Rated M for sex.
The first time Neji saw her, he fell in love.
The first time Hinata saw him, she found friendship.
Years past, his forehead was marked and his father died.
Years past, her hair was kept short and her father favored her younger sister.
He hated her and she feared him.
Both wear long clothing to conceal the skin of their arms and legs. It was a sort of tradition, they suspected.
They weren't vulnerable to the elements and it concealed the wounds they sustained.
...
When he became jounin, he found he doesn't mind the sight of her.
They are more amiable with each other and he enjoyed her company.
But he found pleasure elsewhere.
She wore a heavy jacket that cloaked her body. Neji doesn't pay attention because even though she was important to him, duty ruled his life.
Propriety demanded he assist her through the barrier of clothing, but there were limits. When she was injured, Neji hesitated. In the end, he called for a medic to heal her.
"Don't look," he warned the others.
He doesn't watch when her front was exposed. He had to protect her dignity. When Hinata sat up, her shirt was ruined and he draped his spare clothes over her shoulders to shield her from onlookers. And when every inch of her was covered, he carried her back to the village.
"Thank you, Neji-niisan," she said when she was settled in her quarters.
He doesn't stay long; it felt strange and she likely wore little beneath the sheets.
Neji didn't think further and left.
They fight in battle often and it's her face that he saw nearly everyday, but the thought of anything more hadn't cross his mind yet.
...
The first time their skins touched, it shocked him more than her.
He does not often go without a robe over his clothing nor does she feel comfortable without her jacket.
But they stumbled upon each other one lonely afternoon.
Their feet are bare and their arms exposed, but it does not register to either of them. Because as Hinata frantically apologized and in her haste to pull back, she tripped over the landing and he lunged to catch her.
He managed to press her in his body and his foot slid to stop their fall. She was soft and pliant under his hands when he straightened, hoisting her up.
Her breasts pressed into him, reminding him that the years filled her body and they were close to adulthood. "Hinata-sama," he gritted. "Please watch your step."
When he deigned to look, her eyes was submissively down.
"Y-Yes, Neji-niisan. I'm sorry." Her head suddenly lifted and Neji blinked at bottomless snow white eyes reflecting his. "I didn't mean–"
He sharply drew back and she yelped when he nearly dropped her. Her arms came up to tightly wrap around his neck and Neji stiffened. "My apologies, Hinata-sama."
The warmth of her touch seared his skin. He cannot hold her any longer. He knelt, setting her feet down.
She was quiet and he took his leave.
...
The ground was dying and she found a lone bud struggling to live.
It meant nothing to him, but he remembered Hinata loved tending to her garden.
She touched it, fingers tracing its stem.
"Be patient, Hinata-sama," he told her. "We cannot do anything until we find the others."
She doesn't linger and they leave. Bodies litter the battlefield and he led her into the shadows of the forest.
He stood close as she heaved and vomited. Her face was cold when he dabbed her mouth with water. Her gaze was cast down and Neji startled her when his fingers touched her cheek. It was the only source of heat he could give her.
She closed her hands over his, telling him that they only had each other and she relied on him heavily. She was important to him and he wanted to give her everything of his. A sliver of her attention was all he wanted in return.
But he can't feel the warmth of her body as she sobbed in his arms.
...
Later, she requested him to call her just Hinata.
And he complied, if she called him just Neji.
She hesitated, testing the words. "N-Neji," she tried slowly, biting her tongue from saying anything more.
"Hinata," he said effortlessly, as if it always fitted.
It no longer felt strange to him. Because when they touch accidentally, when they are driven in close proximity that tested his restraint, when he protects her and she smiles, because the name she called him wholly was Neji.
It was a victory.
The boundaries were slowly chipping away, Hinata realized. They were training; she was on her back and he towered above her with a storminess look in his eyes. Her body warmed, and his lips curved the slightest bit as he asked her name, Hinata?
It should have been a good thing that their distance shortened, but she was unsure. She gets used to it.
...
Hinata always tensed whenever someone else touched her, be it an accident or necessity.
It was foreign to her. She doesn't tell anyone, but sometimes she craved the heat of their touch, wanting to know they still lived. As a child, she was starved of love and affection.
All times and even now, she was barred from touching the skin of another. Her arms and legs are always covered and she doesn't feel confident in her body. She was envious that Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka never felt the restriction of duty.
They were more experienced and she never even held the hand of another.
The war took a toll on her.
Neji was the reason she began questioning it; when he carried her, comforted her and was beside her nearly every day. The warmth of his hands was a reminder that they were alive and he was the one she could freely touch.
He found a measure of freedom and somehow, she realized he was helping her obtain hers.
...
The war ended and she forgoes wearing long sleeves.
And it gave Neji pause. It was rare to see the white skin of her arms under the sun, smooth and naked for everyone to see. No one else thinks twice.
It might have been because the heat of the uniform during war, how sweaty and suffocating it felt. When they spar, he steeled himself when his hands dug into her soft skin to throw her over. His mark was left as a red imprint that disappeared after hours.
It gave him more reason to seek her.
His fingertips slid a fraction on her skin and pressed to call for her attention. Hinata tensed, a short breath leaving her lips. He kept his face neutral as she flushed under his heavy gaze. "Yes?"
"Hiashi-sama wants to see you before you depart."
Hinata nodded, touching her arm. She left soon after.
Confidence was instilled in her, but she remained as she always was. She no longer hunched her shoulders to hide the largeness of her chest and the cloth wrapped around her waist emphasized her figure. He doesn't know how to feel about how one slim thigh shows and her legs are barely hidden by stockings and guards. It stumps him to silence each time he saw her.
He was more proud than vexed because everyone in the village knew he was the only man beside her.
…
He followed her example.
When she returned, he was in khakis and a loose black top in the garden before sunset.
It was unusual how casual he looked. No longer the man with unforgiving eyes who arguably stood above the rest. He looked just like another villager, except his incredibly fit body set him apart from the others she saw. There's power and strength in him that can never be disguised. She never realized how battle scars adorned the lines of his arms. One caught her attention, a long white raised line that continued on his back. But his long hair shielded everything else, another constant obstacle.
Hinata hesitated.
"Neji?"
His gaze cut straight to her. He observed her body for any harm and like always, she flushed from his inspection. "Come here, Hinata," he beckoned. She noticed even his calves showed from the shortness of the hem as she approached. The heat of his hand shocked her when he unbalanced her and threw her to the ground. "You are slow today," he remarked, standing over her.
She gasped, rising.
He was in position. His forearms were hard, muscles defined beneath the sun. It made her squirm, her heart beating fast. Many times he had held her, but it was never in combat and the barrier of clothing was now non-existent. She touched her own bare arm, uncertain. It would be the first time they hit against skin than cloth.
She realized his strength, how it moved in his body, and it shook her.
How could she even hope to defeat him?
And she didn't. He was rougher than usual. There are marks visible on her skin when they finish. But the thought that he was marked the same made her strangely victorious.
He was stretching, arms flexing and his gaze was blank. He probably does not even notice, Hinata thought with a pang.
She walked back to her room and stared at the imprints left on her. His hands were large, she noticed.
The next day, she was covered up and so was he.
…
Her hair was shorter compared to recent years.
It still flowed over her shoulders and down her chest, but she maintained that length. She was among the only few of Hyuuga that never grew it longer.
Neji, with his undeniable strength, had his hair reach past his hips even when loosely tied near the end.
Some days Neji had to tie it high. The heat irritated him.
When Hinata saw him, she missed a step. "I don't see you do that often," she said, taking position.
"I have no choice, lest the village children play with it."
It made her giggle and Neji struck.
It's a long fight and he wearied the feel of his hair tightly constricted. So much that Hinata disarmed him, throwing herself on top of him before he could recover. Blue chakra churned furiously and Neji stilled. She was panting near his shoulder in exhaustion. His jaw was angled to the side and up. It exposed his neck and one hand steadied itself to claim her victory. The press of his muscles beneath her almost made her abandon it.
Hinata raised her head, keeping her position. His breathing was controlled. The pulse on his neck beats wildly and Hinata had a sudden urge to place her mouth on it. He tensed, sensing it. The silence stretched, and she had to be aware of his heart pounding hard.
It was the only time he was vulnerable. He was taken aback when her head shuffled and he felt the slight pull of his shirt. His brows furrowed. She was looking for something and he had no clue, but her movements definitely stirred his needs. A moment later, Hinata sat back and Neji thanked the gods she wasn't anywhere near his hips.
"Neji," she said happily. "I won."
...
Hinata found that she doesn't dislike being touched, especially if it was Neji.
She doesn't know why Neji allowed it and it relieved her. But it disheartened her that he allowed another to do the same.
Tenten jumped down from the walls, eyes flickering shortly over his form before she stopped before him. Hinata paused. Whatever she said, a devastating smirk graced his lips, all devilish and daring. Hinata wondered what it was, for it was the first time she witnessed it. Then Tenten leaned forward and Hinata tensed, the world narrowing, as Neji allowed a kiss from her. The woman smiled triumphantly and left in a hurry.
He looked disgruntled and wiped it away.
"Neji," she tried to ask during their afternoon break. She lay on the floor and he's sitting beside her, combing strands of her hair with his fingers. "Why was Tenten-san here?"
He paused, watching her under hooded eyes and Hinata felt that familiar blush slither through her body. She turned her head away. He didn't allow it and leaned his arm next to her head and bent down to see her. "You are curious?" he asked as if the prospect intrigued him.
She shoved him away unthinkingly and an apology was on her lips until she saw the flicker of danger in his eyes. She swallowed. "I…I was wondering if you were going to be busy then."
"I am not," he said easily. "I will see you here tomorrow, Hinata."
Something in his eyes dared her. Then she wanted to defy it because her chest felt tight, her breathing constricted. "Are you going to see her?"
"Do you want me to?"
She froze. The power was given to her; it always belonged to her and Neji, for some reason, wanted her to exercise it in moments like this.
"No," she whispered so quietly, but the wind carried her words.
"Then I will not."
...
Her first kiss was almost accidentally taken.
Neji nearly witnessed it and shoved them apart.
"Wait, Neji," she said, staying him with both hands when he lifted the other man by the collar. "Let him go," she said frantically.
"I see you near her again and I will end you," he threatened.
He released him but Hinata didn't relinquish her hold. "I'm sorry," she said to the shaken nin. "We will take our leave."
They were teammates, she explained on the way. Village children were running around and the man mistook her intentions to avoid them, she said. He was brimming with contained fury. It scared her only because she knew his touch was gentle and she'd forgotten he could channel his strength when it came others. "I don't like it when you resort to violence," she uttered softly.
"You were unwilling," he said stiffly. "That's what I assumed and took action."
Her hair curtained her face. "It was wrong."
Heavy footsteps signaled his leave.
They don't see each other for the rest of the day and her skin felt cold. She was filled with dread the next morning when Tenten stopped by. She doesn't know why Neji was furious when it came to kisses, accidental or not, because he allowed it often enough for himself. Hinata doesn't like seeing them and departed for the market.
He noticed her leave with the Byakugan in his eyes.
"Leave," he snapped to the brunette. "Don't come here again."
Tenten sighed. "It wasn't even like that," she complained, preparing to leave. "Lee will be the one to come here then since you barely leave this place." Only because Hinata was here, was the unspoken say.
"Don't bother."
She shrugged and left.
Neji returned his attention. Hinata was upset and he followed her, keeping to the shadows because there were too many eyes.
She returned to the compound hours later and tried to apologize when she came by his room. She didn't mean to stumble upon him while he changed. He wore something beneath the robe because he shrugged it off. It piled at his feet and the sight dried her mouth. Suddenly shy, she ducked her head and the wood creaked beneath her. "Hinata," he said strongly and opened the slides fully.
His feet were bare. "I-I'm sorry about before."
"No need. I apologize for my behavior."
It felt strangely intimate, standing there while he wore casual clothing, his room behind him. The silence stretched and Hinata decided that was that.
"Why were you upset this morning?" he asked. She denied that. "She won't come by anymore," he mentioned and finally, she looked at him. His lips curved and she realized he knew.
Her eyes were wide and Neji pulled her in before she escaped. Surprisingly enough, she didn't struggle. "Neji," she whispered, unsure.
"I hate your silence. What can I do to appease you?"
"Please," she was muttering by his collarbones and it sounded muffled.
He frowned. "Say it again."
Hinata drew back, enough that they parted, but not enough so she could leave. She daringly touched his lips with pleading eyes. "Don't," was all she said.
"I only serve you, Hinata," he affirmed and Hinata can finally relax.
...
The first time her body was bared to him, he was at her mercy.
It was purely accidental and they froze. Her eyes were as wide as his, hers all vulnerable and shy, his in pure shock.
He only meant to check on her as she bathed in the lake. He had snapped the necks of her attackers.
She tried to cover her body, one arm failing to fully cover her chest and the other shyly angled down to cover below. His gaze ran down her body, saw some bruises, then leisurely climbed back up. He doesn't say anything and though the scream rose in her throat, she forced it down.
Her arm was broken, the water dragging down her legs. "Help me," she asked quietly.
He broke away from her pitiful gaze and lifted the towel off the tree branch. She tried trudging forward through the heavy pull of water, motions awkward. Tears prick her eyes.
The water shook and splashed and Hinata gasped as he entered. Without another word, he lifted her in his arms and carried her to land.
She peeked at his face. He was determined to fulfill her wish as he set her down, towel tightly secured. She dripped heavily and his clothes were damp. Neji stood and she watched in confusion as he left. Hinata looked down. She could dress herself and clumsily moved to her knees, nearly tipping to the side, when his feet stopped before her.
"Hinata," he warned as he knelt and wiped the dirt off her skin. He dropped another towel, his, on her hair and dried her with quick motions. "Don't move."
She endured it. "Uhm," she began. He followed her gaze and obeyed. His hand was on her elbow, the broken one, to inch it forward as he wrapped the binds around her chest and the flimsy towel fell. Her face felt hot, but not once had Neji shown any interest.
"Lift your arms," he commanded, then gently, "I apologize, Hinata. It will hurt."
As the uniform fell over her face, down her shoulders and over her body, she whimpered. The pull on her arm hurt. He was apologetic once she was covered. Her legs slid, brushing his clothed thighs.
He abruptly looked away. The cold air reminded her. "I-I can do it myself," she said in the silence as Neji sat still, gaze averted. She reached for the remaining garments and pulled it up her legs.
His arm curved around her waist as he helped her stand. He presented her his back and she leaned on him as she pulled on pants. When it properly covered her, his fingers helped her button it. He attended to her cast, retying it.
Once done, they stood before each other. She watched the space between their feet and he watched her. "Thank you," she whispered.
Neji walked away and he knew she watched his retreat.
…
She was curious about intimacy afterwards.
In reconnaissance missions, she watched as targets and teammates engage in passionate embraces and she closed her eyes when their clothes were removed. Naturally, her mind wandered to Neji. They were close enough that they touched often, but it wasn't like what she saw. They touched because it was necessary, because of comfort, because it was natural and it was never in passion.
"What's wrong?" he asked her when she drew him over.
Her fingers played with the tips of her hair. She imagined her first kiss to be romantic, but the man before her could offer more and would never question her.
"Hinata."
"Can you," she began shakily and couldn't finish it. Her tongue peeked to lick her lips.
His eyes flashed. "Can I what?" he asked huskily, drawing closer.
All the same, her heart began beating faster and Hinata anxiously drew a breath. So far he hadn't rejected her. "K-Kiss me," she rushed, ducking her head. "I want to know how it's like," she lamely continued and to her ears, it sounded pitiful. "I-I'm sorry. You don't–"
He touched her bottom lip and leaned down.
In the darkness of the room, Neji took her first kiss.
And her second, third, fourth, until he made certain her curiosity was sated. And when he kissed her another time and another place, it was to tell her she was meant for him.
But she wanted to let him know that he rightfully belonged to her as well. She doesn't know how to express it nor does she have the courage to declare it.
So she kissed him when she wanted to.
When her training was over, she tiptoed to touch her mouth to his. When evening came and shadowed the village, she kissed him goodnight in the hallway, sometimes more than once and more often than not, their lips lingered a little longer. Before either of them leaves for a mission, she kisses him deeply. Even when Neji merely greets her, she smiled and raised her face for a kiss.
It made him pause at first, but he indulged her.
It was simple and it was enough.
She was happy. He leashed the desires in him, greedy and impatient for her.
…
She learned Neji was more possessive than she imagined.
He doesn't like the men that surround her when she leaves for a mission.
"You don't trust me?"
His teeth gritted. "I do."
But he kissed her thoroughly anyway, uncaring if they were seen. And she lets him because she felt the caged power in him, and it secretly thrilled her.
"Be safe," he told her gruffly and she departed.
The night sky burst with stars, but it doesn't comfort her. The memory of him kept her company for the duration of the mission.
When she returned, she wasn't alone. She wanted to surprise him, but Kou Hyuuga escorted her back home in the night.
As soon as Neji saw her jump down from the walls with Kou Hyuuga, he stormed towards them, grabbed her and pointedly kissed her until she melted under his touch and the other man left shortly.
"Why was he with you?" he questioned.
She needed a moment. "He accompanied me home."
"He didn't need to," he growled. "You are strong, Hinata."
It touched her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you," she shyly admitted. He returned the sentiment with another kiss. He lifted her in his arms and brought her to her quarters.
He was beside her in the midnight hours as she slept.
...
She discovered pleasure the first time Neji pressed her to the floor. Their hips fitted intimately and it made her jump when a curious bolt of heat passed through her. He drew back and Hinata made an excuse and left.
She thought her kisses with Neji was enough, but she doesn't know how to explain the heat between her legs. Ino Yamanaka had mentioned it here and there. "There are many places in our body that can bring pleasure," she said slyly when Hinata asked. "Just touch."
It felt different and not right when she touched herself. She thought of him, strong and unyielding, ever faithful only to her.
When she called him to her room, she was nervous.
He sat before her.
"I-I want a kiss," she professed in a rush and her face reddened. He smiled faintly and leaned forward, holding her face sweetly and pressed their lips together.
They parted and Hinata watched the clouded desire in his eyes. She bit her lip and jumped when his gaze dropped down and took her mouth again.
When she could finally breathe again, he asked: "Is this why you called me, Hinata?"
She was not sure if he was purposely toying with her.
"No," she said shakily and he was amused.
Her hands grip the hem of her shirt and Neji didn't notice because he was busy kissing her neck. She doesn't know why he was transfixed, his teeth nipping the vulnerable skin. It felt good, but she wanted to fulfill something else.
She leaned back the slightest bit and Neji pulled away. After a while, she tentatively lifted it.
She looked beneath her bangs, saw him motionless. Nothing on his face indicated he understood. Her courage left her and her hands lowered, but he suddenly gripped her wrists. The silence was choking and Hinata dredged up the nerves to look up.
He met her eyes evenly. "Let me see, Hinata."
He only lets go so she could fully lift it over.
She held her breath. His hand reached out.
He traced the underside of one breast, circling past her nipple before cupping it with his hand. She faltered, shivering. He flicked a glance and continued his motions with the other. She was soft and firm and he gently squeezed, eliciting a gasp.
He bent down and enveloped his mouth around one. The other snaked down her stomach, past her hips and stopped just before he encountered cloth.
When she was panting, he withdrew and told her, "You are beautiful, Hinata."
…
It was winter now and they are forced beneath the roofs for their daily training.
She wore layered clothing when she came through the doors and it irritated Neji that the cold forced her to.
He blew his breath over her cold hands.
"You can never stand the cold," he remembered. She moved closer and he spread his legs so she could fit into his space.
She trembled, pressing closer, seeking his warmth. Hinata frowned. "Are you cold, Neji?" she asked and wrapped her scarf around him.
Her kindness was endearing. "Why do you ask?"
She slipped her hand beneath his shirt and felt his heartbeat. "It's beating so fast."
"Because you're here with me."
She flushed and shyly gave him a kiss. "I am the same," she admitted. "It happens whenever I think of you."
Neji looked her straight in the eye. "My heart has not slowed ever since I met you, Hinata."
He entrapped her in his arms and took her mouth.
…
The first time they almost made love, Neji lets her curiously lead them.
Foreplay was long and it tested his endurance. Her touch was unpracticed, but her skin and mouth was soft and warm, and his mind wandered to blankness. Once he regained his wits, her face was red and she didn't know what to do next.
He kissed her lips. "Hinata," he praised her, gathering her to him.
"Wait," she protested when he moved her on her back. His hand drifted down lower and she gripped his shoulders. "Neji," she uttered in fear and anticipation.
"It will feel good," he promised her.
He observed the length of her body as his skilled fingers manipulated her pleasure. Her back arched and her heels dig into the sheets. After a moment, she watched in a daze as Neji went to his knees.
When his mouth lowered, Hinata grasped his dark hair. "N-No, Neji–"
But after some coaxing, he was pleased that it was his name was all she could say.
Her chest heaved. Neji returned to her and kissed her deeply. She was content and surrendered to his touch, but he wasn't done yet. He lifted her leg to curl around his hip, the softness of her thighs cushioning the hardness of him.
Her mouth parted. "A-Are you–?"
His lips curved and their hips grinded, the friction between them making her whimper. She was writhing, sweetly trying to match his rhythm, and he nearly pushed into her. He soothed her cries, tellingly desperate for more, with kisses. She was ready and Neji nudged her legs wider.
He heard the arrival of the Main Family from the discreet scratch of wood.
He denied them both, biding his time. Her nails dug into skin but he didn't notice because he was busy biting her neck to keep quiet.
"Why?" she asked afterwards. She hid her face by his shoulder.
"We weren't alone," he said simply. "I want you for myself without interruption."
He doesn't mention how difficult it was for him to hold back from taking her, how sweet her cries enticed him to madness.
…
After their first time and many more, Neji made her try something different.
She trembled above him and couldn't hide from his ever watchful eyes. His hands latched tightly on her wrists, forcing her hands flat on his hard abdomen, and it was an unbreakable grip. She could only move and twist her hips, taking cue from his groans. She doesn't hate it, in fact it even felt better, but it embarrassed her.
He rocked against her when she slowed, knowing she needed more from him. Her breasts swayed over him and Neji admired the view. He tensed as Hinata suddenly cried out, clenching tightly around him. Neji gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure. Once her breath shortened and calmed, he pressed a kiss on her red lips.
He rolled them over, gripped her legs apart and surged roughly in her. He fought to keep his eyes open because she was lovely and even more so when she climaxed.
"No more," Hinata panted later when he dragged her body over him again. But she belied that by giving him another kiss.
Neji smirked.
There was something about kissing him that she liked every much.
…
When he was on his knee to ask for her hand, she wept.
When she said yes, he wasted no time loving her.
Her wedding dress was traditional robes, long and heavy that draped to the floor.
She doesn't mind not having a white dress and matching veil. It would have exposed her to the elements and Hinata found that there's sensuality in concealment. She knew because when Neji saw her, his heavy gaze was knowing as he swept over her, head to toe.
"Still, I bet you would look more beautiful in white," Sakura mused.
But there was no doubt Neji would rip it apart when they were alone as husband and wife. It drove him mad to see her glowing white skin beneath the sun and realize that others saw the same sight. "You are beautiful," he told her fervently, his mouth trailing down her neck, shoulders, and chest, and further below. He left red marks and it forces her to cover up afterwards.
She realized it didn't matter because she never was really comfortable dressing like Sakura Haruno or Ino Yamanaka. She wanted to test something then, how it felt to be exposed and free on a cloudless day. It felt invigorating, but nothing changed after all. The manner of how she dressed before suited her just fine.
It's different from their childhood. No longer afraid and ignorant of what the world thought of them. It was an unconventional arrangement, but they helped each other discover it. Thoroughly.
It's a cool summer day when everyone gathered to watch.
They whisper her beauty and grace. They marvel at his strength and devotion.
They don't touch when they stand before each other while the man officiated their wedding. It was not allowed.
"Poor groom," some whispered, "to not even behold his beautiful bride." But even then, she was wrapped heavily in silk and robes.
But all Neji could think was how beautiful she was and how they had all the time in the world. No one else needed to know how they loved. She still trembled when their hands touched, the heat of him shocking her after days of separation. It's the same with him, his eyes diluting.
They burn and hunger. But they are patient, for it was years they endured without each other before they learned to love.
When it was announced that they are husband and wife, the shackles of their prison burst free and they celebrate with a passionate kiss.
"She's beautiful," they gush. "But isn't what she's wearing too…constricting? Goodness, you can't even see her hands."
But it's alright because after the ceremony and celebration, when they're alone and wanting, it all fell to the floor and they drown in the warmth of their bodies.
…
When he first touched her, he knew he would only love her.
When she first touched him, she knew that he would never part from her.
He showed her freedom and she taught him companionship.
Their future was tied the day he slipped a ring on her finger.
And they loved.
FIN.