I'm so sorry for the MAJOR delay. No, I mean it's been nearly a year. Gees I can only beg from my knees and ask that you forgive me! Sorry its a shorter chapter. I have a lot to catch up on. be expecting weekly updates.

I DO NOT OWN NARUTO

Fire and Ice

Chapter 10: ...tensions of sorts...

Ino wasn't sure if it was his fever talking or if he had really meant what he said when he told her she had stolen his heart and promptly thanked him afterward. "You're tired" She smiled gently before feeding him another spoonful of soup.

Neji nodded in agreement and sleepily ate the delicious liquid. "Hmm." He groaned out as he began to grow more tired, his head plopped down onto his pillow and his eyes lidded just a bit.

Carefully, Ino stood to her feet and smiled a bitter sweet smile. She'd been just a little disappointed that it was his fever talking when he said that she had stolen his heart, but she couldn't blame him. Not when he looked so absolutely adorable when he was sleepy and feverish. Gently, she placed a kiss upon his forehead before walking out of his room with the tray of soup, and took it to the kitchen. There she saw Deidara and Tenten giggling quietly to themselves, before looking up quickly and smiling at her.

"How's he feeling?" Tenten inquired curipusly as she quirked a dark eyebrow.

"He wasn't trying anything perverted with you, was he?" Deidara hounded, earning him a smack from the brunette girl.

"He's tired, and no. Though..." Ino started before sighing and setting the tray down on the kitchen island.

"What happened?" Tenten frowned, shooing away Deidara as though he were an annoying fly.

Deidara frowned, and refused to oblige.

"He said I stole his heart. But then he fell asleep." Ino frowned deeply before heaving an exasperated sigh.

Tentens steely eyes widened and she smiled a wide grin. "He said that?"

"He doesn't know what he's saying, he's running a high fever." Ino pouted just a bit.

"Go back in there, and try to find out if he meant it or not." Tenten demanded.

"That's a bad idea, Tenten." Deidara warned, frowning and crossing his arms in protest.

"No, it isn't." Tenten smirked knowingly at Deidara.

Ino frowned and walked down the hallway and approaching Neji's room, while Tenten dragged Deidara silently to her own.

She creaked open his door as she had the first time, and was surprised to see him sitting up and rubbing his temples . His dark hair cascading sloppily down the fair skin of his rather muscular body. He turned and looked at her with a look of surprise. "I wasn't sure if you had actually been here or not."

That response had been an indicator to Ino that Neji's fever had broken and he was back to his normal self. "Nope, you weren't dreaming." She said with a soft smile as she approached his bedside. She was more than curious as to if he had remembered what he said to her only just a few minutes ago. Certainly he had to have remembered saying something like that.

Neji did remember, and he was regretting saying what he did. It was far too soon to be talking like that but it had simply slipped out of his tired mouth. He meant it, admittedly, but he hadn't meant to say it so incredibly soon. He figured the best course of action would be to avoid it all together and should it come up, he would just happen to forget. "Thank you for coming over." He offered up a small smile.

Ino gently placed her hand upon his forehead, noting that his fever had come down significantly, this caused her to sigh relieved. "Are you feeling better?" She inquired, gently taking a seat on his bed beside him.

Neji gave her a nod. "Much, thank you. Did you make the soup yourself?"

"I did." She chimed with a bright smile.

It was evident that Ino took pride in what she did, and Neji responded with an inquiry. "Do you enjoy cooking?"

"Yes, I started cooking after my mother passed away a few years back. I learned all of her recipes and it became a hobby." She replied.

Neji couldn't read her expression, he couldn't tell if he had upset her by bringing up a sore subject, or had stuck up something that she was passionate about. "I'm sorry about your mother." He frowned, feeling guilty.

"It isn't your fault, Neji. I'm just glad you're feeling better." Ino brushed it off, but Neji could tell that it was still difficult for her to talk about it.

"Thanks to you," he smiled a little. "I owe you."

"There's no way, Neji. After all the times you've come to my rescue? It's because of me that you ended up getting sick in the first place." She frowned and offered him a sympathetic look.

"And if you had gotten sick, I suppose I would've had to take care of you." Neji gave a devious smirk. "I like the sound of that."

Ino blushed furiously."Neji." She frowned.

"What, just imagine it." He started as he grabbed her shoulders and forced her to lay down on the bed, causing her to squeak in surprise. "Me, waiting on you hand and foot, doing whatever you ask of me." He said in a low, husky voice.

Her stomach was doing flip flops and her heart was pounding so hard she felt that it might explode. Maybe his fever had returned. She couldn't be sure, but she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy every second of this new and rather seductive side of Neji. "N-now Neji." She started before she felt his fingertips on the bare skin of her thighs. She bit her lip and stopped his hand from wandering further up toward the unchartered territory.

He pouted ever-so-cutely. "Yes, Ino?"

"Not now." She said firmly.

Neji Quickly sat up, and helped her up as well. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I got carried away..."

"Its okay." She assured with a big smile. "It'll happen soon, I promise. But you are in serious need of rest, young man!"

For the life of her, Ino could not figure out why Deidara was smiling ear to ear on the way home, and whistling a chipper tune. It had been a close call with she and Neji, but she knew that it wasn't yet time for that. They barely knew each other.

She never pressed the matter of what he had said while highly fevered, he had her so worked up afterward it was nearly impossible to focus, let alone breathe. She kept envisioning him, hair down and slightly disheveled without a shirt and looking ever-so-decadent. She scolded herself for allowing her mind to wander toward the gutter, but her focus kept being broken by Deidara's annoying whistling. "Will you stop it?!"

Deidara fell silent for only a few moments before he began humming.

"What has you so happy?!" Before Deidara could even answer, it dawned on her exactly what had him so happy. "Oh no... Don't tell me... Did you.. Did you and Tenten.."

He only chuckled darkly as he continued driving, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Oh my God, Deidara what if she gets pregnant?!" Ino shrieked in terror. What her friend saw in her brother was completely a mystery to Ino.

He shrugged, content with humming as they came up to the parking lot of their home.

Ino got out of the car quickly and got out her phone, she then proceeded to call Tenten and storm inside the house.