Lazy

Author: LonelyWriter42

Summary: Even lazy afternoons in the Hyūga manor are part of Jūken training.

Disclaimer: Own Naruto I do not.

Neji sat in the alcove on the verandah outside Hinata's room reading a scroll as she sat just inside the doorway flipping through a magazine on frilly, girly things. Hinagiku was happily chasing a butterfly around the yard and Neji suppressed a smile. Hinata had scolded the kitten only moments earlier about chasing and eating butterflies. The day had started off lazy and had continued to be so, the only things he had to do today was keep Hinata company so she didn't wander off and get herself into more trouble than she could handle.

Neji turned around to look at his cousin and saw that she had a brush clenched between her teeth as she gazed down at the magazine spread out in front of her. She was lying on her stomach with that cute furrow of her brow and pouty lips as she read. He smiled and turned back to his scroll on advanced Jūken techniques.

"Neji," Hinata said thoughtfully and he turned to look at her with an upraised brow. "How would you rate my personality?"

He stared at her for a long moment before repeating, "Your personality?"

"Yes," she groaned as she looked up at him.

"How is the ranking system set up?" He inquired.

She let out an exasperated sigh. "One to ten scale."

"One being lowest and ten highest?" He asked.

She nodded and started twirling the brush between her long, nimble fingers.

He pretended to contemplate the answer. "Eight point five," he said, sticking his tongue out at her.

"Eight point five," she repeated with a frown. "What happened to the other one and a half points?"

"Let me see," he said, holding up a hand, closed fist. "One," his pointer finger shot up, "You have the most annoying habit of wondering away without telling your guardian," he pointed at himself, "where you are going. Two," his middle finger came up, "you find a stray cat on the streets and insist that I have to be the one to adopt the pathetic thing because your father and sister are both allergic, then I give it one name and you give it another." He shook his head. "And three," his ring finger joined the other two in pointing up to the heavens, "You pushed me into the koi pond for no reason whatsoever I may add," he gave her an annoyed frown. "There are your other one and a half points."

She stared at him. "You're still bitter about the pond?"

He snorted, something he would have never done with someone other than her, even Gai, Lee, or Tenten, and nodded. "It wounds a man's pride to be pushed into the water of such a place and then having to walk through the village with the worst wedgie that you have ever had and think about the fact Gai is my sensei. Then there is your sister who laughs her head off when she spots me and then your father looked at me as if I did not know how to properly take care of myself and then there is the stupid, pitiable cat over there who wanted to snuggle but hates anything having to do with water touching her that forces you to change your clothing and it is laundry day so you are forced to wear some of the most undignified clothing known to man."

Hinata's eyes had widened considerably since he started his tale and she gave a small gasp. "You wore a green jumpsuit?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Good thing my mother brought in fresh clothing not long after but it was still the most unpleasant thing I have ever done and if you ever force me to do anything like that again, I will throw you into the koi pond and make you dress in that horrid spandex suit and maybe even parade through the village streets." He shook his head. "What type of magazine is that, anyway?"

Her face went bright read and she quickly snapped it shut and slid it under her stomach. "Nothing," she said casually. "What's your scroll about?"

Her response made him frown. Obviously it was something she didn't want him to know about. He reached over to grab the disputed reading materials but he only succeeded in tickling her stomach as she rolled away, deftly sliding the magazine under her as she went. He no longer cared about the gaudily colored paper anymore though. A new plan had formed in his mind and he quickly put it into play.

He lunged after her and caught her ankle. With a devious grin he pinned her in place and started tickling her sides. Her eyes widened in surprise when he caught her but then they clouded as she fought back laughter.

"Neji," she giggled. "Stop, you know I'm ticklish!"

"Exactly," he whispered in her ear. "It is punishment. Now we are even," he stopped tickling her sides and pulled back. "Or do you want more because you are a secret masochist?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and shook her head. "That's you," she whispered with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Me?" He repeated as he leaned closer to her. "Why ever would you say a thing like that?"

"Because you keep denying that you want to kiss me," she replied. "Don't deny it."

"You are very sure of yourself," he said as he brushed his fingers over her delicate lips. "I did not know you could read minds."

"It is a special talent of mine," she said as she reached up to cup his cheek then she moved it so it was entwined with his hair and resting on his neck. "I swear if you do not kiss me now I shall become more insane."

"At least you are aware of the fact you suffer from mental instability," Neji smiled as he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. He pulled back and saw the frustration in her white-lavender orbs before she pulled him back down and crushed his lips against hers. Neji could feel Hinata's urgency in the kiss and her veiled desire and then it was over. She was lying under him with thoroughly tussled hair and a wild look in her pale eyes.

He slowly pulled away from her, still staring into her eyes. "Now we are even," she said, pulling herself into a sitting position.

A slow smile came to his lips as he held up a gaudy pink magazine. "Glamour girl?" He read the title then skimmed what else was written on the cover. "How to catch your 'one true love,' finding the 'perfect' guy in today's world, do guys really only think about the 'bedroom?'" He glanced over at her to see her face had gone bright red.

"I got it from Ino," she said, not making eye contact.

"And why would that overly ridiculously crazy girl think you would need with a magazine like this?" He questioned.

"I asked her for it," she said, turning up her nose at him. "It is really none of your business what I read," she declared.

"If you say so," he shook his head as he stared at the picture of a woman that had to have been put together with clips of several different women since no one woman was that perfect. Well, maybe there was one…

His thought was cut short as he found himself lying flat on his back staring up into Hinata's cherub face and he realized what had happened.

"Very nice," he commented. "Your Kaiten was almost flawless."

"Almost," she said with a raised brow.

"You landed on top of me."

"It was intentional," she smiled as she leaned down and he thought she was going to kiss him but she merely bumped her nose against his. She pulled back and stood, holding up the magazine she had retrieved from his grasp. "You know what the magazine says about guys like you?"

He raised an eyebrow as he sat up and straightened his clothes and hair. "No."

"You have no imagination," she shook her head. "It says that guys like you are the best types of boyfriends because you are so unpredictable," she winked at him and spun on her heal and was out the door before he could comment.

"Best boyfriends, huh?" A slow smile came across his face. "We shall have to see."