Chapter 11: In sickness and health
"Wake up sunshine's!" Kiba yelled the next morning, while he jumped on Shikamaru. He had far too much energy. Neji gave an irritated moan and only made himself a ball, snuggling down closer into the grass.
Shikamaru gave out a moan, but he had far too less energy to throw Kiba off.
"My god, do you have to do that in the morning?" He grumbled, still half asleep.
Sasuke got up now too.
"You've got too much energy Kiba, where do you get that from?" He asked as he picked up his swords. Kiba grinned.
"I'm half dog." He said. "Yo! Priest! Get up!" He yelled into Neji's ear. Neji gave a grunt but kept laying on the grass.
"You really have to get up Neji, we have to go." Sasuke said as he pulled Kiba away from him by the collar. He started preparing his horse now.
"I know, I know." Neji muttered. He stretched and then he sat up, while Kiba attacked Shikamaru again, this time tickling him. Shikamaru smirked. He could handle tickling, it was just funny to see Kiba act like an idiot.
"Act normal dogboy." He said and got up, pushing Kiba on the floor.
"Stop fooling around and get ready." Sasuke told Kiba and Shikamaru. It was already late in the morning and they had a long way to go.
Kiba pouted. "Why can you stand that?" He asked. Kiba glared at Sasuke and then stood, obviously being offended.
"Because I lack humor and I never laugh." Shikamaru said and smirked as he stood up. Then he poked Kiba in the side and started gathering his stuff.
Kiba smirked at Shikamaru but then started to gather his stuff, since he didn't wanted to have an angry Sasuke on his head.
Neji was gathering his stuff too, and once in a while he looked at Sasuke when Sasuke wasn't looking. He didn't needed Sasuke to catch him when he was almost drooling over Sasuke's body.
"Stop being so obvious Neji. Just tell him you've got the hots for his body." Shikamaru smirked. He had noticed Neji constantly looking at Sasuke.
Sasuke turned around with a confused look on his face. What the hell was Shikamaru talking about?
Neji threw Shikamaru a death glare and quickly focused at his stuff again, this time being as red as a tomato.
"You're mean Shikamaru." Kiba said, grinning. He had noticed Neji looking at Sasuke's body too.
"I know." Shikamaru said. "I just couldn't stop myself." He grinned to Kiba now.
"Well I'm ready, so hurry it up." Sasuke said as he turned around to the rest, holding his horse by the bridles.
"Yeah yeah." Kiba said, while he jumped on Akamaru. That Sasuke had no patience at all. He smirked at Shikamaru, signaling him to sit down behind him.
Shikamaru got on Akamaru too, grabbing Kiba's waist. He had no problem with that whatsoever.
Sasuke got on his horse now. "Neji are you ready?" He asked, not the slightest impatience being heard in his voice. Sasuke inwardly laughed at himself. He had become such a weirdo when it came to Neji.
Neji nodded and walked to Sasuke, getting on Sasuke's horse now and sitting, as he was being used to now, in front of Sasuke.
Sasuke gave the horse a tap and started walking. "Let's get going." He said. He felt comfortable with Neji in front of him now. Besides, this would give him the chance to feel Neji the entire ride.
"I've been thinking." Kiba said suddenly. "My stomach too. Are we going to hunt for some food or what?"
"We could kill something on the way. A bird or something." Sasuke said. He didn't really care what he ate and he could wait till the next city too. But the others probably weren't as patient when it came to eating.
"I don't have enough with one bird." Kiba muttered and Akamaru barked as if he said: "That's true!" Or something.
"Two then, whatever, we'll see if we 'can' catch something." Sasuke said. It wasn't easy catching things in the forest. Especially not at day time.
"Hm. We could stop at the next city too." Kiba said.
"Wasn't that the plan in the first place?" Sasuke asked. He had figured the other three wanted to stop in every city possible.
"Yes, but that was only for the night." Kiba answered. "I meant that the first city we see, we immediately enter."
"Whatever, we'd stop in the first city we see anyhow, because it's miles away from here. We won't reach it before evening." Sasuke said.
"Damn." Kiba muttered. "Birds it will be then."
"Then go catch that one already." Shikamaru said, pointing to a bird not very far away from them. It'd be good if they caught one now.
"Hmm good idea." Kiba said, grabbing his bow and immediately shooting down the bird. Neji had to stop his mouth from falling open because of Kiba's sharp eye sight. The bird fell down onto the ground and Akamaru ran to it.
"...That was fast." Shikamaru said. Kiba had just killed it in one shot. Damn.
Kiba grinned. "You need that, right?" He said and then jumped off Akamaru for a second, grabbing the bird and then jumped up again. He removed the arrow and then gave the bird to Shikamaru. "Well let's continue like this hm." Kiba said.
"Great. Do I have to carry the dead chicken here?" Shikamaru said, looking at the dead bird he was holding in disgust.
"It's a bird. And yes." Kiba said, grinning. They continued traveling in the mean time. Kiba kept looking around for more birds.
"Neji? Why are you so quiet?" Sasuke asked after three more birds and a lot more traveling. Neji hadn't said anything the entire way.
"..I don't really know something to say." Neji said softly. He knew it was a lie, but he didn't felt like talking about it.
"...Why not?" Sasuke asked. Neji actually worried him. Did he do something wrong or something?
"I don't know." Neji said.
"Oh..." Sasuke simply said. He didn't wanna let on that he cared. Something just felt weird now. He must've done something wrong.
"Should we stop now? I have seven birds now." Kiba said all of sudden.
"Fine." Sasuke answered and immediately stopped his horse, getting off. He had to stay focused today. Not worry about Neji.. or himself and Neji. He had to focus on what was best.
"Alright, let's make a fire." Kiba said and gathered some wood.
"I'll help." Shikamaru said as he started picking up wood too.
Sasuke kept quiet. He felt taken aback by Neji's sudden lack of interest in him. He was playing over every scenery of last night in his head, thinking of something he did wrong to Neji. Maybe Neji wasn't ready. Maybe Neji regretted it all. Maybe he thought everything Sasuke and he had done was a mistake...Was that it?
Neji was quietly helping Shikamaru and Kiba to gather some wood. The truth was that he wasn't feeling well. At all. He didn't wanted to whine but something was wrong with him for sure. He felt dizzy all the time and weak. He had the feeling that he was very pale at the moment too. He just didn't felt alright. He was picking up the wood very slowly too. It took a lot of energy.. shit.. this really wasn't right..
"Neji you don't look so good. Maybe you should lay down a little while." Shikamaru said worried. He, unlike Sasuke, had noticed Neji's white and sleepy face.
"..I'm fine, but thanks Shikamaru." Neji said, smiling a bit and then he looked away from Shikamaru and bend over a bit to grab a piece of wood. But right then everything went black before his face and he fell down onto the ground. He cursed and rubbed his eyes. Damn it..
Kiba looked at Neji very worried.
Sasuke pulled Neji into a sitting position. "..You're not fine, what's wrong with you?" He asked, now worried too. Had he really been so stupid as to not notice Neji was ill?
"..I don't know.." Neji muttered, wiping some sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He kept seeing black spots before his eyes all the time.
"Jeez you're burning idiot, you should've told us you were sick." Sasuke snapped as he pulled up Neji, bridal stage. "We're going to a city." He said to Kiba and Shikamaru.
"Shouldn't we take a look at him first, if we can do something ourselves? Perhaps it's not wise to move him." Kiba said. "We have to search for wounds first.
"...I didn't wanted to be a bother.." Neji muttered.
"He doesn't have wounds. You don't get a fever from wounds. He's sick and I don't know about you two, but I suck at dealing with sick people." Sasuke snapped. His worry came out more like anger, but he didn't care.
"Perhaps he got bitten." Kiba suggested.
"Yeah, but by what? The only thing I can think of is that it was a mosquito." Shikamaru said. He knew some of the poisonous creatures and where they lived.
"Perhaps that would be it. But we're not sure. We'd better go to a city indeed. Let's go." Kiba said. "Sasuke, can you ride with Neji or do I have to ride for you and Neji?"
"No I can do it." Sasuke said as he already sat Neji on his horse and climbed up too. "Just hurry." He said, looking at Neji in his arms.
Neji got paler every minute. He really didn't felt well..
Kiba nodded and jumped on Akamaru's back, dragging Shikamaru with him too.
Shikamaru quickly got up too.
"Neji can you cope a little longer?" He asked as they all got on their way. Fast.
Neji nodded, but in fact he meant no. He didn't think he was going to stay awake very long. He felt himself getting more and more warm and he got a sickening headache. Sasuke quickened the pace even more. Something was seriously wrong with Neji. Why didn't he watch out? Had it really just been one lousy mosquito? Neji looked so vulnerable right now and even though Sasuke had thought he'd like that, he didn't. He was too worried for it.
"Sasuke we need to go to the right here!" Kiba yelled when Sasuke started to ride to the left. Kiba was a bit worried for Sasuke now too. He wasn't watching where he was going anymore now.
Sasuke quickly made a right. He wasn't there with his head but he didn't care. He'd make sure Neji's be ok. Neji was most important now. And the thoughts and feelings for Neji overwhelmed him.
Kiba moaned in annoyance when he saw that this city was even worse then the one before. But well, couldn't expect less. They traveled to the south after all.
Sasuke though, didn't even notice. He just wanted Neji, who had passed out along the way, to get better. And this city was the only way. He stopped his horse in front of something that looked like a medical help service. They might be able to help them.
Kiba got off too, going inside. He was going to do the talking. The place didn't looked really well, but it was better then nothing. He walked up to a huge man, which couldn't be a doctor.
"Hello, do you know where we can find a doctor?" He asked.
"What do you need her for?" The man snapped angry. 'Obviously not one of the nicer people in this town.' Shikamaru thought.
Sasuke had carried Neji in too, still looking worried like never before.
"Our companion is sick." Kiba answered, nodding to Neji.
The man looked at Neji with a disturbing look on his face. "Up the stairs to the left. But she's expensive." The man said and turned away from the three warriors.
Sasuke already hurried up stairs the second the man had told him. Shikamaru followed after.
Kiba nodded and followed them too. When they came upstairs they walked to the left. Kiba knocked the door, since he knew he'd better do the talking. Sasuke was too worried, Shikamaru was too. Sasuke though, wasn't about to wait. He practically slammed open the door and walked in.
"We need help!" He yelled angry, though the worry was now clearly heard in his voice.
"Sasuke calm down!" Kiba hissed. "I'm sorry miss." He said to the woman who was looking up from her desk, very irritated.
"What is it?!" The woman yelled.
"You're a doctor right? Heal him!" Sasuke demanded as he laid Neji on an empty bed in the room.
"Did you pay?" The woman asked while bringing up an eyebrow, but she did walk to where Neji was laying.
"No! You heal him first, 'then' we pay you whatever you want!" Sasuke screamed. He couldn't stop doing that. He felt all weird and worried. He hated it really.
"Jeez calm down kid." the woman said, and then looked at Neji. She put a hand on his forehead. "What happened to him?" She asked on a serious tone. "And you, mister hothead, get out of the room." She said to Sasuke.
"No! I'm not going anywhere until you healed him!" Sasuke yelled, pointing to Neji. "And we don't know what happened to him, 'you' should find out!"
"Oh jeez, just get out. I can't heal with some rude guy in here." The woman said.
"I'M NOT LEAVING!" Sasuke yelled. He wouldn't leave. And he wished he could just calm down, but he couldn't. He had too many feelings going through his body. He never had feelings through his body or at least normally he could suppress them. But he couldn't now.
"Look, I need to heal in silence. I could already have started healing five minutes ago if you weren't making such a drama. The kid's dying you know." The woman said, putting her arms over each other.
Sasuke's angry expression faded and was replaced by one of shock, horror and most of all, worry. Neji was.. dying..? That couldn't be true.. it couldn't.. He couldn't even move anymore. He just wanted the woman to start healing Neji, but he couldn't speak...Dying..?
"Good, you finally shut up. I'm going to try to get this kid back." The woman said and laid a hand on Neji's head and one at the place where Neji's heart was. A blue light came out of her hands while she started to concentrate.
"...There's a lot of poison in him... it's of one of the enemy's mosquito's. I'll try to get it out of him, but I can't remove the virus." She said. "Can anyone get me a bucket with water?"
Shikamaru moved immediately and grabbed a bucket, filling it with water and rushing it to the woman. "Here you go." He said.
Sasuke still couldn't move...Poison.. virus? What the hell was happening to Neji? Would he actually...die?
"Thanks." the woman said, grabbing the bucket and placing it beside her. She moved her arms in and gathered a huge amount of water around her hands and then moved the water into Neji, right through his clothes, into his body. Kiba looked alarmed when he saw that Neji started coughing and even coughed some water out.
Sasuke swallowed. He couldn't take this. Neji could die...he could actually die.. Sasuke couldn't take it if Neji died...Was he some kind of frigging curse? Care for him and die? Like his parents had? His friends? Everyone around him? He couldn't take this...He didn't wanna see it.. if Neji actually died. He started backing up to the door, trying to look as calm as possible.
"Get me another bucket, without water." The woman said as she got the water out, which now looked a bit blue purple like.
Shikamaru quickly grabbed another bucket and gave it to the woman again. At that moment they heard the door close. Sasuke had left the room.
Kiba looked at the door but decided to not follow him. Sasuke had to know it himself if he wanted to look or not. The woman dumped the water into the bucket and then got it out again, this time looking clear again. Now she brought it into Neji's body again.
"So...will he be OK?" Shikamaru asked carefully. He didn't want to disturb the woman, but he really wanted to know.
"I don't know. He still got that virus." The woman answered. "And I don't know if I can get all the poison out of his body." With that she took the water out again, dumping the poison into the bucket again and then bringing the water in again.
"What kind of virus does he have then?" Shikamaru asked. He wanted to know in case something like this would happen again. He had to know as much as possible.
"One that tires him out. There's no name for it." The woman said, while continuing with her healing process.
"So there's no cure for it? How can he get better then?" Shikamaru asked again.
"'Once the poison is out, I'll look what his body wants. But I think that he might have been sick for more then a month." The woman answered.
"So it takes a while before you feel it? Is there anything that might make you feel it all of a sudden like this. He was fine yesterday." Shikamaru said.
"Hmm... did something happen to him yesterday that he never encountered before? Because that comes with a lot of emotions." The woman asked.
"Oh...yeah. A lot actually. He was.. is a priest." Shikamaru said and looked at Kiba doubting. He didn't know whether or not he should tell her.
Kiba shrugged. "What happened then?" The woman asked.
"Well, he had sex for the first time and he used a new kind of power for the first time. Also he had a hard time giving into his feelings with the guy that just walked out." Shikamaru said. He figured she should know to help him.
"...That explains a lot. Did he had sex willingly or has he been forced?" The woman asked. She was now taking out some water again out of Neji's body, which was almost clear now.
"He had almost been forced but escape, then did it later on the evening willingly." Shikamaru said. This just sounded weird, telling a stranger that kind of things about Neji.
The woman nodded. "Get the noisy guy back. There is a chance that he might be affected too."
Shikamaru looked at Kiba. He figured Kiba'd be better with dealing with Sasuke then he was. Kiba at least had the strength to control him. Kiba nodded and walked out of the door, while the woman continued with healing Neji.
"Sasuke!" He yelled once he had closed the door. He saw Sasuke sitting on a couch at the end of the room.
Sasuke didn't even turn around. He didn't want to talk. Not at all. Not more emotions would get out of him today, this had been enough. He was trying to just push it all back inside now and Kiba wouldn't ruin it.
"Come here Sasuke, this is serious. You could be affected too." Kiba said, his tone being serious.
"I don't care." Sasuke said, sounded uninterested. He wouldn't go back, he wouldn't think of it. He just wouldn't.
"...It's your own choice." Kiba said. "But you might become very ill and perhaps even die."
"I don't care." Sasuke said. He didn't want to say more, afraid that if he did, he'd feel those fucking feelings again. Neji had let them out in a way he hadn't even noticed until now. And he never wanted them to get out again.
"So you want to risk to hurt Neji?" Kiba asked.
"Neji's dying, I'm not hurting him." Sasuke said. Shit.. he felt it again. Luckily he could make it go away with a few simple breathings.
"There is a good chance now that he'll make it. That woman is almost done with removing the poison." Kiba said.
"And then he's better, so be happy." Sasuke said, still not turning around to Kiba.
Kiba was silent and then turned around, walking back upstairs. Seriously.. what was wrong with that guy? He suddenly heard Neji scream and quickly ran up to the stairs again, very worried and concerned.
Sasuke stayed behind. That scream...was the reason he wouldn't go back.
Upstairs Shikamaru got the shock of his life as Neji started screaming. "What the hell is wrong with him!?" He asked shocked.
"Shit, he's waking up." The woman muttered, pushing Neji down onto the bed. "The healing I'm almost done with is very painful if you are awake. It's like you get strangled and your organs are being ripped out."
"..Then what should we do?" Shikamaru asked. He needed to do something for Neji, the screams were not only unbearable, but you could just hear the pain in them.
"...I have to stop the healing or I have to knock him unconscious now." She answered when she saw the tears of pain rolling down on Neji's face.
"...But it has to get out right?" Shikamaru asked as he sat on the bed next to Neji, holding a hand on his forehead to calm him down.
"Yes." The woman muttered and then she laid two of her fingers on a certain spot on Neji's neck, pushing hard on it for a few seconds and then Neji stopped with the screaming while his head rolled to the side again. The woman sighed and stroked her blond hair out of her face, continuing the healing again.
"What did you do with him?" Shikamaru asked. Neji had just passed out like that. It seemed so simple.
"I hit a sensitive spot in his neck." The woman said while Kiba entered silently.
Shikamaru looked up to Kiba as he entered the room. "Where's Sasuke?" He asked, furrowing his brow.
"He didn't wanted to come." Kiba answered, while he closed the door.
"...Why not?" Shikamaru asked surprised. Wasn't Sasuke worried about Neji?
"I don't know." Kiba said.
"Why didn't you ask?" Shikamaru asked Kiba. Didn't Kiba wanted to know? What the hell was going on with any of them?
"Well he made clear to me that he didn't wanted to come or talk about it. I respected that." Kiba said, shrugging.
"Oh...Ok." Shikamaru said. He looked at Neji again. This was gonna be one tough journey. Kiba was looking at Neji too now.
"..He almost looks like he's dead.. " Kiba said.
"...He looks better then he did when we brought him here." Shikamaru said.
Kiba nodded. The woman stroke Neji's hair out of his face while she put the last bit of poison into the bucket.
"Was that it?" Shikamaru asked as he noticed the woman didn't get more water again.
"He needs to rest now. I'm going to get some herbs now. Oh, and if you guys are travellers, it would be the best to leave him behind." She said.
"...We're not leaving without him." Shikamaru said. They had to stay together and he wouldn't leave Neji behind alone.
"Then you have to wait some time. Perhaps that's even better that you stay... because the rest house where we have to bring him isn't a really nice place you know. The people who are running that rest house aren't healthy." The woman said, with a dark look in her eyes. "I'm Tsunade, by the way."
"I'm Shikamaru and that's Kiba. And well, that's Neji and the other guy's Sasuke. We'll stay and watch after Neji. So what's wrong with the keepers of that resthouse?" Shikamaru asked curious.
"Yeah well, this isn't a really nice place to stay you know. Didn't you notice that I'm the only pretty woman in here? That's because I'm the only one who is strong enough to hold back those men who want to do nasty things to you. You know what I mean? They are frustrated. Only the owner of the inn is normal and the farmer. The rest is crazy. So you'd better watch out since you all are pretty boys, especially that Sasuke kid and this one here. And this one will be extra vulnerable, because he is ill now." Tsunade answered. "They kill without a reason too. And they steal."
Shikamaru was silent for a while. "Wouldn't it be wiser if we brought Neji to the inn then rather then the rest house?" He asked.
"Nope. There the visitors are bad." Tsunade answered.
"But, if something happens at the rest house, you can always come here for healing. For a price off course." She was gathering some herbs now.
"Great." Shikamaru said sarcastic. "Should we go there now then?" He asked.
"Yeah, would be wise. Perhaps you should let that Kiba kid do the talking. He's a bit rude, they'll let you in earlier." Tsunade said.
"I will, thanks. So how much do we have to pay?" Shikamaru asked, grabbing his Ijon, which was used to pay people with.
"Eighty." Tsunade answered. Kiba groaned. That was a hell lot of money.
"Don't worry, the rest house is free." Tsunade said.
"Good. Here you go then." Shikamaru said and handed over eighty Ijon. Damn, there went his money. "Kiba, you can take Neji with you right? Where's the rest house?" Shikamaru asked Tsunade.
"The building next to this one. Thanks." Tsunade said, giving Shikamaru the herbs. "Lay one leaf of these under his tongue every morning."
Kiba nodded, lifting Neji up bridal style.
"I will. Thanks again and maybe till next time." Shikamaru said and started walking away. Kiba nodded at Tsunade and then walked out of the door too, walking off the stairs. Shikamaru noticed Sasuke sitting on a couch, but ignored him. He had just left Neji there to die, Shikamaru saw no need to talk to him. He walked outside.
"We are going to bring Neji to the rest house." Kiba said to Sasuke, walking past him now. Neji was a bit more important now then Sasuke having a grumpy attack.
Sasuke didn't even answer. He looked at Kiba taking Neji away. He looked awful...was he cured? Sasuke didn't even have the guts to ask or follow them. He was such a terrible guy for acting like this, but he couldn't help it.
Kiba got a bit angry when Sasuke just ignored him. He practically stamped to the rest house and entered the house by kicking open the door. He walked to the nearest man he saw.
"Hello, we were send here by the healer Tsunade. Do you have a room for our companion?" Kiba asked, wondering if this was one of the owners.
"We do. But we'll check up if you actually got send by Tsunade. If not, you'll be in trouble." The owner said and walked to a cash register. "How many?" He asked impolite.
"How many what?" Kiba asked.
"Four." Shikamaru said. "If we are allowed to stay here too." The owner looked at the two of them. "I just see three, but fine. Upstairs." He snapped.
"Which room?" Kiba asked. "And hurry it up will you, our companion is very ill." He was getting a bit frustrated.
"Don't you talk to me like that. You can choose a room, we don't get much customers and they're all the same." The owner snapped and then just walked away.
"Luckily he's only not nice." Kiba grumbled to Shikamaru and then he started to climb the stairs.
Shikamaru followed. "Tsunade warned us right. I suggest one of us stays with Neji at all times. We'll stay in the room together now, since there's nothing else we can really do here." Shikamaru said. He got upstairs and just opened a door to a room. It looked descent. Kiba nodded.
"Although I think it's a bit overreacted. I mean, that guy obviously didn't care at all and didn't even looked at us. There's no way he would do something to us." Kiba said. Or had he just been blind?
He laid Neji down on the first bed he saw.
"He wouldn't do something like that with us two around. He could if we were alone." Shikamaru said as he pulled a chair next to the bed Neji laid on and sat down.
"Myeah but he didn't look like the type." Kiba said. "And well.. I don't know what Sasuke's going to do tonight, but I want a moment with you alone." He continued and smirked.
"Really? And why is that?" Shikamaru asked and smirked too. Even though he'd never leave Neji alone, he still could flirt a little with Kiba.
Kiba smirked and opened his mouth to say something, when they heard a soft moan coming from Neji.
Shikamaru looked at Neji. He figured it was about time he'd wake up.
"Neji?" He asked carefully.
Neji blinked a few times before he could open his eyes at a good way. He looked at them in silence. His throat hurt.. he couldn't talk.
"You OK?" Shikamaru asked. Neji actually looked a little better now that he woke up.
Neji nodded a bit and opened his mouth to talk and then frowned. There just... wasn't coming any sound out of his throat. Kiba looked at him worried. What was wrong?
"You can't talk? Kiba, maybe you should go back to Tsunade and ask her if that's normal." Shikamaru said and stood up, getting a glass of water out of the bathroom. He came back and gave it to Neji.
Kiba nodded and quickly left the room. Neji lifted up his arm to take the glass of water from Shikamaru, but his arm didn't come far. Shit.. he had no energy at all.
Shikamaru pushed him up with one hand and held the glass to his lips. He figured Neji must be worn out. "Do you feel better?" Shikamaru asked.
Neji nodded and gratefully started to drink. The water felt delicious in his throat.
As Neji had emptied the glass of water Shikamaru laid him down again.
"Can you talk a little now?" He asked and put the glass down.
Neji opened his mouth and tried again, but there still got no sound out of his mouth. He looked at Shikamaru hopelessly. He just couldn't have lost his voice..
"I'm sure you'll be fine Neji. We got you to a doctor. She healed you most part." Shikamaru said as he noticed Neji's despair. He just hoped it really wasn't anything serious. Neji nodded. He tried to clear his throat. Shit, he needed more water. He looked at the glass and then looked at Shikamaru questioning.
Shikamaru sighed, understanding Neji. He got up, filled the glass and helped Neji drink again.
"That better?" He asked as Neji drank the entire glass again.
Neji nodded and then saw Kiba entering the room, dragging Sasuke with him.
"I told you I didn't wanna go here." Sasuke snapped at Kiba, but froze as he saw Neji. Shit... Neji looked at Sasuke for one moment hurt and then swallowed, looking away. Ok, that hurt. A lot..
"Sasuke what's 'wrong' with you?" Kiba snapped.
Sasuke stared at Neji for a while. He didn't mean to hurt him...but taking distance now.. seemed the smartest thing to do. He guessed...
"Nothing's wrong with me.." Sasuke lied, not sounding very convincing.
"...Why are you suddenly taking distance from Neji?" Kiba asked.
"I'm not..." Sasuke lied again. He kept looking at Neji. Why wasn't he saying anything? God Neji just had to say something.
"Sasuke.." Kiba said warningly.
"Look, I'm not talking about it OK, so give it up." Sasuke suddenly snapped. He couldn't help it. People didn't need to know and the only way to make them give it up was to act angry and mean.
Kiba frowned now and was silent. Neji started to cough softly when something started to tickle in his throat. Shikamaru rubbed over Neji's back, trying to sooth Neji a little. Sasuke looked at him. Was there still the chance Neji could die? He didn't even know what to think and he just wanted to walk out. But the sight of Neji just kept him there.
Neji stopped with the coughing and then he breathed in and out deeply.
"What did Tsunade say about it Kiba?" Shikamaru asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"She said that he probably will be able to talk again tomorrow." Kiba answered.
"Ah. Well that's good. We'll keep an eye on it then. Sasuke will you watch Neji now? I have to talk to Kiba." Shikamaru said. Of course that was a lie. He just figured Sasuke and Neji needed time together, even thought Neji couldn't talk. He pulled Kiba with him before Sasuke could even answer.
Kiba just walked with Shikamaru, understanding him.
