"Sleeping Together"

NejixNaruto/AU/OOC/fluff

Summary: Neji insists Naru on sleeping together. Naru is freaked out by the "indecent proposal". Will she yield to his charms or not? Will Neji get what he wants from Naru?

AN: Someone beta this thing!

No other news report has affected Hyuuga Neji the way that one which he heard as he passed by their TV room early that night:

"…a woman in her early 20s living alone in an apartment in Birmingham Street was brutally stabbed to death by still unknown men last night…"

That news plagued Neji all night. He walked around their compound restlessly, thinking of how to get rid of the horrible thoughts that raced his mind. A woman, alone in her apartment at night, killed in a bloody murder … The image of the slaughtered woman he glimpsed on TV warped into someone he loved, his girlfriend. No! He shuddered at the thought.

The entire night he battled with himself whether to sneak into Uzumaki Naru's apartment or stay in his house like a sane person.

Naru was a young woman; she lived alone in a cheap apartment in a neighborhood that wasn't very safe though she'd definitely feel insulted if he doubted her self-protection capabilities—she isn't the team captain of the women's Judo Club for nothing.

But his paranoid, overprotective side eventually won when he was already lying in his bed. What if there were just too many to fight? He simply won't be able to sleep with those kinds of thoughts running in his mind. He got out of the house and rode his bike to Naru's apartment. Sleeping alone at night was just too risky, he decided.

On the way he bought a small tin of strawberry ice cream with chunks of strawberry. He knew his Naru was madly in love with that ice cream flavor, and if he wanted to disturb her at past midnight he must make sure to bring a bribe.

He climbed a flight of stairs at the back of the building and stood outside her bedroom window, leaning on the glass to look for her sleeping form on the small bed. Why doesn't she draw the curtains and leave herself exposed like this, he asked himself. He saw her wide open eyes looking straight into his own despite the darkness. He showed her the plastic bag he had been carrying when he noticed her scrunch up her nose in annoyance.

Naru had been sleeping soundly already and it irritated her even if it was her handsome boyfriend who came to her in the middle of the night. She opened the window even so. Neji slid inside the room and landed with a dull thud on the floor.

"I'm sorry to bother you this late, Naru."

"I have judo practice very early tomorrow; you better have a good reason."

It surprised Neji to no end how this extremely beautiful girl in front of him can be frightening sometimes. He couldn't think of how to begin explaining why he came; his mind practically stuttered, but he isn't chickening out yet.

She looked at the plastic bag beside him. "What's that?"

"I brought you your favorite."

"Give it to me so I don't kick your ass."

The bribe seemed to work all right and Neji could see Naru's eyes softening a little bit as she took the bag from him. She turned around to walk towards the kitchen which was the only other room in her apartment. Suddenly Neji swallowed hard when he took her full form and noticed that she was wearing only her underwear and a white tank top.

Like reading his mind, Naru stopped in her tracks. She didn't even bother to turn around again to look at him but she surely felt Neji almost burn holes at the back of her legs with his gawking.

"Stop staring! This is why I never let you in here." That jolted Neji for sure and he looked away.

"I wasn't!"

She snorted. (And no other girl can snort with as much nastiness as she can, Neji thought to himself.) He could clearly imagine her facing looking so furious right at that moment.

Neji had once asked Naru if he can spend just one afternoon in her apartment. They could watch movies, or Naru could cook for him (that one earned Neji a good screaming from Naru who refused to be "domesticated" by anyone), or they could spar a bit since they both do judo. But Naru always turned him down, I walk in my undies around my apartment—there's no way I'm going to have you stay there even for a bit. She is indeed very frank, as Neji realized a long time ago.

She talked about walking around her house almost naked with the same uninterested tone as talking about doing weekend laundry. Underwear… Those panties she wore completely revealed to Neji how perfect and long and beautifully shaped--like they were sculpted by some world famous artist--Naru's legs were. Neji briefly wondered if they were as smooth and silky as they look. If only he could touch those breathtakingly beautiful masterpieces…

"Why exactly are you here?" Her question shook Neji from his wild fantasies. "And please stop staring!"

"Because you're alone," Neji sounded like he was asking her.

"And so? I've been alone since I was thirteen."

He didn't really think about how he would convince her to let him stay. He suddenly felt ridiculous but he's made up his mind. He's going to stay whether she likes it or not. Should I tell her about the news? She'd probably laugh.

"I saw this news earlier," Neji's tone became serious, "about a woman who was murdered, she lived alone--" He was cut by Naru's laughter. That's what I thought.

After a good two minutes, Naru wiped the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes. "Neji, come on, you know I put my judo to good use if I have the chance."

"I know, I know… it's just that I couldn't have any peace at all, knowing perfectly well that you're by yourself in this old apartment, in this neighborhood…I couldn't stop thinking…"

Naru felt Neji's anxiety and dread in his voice and suddenly regretted laughing boisterously at his plight.

She let a few seconds pass before asking. "So what do you want to do?"

She studied his face as he stood beside her bedroom window. The moon lit one side of his handsome face.

"I'm sleeping here. Starting tonight. There just has to be someone here to stay with you at night." His voice was firm, his face resolute.

"What? You, in my bedroom, while I sleep in my panties? No bleeding way, dude!" She looked at him incredulously, her hands on her hips, eyebrows meeting.

"If you feel awkward in your underwear then why don't you change into some pajamas?"

"I don't have pajamas, and I don't sleep in pajamas. I don't feel comfortable enough to sleep in those!"

"Then stay in your undies. I will sleep on your couch." He looked over to the sorry couch at the corner of her bedroom. He'd be having a terrible backache tomorrow, he thought to himself.

"No. I'm not letting you," Naru moved from where she stood, dragged Neji by his wrist towards the front door. "You go home and leave me alone. And stop worrying, please!"

This was getting on Naru's nerves. This guy has some guts to disturb me in the dead of the night just because of his suspicions!

Neji refused to be towed outside. "I'm not leaving you here all alone! And I can't stop worrying, Naru!" What if strangers came in here and attacked you while you're sleeping? You wouldn't be able to fight them, especially if they were stronger than you, or they outnumbered you! What if they were carrying knives or even guns? What if… I won't forgive myself if something bad happens to you. Neji shook his head, as if doing so would rid him of the horrible images that his fearful mind conjured.

Naru saw how Neji's face turned from annoyed to scared to desperate with those unspoken thoughts. Maybe she could let him just this once, just to give him some peace of mind.

Naru sighed. She has to sleep now or Kakashi-sensei would kick her ass tomorrow. "Hn. Whatever. Do what you want, I'm going to sleep." She looked at the sagging couch, poor Neji, and walked over to her bed.

Neji on the other hand sat on the miserable couch, his eyes always on Naru's form. Is she mad at me now?

Naru lied on her bed with her back to Neji. Is he mad at me now? Poor guy, I bet he won't be able to sleep at all in that old couch.

A few minutes pass by and neither of them has fallen asleep. Naru's conscience badgered her, was I too harsh on him?

She sighed again. She can't torture him like this. He was just worried about her.

Naru rolled on her side and stood up. She walked to her closet and rummaged through her clothes. She found a pair of old, discolored shorts she was sure (she hadn't worn for more than a year) and put them on.

Neji had closed his eyes some time before she changed but she was sure he wasn't asleep yet by the way he breathed. She knelt in front of him and gently placed her hand on his cheek.

"Babe,"

Neji felt and heard her, she isn't angry when she calls me that. He opened his eyes and they looked at each other for a few moments. He noticed she had put on a pair of shorts.

"Don't sleep here," she took him by the hand to the bed.

She went first, scooted to the far side of the bed and with her arms opened, beckoned him to follow. The bed was just enough for one person. How on earth are we going to sleep here? Neji thought to himself. We have to be stacked up like logs to really lie down. He stopped himself before lecherous thoughts entered his mind. He took of his shoes and lied beside her. He was wrapped immediately in her sweet, one-arm embrace, her head on his shoulder and a smooth leg on his.

He swallowed hard as he looked at the beautiful leg above his thigh. A wicked grin formed on his face. And his eyes narrowed at her.

"Naru, are you seducing me?"

"Are you already seduced by this? Geez." She rolled her eyes and moved a bit away—removed her leg and one-arm embrace until she heard him let out a frustrated whimper.

"Were you whining or something?" she asked, slightly amused at hearing him do something like that for the first time. The high and mighty Hyuuga, team captain of the Men's Judo Club had made her smile just by whimpering. And she went back to her previous position, putting her arm and leg on him. Again Neji settled in that perfect feeling beside her warm and soft body.

"In case you're wondering, your concern for me is very much appreciated." She lifted her head up a bit and kissed the corner of his lips. Neji melted under her smile.

"But don't you dare do anything perverted or you'll regret it!" She looked at him threateningly and received a muted shriek from him when she pinched his side.

"Goodnight, Naru," he said, and in a whisper he added "I love you".

"Goodnight, you paranoid freak… and I love you too."

Thanks for reading, please review :-)