Hey! I don't know if I've mentioned it before but this has details that relate to arc II more or less because I've made Shikamaru 18 and Neji 19 and all other ages relating to them which means Neji is a jounin and the rest of the rookies are chuunin unless otherwise stated. I'm still trying to come to grips sniff with the events of chapter 330 of the manga and I don't like spoilers so there won't be anything spoilerish in this story so certain things, albeit small things, might not relate to the manga.

Also! IMPORTANT: I've got finals coming up in the next few weeks so don't look for the next chapter of this to be updated until around December 18th or so. I'm sorry to do that but it's finals and I have to do well but after that means that I'm on winter break and can hopefully update quicker or even finish the story!! So, I wanted to get this chapter out before my thanksgiving break but I was watching "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and got sidetracked (good show! And I got over a mini-writer's block because of it!) but I finished the chapter today and got it out to you all so thanks for waiting two and a half weeks!!

The next chapter will be here in about a month, like I said, after I'm on break. Enjoy this one!

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto."

Chapter Four: The Excursion

The rest of the day went by without incident. Almost.

Once Neji stopped mentally berating himself for getting stuck sharing a bed for the weekend in a situation that wasn't already awkward enough, the two shinobi sat down again for a game of shogi. This time, however, it was just a normal game as Shikmaru knew he already had what he wanted (a comfortable place to sleep) and Neji knew he couldn't do a damn thing to change it.

It was getting late in day, almost approaching evening, and still their game continued.

'Heh,' thought Shikamaru, 'At least this is an interesting game now that Neji's not acting like Naruto when he eats ramen, trying to finish as quickly as possible. This isn't so bad. I actually might lose. Eh, it'd be a change for once.'

Shikamaru moved his piece after he had been deliberating for close to fifteen minutes. Neji didn't mind the long wait. It was relaxing to just sit in the quiet atmosphere and enjoy a nice game of…

"Grrghgllhhh." Came the noise from Shika's stomach.

"Are you hungry Shikamaru?" asked Neji, not letting the amused smile he had upon hearing the noise show on his face.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, after being booted this morning by Ino I didn't really think about grabbing something to eat on the way out. I was more concerned about getting out alive. Damn troublesome woman."

"Mm hmm." Was all the response he got from Neji, still staring at him.

"I didn't eat the rest of the day because I was too busy trying to find a place to stay. But yeah, I am hungry at the moment. So, what are we going to eat?"

Neji closed his eyes for a moment, "I'm afraid I don't have anything. At least not enough for two people."

"Well, thanks Neji. I can see how important I am to you." Shika said with mock sarcasm.

The Hyuuga opened his eyes at the statement and stated, "Let me remind you, you were the one you came to my door today. I did not invite you. And having just returned from a mission yesterday I did not have the time to do grocery shopping which, again, you interrupted the time in which I would have gone."

Shikamaru blinked once. Slowly, as if trying to let the words sink in but in actuality he was trying force himself to remember what Neji just said as he kinda zoned out for a minute without meaning to. What can he say? He's had a long day; he's hungry and just a little tired. He deserves a break, at least in his mind.

"Geez Neji, don't get all pissy. Sorry that I'm being such a nuisance to you. I'll just get out of here and that'll make things on both of us." He pushed his chair back and stood up. He turned to grab his things but only took one step before he heard "Wait."

Shika looked down and saw Neji's hand clamped on his arm preventing him from walking farther and looked up him.

"Wait Shikamaru." Neji then appeared to suddenly realize that he was still holding onto Shika's arm for he dropped it quickly and looked down at his feet.

"I'm sorry being angry with you. I have no right to as it's not your fault for coming here; you're only looking for a place to stay. I'm just tired from my mission. I apologize again."

Shika had the decency to quirk his eyebrow for what he thought was the hundredth time at something unusual Neji had said or done that day. He closed his yes and let out a breath.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I'm partly responsible for this whole situation too."

Neji just stared at him unsure of what he meant.

Shika rolled his eyes. "I would have thought you'd figured it out. If I'd wanted to remain in my apartment I could have after telling Ino to get the hell out and booby-trapping it so she couldn't ever come back in but I'm just too damned lazy to do it. And I really don't want to have to go back to the hospital because of her." He shuddered. "So yeah, sorry you have to put up with me but you don't have to apologize, I know where you're coming from."

Neji nodded, headed toward the door and turned back. "Aren't you coming?"

"Huh?"

He let a small amused smile grace his face for a moment. "You said you were hungry before, correct? Well, since I do not have any food here let's go out to eat somewhere. Unless, you want to stay here and starve for the weekend?"

Shikamaru, whose stomach by now was excruciatingly hungry and would give Chouji a run for his barbeque, moved the quickest Neji had ever seen him getting to the door in under a second.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" He asked in his usual lazy tone.

The other just shook his head. "I think you've been living with Chouji for too long if you just got that excited about food."

Shikamaru stopped in his tracks as they had begun walking down the street. Neji noticed that his companion was not beside him any longer, stopped and looked back.

"Neji, did you just make a joke?" He asked and saw the other nin's cheeks flush brightly before he turned back around.

"C'mon Nara. There won't be any seats left if you don't hurry up."

Shika started walking again, smiling to himself and thinking, 'Maybe he isn't so bad once you get through the cold exterior. Though he just called me "Nara" again. Eh, I'll just have to see how things go.' And the two continued walking to their destination in a comfortable silence each thinking about what it meant to be in the other's presence.

Soon Neji and Shikamaru were seated on the stools at the bar of Ichiraku's quietly sharing stories of recent missions and the like.

Neji was the calmest he had been all day and was thanking his nerves for not betraying him, his pale skin too for he knew he turned as red as Sakura's often worn shirts before all the times Shikamaru said something that got him thinking semi-inappropriate thoughts that day. At the moment he was relaxed, drinking his tea and awaiting for their meals to arrive.

His neighbor was also quite content under the circumstances he was in. He didn't think he would last as long as he had in the Hyuuga's presence but in comparison to Ino of friendliness and overall enjoyment of the company and surroundings he won hands down, even though there really was no competition, anyone could win against Ino in that regard.

He was thinking about what it might be like to train with Neji, that is if he ever felt energetic enough to do it, when the jounin suddenly stiffen and almost drop his cup of tea onto the bar counter.

Shika turned to him, "Neji—"

"Shh! Don't say a thing," he whispered harshly, "And don't turn around. Just pretend like everything is normal but whatever you do don't—"

"MY ETERNAL RIVAL!"

"—draw Lee's attention." And with that failed statement uttered Neji bowed his head, slumped his shoulders and looked like he was about to bang his forehead into his unsuspecting tea cup.

Ouch.

Now, everyone knew that Shikamaru was a genius, probably the smartest chuunin in all of Konohagure, even though he would be even better if he applied himself. But, being that he was a genius he should have known better than to turn around at the outcry of those fateful words and upon hearing Neji's warning for as soon as he did…

GLOMP.

Shikamaru and Neji found themselves crushed together by the force of Lee's hug to them both. Neji's right side was pressed up against Shika's left; as they were touching each other, as forced by Lee, from their arms all the way up to their cheeks, which both contained grimaces of pain and looks of intents to kill.

Neji would have been happy that he was touching Shikamaru cheek to cheek if not for the fact that Lee had his arms locked around their shoulders in a kung-fu like death grip. He was about to reach out his left hand and throttle Lee by the throat when he heard, "That's enough Lee, the boys need air."

"Ah, you are right by beauteous flower, for you are the one whom I truly should have given this hug to first." And with that, Neji and Shika felt their bones pop back into place as Lee released his "hug" and went to glomp someone else.

They felt bad for whomever that was and when they turned around in their seats, Neji giving Lee the worst, or maybe in this case, best Hyuuga ice glare that would maim a lesser person, and Shika yawning before rolling his shoulders expertly cracking them, they saw Lee gently hugging a delicate flower indeed.

"Sakura?" Shika asked.

"Good evening Shikamaru-kun, Neji-kun." She said pleasantly and then turned her head to Lee who had begun to nuzzle the side of her head, much like a cat would do, and she smacked him over the head, "Lee! Stop! We're here to eat, now be good." Lee looked like a hurt puppy for a moment but when he saw Sakura smile at him he recovered and gave her a thumbs up and nice guy pose.

'I wish I would have done that,' thought Neji in reference to hitting Lee over the head. 'There's still time and I'm sure he'll warrant for me doing it too.'

Shika just sat there with his mouth hanging open slightly and a dumbfounded look on his face. 'Is everyone hooking up?' he thought as this was news to him about Sakura and Lee's relationship.

He turned to Neji, "How long have those two been going out?"

Neji almost didn't here him at first as he was too busy glaring, but he turned back to Shika.

"They've been going out for about a month now. Are you telling me you didn't hear about Lee leap-frogging around Konoha while folding a thousand paper cranes to get Sakura's attention so he could ask her out?" Neji asked the shadow-nin who just shook his head.

"Yeaaahhh….I didn't know that. I only know about the couples that have at least one psycho in them, like Kiba and Shino, Ino and Chouji and Naruto and Sasuke, though I think the two of them count as psychos."

"Uh huh. Well, Shikamaru, if I were to go by your logic, you should have known about these two as well, since Lee is the most psycho out of everyone you've mentioned. I feel somewhat bad for Sakura now." Neji smiled at his own comment and looked to Shikamaru who was stifling his laughter as he had seen Sakura's reaction to the comment and knew that the Hyuuga would not come away unscathed.

"What. Did. You. Say. Hyuuga?" Neji looked up at Sakura and saw that he had unwittingly unleashed a whirlwind of pink fury. His eyes widened and all he could do was glance over to Shikamaru, silently pleading for help. All he saw was Shika trying to contain his laughter and shaking his head as if to say, 'This is your fault. You were the one to say it, not me.' Neji knew he was alone in this and decided since it was his own fault he would take it like an honorable shinobi. He closed his eyes. He could handle anything Sakura decided to do to him.

Just then, Neji promptly got punched in the face.

Shika winced and Lee's jaw dropped, "Sakura!! How could you hit my eternal rival?!"

"Easy Lee. With my fist." She smiled sweetly to Lee and turned back to the two shocked bar patrons. "Now, if you two are done with your smartass comments, would you like to join Lee and I at a table for dinner?"

Neji just sat there, trying not to blink his right eye, which was now bruising quite nicely, while Shika nodded his head. They both got up and followed the kunoichi.

By this time, Ichiraku had gotten crowded, it was dinner time after all but usually there was plenty of room, no, by the time Sakura and Lee arrived a light rain had started and by the time Sakura punched Neji, it had progressed to a constant rain but not quite down pouring yet. Everyone who was on the streets at the time had entered the ramen shop to take cover and keep dry. The ramen owner smiled while everyone else grumbled and sneezed. Ah, extra business was great.

Sakura was leading the way through the throng of people and spotted an open table in the back corner. Lee was following intently behind her like a love-sick puppy while Shikamaru and Neji brought up the rear.

"Is it too late to escape?" Shika whispered back to Neji.

"I heard that Shikamaru-kun and if you don't want to end up like Neji, I suggest you either keep your comments to yourself or just say what's on your mind. Now, let's sit down and eat!" Sakura stated, and slipped into the booth, Lee sliding in beside her.

Both Neji and Shika stopped in their tracks in fear of the pink one's exceptional hearing skills. Shika turned around, intent on escaping, thinking that it would be better to run and die than sit through a meal with Sakura and Lee and die anyway. There was no telling what the medic-nin would do and he shuddered to think of it.

He bumped into Neji who was still standing behind him.

"Let's get out of here. I don't care if I starve, I can take it, just let's go!" He urgently whispered.

"Shikamaru, it's pouring and I'm irritated and hungry and unless you want a bruise to match my own or worse, I suggest you sit you down." With that, Neji grabbed Shika's side, turned him around and pushed him into the booth, which he soon followed.

The booth was small and could sit two people on each side comfortably if they were as small as Konohamaru. As it was, Lee sat so close to Sakura with his arm around her that Neji could have gotten out of his side of the booth and sat comfortably next to Lee. But why would he want to do that? Really? He, instead, sat next to Shikamaru looking at a smiling Sakura and a glowing Lee who had already started to babble about "the youthful vivacity of rain in Springtime" while Shika sat rigid next to him, staring quite fixedly at some spilled salt grains on the table which looked liked the big dipper and trying not to think about the shuddering, bubbly feeling he felt go up his spine when Neji touched him.

Unfortunately for him, the rain wouldn't go away any time soon.

Thanks for reading! And thanks to all of my reviewers! heart! Look for a new one in about a month!