Yo, it's been a really long time since I updated and I realised that I could have updated this earlier because this was done quite a while ago. Last year in fact. Oh well... SORRY!
Haha, sorry darlings. Enjoy~
Neji closed the door of his room behind him and proceeded to take a shower before going to bed.
After his shower, he laid down on his bed. He had just gotten back from Asuma's and Kurenai's wedding and was exhausted. It was already 2am. The others did not want to leave so soon and made him stay as well. Sasuke walked him home afterwards.
His thoughts kept drifting back to his conversation with Temari. There had been no doubt that she was right that the ploy did ascertain his feelings but he felt guilty towards Sasuke. He knew that the Uchiha was feeling jealous.
He thought that he had gotten over Shikamaru but after seeing him with Warai and feeling jealous, he was more than certain that he still liked, even love, the Nara.
"Stupid," he muttered softly as he turned on his side. "I wish you never came back, Shikamaru."
He sighed as he realised he, once again, did not mean it. After all, how could he when he himself had wished the Nara to return?
--
Sasuke dropped his smile immediately after Neji went into the Hyuuga Compound. He could sense the jealousy that Neji was feeling when Shikamaru and Warai were talking to them and then of course he himself could not help but feel jealous as well.
He sighed as he continued on his path home. Was he interfering with Shikamaru's and Neji's relationship? But Shikamaru had a new girlfriend now. He sighed again.
"Sasuke, is there something wrong?" Itachi asked, appearing beside him.
"Hi, Itachi," he greeted.
He was not surprised at his brother's sudden appearance. He had told him that he would be coming in a few days with the rest of Akatsuki he just did not know when.
He sighed at the lack of response on his younger brother's part and walked beside him.
"Is it about Neji and Shikamaru?" he guessed.
"Is it that obvious?" Sasuke questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Neji's the only one who can make you sigh, besides me," Itachi replied, remembering the time when they had finally reconciled.
The two Uchiha had been in a fight and Itachi explained everything to Sasuke, causing Sasuke to forgive him. Subsequently, Sasuke came back to Konoha after they killed Orochimaru.
"Am I interfering in their relationship?" he muttered.
Itachi shook his head. "Things like that are hard to say. When you and Neji started dating, everyone thought Shikamaru was dead. Who knew that he would be coming back? Perhaps it is him that's interfering with yours and Neji's relationship. But as I said, such things are hard to tell."
"If I know that they still love each other, I would let Neji go," Sasuke said, stopping in his tracks.
"No, you wouldn't," Itachi said, shaking his head.
Sasuke looked at his brother in surprise before he realised that he, indeed, would not give Neji up, at least not without a fight.
"I guess you still know me better than I know myself," Sasuke muttered, resuming his walk. "Anyway, less talking about me and more about you."
"What about me?" The older Uchiha raised an eyebrow.
"If the Shinobis here catch you-"
"I won't be caught so easily," Itachi retorted even before Sasuke was done speaking.
"You should have waited till the thing about Akatsuki's sorted out," Sasuke said.
"Nara's handling the case right?" Itachi asked.
"No, he's trying to convince whoever's in charge that Akatsuki is fine," Sasuke answered.
Itachi nodded.
"Is your relationship with the Nara... estranged?" Itachi asked suddenly.
Sasuke shrugged. "Most likely."
"That's... sad."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"He's rather close to me I suppose and Sasori's treating him like a younger brother and as you know, I'm currently with Sasori," Itachi explained. He only bothered to explain things to Sasuke and Sasori.
"So you're staying at my house for the time being?" Sasuke asked after processing the information.
Itachi ignored him and continued walking in the direction of Sasuke's house. Sasuke shook his head and ran to catch up with his elder brother.
--
"Tired..." Shikamaru muttered, dropping down onto his bed face down.
"Honestly, you're lazier than before," a familiar voice called out and Shikamaru bolted upright, looking at the place the voice came from.
There, leaning in against the door comfortably as if he was in his own home was Sasori.
"Sasori!" Shikamaru exclaimed, unable to contain his shock.
Sasori glared at him. "Keep it down, brat. I don't want the whole Konoha to know who's here."
Shikamaru smiled wryly. "I guess that the others are here as well?"
Sasori took a seat beside him and nodded.
"Itachi went to Sasuke's place and the others... God knows where they went," Sasori replied.
"What brings you here?" Shikamaru questioned.
"Nothing much. I think I missed you and I was bored," Sasori replied, earning a glare from Shikamaru.
"You think?"
"Yes, I think."
Shikamaru shook his head. Sasori was too cruel sometimes. Strike that; most of the times.
"Anyway, how's it going with you and the Hyuuga?" Sasori asked.
"Temari thinks that he still likes me so I acted with someone to make it seem to everyone that we were dating. But I'm still not sure how Neji feels. He seemed pretty jealous though," Shikamaru answered, shrugging.
"Pretty jealous or was it your imagination?" Sasori said, as Shikamaru shot him yet another glare.
"I agree with that Temari girl."
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. Sasori was not at Asuma and Kurenai's wedding ceremony... right?
"Oh don't give me that look. I was there throughout the wedding and heard your conversation with Temari. And I saw Hyuuga's expression. He was jealous," Sasori said.
Shikamaru shook his head.
"You're terrible..."
"Yes, yes, I know," Sasori replied, dismissing the matter.
"What are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked again, not willing to let the matter rest.
Sasori rolled his eyes. "Itachi missed Sasuke."
"Okay," Shikamaru said, shrugging. That was the most he was going to get out of the Akatsuki.
Sasori lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over himself. He then turned to face wall.
"Who's in charge of the case about us?" Sasori questioned.
"Neji..."
Sasori nodded lightly but made no move to get off the bed.
"That's my bed," Shikamaru pointed out.
"Sleep elsewhere. I'm taking the bed, brat."
Shikamaru shrugged and got up. He brushed his teeth and changed into a new set of clothes before collapsing on the couch from exhaustion.
--
"Brat, up," Sasori commanded the still sleeping Nara.
"Why?" was the muffled reply.
"Hyuuga's coming in a few minutes," Sasori replied as Shikamaru bolted upright.
"How do you know?" he asked, making his way to the bathroom.
"I saw him," Sasori replied.
"How?"
"I was walking down the streets," Sasori said.
"In broad daylight?!" the Nara exclaimed through the closed down.
"No, more specifically in the trees."
"Oh. And Neji?" Shikamaru asked.
"The opposite rows of trees," Sasori said.
"What's the time?"
"Nara, it's five," Sasori said.
"Why would he come so early?"
Sasori ignored him. He was asking too many questions and the puppet master did not feel like replying at all. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and got up. Sasori sighed and left unnoticed.
--
A sharp rap on his window a few minutes later awoke the Nara from his daydreaming. He had just finished brushing his teeth and was contemplating what to say to Neji when he realised that the latter was clad in his ANBU uniform with mask securely in place. He opened the window to let the Hyuuga in.
"There's no need for the mask, I know who you are already," he commented and his response was silence.
Neji leant against his door after locking it.
"Procedure," he replied afterwards.
"Why are you here anyway?" Shikamaru asked.
"Business," Neji answered curtly.
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.
"The Hokage wants this matter to be solved as soon and possible and asked me to question you further. And of course whether you are to be labelled as a traitor," Neji said.
"I'm not. They've turned good. In fact they're here, so why don't you ask them yourself?" he snapped, irritated at being labelled a traitor.
"Oh they are?" Neji asked and Shikamaru cursed mentally. He had not intended to let that slip. Sasori was going to have his head severed and served on a plate.
"Thanks for your assistance, Nara," Neji said as he walked over to the window, opening and left as silent as the wind.
"Troublesome."
--
A few hours later, sometime around one, Hinata approached Shikamaru.
However, before he could say anything, she told him something which he did not expect.
"Follow me."
TBC
-Winterblazewolf
