The older nin helped the runaway to his feet and helped him to the door. "You okay to walk?"
The other forced out a cocky laugh. "I can do anything."
The other just shook his head, even in the worst of situations the Uchiha's pride was as strong as Neji's.
The rescue team as well as their captive arrived in Tsunade's office, piling in one at a time. "Oi! Old lady, we brought Sasuke back."
Naruto grinned and hollered at the women behind the desk. The blonde glared from her desk at the boy and rubbed her temple.
"I can see."
Her eyes focused on Sasuke who in return stared back impassively. Tsunade shook her head at the prodigy, she wasn't sure what to do with him. He had betrayed all of Kohana and yet he just stood there staring at her like it was an inconvenience that he had to be here.
"Well, for starters you are to be put under constant supervision. That's a no-brainer. Second you will complete 4 hours of community service everyday until I say you can stop. Thirdly, um thirdly…" she pursed her lips in though, she was just making stuff up now.
Just trying to make things hard on the prodigy so she could pound a lesson into the sharagin-user.
Sasuke sighed "Thirdly?" he added in a bored tone, hoping to speed things up a bit.
The blonde women's face darkened over and leered. "There will be no second chances here Sasuke. Don't mess this up."
Sasuke tensed up as the words reached his ears, the message was clear that his life was on the line. The Uchiha shrugged and tried to look like it didn't bother him, an attempt which he almost pulled off until Naruto spoke.
"Sasuke, is that my shirt?"
The rookie paused and glanced back at his teammate. He had borrowed one of Naruto's shirts since his was torn and still at Neji's.
"Yeah, I lost mine…last night at the bar."
"Well I want it back when you're done and don't borrow any of my stuff again."
"If your gonna whine about it I'll just give it back now." He began to lift his shirt over his head when Neji cut in.
"Naruto, just let him keep the shirt until he gets a new one, we don't need him walking around half-naked in this weather."
It was borderline winter in Kohana, where the trees had loss all their colorful leaves but the first snowfall had yet to come. Sasuke unruffled his shirt and quirked an eyebrow at the Hyuuga, who in return gave him a strange nod. Suddenly Sasuke became aware of all the scratches he had on his back from last night and was grateful he was stopped before he modeled them off to the crowd. That would spring a fountain of uncomfortable questions.
"So when's the guy gonna get here to watch Sasuke?" Kiba piped up to break the silence.
"He's already in this room, any volunteers?" The blonde smirked at the crowd of boys in front of her who all shifted uncomfortably and stared at Naruto in unison.
"What? Oh no…no no no no no." Naruto folded his arms.
"Find someone else, cause there's no way."
Shikamaru smirked "How about we vote Naruto, that way it's fair?"
"Well, yeah I like the sounds of that." The fox-child grinned and scruffed at his hair.
"Good, I vote for Naruto to watch over Sasuke. All who agree raise your hand." Shikamaru raised his while he spoke and Kiba, chouji and Neji raised theirs as well.
Naruto glared at the boy who tricked him. "No way Shika! That's not fair."
"But you just said it was, unless you know someone here who will willingly take him it looks like you have a new roommate."
Naruto looked at Kiba who immediately shook his head then to Chouji who buried his face into a bag of chips. Then his eyes landed on Neji, who just gave him a know-it-all smirk in return and shook his head.
Naruto grinned, he could use Neji. "Neji will take him." The blonde boy pointed at the hyuuga and grinned.
"What!" the taller nin yelled back.
Naruto ran up and wrapped an arm around Neji. "I said Neji will take him, isn't that right?"
Neji glared daggers at the boy clinging to him. "And why do you think that Naruto?"
"Because, if you don't, it would be very uncooperative of you. You know, cooperate? When everybody is supposed to do something together, they stick together and not stay home?"
The hyuuga knew exactly where the loudmouth was going with this, he would pawn Sasuke off on Neji in return for not squealing on him about staying home. Neji clenched his teeth and whispered,
"I'll get you back for this Naruto, mark my words."
Naruto grinned and gave a thumbs up to Tsunade. "Neji just said he'd take him."
The healer raised a skeptical eyebrow to the scowling figure the blonde was clinging too, "Is this true?"
Neji let out an exasperated sigh, things were undoubtedly going to be awkward between the rookies. "Yes."
He responded curtly and sent a quick glance at the Uchiha's direction. The youth's attention seemed to be focused on the floor in a lame attempt to hide the pink in his cheeks.
Tsunade threw on a cheery expression and waved the boys towards the door, Naruto, Chouji, Shikamaru and Kiba exited. "Well that settles that, Neji and Sasuke I expect you to be here at noon tomorrow."
Her smile morphed into a cat-like grin. "There you will begin your services to Kohana, Sasuke."
The Uchiha rolled his eyes and shrugged while inside he was cursing the woman in front of him. Neji left the office with his guest following behind when he spotted the rest of the gang waiting outside.
Kiba grinned "That's what you get for not sticking with the group to the end."
Chouji smirked, "If he had come, Sasuke would have been stuck with Naruto right now."
Naruto shuddered and laughed "Well, looks like I finally out-smarted the great Hyuuga Neji."
The former rookie sent them all a nasty glare, his cool white eyes finally came upon Naruto, which he slowly approach. Each step adding to the dramatic effect as the fox-child back against a wall.
"I'll have my revenge Uzumaki, remember that." He hissed abruptly before motioning for Sasuke to follow him outside.
As soon he was gone Naruto grinned, he knew Neji wouldn't do anything too harsh and if he could get the hyuuga to participate in a few practical jokes, he welcomed the competition.
Neji strolled out into the cold outdoors and paused as Sasuke slowly caught up. "Still sore?"
The hyuuga mumbled softly and received a nod from the dark-haired boy. They didn't speak again until Neji opened the door to his apartment and motions for Sasuke to enter before him. The quiet boy strode past and Neji entered afterwards, closing the door behind him.
Sasuke stood silently in the center of the living room, one arm clinging lightly to the other in an uncertain pose. Neji cleared his throat and approached his new roommate with poise.
"I don't have a spare room…"
He wasn't sure where he was trying to go with the statement, but he was hoping he could work with whatever conversation the prodigy would grant him.
"Oh." Was all the other said.
Sasuke shifted uncomfortably and began rubbing his arm lightly. The Uchiha wanted the other to just come out and say it, was he sleeping on the couch or not? After their encounter from last night the raven-haired boy had no idea how to act. Not only was he standing next to the man who he lost his virginity too in a one night stand, he was now rooming with him. The worst part was he wanted it to happen again…and again and again with the hyuuga, although he never would to admit it.
He looked up in time to see the other frown and walk past him towards the kitchen. "You hungry?" Neji asked as he searched for something the two could eat.
"A little." He answered back quietly.
Neji sighed, he might as well get all the uncomfortable parts over with now and save him the trouble from later. He snatched a pizza box from the freezer and preset the over.
"Where do you want to sleep tonight?" he saw Sasuke hesitate.
"In a bed preferably."
"That can be done."
It was that simple, he would sleep in Neji's bed, the hyuuga didn't mind, it was oddly comfortable having a new warmth pressed against him for a night. He threw the pizza in the oven and walked over to the living room.
"You can sit down if you like." He spoke taking a seat of his own.
"There's only one bed, isn't there?" Sasuke sat down into the plush couch cushions and sunk in a little.
"Yes, you don't mind do you? Either of us could take the couch if you're uncomfortable."
"No, that's fine." The other said, suppressing the grin and feeling relieved that the hyuuga didn't make this an awkward case out of this. With less tension in the room now the two were actually able to have a conversation while they ate pizza. Sasuke even went as far as cracking a joke about the brunette's stained carpet. Neji cursed and reminded himself that he would have to talk to Hinata tomorrow if he didn't forget again. It was then he remembered the broken glass still on the floor by the liquor cabinet and stood up.
He snatched a bag and began cleaning it up. Sasuke, feeling more comfortable, turned around on the sofa and watched the hyuuga clean up. He smirked as the boy tucked his hair behind his ears continuously since it kept falling in his face. Sasuke jumped off the couch and headed towards the bedroom.
"I'm going to bed." He said as Neji threw the glass out and nodded.
Sasuke removed the shirt he borrowed and his shorts before crawling in and curling up in the warm bed. He heard Neji enter and sigh shortly after and he listened to the sound of clothes hitting the floor. He felt the covers lift up and the bed shift as more weight was added. It was a large bed so the two had plenty of room to themselves. Sasuke frowned, he wanted it to be like the night before, with is head resting on Neji's chest and arms winding around his waist gently. He peeked from underneath the covers and saw Neji's were closed.
"Neji…you awake?" he whispered.
The other scrunched his nose. "I am now, what is it?" he spoke without opening his eyes.
"Um, nothing. Nevermind." Sasuke turned around and curled into the covers more.
Neji frowned and opened his eyes to see Sasuke's back. He shifted closer and boldly reached an arm under the covers, snaking around the boy's belly. In one swift motion he pulled the younger nin's body against his own.
"Is that what you wanted?"
Sasuke smiled and turned back to face Neji. "Maybe…a little. It felt weird not being close to you after last night."
He cheeks darkened red and fingered small circles on the hyuuga's chest. Neji was surprised at boy in his arms that just admitted that and let a small smile creep onto his lips.
"I think…I understand." Neji leaned forward and began running his fingers through the other's hair. The Uchiha curled up against the other.
"Who else?"
"Hm?"
"You said last night that you've done this before…who else?"
"Sasuke, That's not important."
"Do I know them?"
"…"
"So I do…" Sasuke tilted his head back in thought, running through a mental list in his head of Neji's potential bedmates. "Kiba?"
"No."
"Shikamaru?"
"No."
"Shino?"
"No."
"Gaara?"
"No."
"Guy or girl?"
Neji sighed. "It was a guy, k? Can we leave it at that? I don't try to guess who you slept with."
"That's because you were my first."
Oh yeah, Neji forgot about that. Come to think of it, the Hyuuga was curious about his ex-partners old relationships as well so he really couldn't blame Sasuke. But under this circumstance, Neji figured it probably would be best to not mention his previous partner.
Especially since said person was Naruto.
Kowaikage- Hi guys, sorry it's taking so long for me to update, I'm working on a sequel to my other story and I'm also doing a request fic for Chinese Fairy, so please have patience with me /begs/ Thankies!
OnEcRaZygal- Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so happy I'm still getting some after I haven't updated in so long. I'll try to update again as soon as I can.
Blisblop- I'm glad you liked the pairing, it's one of my favs.
Jasmine Starlight- lol, I love Neji/Sasu smut too. /drools/
Yuki-chan2- I'm so happy you like it, hope you find the punishment reasonable, lol.
- lol, that's right, I'm thanking the person who didn't leave a name ; thanks for the review.