Because, I Love You. (Neji x Reader)

23: Understanding

POP

After concentrating your chakra and working together with your inner tank of water, you managed to blow a medium sized bubble. It pops and the contents of the bubble go everywhere and sizzle like acid. 

Angry, the red-haired intruder throws you into the other side of the room as he tries to remove the acidic-contents from his body. As you look at him, you realize your acid bubble burned into his body. Although, strangely enough, he did not yell in agony or pain. That was when you realized he was no longer human, but puppet-like. In fact, he was a puppet.

His gaze snaps back at you and within an instant you ran for the door. The intruder ran after you, almost grabbing you before you made it through the door. However, before he could, you turn around to face him and blow another acidic bubble to slow him down. 

As you enter the hallway, you run as fast as you can down the hall in an attempt to find someone to help you. You look behind you to see the red-haired male running after you with a large puppet. Mentally cursing, you manage to dodge his attack by quickly turning down another hall.

Panicking at the thought of not being able to find anyone, you slip on a paper towel and fall hard. Your body slides into an empty wheelchair, causing the wheelchair to tip over and echo down the hall. You face the red-haired intruder and flinch, closing your eyes in fear as he sends his puppet after you. However, the puppet never hits its target and instead, you hear a loud slam. 

You open your eyes to find that Yamato had slammed the puppet into the ceiling with a large branch. The opposing red-haired puppeteer runs in the other direction, disappearing once he jumps out a nearby window. 

Choosing not to go after the rogue ninja, Yamato turns to you. He crouches to your level and asks how you are. 

"Well, personally I wish I was still in the hospital bed sleeping off the pain, but I actually feel good- physically speaking of course. Emotionally, I wanna cry and it has been a while since I have frozen in fear."

Yamato hugs you in an attempt to comfort you, which succeeds. 

"You don't have to hug me, Yamato. Being a part of the Anbu Forces, I know you're not supposed to have any emotional ties," you mumble.

"Don't try to lecture me about my job. Yes, emotional ties are a no-go in the Anbu Forces, but I have none. I'm simply comforting the person I was assigned to help since it is my job after all," retorts Yamato, giving you a small smile as he ends the hug. 

You knew Yamato only said that to prove to anyone eavesdropping that he had no emotional attachment to you, but you knew better. Yamato definitely had a soft-spot for you. You could tell because of how fatherly he acted around you. You could especially tell when he was assigned another mission and had to leave you for a few months since before he left, he kissed your forehead. He did not know you had felt his lips of endearment on your forehead as you were seemingly sleeping, but you were very much awake at the time of his departure because that 3am water hits differently.

Despite this though, you have kept quiet about such emotional ties as it does go against his job. However, this has only inspired you to work harder as a shinobi since you needed to ensure that you could protect yourself so that no one could take advantage of Yamato in that manner. 

"Thank you for saving me, Yamato. I missed you dearly," you finally responded while you two began walking back to the main part of the hospital. 

"It is my job, so don't fret about it. I'm just glad I made it in time. I sensed genjutsu was in use, so I headed in this direction. I mean, I was already on my way here anyways to check in on your performance since I finished my last mission. But I didn't expect myself to fight Sasori of The Red Sand," he answered, pondering how you managed to defend against him long enough to not sustain terrible injuries.