A midnight swim

Story: Seth

Characters: Masashi Kishimoto

He turned around to face Shikamaru. "Following your advice," He said, "There is something I have to tell you."

Shikamaru smiled and leaned in closer to Neji, until their noses almost touched. "I think," he whispered, "That I know what you're going to say..."

A soft breeze stirred up the water of the pond, sending ripples across the carefully arranged reflections. While it stilled, a glimpse of its true nature could be caught; a gentle lover, a grateful friend, and the last droplet to tip the scale...

Shikamaru pushed Neji down onto the cold rocks and kissed the tip of his nose. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to say that." He muttered.

Neji was still a bit dazzled by the turn that the events had taken, but he was not about to complain. Instead he pulled Shikamaru closed to him, so that his body rested on Neji's. "I'm so glad that you're not rejecting me." he whispered. "You have no idea."

Shikamaru stroked the hair away from Neji's face and smiled at him from his position on the older man's chest. "Guess again, Hyuuga." He said. "I've been dropping subtle hints that I like you for over a year. I'm surprised that you didn't even pick up one."

Neji's eyes widened and he thought back to all the things he and Shikamaru had done together. All those missions, all those times he'd thought Shikamaru was after one of their female team-mates... He fought the urge to slap himself in the face. How stupid he had been. But then again, everything was obvious in hindsight.

With a sigh he closed his eyes. "What a fool I have been." He muttered. "Forgive me for disappointing you all of this time..."

Shikamaru shook his head and kissed Neji's lips tenderly. "Don't worry, I didn't mind the wait." He said. "Falling in love with someone else was too troublesome anyway."

Neji chuckled and was about to reply when they heard footsteps near their hiding place. "Neji-niisan?" Hinata's voice spoke in the dark. "Are you here?"

"Shit!" Neji whispered and shot up from the rock. Shikamaru, who was still on top of him, didn't expect this and rolled off of the rock and straight into the pond. Sadly, his legs were still intertwined with Neji's.

Neji felt a tug at his legs, and before he knew it he was falling down on top of his new-found boyfriend. Dripping wet and coughing loudly he emerged from the water, pulling Shikamaru up with him. "Hi-Hinata-sama!" He said hurriedly. "What are you doing up at this time of the night? You should be asleep!"

Hinata emerged from the bushes to the side of the pond and saw her cousin sitting indignantly in the shallow end of the pond, next to Shikamaru who was laughing so hard that he nearly choked on it. She raised an eyebrow. "I came to find where you ran off to in the middle of the night, but it seems that I am interrupting something."

Neji's face turned beet-red and he was about to stammer something when Shikamaru interrupted. "My apologies, Hinata-san, but I'm afraid that this is entirely my fault." He said.
"I needed to see Neji about an urgent mission, so I invited him along to talk somewhere private. Just now I slipped on this rock and accidentally pulled your cousin along for a midnight swim."

Hinata chuckled. "So I see." she said. "You two should change into something dry, it's too cold to stay out in wet clothing. Neji will lend you some of his clothes."

Shikamaru graciously offered Neji his hand and pulled the speechless Hyuuga out of the water and winked at him. "I have no doubt," He said, "that he'll be very glad to invite me in and get us out of these clothes."

-the end-