A soft breeze flew passed unraveling a few strands of hair from Neji's loose ponytail, which he quickly tucked behind his ear. A quiet smile snuck onto his face and he gazed at the view in front of him. A large grassy hill overlooking a small stream that was secluded in the wilderness. Neji stepped over the stones and rocks that formed a little step bridge across, careful not to slip. The Hyuuga then closed his eyes and waited patiently on a low tree branch.

He didn't have to wait long. The only other that knew of this spot and made use of it was the nara boy, who quickly arrived. Shikamaru stepped out from some bushes and brushed some dirt off his vest, then glanced at Neji in the tree.

"How troublesome" A smirk crossed onto his features and he noticed one on Neji as well. He continued, "It seems someone has taken my spot."
Neji opened one eye and calmly responded. "If I remember correctly, I was the one to have first gained knowledge of this place."
"So?"
"So, it would seem I have seniority over you when it comes to who has what spot. Wouldn't you agree?" Neji smirked, he knew he was right. He was always right.
Shikamaru let out a small sigh "Well, I guess I'll let you sit there…for now." He jumped up on the branch next to Neji and sat close to the white-eyed boy. Neji smirked again "You'll let me sit here? As in you would have made me moved?" Shikamaru sighed "I could have moved you, I simply choose not too"
"Oh? And for what reason are you letting me remain here?"
"I'll show you for what reason." The nara boy strategically placed his arm around Neji's shoulder and pulled him closer, brushing his lips lightly against the others as he did so. Neji smiled and willing moved closer to his teammate while bringing his hand up around Shika's neck and leaned in for another. Unfortunately it was stopped by Shikamaru's fingers on his lips.

Shikamaru grinned. "Is that a good enough reason for you?" Neji blushed.
"I'll settle with it. Now quit stalling." he pulled Shikamaru closer to finish the kiss. And this went on for a few hours. Kissing, touching, moaning and whispered desires. Finally Shikamaru pulled away to catch his breathe. Neji raised an eyebrow "Something wrong?" he questioned. Shikamaru sighed, "You're so troublesome." Neji frowned. Sure he got that response about everything, but never him. "What do you mean?" Shikamaru leaned against the body of the tree and closed his eyes lazily. "It's just…it's too much of a bother to come all the way out here every time."
Neji furrowed his brow, he may be a genus, but he wasn't exactly sure what the other meant, so he questioned further. "We come here to be together."

Shikamaru sighed again. This wasn't going to be easy for him, he knew he originally called Neji up to meet him here to break up with him. It wasn't anything against Neji, he cherished the time he had with him. It was all these damn missions. He just recently found out that he may have to leave for a year and although Neji would have patiently waited it was just to, well…troublesome. He knew he was lazy when it came to relationships he couldn't help it. But there was something about Neji that made him want to wait for him to return after a year. Nothing would have made the leaf nin happier but he knew it just wasn't fair to his boyfriend, who now carried a worried expression on his features.

That hurt look Shika hated to see. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but he didn't expect it to be this hard. 'Ok' he thought 'you can do this, just like you rehearsed in the mirror.' "Neji…You're too troublesome to keep seeing." there he said it. It wasn't that bad. Now all he had to do was open his eyes and see how Neji took it. He cracked one eye open to try and judge the hyuuga's reaction. Hopefully he wouldn't make anything of it; after all they've only been seeing each other for about 5 and a half months, that wasn't a lot, right? He tried to convince himself it wasn't.

Those words cut through Neji like a poison dagger. He looks down and replayed the words in his head 'Neji…You're too troublesome to keep seeing.' Too troublesome? So he wasn't worth Shikamaru's time anymore, was that it? He could feel his eyes water and somehow managed to hold back tears. He wouldn't cry. He'll never let anyone see him cry, especially not someone who is hurting him so much right now. 'You'll get over this Neji' he reassured himself and quietly nodded to himself.

His friend saw the nod and interpreted as a silent agreement and breathed a sigh of relief. Feeling a little better he got the courage to speak again "Still friends?"

Neji was still trying to take in the first set of words when the second set hit him. "U-uh." He cleared his throat. He wasn't going to sound weak. "Yes…um…can I ask why?"

"I..you…well, it just wouldn't work…um" Shikamaru didn't know how to put it so he returned to his previous statement, which in his mind worked perfectly. "you're just too much trouble to keep around." this was going easier then he thought, he even wondered what the big deal was about break-ups, this was going smoothly or so he thought.

Even though Shikamaru was an expert strategist and a genius, he had no idea how much his words were killing Neji on the inside, who's attention was currently focused on his hands.

Neji took a deep breath. He knew Shikamaru didn't know how much pain his words caused. He knew Shikamaru was lazy. He knew a lot about his friend's behavior and how Shikamaru did things. So the hyuuga tried to rationalize it, but it hurt, it bothered him too much. He felt anger start to rise and although Neji prided himself as one able to maintain his temper he wanted to let his friend have it. He subconsciously clenched his fists and stated calmly. "Shika…" a pet name he had become so accustomed to using.
"Hm?" his friend spared a glance to his emotionally hurt comrade.

"…I…I…um…" damn, now he was stuttering. 'Just forget it Neji' he thought to himself. 'Don't let your emotions control you'. He took a deep breath and with what seemed like the last bit of strength he had left, placed his hands down on the tree branch and pushed off. "I'll see you around." he spoke quietly as he somehow managed to land gracefully in his state. " You can have your spot now." his voice now a whisper he wasn't sure if his former boyfriend had even heard him. He didn't look up to see either, he just kept his head down and silently walked away.

Shikamaru, perched lazily on the branch stared briefly at the empty spot that was once occupied by Neji and let out a sigh. "That…went well." he tried to tell himself although he couldn't suppress the nausea in his stomach that suddenly began to grow. "Yeah" he muttered lightly and brought his focus to the clouds which still didn't make him feel any better. Perhaps his was starting to miss Neji already.

Neji walked as fast as possible, trying to make it back home before anyone recognized him, unfortunately fate had something to say about that. The raven-hared boy turned a corner and 'BAM'. "Ouuuuuuuuuch! Gah!" came an all too familiar voice as Neji corrected his balance, lucky enough not to fall. The same couldn't be said for Naruto who was sprawled on the stone sidewalk in front of the hyuuga's feet. Neji looked down and rubbed his now sore chest wear the shorter nin had crashed into before holding a hand down to help him up, he would have given Naruto his two-cents worth on running into people, but not today. Not after his talk with Shikamaru, so instead he settled with a quick "Watch where you're going." and waited for the fox-child to take his hand so he could help him up. But he didn't, Neji glanced down at the blond boy who gazed back in complete shock. "Naruto?" Neji questioned. 'What's with the look?" he wondered before the boy in front of him disappeared in a puff of smoke. 'Kage en no jutsu? I know he uses it a lot, but why woul-' his thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream, then another seemingly closer one. The Hyuuga barely had time to come to his senses when he saw about 20 other Naruto's rushing full speed in his direction. "Get out of the way!" they all shrieked in unison. "But you're blocking my way!" he took a cautious step back, then another, then another before he found himself trying to outrun Naruto, who was hot on his tail.

Twisting down the roads and alleys the dark haired nin could hear faint yelling followed briefly afterward with the memorable 'poofing' sound a copy made when it disappeared. Finally one Naruto singled himself out, running faster then the rest and caught up with Neji. "Neji! Neji!" The blonde shrieked in the other's ear. "Ouch! I can hear you just fine! What the hell did you do this time Baka?" Naruto glared at Neji for his comment, which vanished as fast as it came when he heard another 'poofing' sound and grabbed Neji's wrist tightly, yanking him down another alley. "No time to explain! Follow me unless you want to be eaten!" "What?" Neji's eyes widened. This was a bad day, fate not only kicked him when he was down, it spat in his face.

Naruto dragged Neji across some shady areas of Kohana he had never seen before, and kind of wished he now hadn't, especially when they arrived at a dead end. "What now?" Neji gasped for breathe, how long have they've been running anyway? "Get in" Neji shot a quick look at Naruto who had a "Dead End" sign pushed aside revealing a small hole. "You're kidding right?" Naruto shook his head and yanked Neji's already sore arm to shove him in, crawling quickly behind after him.

Neji was now jammed in a hole with Naruto and if it wasn't too dark to see the expression on his face, it would have made Orochimaru think twice about approaching him. "Shh." Naruto whispered. 'I didn't even say anything.' The hyuuga thought but dismissed it since mentioning something about it would be saying something.

Then a low growling was heard, slowly approaching the two boys and hovering over where the sign was. It remained there for a good fifteen minutes, Neji and Naruto sat in silence. A bead of sweat dripped down both their cheeks before the growling audibly left. "What was that?" the long haired nin murmured to the other. "A jaguar…not just any jaguar but a summoned one." Neji felt his voice grow into a harsh whisper. "You summoned that!" "It was an accident…that's the short version of the story. Anyway sorry for dragging you away from whatever you were doing but I didn't want you to get mauled either." Needless to say Neji was a bit shocked, Naruto apologized and was concerned about someone else? "Um thanks. Don't worry about it" He pushed the back of the sign and scuttled out followed shortly by Naruto. "So where were you headed anyway?" he questioned. "Home." the white-eyed boy's expression changed to a grimace and walked away. Naruto paused, he would have asked if he knew the way back, but that sad look on Neji's face made him think differently. Even so, he didn't want the boy to become lost, especially in a place like this. He quickly caught up and smiled nervously. Neji didn't bother to smile and kept walking hoping Naruto would catch the drift and decide not to talk.

"So…" Naruto piped up, he'd do anything to break the uncomfortable silence. "We're getting some new students in our class tomorrow. I heard they're sand nins." "Oh." Neji said quietly. "I'll see them tomorrow I guess." he said looking up at the setting sun and couldn't help but wonder what Shikamaru was doing right about now. He thought back to all the times they would lay against each other gazing up at the clouds, it became one of his favorite pastimes. Not just because it was fun, but it was the thought of laying beside someone you cared deeply about that Neji found so satisfying. "Probably staring at the clouds." he muttered to himself, forgetting there was someone was walking alongside him. "Nani?" Naruto looked confused, his voice snapping Neji out of his daydream. "Hm, nothing. Well here's my house." he mentioned upon arriving at the huge estate. It was no secret that the Hyuuga were wealthy people but Naruto couldn't hold back his astonished expression. "Wow Neji, you live in a mansion! It must be so fun!" "Hn. Not really." He was lucky enough to have a small section of the house to himself, although it wouldn't really be considered small to a normal homeowner. He continued toward it giving Naruto a brief wave. "Later!" Naruto yelled and waved back. "I'll see you in school tomorrow Neji!" Naruto tilted his head to the side and pondered for a moment. "Clouds?" he thought aloud staring at Neji's retreating form for a moment before finally shrugging and running off to see if the Ramen store was still open.

Neji didn't reply, he just slid his key into the lock and quietly entered his room. He was exhausted, and he was finally home. Sure it took him a while but he was here now. He could finally do what he had been waiting to since his talk with Shikamaru. He slipped out of his shirt and crawled onto his bed, snuggling into the soft rich comforter and help a pillow tightly to his chest. He could finally let it out, he buried his face into the top of the pillow and cried.

Author's Notes: Hiya! I'm Kowaikage and this is my first fic, the whole thing is actually already done but I wanted to post it in chapters. Plus I wanted to see if it was good enough to get reviews. If you find any errors with it or have any tips I'd love to here them! Thanks!