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Refraction	By : Zelha Category: Naruto > Het - Male/Female Views: 1324 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, duh. I only own a pair of sleepers, so obviously I don't make any profit with this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter 6: Denying

Sakura
awoke to a light rasp at the door. She groaned, and the person outside snorted.

�Are you
decent?� asked a voice she knew too well. Pulling on her yukata, she dragged
her feet to the door and slid it open.

�Pakkun,
you have two seconds to tell me what the hell you are doing here,� she growled
in her sleepy but angry voice.

�Kakashi
wanted you to have this,� the pug responded, patting a scroll he must have
carried all the way to the Hyuuga Main House. �It�s a genjutsu scroll, he wants you to go over it.�

�Why?�

�His
message was: �Take it to her, she�ll know what to do�. Is that correct,
Sakura?�

Sakura
yawned. �Yes, Pakkun, whatever you say,� she said, picking up the scroll and
pug and setting the former on her pack and taking the latter to her bed. �Want
to snore?�

�Nah, my
mate awaits me. See ya, Sakura.�

As the
little nin-dog disappeared, the pink-haired kunoichi sighed heavily and sank down
into the pillows again.

Even nin-dogs have mates? Well, damn it.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The morning
passed quite quickly, as she finally gathered her bearings enough to pull
another political mask to face the Hyuuga family.

And to
pointedly avoid Neji�s gaze.

Hinata was
recovering well enough from her fight, and the women spent a lazy afternoon in
the front garden, talking in whispers.

Something
about Sakura�s mood made the Hyuuga female think about the thunderous scowl
that her cousin had sported at breakfast as the pink-haired kunoichi entered
the dining room.

Hinata was
an observant woman. And Sakura�s clamped silence, combined with Neji�s
brooding...

Maybe it is time for them to heal, the purple-haired woman thought
with a secret smile that Sakura missed.

�Say,
Hinata-chan,� she spoke, startling the other woman with the suddenness of her voice.
�Do you think I�m na�ve?�

�What?�
Hinata let out a short laugh. �Why, I don�t think that, Sakura-chan. Why do you
say that?�

�Because...
I�m remembering what Sasuke said to Naruto,� the medic confessed in a murmur.
�He�s... a lost cause, right? After all these years, we tried... and he just...
You saw him, he tried to...�

�Don�t say
it, Sakura-chan,� she said, laying a hand on the emerald-eyed woman�s shoulder.
�Maybe he�s lost in the darkness. Or maybe it is time for you to look around
and take care of yourself.�

�I already
moved on, Hinata-chan. It�s just that... the things we went through were never
enough, you know? Being in a team with the number one prodigy of our class and
with the loudest ninja ever took a toll on my self-esteem for many years. They
surpassed me in almost everything. Then, they left Konoha, and I was left
behind again. And later, Sasuke... gah, I can�t even
think about how he had changed.�

Hinata knew
all this thanks to all the times she observed Naruto, but hearing it from one
involved with Team Seven�s disbanding, it surely was something to ponder.

�But you
grew up, Sakura-chan,� she offered with a kind smile. �It was just a matter of
time for you to take the plunge, as Naruto-kun says. Now you are one of the
most sought medics in the village... and the strongest kunoichi. Not even with
the Byakugan could I ever stop you, my friend.�

Sakura
smiled. �Don�t be silly,� she countered. �That Hakke Sho
of yours must hurt.�

�Only if you allow it to touch you!�

Both females
laughed, filling the garden with their mirth. They sighed, regaining some of
their composure.

�Don�t
allow anyone to underestimate you, Hinata-chan,� Sakura said, lifting her face
to the setting sun. �Kick their asses if they try to. You have grown so much too;
I still can�t believe you haven�t made it into ANBU.�

�It doesn�t
matter,� the long-haired woman replied with a grin. �I got what I wanted.�

Sakura had
to laugh at that.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

�I am most
pleased with your recovery, Hinata,� Hiashi said during dinner. �I am sure you
can resume your training if your medic grants permission.�

�I think it
is okay for her, Hyuuga-sama,� responded Sakura, throwing a wink at Hanabi. �As the matter of fact... we�re going to train
tomorrow.�

Hinata
smiled behind her cup, while Neji lifted a brow to his sashimi.

�It is
settled then. You both can go to the training grounds, while Neji reports to
Hokage-sama.�

Neji
grunted his acknowledgment as Hiashi nodded at the women departing from the
dining room.

�It seems
that you�re eager to go back to the roster, Hinata-chan,� Sakura teased, as
they went down the hall.

�And I
think you want to fight me, isn�t that correct, Sakura-chan?�

�But of
course! I�ve been wanting to blow off some steam since you guys came back. But
Kakashi and Sai are out of the question, since they�ve been assigned another
recon mission. I swear I think they�re accepting missions to avoid meeting me.�

�Why is
that?�

�Because
they know I promised to get their asses handed back to them in our last battle
royale,� the emerald-eyed medic laughed. �And Naruto was with you, so it was
kind of a draw for the three of us since Kakashi overexerted his usage of the
Sharingan and I broke Sai�s brushes.�

�You guys
are pretty close,� Hinata observed. �Don�t misunderstand me, Shino-kun and
Kiba-kun are my friends and teammates, but... it seems that your dynamics are
more developed than ours.�

�Nah, it�s
just that we are competitive enough,� she said with a smirk. �I went to a
mission with Kiba and I could see how much he and Akamaru have improved their skills
with his techniques, but Sai... he�s a pain in the ass, pardon my wording.�

Hinata�s
giggles caught Neji�s attention as he left the dining room. Rather surprised,
he followed the sound until he noticed the women talking in front of Sakura�s
room. The pink-haired woman was smiling widely, as Hinata tried to subdue her
laugh.

Neji�s
brows shot up to his hairline at seeing his demure and shy cousin and the medic
talking so animatedly.

�I�m
telling you, Hinata-chan,� said woman was saying, �After I threatened Kakashi
to burn all his porn stash to ashes, he did what I wanted. Poor Yamato though,
because Kakashi can�t cook to save his life and Yamato had to be fed due to his
injuries. I was out of chakra too, so I couldn�t even stay awake. It was sheer
luck that we ran into Temari and Kankurou, because they had a mission in that
part of Wind Country.�

�And how
did it end?� asked the long-haired female. Sakura smirked and lifted two
fingers in a peace sign.

�The
mission was a success, but when we got back I bought two cooking books and
smashed them on Sai�s and Kakashi�s heads.�

Neji
smirked at Sakura�s response, while Hinata dissolved into another fit of
giggles. It was nice to see his cousin so lively, so...

Happy.

The Hyuuga
male understood that it was Naruto�s doing, how much she had changed. To
undertake such harsh exams like the ANBU ones, it had a lot to say about how
much she loved that bragging blond.

His eyes
trailed back to the medic, who was laughing behind her hand too. She was
beautiful, and her skills were magnificent. Her kindness and even her fiery
temper was attractive--

Neji
retreated hastily. In the safety of his own room, he gritted his teeth and
cursed under his breath.

He hadn�t
known until now why he had teased the green-eyed woman with the jam that day;
he figured that he wanted to see her reaction, but his own response to her
nearness was enough to drop the act and leave in a hurry.

As a Hyuuga
prodigy and ANBU Captain, he thought he had achieved everything he wanted:
success in his profession, the respect of his uncle and family, a good sibling
relationship with his cousins, and strident but good friends. Lee and Tenten
were mostly his companions when training and he allowed them to drag him to
social gatherings once in a while. That was enough for him.

Until he
awoke one day in the hospital under the thorough care of one pink-haired medic,
who started to tease him about his recklessness in battle. He only had to reply
at that to start a sarcastic banter which had them both mocking each other.

It was good
banter, nothing else, he had thought. Just like the bickering that he had with
one smartass Weapon Mistress, as he liked to call her. Lee always tried to
meddle as the concerned boyfriend of said weapon freak, but she always laughed
and punched Neji�s shoulder good-naturedly.

Tenten was
a good friend and very annoying when drunk, he noted on one occasion. But she
and Lee were his buddies, as the Taijutsu Master always called it in one of his
youthful speeches.

But nowadays,
having a pink-haired spitfire under his very own roof, he found himself at a
loss about how to behave around her. Neji could always slip his stoic mask on his
features when facing others, but she always laughed at his fa�ade and offered
him some story to distract him and open up.

And the way
her hips moved when she walked in front of him was more than a distraction...

�Damn it,�
he groaned, lying down in his bed.

I�m attracted to her.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

It was mid
dawn when Hikari told Neji that his cousin and his pink-haired guest had gone
to the Hyuuga training grounds. Surprised, because he knew by now how cranky
Sakura was in the mornings, allowed his feet to lead him to the site.

There they
were; speaking enthusiastically to one another while they went through the
standard kata movements to concentrate chakra and mind for the incoming
sparring. Sakura had slipped into her regular clothes, while Hinata had her
usual long-sleeved garments. Both had their hair pulled back into ponytails,
much like the one he had at the moment.

�I didn�t
know how grumpy you were in the mornings, Sakura-chan,� he heard the Hyuuga
heiress say in a teasing voice. �I thought you were going to punch me into
oblivion!�

The alluded
woman grumbled and pulled out her tongue. �I had a lousy night,� she explained offhandedly,
stretching her arm over her head and leaning forward, giving Neji an ample view
of her behind. �I think the hospital shifts changed my sleeping habits.�

The Hyuuga
prodigy didn�t need the Byakugan to see through that blatant lie.

Hinata
blinked and nodded, as if accepting her words although she didn�t seem to buy
them. �So how do you want to train? Basic taijutsu or a straight spar?�

�Maybe I�ll
have to restrain myself a little,� the other woman said, eyeing the grounds. As
she turned, Neji had a sudden urge to not being spotted, so he jumped to the
next tree, hiding among its branches and leaves. �This area is kind of small...
and I don�t want to shatter this ground as I did with your back garden.�

�Hanabi-chan
told me about that,� Hinata laughed. �She said how impressed Father was with
your medical abilities; you healed yourself so quickly...�

�Maa, maa,
it was nothing,� Sakura replied, waving a hand. �I had to hold back because
Neji-san settled the match to non-chakra taijutsu.�

Said male
frowned when he felt a chill down his spine when she spoke his name. This was a
new sensation; the way she was going through the katas, moving her flexible
body so fluidly and smoothly, it added to how nice it was to hear her muttering
his name...

Neji
blinked. And scowled.

�...Then
Pakkun disappeared and I was stuck with a scroll with a particularly difficult
genjutsu... I haven�t had the time to practice it, though.�

�Maybe you
can use it against me?� Hinata offered.

�I thought
the Byakugan saw through genjutsu,� Sakura lifted an eyebrow as she pulled her
gloves on.

�Yes, but
only when activated.�

�Hmm...
interesting,� the pink-haired said in a thoughtful voice. �So, shall we?�

�Don�t hold
back, Sakura-chan, not for me.�

She smiled.
�I wasn�t going to.�

Both
females charged, armed with a kunai in each hand. They clashed and avoided as
many strikes as their opponent tried to place with an ease that even Neji had
to activate his Byakugan in order to detail the fierce blows.

Some time
ago, one of the ANBU operatives under his command had joked dryly in a mission about
how vicious a kunoichi could be in battle; Neji, being the hard-ass ANBU
Captain he was, only nodded but kept his concentration on the assassination
they were going to perform for that mission. But, his mind recalled briefly how
the emerald-eyed woman shattered the big boulder that enclosed the Akatsuki
hideout, back during the Gaara Rescue mission.

But now, seeing
her flip her body backwards to avoid Hinata�s advances �which he was rather
impressed by the great display of skills his cousin was performing� he couldn�t
help but stare.

Only when he felt another chakra signature approaching he shook off his
reverie and focused. Too late, though, because Naruto landed on the very same branch he was
sitting on in such a stealthy maneuver he hadn�t had the time to push him away.

�So, fate-obsessed
bastard,� was Naruto�s whispered greeting. �How long have they been going at it?�

�They just
started,� he found himself whispering back. This is Naruto, he thought. He
might probably have snuck in earlier to see Hinata.

�Ah...
damn, look at those moves!� the blond said in an excited murmur. �I swear that
every time I watch Sakura sparring against Sai, I feel sorry for that bastard.
She surely has a mean hook,� he observed, rubbing his own jaw absently.

Looking
back at the females, he noticed that Hinata had activated her Byakugan and was
focusing on Sakura�s chakra infused hands swinging at her closely. He noted
that those hands were the very same technique she tried to use against him that
night in their impromptu spar, but she never got too close to land a blow
thanks to his Kaiten Spin.

�Shit, man,
if Sakura touches Hinata-chan with those...�

True to
Naruto�s words, one of the pink-haired kunoichi�s hands all but caressed one of
Hinata�s thighs, making her land trampled on the ground. The Hyuuga heiress
hissed in pain, but she tried to stand up again on her good leg.

�Chakra
scalpels,� she said in a respectful voice. Sakura nodded. �Now I see why
Kakashi-san and Naruto-kun say that you�re a menace, Sakura-chan.�

�Tch,
that�s because they�re a pair of big, whiny babies,� the other replied with a
vicious smirk playing on her lips, moving her head sharply to one side in order
to shake off her sweat. �Shall I label you as one too, Hinata-chan?�

�I don�t
think so!� the purple-haired woman shouted as she started her favored fighting
style, the Gentle Fist, while Sakura started to back-flip at a swift pace,
ducking and avoiding Hinata�s hands.

Luckily for
Hinata, she could land three blows, sending the emerald-eyed kunoichi to the
ground.

�Damn it,
Hyuuga!� Sakura growled as she tried to stand. Hinata let out a laugh and slipped
into her fighting stance again.

�What�s the
matter, Sakura-chan?� she said innocently, but her eyes went wide as Sakura
started to make seals in a vertiginous succession.

�Fukumikuchi Hari!� she
yelled before launching a rain of senbons to the surprised Hinata, who didn�t
think twice and retaliated.

�Shugohakke Rokujūyon Shō!� she shouted, creating her chakra lines to
deflect the needles as they went, finding that Sakura had launched herself
straight towards her.

Taken by
surprise, Hinata let out a gasp as Sakura�s hands flipped her and send her into
the air with a kick. As she landed, the medic fell next to her, exhausted.

And, to the
astonishment of their silent audience, both females started to laugh.

Naruto,
next to Neji, grinned widely. �They held back,� he whispered in awe. �Sakura-chan�s
kick could have easily broken Hinata-chan�s ribs... and Hinata-chan�s Hakke
could have torn Sakura�s body into shreds, but they chose to keep it clean,� he
finished, letting out a chuckle. �They�re really something, ne? I admire them
so much.�

Neji had to
agree with a thoughtful nod to the blond�s words, feeling rather glad his
cousin had found someone who loved her like she deserved.

And he,
internally, down where his most secret thought lurked in the deep recesses of
his mind, the Hyuuga prodigy found himself admiring the way Sakura�s heaving
body was plopped down on the ground, as she shared a gleeful girl moment with
Hinata. Her disheveled hair clung to her features and she was sweaty with the
workout, but all in all...

Neji had
never seen someone so beautiful.

�Oi,
Naruto!� Sakura yelled, startling the two shinobi. �Are you going to remain
hidden, you peeping tom? Come out now!�

�Neji-niisan,
you too please,� said the Hyuuga heiress.

Caught up
in the act of spying, both ninja had no other option than to jump down the tree
and approach the women sitting in the middle of the training grounds.

�Heh, hi,
Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan,� greeted Naruto nervously, rubbing the back of his
neck sheepishly. �You knew we�ve been watching you guys?�

�Hey,
ramen-freak,� Sakura said, earning a laugh from Hinata and a pout from the
blond ninja. �We knew since you arrived, you dimwit. You didn�t mask your
chakra. And Hinata-chan�s eyes, you know?�

�Gah!�
Naruto exclaimed, kicking a little stone in a tantrum.

�Pay off,
Sakura-chan,� said Hinata with a laugh. Sakura grumbled and flipped out a ryou.

�I�m really
following shishou�s steps if I lose a stupid bet like that,� she mocked,
laughing later. �Ouch,� she added, rubbing one of her shoulders. �I take it you
closed a bunch of tenketsu points in here?�

�Only
three, but one of them is pretty important because it feeds the arm�s main
pathway,� the purple-haired woman replied while Naruto plopped down next to
her. �Do you want me to open them?�

�I�ll do
it,� said Neji all of a sudden, activating his own Byakugan and thus, not
missing the wild blush that spread on Sakura�s cheeks as he kneeled next to her
and started to poke her shoulder softly.

Oblivious
as always, Naruto opened his mouth but Hinata�s hand stopped him. She shook her
head, showing him a secretive smile.

Sakura�s
eyes found themselves pinned to the intense and silver gaze of one Hyuuga Neji,
who was at the moment laying his warm hand on her skin, gracing the tenketsu
points with his chakra, making her shiver.

She knew
she shouldn�t be looking at him; as she was well aware of how red her face was
by now, she really should�need�to look away. Look away! she ordered herself... to no
avail, because Inner Sakura was throwing a party inside her mind while Neji
opened her chakra channels, making his energy travel within her pathways along
hers...

Until his
chakra touched that specific zone on her back... her seal.

She
flinched visibly as her seal reacted to his energy, making him jump slightly in
surprise. Her eyes widened, and Neji�s features didn�t hide his shock either.

He only
could look at her as she scrambled and stood up. �I�ll see you later, guys...�

�Sakura-chan?�
asked Naruto, bewildered at the frightened look on his sister�s face. �What�s
wrong?�

�Nothing,
nothing!� she almost shouted. �I... I have to go!�

�What
happened?� Hinata asked, looking at Sakura�s retreating form to look back at
Neji�s frowning face.

�I don�t
know,� he replied with that tone of voice that betrayed his confusion. Neji
stood up, knitting his brows. �But I will find out.�

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Sakura
closed the door of her room, panting. She slid on the floor, clasping her chest
while she tried to regain her composure.

Just what the hell happened back there? Inner Sakura asked, as baffled as
she was.

I don�t know, I don�t know! she yelled
at her mental roommate. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to calm down
as she regarded the feeling she perceived.

This was
nothing she had felt before. This was very different from the butterflies she
felt in her stomach when Sasuke was near her. This was more urgent, more
desperate, more...

Primal.

�Shit,� she
muttered. Sure, she had her chakra traveling his pathways as she healed him several
times at the hospital, but this... this was different, because it was his chakra on her body, not the other way around.

The mark on
her back thrummed with the power-up, making her tremble, while at the same time
she head a set of steps walking determinately to her room.

The door
opened and she retreated, scared of herself and scared of what she was feeling.

�Time to
tell me what�s going on, Haruno,� Neji said, closing the door. �This is not the
first time I feel something in your back, and that is certainly not a tattoo,�
he narrowed his eyes at her attempt of an excuse a few nights back. Sakura
closed her mouth and lowered her head.

�I...� she
hesitated, and fell silent. He waited, but not for too long.

�What,
Sakura?� he asked, using her name for the first time without any politeness. He
was angry, she could feel it... but she couldn�t bring herself to speak aloud.

She could
only blush, avoiding his sharp gaze.

In two
steps he reached her kneeling form. Kneeling in front of her, Neji took her by the
upper arms and forced her to look at him.

�Tell me,
Sakura,� he whispered fiercely. �Tell me! What the hell do you have there?�

�I--I
can�t! I can�t tell you!� she cried.

�Why not?�
he shot back, angrier by the moment. He had had enough of her silences.

�Because!�
she replied, now with irritation on her voice. �It�s private! It�s none of your
business, Hyuuga!�

�Then I�ll
make it my business,� he said coolly, before crashing her lips with his in a hard
kiss.

Oh... boy.
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Refraction