Caged

Caged

Persepolis130

Notes: This is the unedited/uncensored version of the fic that I'm posting on fanfiction.net. I've been posting it in little sections there, but I'll lump every three chapters together here for the sake of time. Naruto and Naruto characters in no way belong to me, so this will unfortunately never happen in the anime. Hope you like it anyway!

PROLOGUE

"You called for me, uncle," Neji said, presenting himself in Hiashi's private study. Gazing about the dimly-lit room with its towering bookshelves and faded chakra charts, a strange sense of foreboding descended upon him.

"It's good to see you again, Neji," Hiashi said, looking up from his scroll. "I'd like to congratulate you on passing the Chuunin exam. You've become a fine young man, worthy of the Hyuuga name."

"Yes. Thank you," Neji replied, face expressionless. Despite the fact that he’d been getting along with his uncle since his first attempt at the exams, something didn't feel quite right about this meeting.

Hiashi frowned. "Well, I'm sure you're busy, so I won't prolong the conversation. You're well aware that bearing the Hyuuga name entails certain responsibilities."

"Of course. What is required of me?" Neji asked.

"You are now, for all practical purposes, a man," his uncle stated. "You are fifteen years old and a mid-ranked ninja, capable of carrying out any duty which would be required of an adult from the Bunke branch."

"And I willingly take on any responsibility assigned to me," Neji responded, his stiffness betraying his emotions. Making reference to the subservient Bunke branch set Neji aside as inferior, and any duties assigned to him under this pretense were bound to be unpleasant, if not humiliating. Though he seemed to be bridging the gap between the two houses, Neji never forgot the hand fate had dealt him.

"As a member of the branch family, your main objective is the protection of the Hyuuga. This means that the main house's safety and comfort come before your own, a fact which you know well."

Neji nodded curtly, seeing no point in response.

"However, as a child," Hiashi continued, "you were not expected to fulfill, or even be informed of, all of the duties of a branch house member. There are certain obligations reserved for those who have come of age."

"That is understandable," Neji replied coldly when Hiashi paused. He was sure that the man could sense his growing resentment, but his calm, deliberate demeanor remained unshaken.

"In order to prepare you, a certain amount of training is required. I have already spoken with the Hokage about the situation, and she has agreed to postpone any missions until you've finished."

Neji was taken aback. "What are you saying? I've only just become a Chuunin, and now I'm forced to stand down from my duties?!"

"And I apologize for that," Hiashi said with a dismissing wave of his hand, "but given that the heir is now fourteen years old, this cannot be postponed any longer."

"Why was I never before informed of these 'responsibilities'?" Neji fumed. He no longer hated his cousin for her inherited superiority, but he wasn't sure he could ever forgive Hinata for it either. "No mention of this has ever been made, and as soon as I begin to--"

"Your father," Hiashi interrupted, "was the last one to be trained for this duty. Other than I, few but the elders are even aware of its existence."

Neji sobered, his anger receding. "So it isn't the responsibility of an adult... but the responsibility of my father's son."

"You could say that, yes," his uncle nodded, "but in any case, the task falls upon you, Neji, and its nature is to be addressed only in absolute confidence. You may continue to work with your old team until you've completed the training."

"And how long will this take?" Neji asked, beginning to feel vaguely intrigued. After all, an essential duty entrusted only to him might just be something worth having.

"It depends on how quickly you pick it up. At your age, I'd say two weeks should be sufficient."

"I'll complete it in one," Neji asserted, determined both to prove himself and to begin his work as a Chuunin.

"We'll see." Hiashi's lips curved in a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he handed Neji a slip of paper. "Be at this address tomorrow at one p.m. You'll meet your instructor there."

Neji frowned. "You won't be training me?"

Hiashi shook his head. "I never went through the training myself and would be ill prepared to train someone else. But don't doubt my ability to judge the results."

"I will exceed your expectations."

"I certainly hope so," Hiashi said, smiling that unfamiliar smile once more. "Have a good night."

As Neji left the study, the strangely ominous feeling he'd felt upon entering returned. Shaking his head, he brushed it away as the inevitable tide of fate creeping once more about his ankles. Enough to throw him off balance, but not to drag him under.

Only time would tell how wrong he was.

XXXXX CHAPTER 1 XXXXX

Neji had some amount of trouble finding the location specified by his uncle. After nearly a half-hour of searching, he found himself knocking at the door of a well-kept, nicely landscaped home along the southwestern city wall. Having left the address in his room, he could only hope he'd read it clearly and was in the right place.

Knocking on the door, Neji considered using his Byakugan to look inside but almost immediately heard approaching footsteps.

Taking a step back, Neji wondered what the man he was about to meet would be like, knowing what he did of Hyuuga family secrets. Of course, it was hard to guess when he didn't even know what field the man was so skilled in. Being used to taking each situation as it came, Neji's ninja reasoning told him not to speculate, but he couldn't help feeling intrigued. Perhaps this man would be the very same one who had trained his father.

However, when the door opened, it was a pretty young woman with a small, fluffy white dog who appeared. She looked a little tired, but friendly. "You're a bit early," she said.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Neji started, "but I was told to meet someone here."

"Oh, of course," the woman answered, smoothing back her mussed blonde hair. "You have anyone particular in mind?"

Neji blinked. "Well... I'm not entirely sure..."

"Ah, that's alright! Come on in." Strangely, she told him not to remove his shoes.

Neji looked about the house questioningly, noting the finely decorated entryway. This was obviously the home of someone well-off, possibly a businessman. In times like these, this sort of opulence was reserved for families of noble birth and those skilled enough to create their own, monetary sort of nobility. It would then make sense that the young lady at the door was his new instructor’s daughter.

"Sorry I look so awful," she told him, smiling cutely. "We usually don't get visitors 'til later."

"It's not an issue," Neji answered, though he couldn't quite see how there was anything wrong with her looks. Her short blonde hair, though messy, was nicely cut, and her legs were long and tan.

"Ah, good! So many guys are SO particular about that! So... you don't know who you're looking for? Mostly everybody else is asleep..."

Neji began to wonder who this person was. Shouldn't she know who he should talk to? And why would the entire household still be asleep? "I wasn't given a name," he finally told her.

"Well, maybe I could help you out...?" She proposed, smiling and tugging flirtily at her skirt as she petted her dog with her foot.

"I... don't think so..."

"Oh. Fine then," she said, looking put-out. "This way."

Her dog trundling close behind, the girl led Neji down a long, dim hallway with expensive-looking gold stencil designs on the walls. A dark-haired woman in fuzzy pink slippers and a lacy black slip lit up a cigarette and gave Neji an unclassifiable look as they passed her in the hall.

Leaving Neji with nothing more than a off-handed "this is it," in front of a heavy, carved wooden door, his guide scooped up her dog and headed back the way she came, sighing heavily.

Feeling more perplexed than ever, Neji was about to knock when the door was suddenly thrown open, revealing a richly-dressed middle-aged woman with heavily painted eyelids. From the graceful curve of her neck and the sweep of her thick, glossy hair, Neji could tell that she had once been stunning, but she now held more an air of confidence and authority than beauty.

"I've been expecting you, Hyuuga Neji," she told him in an low and authoritative yet pleasing voice as she escorted him in.

Upon entering the room, Neji found it even more luxurious then the others, with handmade imported rugs, thick crimson draperies, and a mahogany canopy bed draped in deeply-colored silk. Neji had never before seen this much wealth in one place.

"Please," the woman said, motioning toward the center of the room as she closed the door.

"Thank you," said Neji. The woman seemed to be evaluating him, her dark eyes following his movements as a ninja might size up his enemy. Standing solidly under her gaze, Neji saw her at last nod and turn to her desk.

"All right then, first things first," she began in a businesslike tone. "If anyone sees you here, be sure to have a plausible excuse on hand. It wouldn't do to tell them you're here on secret Hyuuga family business. Also, from now on, you will come at 3 p.m. Arrive on time."

"Of course."

"If, however, you can't make it on time, at least be sure to never be early. That wouldn't do at all."

Neji blinked.

"Nothing that takes place between the two of us will ever be repeated, so feel free to speak your mind and do as you see fit. However, violence of any sort will NOT be tolerated unless I have specifically instructed you in its use. If any of these rules are broken, I will immediately wash my hands of the entire affair, sending you home in disgrace. Am I understood?"

Neji nodded slowly, quite sure he didn't understand at all.

"In that case, there's no point in wasting time. Let's begin."

"Alright," Neji agreed, eyeing her unsurely.

"Good. You can put your clothes on the stool by the dresser."

Neji stared dully at the woman who was now draping her shawl over the arm of a high-backed chair. He must have heard wrong.

"Well, you certainly can't do it clothed, now can you?" she asked with a slight smile, removing one long, jeweled earring and then the other.

"I don't..." Neji began, unsure how to finish the thought. Understand? Want to? Think you should be out of your straightjacket?

"There's no need to be shy. It's nothing I haven't seen before." Neji watched blankly as the woman undid the clasp on her left shoulder, her dress falling open to reveal a heavy, rose-tipped breast.

"What... what kind of... place... is this...?" Neji asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he watched the woman disrobe.

"Oh, don't tell me Hiashi didn't tell you! Absolutely impossible that man..."

Neji stood, feet planted and jaw wide. The immaculate landscaping, the extravagant furnishings, the flirty girl at the door, the woman in the hallway with the cigarette, and now...

Oh, this was not happening, not to him. It couldn't be.

Except that it was.

Swallowing hard, Neji whispered, "This... this place is..."

XXXXX CHAPTER 2 XXXXX

Neji lay prone on the bed, covers pulled to his chin, drowsily contemplating virginity.

It's not as if it was something he'd ever really thought of before. There hadn't been any need. Ninjutsu was his life, accomplishing missions his occupation, and training his pass-time. Sex had never been a priority, only ever even considered on those nights he'd lain awake, teenage hormones driving him to yearnings easily forgotten the next morning.

But now that he didn't have it anymore, he wondered if he shouldn't have appreciated his virginity, just a little, before it was lost. Thinking about it now left him with a strange feeling, one he could only compare with the first time he'd killed.

Touching himself had never felt like this. There hadn’t been the softness, the warmth, the velvet smoothness of another’s flesh against his. And then the slick heat, fevered kisses, the way his head spun and vision blurred.

If someone had tried to describe to him how it would feel, the overwhelming physical connection he could share with another human being, he’d have laughed at them. But then, there were some things words just weren’t fit to describe.

From the corner of his eye, he saw that the woman’s eyes were half closed, one hand resting beside her cheek like a sleeping infant. He wished she’d stayed closer, perhaps even so close that he could have fallen asleep inside of her.

Closing his eyes, Neji sighed with satisfaction, a strange drowsiness overtaking him As he drifted off, he couldn't ever remember feeling closer to perfection.

When his eyes finally opened, the woman was sitting at her desk writing, a long, satin robe draped around her.

"Ah, I see you're finally awake," she said, smiling softly. In the dimming evening light, with her hair down around her shoulders, she seemed to possess an ethereal beauty she'd lacked when he'd first seen her, and Neji felt a flush rise to his cheeks.

Laughing melodically, she shook her head. “No more today, it’s far too late. Come and get your things back on, and we’ll talk.”

Climbing sluggishly out of bed, Neji pulled on his pants, still really wishing he'd been left to doze.

“Your first time, hmm?” the woman asked, though it was more of a statement than a question. “I’ve seen worse. Though I've seen much better as well.”

Buttoning his shirt, Neji paused, hazily aware of her words. “What are you saying?”

“Your stamina is exceptional, but your control is severely lacking. You don’t masturbate much, do you?”

“Why are you saying that?” Neji asked, starting to feel irritated as the sleepiness left his mind.

“Don’t worry, we’ll work on it. Also your hands. You clearly have no idea what to do with them. You almost seemed squeamish about touching me. Oh, and your anatomical knowledge. Horrific. That will take some work as well.”

"But why are you saying all of these things?” Neji asked, anger rising. “You’re not making any sense." He felt as if he'd been slapped in the face. In fact, he'd rather that had been the case.

"Mmm... you still don't understand, do you?"

“I haven’t understood a single thing that’s happened all day!” Neji all but shouted, infuriated over both his insulted abilities and ruined post-coital bliss.

She frowned at him. “Your uncle said you needed training, did he not?”

Neji regarded her hostilely. "I certainly can’t see what this has to do with training. And on top of that,” he sneered, "I am a chuunin ninja, master of Kaiten and the legendary sixty-four hands of Hakke! Why would a WHORE like YOU speak to ME like this? What makes you think you have the RIGHT?!"

He fully expected anger in return, even hoping for it, since it would at least be something he could grasp. Instead, a kind look appeared on the woman's face, and she approached him. "Neji, my dear, I am not a whore," she smiled, cupping his chin in her palm, soft fingers sliding gently across his skin.

“...you’re not?” Neji asked, feeling suddenly very strange beneath her gaze.

"No,” she said in a low voice, kissing him softly on the cheek. “You are."