look forward to instead of dreading.

Ino had been unsurprised when Sakura had mentioned that Hana Inuzuka, of all people, sent a message for Kakashi.

"Hana-chan? She comes over occasionally. She does routine checkups of the Hokage's dogs. It's a relief she does not bring her own all the time. In fact, just the other day he was telling Shika-kun how much he loves her puppies."

Kiba sat down beside her, placing a glass with two straws in front of her. Contrary to popular belief, the Inuzukas didn't lick everything off of their plates. In fact, Sakura actually smiled at the irony; not many people even kept straws at their homes. Sakura supposed that being brought up by women had taught Kiba the art of domestic integrity perfectly, even though as Alpha, his mother was always busy in clan duties and Hana's cooking tasted like dog food. Sadly, Sakura knew how that tasted like having accidentally mistaken Akamaru's snack in the refrigerator once when she had gotten up hungry in the middle of the night. It was such a huge relief for Sakura when Kiba turned out to be a lot better cook than his sister because Kiba occasionally brought her lunch and insisted on eating it together.

She drummed her fingers on the table, getting caught off guard as Kiba grabbed them. She looked up to see him looking at her very tenderly and she knew what was coming. Her breath caught in her throat, and she couldn't bring herself to turn her face away at the end moment like she had the last time.

Kiba surprised her by being unusually soft, lingering on her bottom lip as he gently nipped it. Sakura sighed, cursing herself for comparing it to a different kiss she had had just the previous day, with a different man.

He brought up a hand to cup her face, deepening the kiss. She sighed again, closing her eyes and returning it without much action on her part. She hated herself for not feeling the same way for him. Moreover, she no longer felt like the time they had begun dating as well. At that time, she had been so happy, so excited, that she looked forward to each time Kiba would sneak in through her window. She would wait for him anxiously, occasionally peeking out and wishing she had Kiba's sensory abilities so she'd at least know he was near. But she didn't need to, she soon found out. The butterflies which started floating in her stomach would alert her to his nearness right away. Kiba had been nothing but nice to her, and she'd eventually have to break his heart.

Not to mention, possibly his sister's as well. How could she ever forgive herself? She doubted if the guilt she was already feeling would ever allow her to stay happy, or even satisfied.

The tears she had been struggling to hold back fell, but Kiba obviously mistook them completely for something else. He pulled back as he held her face with both of his hands now, looking at her with warmth in his eyes, so tenderly that she had to bite her lip again. His emotions, as always, were written on his face as clear as day.

They heard the sound of a door opening and then closing again. Sakura's relief was so immense that she had to momentarily close her eyes in thankfulness, before remembering that the person who had arrived was someone she was actually dreading; the one who would either confirm or deny her suspicions.

Hana Inuzuka had arrived, both of her hands holding up brown paper bags. Kiba finally lets go of her to help her out. He took the bags from her to put them away, and Sakura was left with her alone at the table as Kiba busied himself in the background, putting the groceries away.

Hana smiled at Sakura. "Hello there sweety. It's been awhile since I've seen you here."

Sakura's smile was forced. "Y-yes, Kiba-kun has been coming over instead. You know how it is with parents and curfews. Like we don't go on late missions all the time. Used to anyway. But the parents, not being shinobi, won't understand that the threat has passed."

Hana nodded in sympathy, the same smile on her lips warming up her face. She did not look as wild as her mother or brother, though she had the same markings on her cheeks as well as the pointed canines which only revealed as she smiled just now.

"Well, once you're a parent yourself, you'll understand." Her eyes wavered from her to Kiba then back to her again. She had tried to be inconspicuous but Sakura has noticed the gesture and understood very well. The lump in her throat hardened.

"Kiba just won't stop talking about you," Hana told her, her voice dropping. Sakura had to lean in to hear. "It's always Sakura this and Sakura-chan that. It's like his whole world revolves around you."

Her guilt punched her in the stomach, so hard she choked. Hana looked at her in concern before Sakura waved it away.

"Enough about me Hana nii-chan. What about you?" She says, finally coming to the topic. "I've heard your love life's been very interesting lately."

It was a bluff, the kind she normally pulled on Neji. They always worked on him, making him reveal things he would never have. She almost wished it wouldn't work on Hana, but the colour rising on her face suggested otherwise.

"How-how did you find out about that?" She squeaked.

Sakura's smile was so reluctant she feared Hana would see right through it. Her heart, once more, was breaking.

"I have my ways," she told her instead.

"Of course, you're friends with Yamanaka Ino," Hana groaned, like that made sense. Which, Sakura supposed, in a way it did. Ino somehow always managed to be around the juiciest gossips. Especially now since she had started spending almost all her free time with the Hokage's assistant in his office, hearing all kinds of stories, watching all his visitors and noticing the increased visits of Inuzuka Hana.

"If it's possible to put a leash on that bitch, can you hold her back and make sure that it doesn't get around?" Hana told her worriedly. Sakura knew that Hana-chan was not abusing Ino; the Inuzukas just always gave examples of dogs or referred and compared everything to them to explain themselves better. Or so they thought anyway.

"Depends on what you want me to stop from getting around," Sakura said, almost bitterly. Sakura knew it was almost too much to hope since she had yet to officially admit by taking his name too.

Hana absently played with the end of her ponytail, twirling it around her finger, a faraway look on her face. The split ends were even worse than her own and she cringed, instantly deciding to get a haircut soon like Ino had been begging her to do so.

"Kakashi-kun and I… Well…" Hana blushed. Sakura cringed at the kun. Hana's blush had almost matched the markings on her cheeks. "Kakashi-kun and I have it made… You know, I think he just might be the mate I'm looking for. After all, he had an Inuzuka like me swooning and falling for him since the beginning when he mentioned that his ideal girl must love dogs."

Kiba came back to the table, having made a drink for his sister as well. She took it thankfully as he took his seat, putting an arm around Sakura and pulling her closer to him.

"It all started when he wanted me to take a look at Pakkun," Hana continued, taking a sip of the drink. "Pakkun was very satisfied with me and according to Kakashi-kun, really liked me, so I started routinely checking up on his other ninken as well. One thing led to another and well… It just happened. We haven't made it official yet. We have been going out though, and well… Kiba here has been fetching our messages like the good pup he is."

Sakura tried to stop the tears from erupting by widening her eyes as she tried not to clench Kiba's hand which lay on his lap too tightly.

"Let me just say Kakashi-kun is a very passionate lover."

And a backstabber, Sakura thought, as the tears erupted. She hid them by nuzzling up against Kiba's chest, hiding her face as Kiba stroked her back. And a cheater.

Neji

The sun peeked in through the blinds and he kept his eyes shut tightly. He had the most wonderful dream and he did not want to wake up from it. When he felt the warmth he was covering, he stole a glance and his breath caught in his throat. There lay a beautiful apparition of otherworldly beauty, right there in his arms. He sniffed her hair deeply and pulled her in closer, burying his nose and resting his chin on top of her head and drifting off to sleep once more. He did not have to wake up early today.

She woke up with a start, wondering where she was. She felt extremely comfortable. When she tried to get up to check her surroundings, she felt a tug, restraining her from doing so. She turned around to face the heterochromatic eyes of the man who held her close to him.

"Stay," he murmured, his two-toned eyes half closing.

She felt much inclined to do so as she snuggled in even closer and put her arm around him, feeling his skin. He gave a slight groan as he hugged her tightly. She gasped in shocked delight and the suddenness of his movements.

She could stay like that forever. Unfortunately, however...

There was a knock at the door and she jumped back, pulling up the sheets to cover herself. Neji got up in a sitting position and his blue eye shone for less than a heartbeat. He put her hand over her mouth, the other holding a finger on his lips.

"Hiashi-sama," he mouthed.

The use of Byakugan was forbidden when visiting the lodgings of another Hyuga, as it was unethical and the Hyuga at the other end could always sense it. However, Neji had not needed to activate his Byakugan to see who was at his door, nor apparently had Hiashi.

Hinata's face turned as white as the sheet she was clutching. Neji shook his head and held her hands, nodding confidently, while feeling none of it himself. He gestured to the bathroom with his chin as he leapt out of bed, grabbing his trousers and pulling them on, getting stuck on one leg and falling on the floor with a loud thud. Hinata got up, quickly sweeping her clothes from the floor as Neji called, trying to keep his voice smooth and level.

"W-Who is it?' he called out weakly from the floor.

"It's me, Neji-kun," Hiashi's voice called out patiently. "Can I come in?"

"Just-just a minute," he said. He finger-combed his hair and dusted the kimono shirt he had thrown over himself, tying it loosely as he got up before going to open the door.

Hiashi stood, regal and poised as he bowed ever so slightly and walked in. Neji held his breath, his heart in his ears.

Hiashi looked around, surveying his surroundings. Neji had the odd sense that he was being judged, and he flushed at having been caught so off guard.

"You-you needed something, Hiashi-sama?" he asked him, praying that Hinata wouldn't make a sound and Hiashi won't activate his Byakugan. Any second now, he feared Hiashi would pull open the bathroom door and drag Hinata out.

"Yes," Hiashi said absently as he further inspected his room, running his hand on his bed before taking a seat. "I thought, as you are always up so early, that I'd pay you a visit. I wished to speak with you."

Neji swallowed, having a strange feeling that he had hoped to catch him off-guard deliberately.

"You-you need not have gone through the trouble, Hiashi-sama. You could have just sent a servant to fetch me, and I'd have been present at once."

As he moved to close the door, his kimono loosened, revealing his body like a curtain drawn apart and Hiashi looked him over and raised an eyebrow. "What happened to your body?' he asked.

Neji slouched, perhaps hoping that the scratch marks Hinata had administered on him might disappear. They were down his arms, his neck, and his back. Ever so slightly, he shook his head so that his hair continued to hide the love bites all over his left collarbone as he hurriedly tied back the kimono again.

"I... my genin team was assigned on a mission to retrieve a runaway cat," he spoke hurriedly. "I-I had to step in."

Hiashi smiled. "Tora? That silly cat still hasn't managed to make an escape? I pity the poor soul."

Neji smiled hesitatingly, not sure he had exactly gotten away with it or not. "Maybe-maybe one of her descendants."

Hiashi wrinkled his nose at the scattered journals and the blank walls.

"This won't do," he told Neji, apparently distracted by the plainness and the lack of prosperity signifying the residence worthy of a Hyuga. "You need to liven this place up. I suspect a wife will do that for you perfectly."

And the strangest thing happened just then. Hiashi winked.

Neji looked at him, absolutely bewildered. "Hiashi-sama... Is there something you wish to tell me?"

If Hiashi wished for him to marry someone so his line could continue, or so he could leave his lovely daughter alone, then he could forget it.

Hiashi smiled as if Neji had finally come to the point. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," he said as he nodded. "I had hoped you might be freshened up by now and had time for a meeting." He looked around his surroundings and made a face. "But alas. Meet me at my office for tea later in the day. There are things we need to discuss."

Neji swallowed. He was sure Hiashi had found out. "Y-yes," he managed to get out. "I-I'll be there," he stuttered like Hinata.

Hiashi smiled and patted his shoulder, causing him to flinch, praying that Hiashi's all-seeing eyes would not spot the love marks on his skin.

"I'll see you later then," Hiashi said, nodding as he left, closing the door behind him.

He heard his footsteps receding as he fell back on the bed, breathing heavily as he put an arm over his forehead.

Hinata peeked out to make sure the coast was clear before slowly making her way over and joining him on the bed, coming to lie on top of him, resting her face on his chest with her arms around his neck. She had dressed already, and she was intrigued by the marks she had left on his bare skin.

"That was... Too close," Hinata finally broke the silence. She was not as nervous by the conversation Hiashi had had with Neji as she suspected clearly what it was all about.

Neji was still badly shaken up and Hinata longed to make him relax. But she was too shy to let him know what Hiashi had meant. Her cheeks burnt at the very thought.

He caressed her back, holding her around her waist as she lay on top of him. He suddenly sat up, holding her steady as she was transferred to his lap.

"Hinata-sama," he began, taking a deep breath as he looked at her directly, causing her to blush deeper. "I vow to you, whatever happens, I will always remain by your side. The sun will rise from the west the day I stop loving you. So whatever Hiashi-sama decides or any judgement he passes, anything against us or in our favour, I will never abandon you. Is that clear, Hinata-sama?"

She gasped loudly, hiding her burning face on his chest as she held him close to her. Who would have thought Neji was such a passionate lover?

Hinata hid her tears by snuggling closer to him, hiding her face on his shoulder as he stroked the back of her head.