It was Neji's turn to keep watch, and he stared at the fire for awhile, listening to the night around the camp, until something stirred. He stayed still, same as before, but in his mind he was frantically thinking, checking, scanning the perimeter with Byakugan activated and that chakra signature was-
"Don't waste your chakra with the Byakugan. It's just me," murmured a familiar voice, sort of rumbly- Neji would know that voice anywhere.
He turned around and, sure enough, there was Naruto, clutching a blanket around himself.
"Wondered if you wanted some company. Cold out here, isn't it?"
He sat next to Neji on the ground. The firelight played on the curves of his face, highlighting his perky nose and the shadows under his eyes, giving the whole of him a warm orange glow that suited him somehow.
Neji wanted to reach out and touch his face- was he really there? By three am forests were surreal. Fire was always a curiousity, waking or sleeping, and the dark of the forest and relative lack of activity around him could have lulled him to sleep. He didn't know if he was dreaming or not.
"Want some of the blanket?" Naruto held an arm out. The blanket was large enough for two.
Neji shook his head. If he was warm, he would go to sleep. It was the way of things. And he wasn't sure that he wasn't asleep already.
"Suit yourself," Naruto mumbled.
"You should go back into the tent."
"I'd rather not."
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"Can't."
Neji realized he was watching Naruto very closely and had completely lost track of what was going on around him. But Naruto was compelling. He wasn't terrible to look at, either, all wiry muscle and wide, friendly grin. He was energetic normally, too, like a stretched out rubber band, ready at any moment to move. Of course, neither was obvious right now. Currently, Naruto was slumped over, with dark circles under his eyes.
"Why not?"
Naruto gestured vaguely with one hand. Neji could tell he was tired in the lethargic way he moved, like it took too much effort to open his eyes fully after he blinked, so they just remained half closed.
"Nightmares."
Neji nodded. He'd had more than a few himself, after becoming ANBU.
"About...?"
"Sasuke, I think. Snakes. Darkness. That kinda stuff. Hey- Neji?"
Neji nodded to acknowledge Naruto.
"You ever... been in love with someone? Really been in love, not just a crush." Neji shrugged. He did know, but he didn't want to say anything. Naruto wasn't done, though. "Like they could have tried to kill you and you would still love them because they were who they were?"
Neji thought of how Kidoumaru had attacked him, that mission he'd gone on solely for Naruto and no one else. And then he thought of what he had heard from that mission. How the Uchiha's last rung on the ladder to true mastery over the Sharingan was to kill Naruto, his best friend.
"...Yes, very much so," he said finally.
"Do they love you back?"
Neji knew the answer to that one.
"No."
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
"Yeah."
"Who are you in love with? If you don't mind me asking."
"I don't mind the asking, but I would prefer not to answer."
"Okay." Naruto nodded. "That's fine... makes perfect sense, really..."
It fell silent, comfortably so. Neji had a vague recollection of something Tenten said about comfortable silences between people being the definition of true friendship. He'd found it rather pathetic at the time- who needed friends, anyway?- but now he thought it was a nice sort of frivolous sentiment. He appreciated it, anyway. He liked the idea of Naruto being his true friend.
Naruto leaned against Neji after a while. Neji's heart leapt into his throat, his stomach dropped down below into the ground, and he suddenly felt very, very dizzy.
And then Naruto snored. Loudly. In his ear.
He allowed himself a small chuckle, and he turned his head a little so he could watch Naruto sleep. Naruto had the faintest smile on his face, his blue eyes closed. Neji wanted to trace the whiskers on Naruto's cheeks. His hand was almost there before he drew it back quickly, moving his shoulder back almost violently. It made Naruto start and mumble something incoherent. His eyes didn't open, though, so it was okay.
Naruto's breathing was steady, and Neji liked the sound of it. Comforting. But then Naruto shivered against his shoulder, and Neji realized that Naruto probably shouldn't sleep outside.
"I suppose you had better go to bed."
"Mm," mumbled Naruto. "Don't... wanna."
"Get up, Naruto. You shouldn't sleep outside."
"What do you care, anyway?" Naruto muttered. "Let your future Hokage sleep. I am the great Uzumaki Naruto, and I... orderrrr-" It turned into a yawn, which Naruto stifled quickly, "-you to let me sleep."
Neji sighed and picked Naruto up. It didn't take as much effort as he anticipated. Naruto was heavy, but he really wasn't a very large guy. He'd always been short.
"Goodnight, Naruto," he said, depositing him on his sleeping bag and putting the blanket over him.
"'Night, Neji."
Neji almost shut the tent flap, but-
"Y'know, it's easier to fall asleep when you're around," mumbled Naruto. "I dunno. You're calm. I like it. It... helps. Thanks."
Neji didn't know what to say.
"You're welcome."
"Easier than with the teme, anyway. More comfortable... I always want to beat him up. Dunno. Can't sleep... when he's around..."
Naruto rolled over, and snored. Neji shut the tent door.
I have this thing for angsty one-sided NaruNeji.
Plus, this has been stewing in my documents box for a while. D: Didn't want to get rid of it, so I'm posting it.