Ack! Before I start, I just wanted to say that I have a new story out! Shameless self advertising. But don't worry because I won't desert this one. Also, is it just me, or do the paragraphs disappear or grow into giant spaces when I post? Next few chaps (if I manage to write that much more before september…) I'll be playing with format, so hang with me. I don't own Naruto, reviews with helpful criticism are very much appreciated. Flames are funny, but my favourite reviews are the ones in which you give my story the love I hope it deserves. I'm such a suckup. Sorry for the wait, but I have my own special pace. It stumbles... Well, on to the story: Finally the date!
HD ch3
Neji had one day left to ask Sasuke out before Hanabi said she would end the offer. And he still had no idea where he should ask Sasuke to go, or how to do it for that matter. The fact that the Uchiha was in on the deal was infuriating. It made Neji wonder if he liked Sasuke or was just using him and vice versa. He really needed some time to think.
This trail of thought led Neji to take a long walk after training. He hadn't seen Sasuke since the last day in the forest. Speaking of which, he felt very embarrassed. On one hand, he'd been kissed, and he wanted it to go on, but Sasuke had ended it. On the other hand, he had revealed to Sasuke that he'd dreamed of him. How girly… He wished he hadn't let Sasuke leave. This time he'd be more assertive.
From Gai's team's training spot on the outskirts of town, Neji followed his feet. He only realized his surroundings when he (most uncharacteristically) tripped over a tree root and landed flat on his face. When he looked up, a gorgeous sight met his (equally gorgeous) eyes. A crystal clear stream dipped into a series of small rapids, which emptied into a rock pool. It would be lovely to swim in, especially on this hot sticky night. Neji dipped his hand into the water, it was ice cold, perhaps this was one of the mountain streams. On the surface of the pool the water hardly moved at all, leaving the reflection of the sunset shimmery and surreal. It was very deceptive, a strong current lay a few feet below.
Suddenly and seemingly out of the blue, our little Hyuuga had a brilliant idea. He rushed home, brushed his hair, ate a rushed dinner and left again to try to find a certain someone.
Uchiha Sasuke was about to curl up with a good book, Three Essays on How to Throw a Shuriken, when his doorbell sang its tune. Reluctantly he got up from his chaise-lounge and answer the door to a barrage of questions.
"Are you doing anything tonight?"
"Not really,-"
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Yes but-"
"Good, come with me."
Slowly curiosity took over the crabbiness. Sasuke allowed Neji to take his hand and was pulled halfway down his garden path before he tugged his hand away. He had some dignity.
Neji looked back to him and smiled. Tonight would be a test. To see how willing Sasuke was, how trusting, how challenging, how much he would put up with.
"Ready?"
Sasuke cocked an eyebrow.
"Follow me then."
And before Sasuke knew he was gone, Neji had run halfway to his training grounds. When Sasuke caught up, the Hyuuga was feeling very cheeky. He sped up.
"I thought you were a prodigy. What took you so long?" Neji smirked. He had the boy right where he wanted him. Sasuke couldn't pass him, because he didn't know where they were going. But Neji knew he really wanted to.
Sasuke on the other hand, was pissed. Neji dragged him off to go who knows where without any notice at all, away from his new book and his glass of pink lemonade. If the fangirls ever found out about the pink lemonade… He didn't want to think about it. Said fangirls were probably in his house stealing his stuff right now, he hadn't bothered to lock it. It's not like he had anything worth stealing though. Only the fangirls (and a few fanboys) dared to go near the Uchiha compound anyways. It was full of ghosts, or so he heard. He'd never seen any other than in his nightmares.
Now he was hot and bothered and heading further and further from town. When Neji finally stopped, Sasuke heard water not too far off. All he could see however, was trees and bushes, and a very large tree root.
"Do you trust me?"
A bad question for one ninja to ask another.
"No."
"Do you want to?"
"No."
"Tough love. Close your eyes."
Glare.
"Just do it. Nothing bad will happen."
Sasuke closed his eyes. He felt Neji take his hand again and lead him carefully around a bush of some sort, over the tree root and closer to the water from the sound of things.
"Open your eyes."
He had to admit, it was a very romantic place. The sliver of a moon gave barely enough light to see by, but the water reflected its light onto the leaves around the pool. Neji had taken his sandals off to dip his feet in the water and was now watching Sasuke intently.
Sasuke smiled.
"I like it here."
"Me too."
The sound of the water and the forest creatures was so calming that neither boy really wanted to break the silence between them. Sasuke sat down beside Neji and watched the ripples on the pool.
"It would be nice to go for a swim." The older boy said wistfully.
"I don't have my swim trunks."
"Neither do I."
"Oh. I think I want to go home now."
"Why, what are you so scared of? You're the one who kissed me."
"That was different."
"How so?"
"It was Hanabi's dare. Our team got stuck babysitting her a few weeks back."
"She's quite the devious little matchmaker isn't she."
"Hn."
"So are we going swimming?"
"Yeah, whatever."
They stripped unashamedly; they had nothing to hide. Still, they instinctively kept their eyes off one another, respecting each other's privacy. Or rather, they didn't realize how shy they really were.
Neji slipped into the pool and stayed under the surface. He loved how the current played with his hair. The water was icy and extremely refreshing on such a hot night.
As he came up for air he heard something very unexpected.
Sasuke looked shocked, like a deer in the headlights (if they had headlights, or deer for that matter...). It suited him terribly well.
"Did you just squeal?" Neji asked dubiously.
"It's cold."
"You don't have to state the obvious, squealy."
Glare.
"That's a very sexy glare you have."
Pout.
"And a very pretty pout."
Ignore.
Neji laughed. "I'll just splash you if you keep this up. Get over here."
Sasuke grudgingly waded over. "What now?"
A maniacal grin slowly took over the usually calm Hyuuga's face. He and Hanabi were related after all. "Now I splash you!"
"Not if I get you first."
They edged round each other, trying to catch the other off guard, but no such luck. After much innocent fun in the water (not sure how they managed innocent in the nude, but they did), they were both shivering with chattery teeth and blue lips. They shiverred into their clothes and started to walk back, getting warmer every step.
"Sasuke, you look like a corpse. A pruny corpse."
"At least I don't look like a girl. A wrinkled girl."
"At least I never get bedhead."
"It's not bedhead, I style I that way."
"What's this, the pout re-emerges?" Sasuke looked away. Neji didn't want to jeopardize his new friendship, so he stopped teasing. "Tell me about babysitting Hanabi, I could use some advice." Make an Uchiha feel superior, and you have a happy Uchiha.
"She's a brat." Neji nodded in agreement. "You have to let her be in command, while still keeping in control."
"That sounds all too familiar. How would one go about doing so?" Time for interrogation.
"Give her choices that guarantee the answer you want. Sakura suggested truth or dare. Bad idea by the way. Hanabi wanted Naruto to kiss you, so I said we could call the game off because it was too serious, or she could ask someone who wouldn't mind so much."
"So you kissed me because you wouldn't mind so much? Not because you like me or you felt jealous that she dared the blond?"
"Well, maybe I was a little jealous. Naruto always seems to get all the action, but he's much more into girls"
Neji snorted. Apparently he wasn't to get a confession tonight. Both of them had resumed their shells. Bishi-boys are like onions; they have many layers. All of which are sour. But with proper treatment they can be sweet too.
Yup, I got that from Shrek. Which I don't own. Good movie though. And I tricked you all, thinking the dare was Neji's. cackles Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, I'd like to hit twenty five reviews before I post again! I totally won't stick to that, but it's a nice goal.