Violence Stained Roses

Summary: Neji Hyuuga's job is to protect his family, a powerful crime family fighting for dominance against the equally powerful and ruthless Uchiha family. To end the long standing feud with the Uchihas, Hiashi Hyuuga offers up his daughter to marry into the family. When she goes to stay with the Uchihas prior to the wedding, Neji comes with her as a guard and meets the head of Uchiha security, Shikaku Nara. They clash almost instantly and Neji is left wondering just how things are going to work when two dominant forces collide.

Warnings:HJ, Grinding, sexual situations, violence, guns, mafia, mentions of hetero relationships, cursing, slash

 

Violence Stained Roses

Part One



Neji Hyuuga barely kept from stiffening as his uncle opened the door to his study. Though it was not his place to question the direction of dialogue between Hiashi Hyuuga and the patriarch of the Uchiha family, he could not stop his curiosity from rising in his mind. He was a guard, little more than a soldier for his master to place as he saw fit.



He watched as Fugaku Uchiha glided almost effortlessly through the study door. His hair was immaculate, as was the suit he wore. There was little out of place. Even his age was an indeterminate fact, though it was known through the Hyuuga family that he possessed two grown sons, though little was known about the younger. The elder was being groomed to take control of the family, that much was true.



Uchiha inclined his head to Hiashi. "I look forward to a profitable year, Hiashi."



"As do I." Hiashi gave a small bow before turning to Neji. "Neji, would you show Mr. Uchiha to the door?"



"Of course, Uncle." Neji gestured with his hand for Fugaku Uchiha to precede him and guided the man through the house to the door where two very staunch Uchiha guards stood at attention. It was not difficult for one of Neji's training to spot the weapons they carried. He maintained a steady eye on them as they opened the door for Fugaku Uchiha and escorted him to the waiting car.



He remained in the door of the house until Uchiha and his two goons left in their black sedan. Closing the door, he released a pent up sigh. His uncle was taking a chance in dealing with the Uchiha family. They were a deadly enemy to have and the feud between their families was well known in the city. As time had passed, he knew his uncle longed to end the long-standing violence between the two powerful families.



Together they could accomplish great things; and it was true. The death and violence left in the wake of their feud was enough to make any head of a powerful family such as the Hyuuga look for alternatives. The money and manpower lost between both families was extreme. If Hyuuga and Uchiha were to unite, there would be no limit to the power they would wield. Potential power did not allow for forgetting that former enemies made dangerous friends.



Neji walked calmly back to his uncle's study, surprised to see the door open in invitation. "Uncle?"



"Ah, Neji, I assume you are curious about what went on inside this room?"



Neji swallowed at his uncles words. There was little he could keep from Hiashi's keen eye. "It is not my place to pry into your business dealings."



"Even if you disapprove?"



"Even then."



Hiashi sighed and gestured for Neji to approach. He seemed to want for Neji to seat himself in one of the chairs and as much as he would have liked to humor his uncle, his training did not allow such familiarity. The Hyuuga family prided itself on the strictest policy. Neji was trained from the time he could walk to be a guard and soldier for the family. Hiashi was his master and if he asked him to take the gun hidden beneath his jacket and put it to his temple, he would do so willingly. He had nothing if not for the family and repaid it with his complete loyalty.



Hiashi sighed regretfully and began speaking. "Uchiha and I have come to an agreement. The south and west parts of the town belong to the Hyuuga while the north and east belong to the Uchiha. Neutral areas are the central part of town, City Hall and such. Prostitution, gambling, and drugs in those areas will be strictly for the respective family. The feud, and the death that comes with it, will end once and for all."



"And he agreed to that willingly?"



A chuckle spilled from Hiashi's lips. "I have agreed that Hinata will marry one of his sons. I left it for Uchiha to decide which, but I would imagine it will be the older one."



"Uncle, you can't!"



"I thought we had trained those outbursts from you."



Neji stiffened visibly and paled. "Forgive my impudence."



Hiashi's face softened faintly. "I've always considered you as a son to me. Hinata will go live with the Uchiha for a period of several weeks. It will give Uchiha's son a chance to woo her properly before the wedding."



Neji opened his mouth to object, only to have Hiashi glare and raise his hand. His jaw snapped shut with the clicking of teeth. Turmoil he was certain he could not hide was displayed on his face and his hands clenched into fists of rage at the thought of the lovely Hinata being subjected to the role of bargaining chip. He knew it was her destiny to be used as such just as it was his destiny to eventually take a bullet or a prison sentence in protecting his uncle. It might be destiny, but it still burned.



"I'm sending you with Hinata. You're close with her and will guard her with your life. I don't want anything interfering with this marriage. See to her protection, and if while staying there, you come across some information that might be beneficial to the family, I trust you to inform me once you return."



"You wish me to spy on the Uchihas?"



Hiashi grimaced and waved his hand at Neji. "I want you to look out for the welfare of this family. We might be creating a link between our two families, but we cannot be overly cautious. I won't have my daughter's life endangered."



"I will see to it." Neji carefully unclenched his fists. "Has Hinata been told?"



"I went to see her while you were seeing Uchiha out. She will do her duty, just as I knew she would."



Neji wanted to growl at the man. Just because Hinata was willing to be cowed into doing her duty did not mean she was happy at her chance of choosing her own husband being taken from her. He very much doubted Hinata was taking the information well.



"If there is nothing more I can do for you, please excuse me. I have to prepare for my absence." Neji waited patiently for his uncle's acknowledgement before he quietly left the study and made his way up the ornate staircase to Hinata's room.



Knocking, he waited patiently as the door was cracked open to reveal tear swollen eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered, because there was nothing else he could say.



Hinata nodded shakily. "It's not your fault, Neji."



"I could try to speak to your father about the issue."



She shook her head. "Don't. I don't want you to be punished for me. It's for the good of the family. He won't change his mind."



"Your father said that you are going to be staying with the Uchiha for several weeks while the wedding is planned."



She nodded again, her eyes dropping to stare at the carpet. "Father thinks that my fiancé will use the time to woo me. According to him, it is a tradition in our family for the bride to reside with the groom's family for a period of time to allow the bride and groom to become acclimated to each other."



Neji thought it wise in terms of arranged marriages. The Hyuuga family originated from Japan, and many of their traditions stemmed from those roots, including the extensive tattoos that graced the bodies of the men in service to Hiashi Hyuuga. Neji's own back bore the image of a phoenix rising from the ashes with its head arched at the base of his neck and its wings spread across the width of his shoulders with tail feathers curling over his hips, two on each side. It was a beautiful design that Hinata had picked for him when he was officially accepted into the family.



"Do you think my husband will be a kind man?"



Neji gave an internal wince. He very much doubted the son of a crime boss would have much kindness in him. Hinata's life would not be what he wished for her, but he would protect her regardless. Though it might be a demotion in terms of standing, he planned to ask Hiashi to assign him to Hinata's guard permanently. Even after her marriage, he planned to be there to protect her.



"Whatever his personality, I will protect you, Hinata."



Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her tearstained face into his chest. "Thank you, big brother."



His heart melted at the words. Though they were only cousins, he had always considered Hinata and her younger sister, Hanabi, to be his younger sisters. He would die protecting both of them.



"It will be alright. If he even lays one hand upon you, I'll filet him. You have my word."



His hands stroked down her silky black hair. He would protect his little sister at all costs, even if it earned him severe punishment from his master. He would give every finger on both hands in order to protect her. If he did not approve of how the Uchihas treated her, he would take her and be damned to the treaty between their families. The Hyuugas had his loyalty, but Hinata was the first to treat him as more than an orphaned Hyuuga. She was his first real friend. He would protect her.

 

oOo

Neji sat beside Hinata as the black sedan rolled up a driveway and came to a stop before a large house that rivaled that of the Hyuuga complex. Familiar sights of suit garbed men carrying large guns and killer auras set him on edge. He was not afraid as much as nervous. Already his mind set about devising escape routes should he be required to escape with Hinata.



As the car stopped, Neji opened the door and stepped into the spring sun. His hand extended to assist Hinata from the vehicle while the driver set about removing her luggage from the car. He glanced towards the large steps leading up to the front door and found the familiar Fugaku Uchiha standing in stiff arrogance with what he could only assume was Uchiha's son at his side.



They set about moving down the steps and Neji tensed in anticipation. Hinata kept her gaze lowered and he could feel how she trembled beside him. He was tempted to shove her back into the car and spirit her away from the machinations of her father and the Uchiha family. She was too gentle for this life.



"Hinata Hyuuga?"



Hinata lifted her gaze and gave a small nod. "Yes."



"I am Fugaku Uchiha and this is my eldest son, Itachi. We are so pleased you chose to stay with us."



Neji almost scoffed at the words. As if she had any choice in the matter.



Hinata gestured to Neji. "This is my cousin, Neji. He will be staying with me to ensure my protection and welfare until the wedding."



And even afterward, Neji thought sourly. At least the Uchiha patriarch and his son did not seem to dispute his presence. They would have known Hiashi Hyuuga would not have sent his older daughter into the wolves' den without some sort of protection.



"I already have rooms provided for you both."



Neji maintained his emotionless facade, turning his pale eyes to Fugaku Uchiha. "I assume they are adjoining.



"Of course. You are her bodyguard after all."



Neji gave a curt nod and followed the three up the stairs into the house. He would go over the rooms with a fine toothed comb to be certain they were acceptable. Then, he would speak with the head of security once Hinata was settled. Maintaining a good relationship with security personnel made things much easier should he be required to abuse his welcome in the house of his enemy.



The rooms they were shone to were opulent nearly to the point of being hideous. He almost laughed at the faint cringe on Hinata's face before she schooled her expression. For his gentle cousin, simple colors and tasteful decor was her preference. Now she would be living in a room that seemed designed to show off the wealthy the Uchiha family possessed.



"Thank you for having me," she said in her gentle voice.



"We'll leave you to settle in. We serve tea at four and would be pleased if you could join us."



Hinata gave a small nod. "I would be happy to join you."



Neji watched the younger Uchiha as they left. He was difficult to read and that made him nervous. If he was to be Hinata's fiancé, it would complicate things if he was unable to get a bead on how he would treat Hinata once she was his wife. His attitude could be a front created for strangers and it would likely take weeks to get a more accurate reading on him.



"They seemed nice," Hinata murmured as she walked about the room.



"Of course they seemed nice. They will keep up that facade until you are wedded and bedded to one of them. I'm surprised Uchiha did not offer to marry you himself. His wife died of cancer several years ago and he's young enough to have several more years of virility."



Hinata cringed. "It's bad enough that I have to marry one of his sons. Please don't speculate on me having to marry him."



"Apologies," he murmured and set about walking about the rooms while Hinata carried her suitcases into the bedroom. He took in each carefully placed camera, though he was pleased to not find a single audio device. Unless the cameras were fitted with such, which he doubted, only video feed of the area was visible. He was also grateful to find no sign of a camera or audio bug in the bedroom or bathroom.



"Your rooms are clean."



Hinata gave a small giggle. "You're all business."



"Of course, where you are concerned." He moved out through the sitting room and to the door leading into the adjacent room. The decor was much the same, though to a much lesser degree. Instead of a large sitting room, the room was simple and contained a bed, desk, dresser, and its own bathroom. There was also a door leading out to the hall along with the one leading into the sitting room of Hinata's suite of rooms.



She poked her head into his room and sighed dramatically. "Would you like to switch rooms?"



Neji snorted and shook his head. "If you think I'm giving up this for you, you're mistaken. At least when you marry that Uchiha, you can set about changing the decor in some of these rooms. I'm sure they won't mind and it will give you something to do."



Or take her mind off being manhandled from one crime family to another.



Hinata's eyes grew dewy but the tears never fell. She was stronger than she appeared at first glance. It was a fact he was grateful for. Unless the Uchiha family turned out to be full of assholes, she would adapt and land on her feet. Just in case, he would be there to catch her.



"Stay in your room until I come for you. I'll be back to escort you to tea."



Hinata frowned and laid a hand on his arm. "Where are you going?"



"To see if I can meet with the head of security. It's only polite, after all."



Hinata released his arm and smiled. "Thank you for staying with me, Neji."



He nodded and patted her shoulder fondly. "Just stay here until I return. I won't be long."



Neji stepped out into the hall and made his way towards the entry hall. His memory was close to photographic and he easily found one of the servants as she was dusting. It took some doing since apparently the woman did not speak English. He snorted, but allowed it to pass. The servants understood more than they let on, but with him being a guest, it was likely more of a ruse than anything.



So he played along.



"Looking for something?"



Neji stiffened and instinctively reached for the piece that he kept snug in the holster under his arm. It took all his training to keep from turning on his heel and firing at the owner of the man who had the skill to sneak up on him. Instead, he slowly eased around and stared.



The man was older, somewhere around the age of his uncle in his mid to late forties. His dark hair was pulled tight to his scalp in a high tail and his eyes, though calm in appearance, were sharp and exacting. Various scars dotted his face, many looking like those acquired in knife fights. He could feel the aura of danger on this man. His age was not something to be taken into account, as Neji had learned long ago.



"I was looking for directions to the head of security."



"Ah? Why would you want to meet Shikaku Nara?"



Neji's eye twitched. "It is my duty to protect Hinata Hyuuga. I was going to meet with the head of security as a courtesy and to discuss plans should she be in danger."



"A wise action."



"Do you know where he is? Every servant I speak with doesn't seem to be able to speak English or Japanese. I'm afraid my Spanish is limited to simple questions."



"I'm sure the maids would have told you where to go, if you had asked the right questions."



Neji fought to roll his eyes. "Do I have to ask you the right question or are you going to send me running around as well?"



"Well, I could. It would be good for a laugh, but I'm in a good mood so I'll suppose I should indulge you in introducing myself. I am Shikaku Nara, head of security for the Uchiha family."



Neji rarely showed shock, or hurt, or anger unless severely provoked. After having dealt with at least half a dozen maids who apparently did not speak a lick of English, he was particularly annoyed at having the man he searched for taking amusement at his frustration. The gun pressed against his side under his jacket was beginning to feel very tempting, even if he would likely be dead before it was fired.



"I noticed the lack of cameras in the bedrooms and bathrooms."



Shikaku smirked and nodded as Neji was led to a high-tech control room behind a hidden door beneath the central staircase. "The last thing I want is the boys beating off the guests having sex or changing clothes. The Uchihas respect the privacy of their guests."



"I appreciate your concern. And audio?"



"No audio. Mr. Uchiha doesn't like the thought of any of his conversations being recorded, even if it is by us, not to mention that while I have done my best to prevent it, it is possible for lines to be hacked. The cameras in every room but bathrooms and bedrooms is enough."



"And outside?"



Shikaku chuckled and sprawled into a comfortable chair in front of the dozens of camera images. "Nearly three hundred and sixty degrees of view."



Neji scowled and turned his gaze to the images designated for outside of the house. Nearly was not good enough in his book. A skilled assassin could easily find the breaks in the camera's line of sight and use it to his advantage.



"Where are your blind spots?"



Shikaku arched a brow but pointed to a few of the camera feeds. "These two cameras. There is a slight blind area for five seconds as they shift their movement. It was not worth setting about another camera and developing another rotation cycle for them. If someone can get past the cameras, my guards will stop them before they can do any harm. I have the guard patrols in this area heavier than any other to compensate for the blind spot."



"Never put all your faith in men." Neji continued to scan the cameras, looking for any possible adjustment to the cycling that would decrease that five second blind window. He would think on it later and made a mental note to test Shikaku's belief in the window being too small for an attacker.



"I trained them all myself and regularly hold unscheduled drills. They are the best there is. Hinata Hyuuga is safe in this house, probably more so than in her own home."



"Don't let your arrogance blind you," growled Neji in a low voice.



Shikaku's grin widened. "It's not arrogance. It's the truth."



Neji gave a short sniff and turned on his heels. He did not have the time or the inclination to talk with this man any longer. Hinata was waiting for him to escort her to tea.



"Oh, and by the way Hyuuga, every employee in this household speaks perfect English."



The twitch was back in Neji's eye before he could control it. He turned on his feet and strode with purpose to the rooms he shared with Hinata. He entered to find her seated primly in one of the red and gold sofas with a book cradled on her lap, her pale eyes staring unseeingly at the text.



"Hinata, we should head down for tea. I saw them setting up as I passed by."



It broke his heart at how the woman he had come to know as his sister looked as if she was headed to the gallows rather than to a simple afternoon tea. He stepped to her side and knelt before her. "I'll be with you the entire time."



Some of the dread left her face and she nodded. "Thank you, Neji."



He stood and offered her a hand up. Together the two of them descended the stairs and into the main dining room where a spread was set out.



Neji pulled out her chair as the two men seated stood at her arrival. He kept his eyes on Itachi Uchiha as he moved back against the wall and watched the table with hawk-like eyes. While he did spare Fugaku Uchiha some attention, the majority of his focus lay upon the younger. As far as he could surmise, it was he who was set to marry Hinata and it was he who would bear the brunt of his fury should he hurt Hinata. He still had yet to even catch a glimpse of the younger son.



"I'm pleased you could make it, Hinata. Are you settled in?"



Hinata smiled politely. "Yes, Mr. Uchiha. The room is...lovely."



Neji thought he heard a snort from Itachi, but he could not be sure as his expression never changed. The thought that the Uchiha son found the room as hideous as he and Hinata gave him hope for his personality.



"I'm glad. You deserve to have the best room in this house. I want my future daughter-in-law comfortable and happy."



Neji began to tune out the majority of the conversation when it remained safely in the small talk region. Itachi Uchiha was not saying much and Hinata was shy on a good day, so the majority of it was held by Fugaku Uchiha. Already he had heard enough to know the man liked to hear himself talk, so he allowed him to drone on while his thoughts shifted to his earlier meeting with the head of Uchiha security. As annoying as the meeting was, he had to admit that he was impressed with the security set up. He likely could not have done much better. As head of his uncle's security team, he spent many hours going over footage and checking camera feeds to ensure that their complex was as safe as possible.



"Isn't that right, Neji?"



Neji's gaze shot to where Hinata was seated, her gaze on him where he stood. He had no idea what was being asked of him but spoke calmly anyway. "Yes, Hinata."



"I look forward to your expertise," said Fugaku with a smile. "I'm sure Shikaku can use your help in devising the security for the party."



If Neji had not possessed full control over his expression, his jaw would have dropped to the floor. What party? The last thing he recalled they were discussing spring weather and other boring small talk. When had it shifted from small talk to party and security talk?



And more importantly, what had he gotten himself into with it?

oOo

The aforementioned party was more like a gala. There were more people packed into the Uchiha house than he would have thought possible. Couple that with the additional guards and the servants and the house was bursting at the seams.



And Neji was in bodyguard hell.



At least Hinata seemed to be enjoying herself on her betrothed's arm. Her father was at the party along with Hanabi. He was glad and trusted the number of guards present inside and out. When planning security, he had insisted on bringing in some of his own men—men he trusted.



His gaze ghosted over the groups of people. They came from all parts of society. Senators hoping to collect campaign money from Uchiha or his uncle strolled around the party with their wives on their arms. Models famous in the clothing industry cooed and sighed on the arm of their much older dates. It did not take a genius to see what their purpose was. He rolled his eyes. He hated these public functions and the strain they put on him.



So, when he began to feel slightly claustrophobic, he had no qualms with leaving Hinata in the care of one of the guards from the Hyuuga household while he stepped outside to catch a breath of fresh air. The spring air still possessed a faint kiss of winter's chill as he stepped towards the balcony on the second floor, grateful it was empty of guests. He needed to be away from the press of bodies and mindless droning of conversation filling the air. What he wouldn't give for a bit of quiet before being forced to return to his duties.



"Taking a break from all the fun?"



Neji flinched and twisted to see that same face. "How the hell do you keep sneaking up on me?"



Shikaku arched a brow and took a final drag from his cigarette before tossing it over the side of the balcony. "It's a gift."



Neji scowled and turned his gaze back to the party visible through the glass doors. He had been successful about avoiding Shikaku as much as possible. Dealing with him during the planning of security had been hell enough. Now he was being forced to be around him during one of his few chances to break away from the party and all it entailed. Something about the man unnerved him. He carried an aura of lazy strength with him as if he was in complete control and was so confident in his control that he did not need to overexert himself.



And it pissed the hell out of him.



He had allowed Shikaku to handle most of the security for the party, though his nature demanded some control. When at the Uchiha house, he was in charge of security for everything, including parties. He arranged for extra Hyuuga guards to be brought in for additional security, but otherwise left most of the preparation to Shikaku.



"Enjoying the party?"



Neji glared at Shikaku as he sided up beside him on the balcony. "No bodyguard would be comfortable in this setting. It is a nightmare. Anyone could sneak in a small weapon. It's not like we can frisk everyone who walks in the door and the Uchiha's are too prideful to have every guest be scanned with wands."



"It's not likely someone with an invitation to this party would come with intentions to harm anyone. Every recipient of an invitation was given a complete background check."



A snort was ripped from Neji before he could stop it. "With all the excitement and crowd, sneaking by would not be that difficult for someone skilled in infiltration."



"And you're just being difficult. You'll be lucky to live to forty without giving yourself a heart attack with that sort of attitude."



Neji folded his arms across his chest. "I'm being pragmatic. Those men we guard are not just rich. They are wanted men, and not just from the police. Rivals or power hungry piss ant gangs are just waiting for a chance to claim territory. We need to be diligent in times like these."



Shikaku shook his head and laughed. "If any of those can get through the security that we have, I will give them props before I shoot them."



Like a flash, Shikaku extracted a modified SIG Sauer P250 from a harness beneath his tuxedo jacket. Neji was no fool in thinking that the gun was standard design. A man like Shikaku would have modified in some way, possibly to the point of it being very much illegal. Its diamond finish caught a bit of light from the party and gleamed darkly. He did not flinch when the barrel was pointed toward him, even as Shikaku moved closer.



"It's a pain to have to deal with party crashers, especially when they come in hopes of taking down someone under my protection. I make sure they are kept to the bare minimum. They never get through my security checks." Shikaku grinned as the barrel of the gun reached Neji's brow. "Can you say the same, Hyuuga?"



The screaming instinct inside him reacted before he had time to control it. As soon as the cold metal touched his skin, he whipped out his own hand gun, a customized Beretta 92. He did not expect Shikaku to react so quickly or exact. Before he even realized what was happening, his gun was taken from his hand and he was bent over the edge of the balcony with an arm locked behind his back.



"Let me up," he growled.



"You didn't say please."



His unbound hand inched toward his pocket where a switchblade was hidden away. With his body incapacitated as it was, he would have a hard time breaking free, but was not completely vulnerable. After years of training, first under his father and then his uncle, Neji was anything but vulnerable, regardless of the situation.



Just as his hand slipped into his pocket and wrapped around the cool metal of the blade, the hand holding the gun holstered the weapon and darted down to wrap around his wrist. He gave a small growl and struggled beneath the grip, one arm being held in place at the small of his back and the other at his side.



"Let me up," he repeated with a bit more force.



"You're a bit of a hothead even if you hide it beneath disdain and a touch of arrogance."



"You're one to talk," Neji retorted.



Shikaku smiled and lowered his head so that his lips barely brushed the rim of Neji's ear. "Oh if only you knew."



A faint shudder rocked through Neji and coiled a tendril of heat in his stomach. His eyes went wide and an unintelligible gasp escaped his parted lips. What the fuck was that?



Just as quickly as he was taken down, the hands holding him in place were removed. He twisted around but Shikaku was far enough from him to avoid physical retaliation. There was a small smirk on his lips as he turned to head back into the ballroom.



"Take a few minutes. You have nothing to worry about."



Neji growled under his breath and watched him leave. For several long minutes he was left wondering what the fuck had happened. For a moment he could have sworn he was going to get hard in his pants. If Shikaku had kept him bound much longer, he probably would have. That was a distraction he refused to allow. Not only was Shikaku at least twenty years he senior, but he was a member of the enemy's household. Even after Hinata married Itachi, he doubted he would ever be comfortable considering the Uchiha family an ally.



"Idiot," he growled to himself. "It was nothing."



With a frustrated sigh, he made his way back into the house and tapped the Hyuuga guard assigned to watch Hinata on the shoulder. The man moved to return to his previous post and Neji took to scanning the room for anyone who looked to be out of place. It was difficult in this sort of setting when the party-goers were well on their way to being drunk beyond recognition.



His eyes lingered to the bar where he saw Shikaku lounging with a glass of clear liquid, probably club soda. He might not be worried, but Shikaku was not the type to drink on the job. That much he understood about the man.



He saw a smirk tilt the corner of Shikaku's lips and the glass was lifted in his direction. A scowl formed on his face and he shifted his gaze away, almost hearing the deep rumbling laugh in his ear despite the loud din of the guests. What an asshole.



Turning his gaze away, he noted one of the guests working through the crowd with determination. It might not have set his intuition off if not for the hard set of the eyes on the man's face. Something about him seemed off and it sent warning bells off in the back of his mind.



And he trusted his intuition more than anything.



With a slow gliding through the throng of party guests, he began working his way to the man while he was making his way toward where Itachi Uchiha and Hinata were standing while speaking with a senator and his wife. They appeared completely oblivious to the hatred radiating from the man. The closer Neji got to him, the more he felt it.



Rolling his shoulders, he prepared himself to reach into his coat for his weapon. It was likely just a verbal altercation to be directed at Uchiha, but Neji was not one to leave things to chance. He had seen the calmest of assassin pull a gun and the most hatred filled father rant and rave at his uncle about the death of his son or daughter.



Just as Neji reached Itachi and Hinata, so did the man. He watched as the man reached into the coat of his jacket and extracted a semi-automatic hand gun.



Without thinking, he lunged for the man just as the weapon was pointed at the couple. The gun went off and the stray bullet slammed into the ceiling above their heads. His only job was to protect Hinata and he would do so even if it required him stepping in front of a bullet. She was his little sister in heart, if not in reality.



The would-be assassin's wild eyes flared as they struggled and went to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. The change in position disorientated Neji for a moment and the gunman was able to gain the upper hand with his gun still clutched in his hand.



Neji kneed him in the groin and took the dominant position while the guards in the room raced to act. The struggle could not have lasted longer than a few seconds but for him, it felt like a lifetime. He grunted and reached for the gun but did not anticipate the sudden movement by the gunman.



A loud pop sounded and his ears went deaf from the sound just as pain shot though his chest. He grunted and fell to the side. Was he shot?



The sound of a scream echoed through the room as well was shouts from men, some he recognized and others he did not. He stared up at the ceiling and reached a hand to his chest at the spreading warm dampness staining the white of his shirt. A sudden sense of coldness washed over him as strong hands pressed into the wound on his chest. Was he dying? Was Hinata safe?



"Hinata?" he whispered.



"She's fine."



His shadow hued gaze looked to the man crouched beside him, hands pressing firmly to his chest. Shikaku.



"Take care of her."



Shikaku frowned and pressed harder, making Neji grunt in pain. "You're not going to die so stop talking like you're on your deathbed. I've seen much worse."



Neji tried to return the jab but found his throat did not want to work. The darkness gathering on the corners of his vision seemed to be growing until all he could see was Shikaku's face. As the darkness finally claimed him, it was the last thing he saw.



To be continued...

 

AN: This was written when I saw Neji die in the manga along with Shikaku's death. It made me sad and so I wrote this. I'll finish it up once I finish with some commissions I have for people on ygal.