Trying out an (historic?) AU to see if I can pull it off. A bit of Gaara love too because that man is wonderful.

((the first year))

She, an uncelebrated geisha. He, a ruthless nin.

an unlikely match

It was nearing late evening when shops chased away the last of its customers.

With a plain yukata to guise her, Hinata gingerly covered the basket with a small cloth. The fruit and meat were not as fresh as its morning counterpart, but there was little time during the day to obtain it. "Leave the lowly tasks to us," the servants had implored.

But she was insistent. She needed fresh air from the confines of walls and noises that plagued her every day, especially after she had committed yet another mistake the night before as the geisha performed. Another had gracefully smoothed over the error and she couldn't raise her head till the end of the dance.

Hinata pushed past the dwindling crowds. "There's been another murder," they said grimly.

"It's because the nobles are fighting for the emperor's favor," one spat.

"I hear the Nara clan has moved in as well. Lord Jiraiya must have paid a ton of gold to secure their service."

Hinata froze. She had heard of the infamous Nara clan, the masterminds responsible for the usurping of previous rulers. It was no wonder visiting nobles increased in number. "We don't need any more bloodshed," an elderly man snapped.

"But their nins aren't killers," a merchant defended. "I bet it's the Inuzuka nins responsible for this!"

"Is that why the lord of Sunagakure is arriving to settle new security measures?"

"Not unless the nins get to him first. The officers had to clean away the blood in the streets just last week."

Hinata touched her umbrella at the first sign of rain and hurriedly made her way to a housing district near the river, where she was sure no one would be.

…

There was someone else here, Neji sensed.

The body he held dropped motionless to the ground. He narrowed his eyes to see through the sheet of heavy rain. Commoners had vacated to their houses, doors and windows locked tight. But he heard a gasp and the frantic splash of footsteps leaving. A bamboo umbrella and woven basket lay collapsed nearby.

His vision warped to chakra lines and sighted the outline of a body running away.

With ease, Neji intercepted the pathway. He destroyed part of the cemented walls, throwing a block of it in the course of the fleeing figure. Whoever it was stumbled and he was there to grab thin shoulders from escaping. The pounding of rain disguised a scream and Neji was indifferent to it.

His arm wrapped around the front to plant a kunai in when it met an ample amount of soft resistance. Neji frowned. His wrist touched something firm and he twisted the weapon before it touched skin. A large chest only signified it was a woman in his arms. He yanked her around, swinging the kunai to her throat and was about to snarl a warning when her startled eyes met his.

Neji stilled.

Her white stare was muddled with fright. In the silence, her heavy breathing fanned his face. She flinched when Neji pushed her bangs back and found no markings. An outcast? He nearly lowered his weapon. She looked helpless, a trait the Hyuuga found lacking.

He ran a critical eye down her figure. She wore a plain robe, the cotton so frail his strength had ripped a hole by her shoulder. He encountered female nins dressed the same. "Who sent you?"

"N-No one."

His fingers gripped it tighter. Alarm raced through her. She struggled and pushed him away just then, and attempted to run.

The Hyuuga clan would never take opposing sides of the same objective. Which meant the woman was clearly an outcast. The rain dampened her long hair and her face was scratched by his rough handling, but he would have remembered her if she was banished. He put away the kunai and took off the leather gloves. Her skin was already bruised and if he had to kill her, fewer markings were required.

He followed her easily and jumped down to catch her. His bare hand covered her mouth and a scream choked in her throat. "Your timing is unfortunate."

She frantically searched his face. "I-I don't know who you are," she pleaded. "Please, I was returning," she breathed because he pressed her body tighter, "back h-home."

It confirmed his initial deduction; she was banished from the clan. The only Hyuuga members present in Konoha were from his group. Protocol dictated he needed to erase a witness, but it was irksome to kill a distant kin and from her poor appearance, she was struggling to live. If there had been a ring on her finger, he would have killed her and hunted her husband down. Yet there was none and meager amounts food was present in her fallen basket.

"You won't utter a word of what you witnessed tonight," he warned her softly, gliding a hand down her trembling throat.

She shook her head once. He stepped back.

She eyed him uneasily and inched around him. He stared back, wanting to pry more out of her. As if she could sense it, she hurried away and disappeared around the corner.

He was curiously tempted to follow her when a dark voice stopped him. "Have you finished?" Genma said testily.

Neji closed his eyes to rid of the Byakugan, made a noncommittal grunt, and walked away.

"I will inform our lord of your success."

…

He was in the area to find his next target when he saw her again through the wooden windows of a noble's house.

An unusual coloring had caught his eye and he saw a woman with pink hair, dressed in flashy colors, laughing. A table board was placed in front of her as she spun a tale of wonders that drew the men in. Then his eyes slid to the woman beside her, clothed in darker subdued colors. It matched the hue of her hair and contrasted against her pale neck.

Neji stopped. Woman's hair didn't interest him, but this particular one in recent memory tugged at him. It was too dark for him to differentiate the color, but they were close enough for him to recognize it.

He waited until her face turned. When she finally did, his interest spiked.

Her eyes could never be mistaken; it was pale, almost unseeing to the crowd before her. A small smile on her lips transformed the face he remembered. But she was dressed finely in silk, hair styled with ornaments. Completely unlike the first time he saw her. He thought she was a peasant, a slave trying to escape.

Neji cloaked himself in the shadows.

The hours dwindled and a woman occasionally disappeared through the curtains to be replaced by another. But she remained there, averting her eyes as the women around her practiced the art of entertainment. Neji tilted his head. She was undoubtedly beautiful, more so than her companions. She had attracted the attention of only one man and by no means was he deterred by her silence, going by his eyes flickering down her chest.

She was clearly timid and he questioned if it was an act to allure customers. The thought came suddenly and Neji frowned.

"Neglecting your duties?" a mild voice guessed beside him. Neji ignored him. He leaned forward. "The geisha?"

It pleased him when she settled on the other side, shielding her face from exposure, until he realized the lord of Sunagakure had summoned her to his side. Neji eyed the nobles with annoyance. "Why is our lord among them?" he asked instead.

"Surely you were told of his schedule?" he said dryly, watching their unashamed lord entice a geisha to a dance.

"He is a disgrace."

"Agreed," Yamato said easily. "But our lord is no fool. Is that what draws your eyes, Hyuuga?" he asked, draping an arm over his shoulder.

He shoved him away, keeping his eyes on her lest she disappeared behind the curtains.

"Gai is among the guards. You needn't worry," was the sarcastic jab.

He hadn't even noticed the man in the room. "Then there is reason to worry."

"If you want one of the geisha, wait until midnight." At his silence, Yamato continued, "The Madame of the place operates a high-class brothel after hours as well. If you're lucky, she'll be one of them." Neji remained blanked. "With the pay from our lord, you can definitely afford it." The older man disappeared with a wry look that was sure to rouse the interest of others. Irritation lined his mouth but there were more important matters to handle.

He allowed one last look. Her eyes curiously flicked to his direction and he froze, but then she looked away.

Neji thought about it and made a decision.

…

It was daunting to entertain the ruling family of Sunagakure.

"Sabaku no Gaara, lord of Sunagakure!"

The lord was younger than his brother, but held an authoritative air that made one bow immediately at the sight of him. One look at the dark circles around his eyes and Hinata refrained from shrinking. It was temporary, for Sakura had captured their attention.

They were not as unruly as she anticipated, Hinata reflected as the hour passed.

But when the festivities began, she felt like a decorative piece to admire and never to engage with. She had served drinks and exchanged small talk, but largely remained invisible when they saw her eyes. Only the young lord deigned to watch her, unnerving her and Hinata stayed close to the walls.

"Is the lady well?" a masculine voice mused and Hinata raised a pot to his glass. She resisted from hunching her shoulders at his wandering eyes. "Am I so tedious?" he continued and she dodged his reach. She adjusted her sleeve to conceal the fingerprints wrapped around her wrist. It was only a few days ago but the marking had yet to disappear.

The man was getting rowdy and she was reluctant to call the guards. They appeared stone-faced and reeked of death with weapons concealed here and there. It reminded her of the nin she encountered and it made her cringe each time one was near.

"Our lord summons you," a deep voice called. Hinata looked up and saw the guard tense in bewilderment. She lowered her gaze and followed him to the front.

A beloved ruler despite rumors, Hinata remembered from gossip.

She curtsied before him.

"You do not talk." It was a statement than a command, she realized after a moment of silence.

"Does my lord wish to speak with me?" she began, finding the courage to smile.

He stared unblinkingly. She struggled not to break away. His fingers moved in the air and an attendant laid down a string instrument. Though his response mortified her, Hinata obliged, finding her place away from him when his voice stopped her. "Stay beside me."

"Yes, my lord."

Though no words passed between them, she was rewarded with an extravagant amount of gold coins and jewelry when they left.

"He likes you!" Sakura proclaimed.

Hinata took in the praise silently. With her success, the Madame had eyed her strangely and dismissed her after a celebratory feast. She needed to rest after withstanding the unnerving presence of the lord of Sunagakure, they told her. He never talked, but he was strangely aware of her mood and provided other entertainment for her to perform. It allowed her to practice her skills, but it was difficult with him watching.

Because it reminded her of a white disquieting gaze, always lurking in the shadows. Hinata shook off a shiver and wished paranoia hadn't plagued her. But questions prowled in her head, of the killer who spared her, who was rendered speechless as she was when their eyes were mirrored reflections of the moon.

It was the only instance she met someone whose pupils were the exact likeness. Only she could not learn more of it lest he slit her throat and she was certain she was allowed to live because of it.

Hinata brushed her hair, freeing it from its restraints. The others had already retired for the day and she was among the few that practiced another type of work in the night. She rubbed a plain silk garment given her to by the Madame, Tsunade she was called, to repress her among the skilled courtesans.

"Watch them," she was told when she reached adulthood. "Learn the art of seduction, how easily men can succumb. As a geisha, you will learn how to keep them at bay while protecting the fragile male ego."

"I will have to…?"

"You will not be a regular," Tsunade assured. "But perhaps with very few exceptions, you will experience it."

That was nearly a year ago.

Something prickled her skin and Hinata closed the only window in the room.

...

Tsunade stopped by nights later with a dark look on her face. "Someone is requesting you."

She bit her lip. It was not often she was called and with Tsunade's kindness, what little customers she had were not overtly cruel. Her countenance was too gentle to be in the work and it was with great reluctance that Tsunade included her among the skilled courtesans to learn their abilities.

She held a tray with a hot towel and steaming drink when she entered. At the corner of her eye, a figure stood cloaked in darkness. Even when he remained quiet, she didn't look. Not even his shadow registered to her and Hinata was beginning to worry at how little his presence commanded.

"Good evening, sir," she greeted quietly.

"Come closer."

She flinched. "May I interest you in a drink?"

"No."

A sudden loud bang hit the door, followed by a shout. Hinata started, lifting her head and met pale eyes coolly fixed on her. Recognition crossed through her and she panicked.

The tray stumbled to the floor and she quickly collected its contents, hands working frantically. She couldn't summon her voice. Her hair fell like a curtain, shielding her face and Hinata calculated the distance to the door. She swallowed. "Forgive me, sir. I will –"

"You will stay."

When she looked up, he was on one knee in front of her, trapping the excess spill of her robes, preventing her from moving. A wild thought passed through her; she could shed the robe and make a run for it, scream, anything to distance herself, but the urge fled when she noticed something. His hair was long, she thought distantly before her gaze dropped. He pushed her chin up. She trembled and couldn't look. A cold metal glinted when he shifted. The tray nearly shook. "I – I have not alerted anyone."

White eyes stared back. "You wouldn't be here if you did."

Noises still filled the corridor and she took comfort in it, hoping witnesses would stay his blade. He let go and she hurriedly retreated to the corner of the room. She laid down the tray. "How... did you find me?"

"As long as you know about me, you cannot hide."

The guttural tone of it sharpened her senses. "Then," she said shakily, "you won't kill me?"

"No."

She breathed easier. But there was a sort of bloodlust coming from him and Hinata stared down. "Then why are you here?" she whispered.

A calloused hand folded over hers and his large body pressed hers from behind. "You should know."

"Who was that man yesterday?" Sakura asked.

She twisted the hem of her robes. "I don't know."

It was too dark to see him, but the muscles flexing beneath her hands was enough to know he was a powerful nin. But he was gentle when they first touched. "Are you a virgin?" he had murmured, leaving kisses by her breasts.

"No," she had mumbled and prepared herself for a rough night.

He only grunted and continued touching her.

It was unusual to her because from the slight experience she gathered, customers went straight for the deed. But this man lingered and discovered her pleasure, shocking her when the first climax rocked her body. He didn't stop there and was particularly fascinated with her chest, and there was no shame in his touch as his hands roamed her body. Then when she was exhausted and sated, he propped her on her hands and knees and she couldn't think thereafter.

Ino Yamanaka pulled and twisted her hair in a fashionable style. She was a foreign beauty that attracted noble men and too expensive for the average client. "I didn't see him, but his voice was so cold. I was worried for you, Hinata."

"He didn't harm me," she assured her.

"Didn't sound like the type of man to indulge in a small affair."

"Probably why he came at night." Tenten snorted. "After all, Tsunade-sama operates the geisha house and brothel."

"But she rarely allows customers to be with Hinata."

"She isn't a skilled geisha as you, Ino," Tenten reminded. "How else can Hinata generate income while she's in training?"

Hinata had a feeling the exchange had to do with his intimidating appearance. One look at him and the Madame had to know he was no ordinary man seeking pleasure.

"I did not even see him leave," Ino said suspiciously. "And all the customers pass by my hallway."

Hinata couldn't reply and helplessly looked down. She was tired after their sexual encounter, but fear still lingered. She waited for him to stand and leave, whether to deliver another threat for her silence or a wordless departure. But sleep quickly claimed her and the last sight was of him lounging by the window, still watching her.

"He was very considerate," she had to utter at their expectant stares. "It didn't hurt," she finished in a mumble.

"He pleased you too?" was the incredulous response. She could only nod her head. "Was he a scholar? A wayward monk?"

His body definitely didn't suit those types of work. "I don't know," she repeated.

"Did you get his name?"

She flushed. "He didn't… talk too much."

They nodded understandably.

…

Neji shrugged off the building discomfort in his shoulder.

He should have let another nin handle the targets. He was still sore from a long fight with a Sound nin the day before.

Then his mind wandered to the woman who helped ease his tension nights ago.

While he found incredible satisfaction with her, it only deepened her mystery. No matter the answers he found, she presented more blanks that never fit in place and Neji found it was difficult to banish her from his life. He had sated the need of her body and though he indulged in her passion, it only strengthened his resolve.

An untalented geisha by day and a shy lover by night if the money was right. The Madame was surprisingly unwilling to sell that particular woman's service, but with a considerable amount of gold and, near the end of his patience, a veiled threat, she was his that night.

"Don't harm her," was the warning before he was left alone.

A veiled genjutsu over his face shielded his identity but he dispelled it once she stepped into the room.

She wore little face paint, her long hair flowing freely down her waist. Her attire was not as extravagant, but he later discovered the silkiness of it as he slipped it off her. When his hands touched her body, he noted from her genuine surprise that it was the first time she was feeling pleasure in the act. It made him relentlessly pursue her climax several times until her eyes glazed over and when they finally joined, the feel of her knocked the breath out of him.

It wouldn't be the only time he sought her, Neji concluded.

No one spotted the shadow in the roof staring down at the windows of the establishment. He had a rest day after reporting their enemy's movements and successfully cutting down their numbers. The one called Naruto invited him for drinks, but he declined.

He spent it watching her. During the day, there was no event for her to attend and she danced with the rest on a private floor. And when night came, she was among the coy courtesans. Ever since their second encounter, she was tense and uneasily glanced at the shadows. She rarely looked anyone in the eye nor did she entice men to come to the entrance.

From his place, he made out the words from their lips.

"How much for that one?" and "I'm tired."

When she retired for the day without being called, he curiously watched as she retreated to a room at the back of the building. The Byakugan crept into his eyes. He rounded past street lights and tiled roofs, learning with disinterest the rooms where the courtesans and geisha frequented.

She was closing the door behind her.

He hid within the tall trees. She was alone and he observed as she prepared to sleep.

He decided not to inform the clan Head just yet. There was much to learn about her.

…

He came a second time.

He dropped down into her room from a considerable height and Hinata nearly cried out, backing to the wall.

His stare flicked down to the basket in her arms. "Food?"

She tensed and expelled a shaky breath. "No. This is my –" and wonder was in his eyes as she reddened and cut off from speaking. She hid it beneath the covers. "My necessities," she finished awkwardly. "I... haven't told anyone," she said, guessing the reason of his visit.

He remained silent and Hinata feared her pounding heart could be heard. His eyes roved over her small room. It was the first time she saw him clearly. He was dressed in black. The armor he wore only covered his torso and leather guards were on his arms and knees. She veered away from his concealed weapons. She had felt the bulge of it when their bodies touched. And his eyes were white, just like hers. She clutched her fingers. "Would you like a drink?"

"No."

An instrument on the desk drew his interest. She touched the strings and gently played a slow piece. When she dared to look, he paid rapt attention to her fingers and suddenly met her eyes.

She faltered. Silence reigned and he wouldn't leave. Hinata swallowed and remembered her lessons. "How," she ventured to ask, "was your day?"

"Remarkable." His lips set in a line and he looked away when he asked, "And you?"

It struck her speechless and she cleared her throat. "It was uneventful," she said quietly. His hands flexed and their night together surfaced; how he touched her body, how he gripped her hips as he pushed into her. Hinata reddened and she was certain he could read her thoughts as his lips curved. "Did… Did you inform the Madame?" she asked timidly.

"I didn't come for that," he said and she flushed.

She didn't know why he kept staring. If it was like their first time, then she braced herself to be pulled in suddenly by him and be thoroughly ravaged without any indication. It wasn't foolhardy to expect it, Hinata reasoned, despite his declaration. Nins were not bound by laws.

A chess board hit her foot when she moved and Hinata bent down to fold it back, missing his sudden interest in her figure. "You are a geisha yet sell your body in the night."

She hesitated. "The Madame cannot afford to teach a student like me the full arts." Which explained her double guise as a courtesan. He touched the pouch containing his weapons and Hinata paled. "I – May I interest you in a match?" she asked, making an excuse to distance herself.

"No."

She froze when he was appeared behind her. "Am I your only visitor today?" he asked lowly. Ashamed, her head nodded once. "And the days I was not here?" She couldn't answer but her silence was enough. "I see."

She nervously eyed the floors. She wasn't the best lover that was worth the excessive gold coins Tsunade priced her at and perhaps it was obvious to him, but there was nothing in her circumstance that proved favorable. If he expected more, then it only sent her in a wreck of nerves.

She turned around to apologize but he was gone.

…

It was weeks later when they gathered as the holidays passed.

"Our schedule finally allows us to rest!" Sakura shouted, dropping to a low chair. "I cannot sing and dance any longer."

"At least you can sleep at night," a red-haired woman with glasses snapped.

"Because that's what you are best at," Sakura mocked. "Laying there while a man ruts above you."

There was a chorus of growls. "Tsunade-sama won't be pleased if we begin fighting," Tenten intervened.

"She treats us extremely well," Rin added and Hinata wondered why Ino suddenly left the room, a sort of scroll tucked in her bosom.

"Did you know Sabaku no Gaara requested for us once more before he left?" Sakura said smugly.

"No doubt for Hinata," they teased and she nervously dug her fingers in the rugs.

A man with silver eyes constantly occupied her thoughts to take notice. It should have relieved her that she hadn't seen him again since that night in her room.

"Did that man return again?" they asked her.

Her eyes cast down. "No."

Neji leaned against the wall and waited for the deliberate knock of cement above him. "What is our lord demanding now?"

"He doesn't like the silence from Otogakure."

"I have not seen any Sound nins recently," Neji agreed.

"He wants you to scout their borders."

A loud drumming drowned out the rest of the words. He turned his head to the sound of adoring cries and music. "I will leave in a week."

"Perhaps a little earlier."

There was a procession. The foreign geisha he sighted from before was the one being celebrated. "Our agreement was based on concessions," he said absently. "I won't yield."

An irritated sigh. "You Hyuuga nins are proud as usual."

There weren't any other women that caught his eye. "I already have an assignment tonight," he said. "And to demand more is foolhardy. You can tell our lord I will submit the report in his hands when I fulfill it."

He left it at that. Neji navigated to the rooftops and as he pushed up the pipes, his shadow fell over the alleyways. The crowds were all focused on the parade. He was about to situate himself comfortably in the darkness when he heard a shuffle. He looked down and met astonished white eyes staring back up at him.

Her lips parted and he thought there was a glimmer of happiness in her shy smile. It had been a long time since he had seen her and returned her stare, reacquainting himself with her beautiful features.

It was too short of a moment before panic came over her once more as her friend approached. She hurriedly shoved her away before she could look up and see him. They bumped into a meat cart and hastily recollected themselves.

"There was a wild animal," she explained with reddened cheeks.

"In the market place?" her companion exclaimed.

He watched with amusement until the vendor began shouting. He gripped his sword and became irritated as Kou signaled him to move forward.

Neji memorized the butcher's face, still red and shouting, before departing.

…

Chakra retreated from his hands and Neji pushed the body away.

"Done?" Shikamaru asked, appearing beside him. "Good work." He surveyed the bodies, crossing names in a scroll. A large man with a white apron draped at his front was among the dead. "Civilian casualty?" He sighed. "I thought you were careful."

"He was too loud," Neji dismissed.

He rolled the paper and shrugged. "Our lord wants three more heads."

"I will retrieve them by the end of the year."

He left.

He detoured two streets away and traveled where the street lights couldn't reach him. "Are you free tonight?" Kiba finally asked, jumping down from a tree. "Our lord is rewarding us with drinks and women."

Neji didn't stop.

"Your lose!" he shouted at his retreating back.

…

Hinata nearly dozed as the night cooled the summer air.

"Not much customers today," a woman with glossy hair sighed.

Hinata was grateful for it.

Her thoughts only revolved around the mysterious man who had visited and bewildered her twice. She was very aware of his hidden weapons, a cold reminder that she was at his mercy. But it never quite seemed like that anymore, not when he held her with fervency and passion for one night and careful consideration the next time they met. When she attended Ino's procession, something made her wander into the empty alleyways and she searched the shadows. A dark form passed over her and when she looked up, he was there. Their eyes met and it was a reminder all over again, that he was a man who killed many yet spared her.

She wondered when she would see him again.

A flash of silver eyes and dark hair beneath a bamboo hat walked down the street. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. He made his way to the entrance and she couldn't break her gaze away until he disappeared inside.

Sakura burst in. "Hinata, quick, you must see what I– why are you smiling?"

"I'm not," she quickly denied.

Her stare bore into her. "It's him!" Sakura exclaimed. "Oh, where's Ino? She must see!"

With growing horror, the foreign beauty peeked through the door. "Hinata's mysterious man is here?"

"No!" Hinata cried, rising. They eyed her in astonishment. "I-I don't want him to see you."

"Your breasts are the biggest," Ino reminded, walking forward to expertly shove down the front to bare her chest. "You don't have to worry."

Hinata quickly covered herself. She was still not as beautiful. It was because of her procession that Hinata had found him again, watching the parade.

"Men love breasts. Why do you think Tenten doesn't have as much customers other than that weird guy? Even though she says she decided on only having one patron, it's an excuse–"

"Hey!"

The doors slid open. Tsunade nudged her head. "Hinata. He's requesting for you again."

…

It wasn't like before.

There was no uneasiness this time. It was intimate and slow, almost lazy, when he leisurely pressed between her thighs, his mouth touching hers. His kisses were another surprise because he had not kissed her lips before. It wasn't something she was used to, but he was patient. When she relaxed, they parted and he told her, "Open your mouth." She did and gasped as his tongue slipped inside.

She trembled; heat was building below and she didn't know how to tell him. Too close she reached climax and he deliberately stopped, kissing her deeply. She tentatively returned his touch then clutched his shoulders when his hips flexed harder, again and again, and slumped when he slowed yet again.

He kissed the corner of her mouth. "Tell me your name."

She turned her face away. It's something she cannot divulge.

He coaxed it out of her with deliberate slow kisses then his forceful thrusts made her grasp the blankets, her body tensing as waves of pleasure came over her. "Hinata," she breathed.

He lifted them to sit up and she stared at him in wonder. He began moving again and she curiously undulated her hips in response and discovered something new. He liked it too, enough that he groaned and held her tightly. When he took over and she was panting again, he decided it was time. His fingers skimmed down her bare back. "How did you come to be here?"

She only told him because he was successfully persuading her. "I – I was told I wasn't fit to live with the family and was left here," she gasped.

He lowered her back down. "Family?"

Her chest heaved when he moved her legs further apart. "I… I don't remember."

And he must have been satisfied with that because he took her with sudden urgency. She couldn't match him, but he took care of her pleasure until they reached climax.

He was still there when she shied from him to put on a robe. She thought only passion calmed his bloodlust and not wanting the cold silence, she reached for the cup to offer tea again when she realized with surprise that he had actually taken the drink she offered for the first time.

"Your eyes," he finally said and she turned around, "are just like mine."

"What's your name?" she asked, touching the skin below his eye.

"Neji," he grated. "Neji Hyuuga."

Three months passed when he finally returned to Konoha.

He was restless.

Too many duties to fulfill and among them was Hinata, who presented the biggest obstacle. He was no closer to finding her identity and a woman with red eyes attacked him when he investigated. He had to put it off lest his work suffered and he didn't know where to place her among his priorities. She haunted him in the nights when he couldn't achieve fulfillment and a jealous rage gripped him often. Even though she assured him she rarely practiced a courtesan's work, it didn't stop him from gritting his teeth at the thought.

He swiftly made his way to her place. Adrenaline still coursed through him, the rush of battle never fading.

He couldn't be pleasant tonight.

The doors slid open and he waited until she was before him. Before a greeting even left her lips, he pulled her down and his kiss was rough and demanding.

"Wait, Neji," she gasped.

He didn't want to but she was trembling and he shoved her away, forcing his breathing to even. He disliked the way she watched him carefully. Neji ran a hand over his hair and thought to leave. She was the sole reason he was no longer level-headed. But she was there, touching his face. She was an understanding woman and he returned her kiss just as passionately. But he needed to secure something else from her.

He presented her with a gift when her eyes opened. "This is for me?" she asked, staring at a long box placed in front of her.

"Open it."

She tentatively reached for it. "A fan," she breathed, splaying it open. Careful inscription of ink drew trees and flowers across the delicate paper. "It's beautiful." He was fascinated with how carefully she touched it, reminding him of her own touch. "Steel?" she questioned, pinching it between her fingers.

"In case of unfavorable advances," he said tightly. He came closer. "But foremost, I want you to cover your face when I am away."

"The Madame will not allow it," she mumbled shyly when his fingers touched her cheek.

"She is compensated for the loss."

With a graceful snap of her wrist, it unraveled and she raised it beneath her eyes. "Thank you." It prevented him from seeing the redness of her face, but it must have inflamed him because the hardness of him brushed her thigh.

"Don't let anyone else see," he repeated by her ear.

She clutched it tighter. "I won't," she said weakly and he knocked it away and pushed her beneath him.

She received him without pause and the sounds she made gratified him. Neji smirked. He wasn't the only one who suffered. Then nothing else mattered because she became desperate and he was lost in her.

It was with great regret he had to depart when she finally slept. He needed to report to his lord. After he checked his gear, he finally allowed himself to look at her. Hinata lay peacefully, hair spread across the sheets. He couldn't examine what made his chest seize, not with the little time he had.

Something ruffled in the sheets caught his attention. A quick look confirmed she was undisturbed. He reached for it and pocketed it. As a courtesy, he folded her garment and sheets over her in return. He lingered, engraving the enchanting scene she made before quietly leaving through the window.

…

Hinata squirmed. He sipped tea that she prepared, the only drink he would ever accept. She looked up beneath her bangs. "Uhm, may I ask…"

"Ask."

"Did you," and her throat nearly dried from her words, "take anything belonging to me?"

He looked unruffled as ever. "Your time during the night."

She bit her lip. "I meant… something tangible."

"Your body." He wasn't making it easier for her and her face burned. "Anything else?"

It sounded like a challenge and she decided not to answer. After a moment, he came closer and their lips touched.

His hand reached into her clothing. It climbed higher and deeper and she fidgeted, making small noises that intrigued him. When he encountered the softness of her sex beneath her robes, Neji drew back.

She was heavily flushed and couldn't meet his eyes.

"Hinata."

"It was the only one I had left," she mumbled, "before I am allowed to do laundry." He grunted, suddenly more animated. She tried to be brave and hoped her voice was firm enough to demand, "I want it returned."

His lips curved against her skin. "No."

"But-"

He was thoroughly convincing moments later.

The lord of Sunagakure was back in Konoha. He had penned a request to Tsunade, wanting a private audience.

"Me?" she whispered.

"The young lord still remembers you!" Sakura shouted with glee.

Nerves heightened her color. The women fretted around her, fixing her ornaments and applying lip rouge. Ino was surprisingly more subdued, her eyes darting to the sky, as if checking for messages given by a bird. When their eyes met, Ino smiled and her skin prickled when she approached. "You will do well," she assured.

"Tsunade-sama will only indulge his request after our performance," Sakura said, furrowing her brows. "I wonder why we have to join."

But she was thankful for it. Though Neji was missing yet again, her embroidered fan was tucked inside her robes. Will he be angry, she thought nervously. It was a success that she was able to secure her own work and obtain a possible patron. There were no promises made and she resigned herself in blindly hoping for the future.

They arrived in the evening and they hustled her to a private room before she appeared.

"He looked impatient," they told her slyly as they rotated dancers. "I heard the guards saying they were to be dismissed after our dance!"

It only dejected her. She decided to breathe in fresh air and sneaked past the curtains. Music and jovial shouts echoed down the hallway, but she paid no mind. The performance was coming to a close when she wandered behind the pillars, drawn by the play of shadows. She continued on and the clear night sky hid her.

A shadow moved in the corner of her eye and she found him crouched there by the window sill. There was a disquiet air surrounding him. She couldn't read his mood and the mask he wore watched her accusingly. Bloodstains on him didn't even register to her nor did the subtle clang of metal when she came closer.

"Neji?"

Finally, he touched her face through leather gloves and it drifted down to pull down her robes until it displayed the handle of the fan.

It must have appeased him because even though he withdrew, his head never shifted away from her face. He held his hand out. She took it without hesitation.

He carried her in his arms and the scenery rushing past them couldn't pull her eyes away from his face. There might have been shouts, a great blaze erupting behind them, but the winds cloaked the noise. Gradually, it quieted as they went further away. He ran effortlessly even with her weight and when he jumped to cross the buildings, she felt every ridge of his body tense each time. He ducked into a low roof near the borders and set her down.

The room was bare save for necessities, but it didn't interest her.

He removed the pins in her hair and in the ensuing silence as each dropped dully to the ground, neither looked away. Her long hair tumbled down neatly. He reached for a wash cloth dabbed with water and gently scrubbed away her face paint. One finger hooked the ribbon around her waist and pulled. It unraveled to the floor, baring her chest.

She gingerly touched his mask. When he didn't move, she reached behind his head and untied it. She held it delicately in her hands and marveled at the deep look in his eyes. He leaned down and they kissed slowly, growing hungry with each passing second.

He guided her to the bed and they fell, their mouths parting on impact, but they closed the gap once more. He never fully lay unclothed with her in their encounters. But as he eased off everything on him, Hinata shakily drew in a breath.

He was a powerful man, she always knew, and it was engraved in his skin.

Her back met cotton sheets that smelled of grass and rain. He settled over her, their hips fitting intimately. And they made love in all the ways they never did, thoroughly with a burning passion that they never discovered in her confined room.

The moon's glow shone on her hair and skin. "If I wanted to take you away, will you let me?" he murmured.

She shivered. There were too many matters to consider, but then he was kissing her. His white gaze was tinted with uncertainty when they parted. "If you'll have me," she said and he kissed her fingers.

"I will keep you safe," he vowed.

For once, he drifted to sleep. But she stayed awake, watching his face and touching his skin.

There were no promises made, but it was the closest admittance he would ever say and it renewed her wish to continue staying by his side.