I don't know why this story is so hard for me to write… Can someone tell me if it's coming off as strained? Please?
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
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Love of the Lost
Chapter 3: Appearances
***Time-Skip: 2 Weeks***
Neji ferociously attacked Hiashi who had agreed to train with him after the Chunin exams. He was still no match for the elder, but his irritation was making his moves sharper, more precise. After Shikamaru had pulled that little stunt at the training grounds, he hadn't seen the shadow user, and it infuriated him.
The boy was obviously toying with him and trying to get Neji to seek him out, but he wouldn't have it. He was a proud Hyuga and refused to be a slave to his emotions, no matter how much he liked the Nara.
His lips still burned every time he thought about the ghost of a kiss they had shared, driving him insane to feel it again.
The two shinobi paused for a break, Neji returning to the porch to sit in the shade and drink the tea his cousin had set out for him. "You know Hinata-Sama if you trained instead of pretending to be a housewife you might not be so weak" he growled, taking his frustration out on the younger.
She lowered her eyes but then raised them again, a fire pooling deep within their depths. "Spar with me Neji" she demanded quietly, getting to her feet. Despite what he thought, she had been training almost non-stop with Kiba and Shino and even spoken to Guy-sensei and Lee, her desire to prove her worth to her father and be acknowledged by Naruto driving her forward.
Her cousin smiled smugly and agreed, he needed to vent more and taking down Hinata would be the perfect way to do it. Neji was aware this was similar to how bullies behaved, but he didn't care.
Hiashi came back with Hanabi in tow right as the two leaped at each other, surprised to see his daughter behaving so confidently.
The two threw various chakra filled jabs at each other, their Byakugans' locked on to the many chakra points. After several minutes of neither landing a blow, Hinata smiled; she'd done as the spandex wearing ninja had suggested and carefully analyzed Neji's unique fighting style.
Her speed had been greatly enhanced by training, but she'd been holding back until the moment she was ready to strike, and that's exactly what she did. With extreme precision and power, Hinata commenced the Eight-Trigrams 128-Palms, slamming her small hands into their targets. The elder Hyuga flew backward, all his chakra points sealed off.
Hiashi and Hanabi stood shell-shocked as the Hyuga genius was defeated by the stuttering, supposedly weak-willed ex-heiress.
Neji gasped for air in the dirt, his wide eyes trying to find Hinata through his blurry vision. She walked past him and her father and sister. "I-I like m-making tea" she huffed. The girl knew she would regret losing her temper later, but right now she'd let go of her passive nature and feel irritation for once.
The injured Hyuga remained still as Hiashi reopened his pathways. If it was possible, he felt even worse than he had before. Now he was frustrated about the Nara, and just had his ass handed to him by Hinata, though he knew he deserved it for being so cruel to her.
"Where did that come from?" he grumbled when he could speak again.
The elder shook his head, his mind still reeling. "I… I didn't even know she had learned that technique" he admitted, helping the boy to his feet.
Neji didn't let his shock stay hidden, "you mean you didn't teach it to her?"
Hiashi shook his head again, "Years ago I decided that if Hinata couldn't defeat Hanabi in a duel I would strip her of her title of Heiress. She had a clear shot and would have beaten her sister, but she chose not to take it, her kind heart getting in the way. I only trained with her minimally following the incident and after the Chunin exams, I decided to train you instead of her entirely. She must have learned it on her own."
The teen felt a heavy guilt weigh down his chest, it was no wonder Hinata always made them meals; if whoever she had been training with was busy, she'd have nothing else to do other than watch Neji replace her in training with the elder.
With his pride thoroughly whipped, he caved and decided he'd go talk to the Nara and then apologize to his usually sweet cousin.
It was dusk when Kakashi finally stumbled through what he believed to be his apartment door, exhausted both mentally and physically from the grueling mission he'd returned from. He could have sworn he left it locked as he always did, but he was too tired to care.
The lights switched on in the dark room and he was face to face with a very confused and startled Iruka.
"Kakashi-San, are you alright? What are you doing here?" the man asked, his soft face riddled with worry.
"Shit…this isn't my…" he mused as he collapsed forward. The man didn't even have enough time to finish his own thought.
Iruka caught him before he hit the ground, and dragged him to the bathroom. He didn't know why the Jonin had abruptly barged into his apartment, but he didn't care.
The Chunin started removing the elders clothing, grimacing at the many open wounds that still bled heavily; it was no wonder he'd passed out. Iruka gulped when he removed the ever-present mask, running his finger over the small beauty mark he saw. The man was even more gorgeous than he had thought.
He shook his head to concentrate and moved to turn on the shower, then blushed heavily as he reached for the man's boxers.
He licked his lips lightly and tried to push his perverted thoughts from his head, Kakashi was badly wounded for crying out loud. Still, when the clothing slipped from his waist and down his thighs Iruka couldn't help but stare.
The copy-ninja was VERY well endowed, even when he wasn't erect. Trying to work despite his racing heart, he stripped himself of his own clothes and lifted the unconscious form, pulling them both under the warm water.
He tenderly cleaned the gashes and washed the grime from the man's hair, doing his best not to look at the one place he really wanted to.
When Iruka was satisfied that the Jonin was clean, he dried them both, slipped on his pants and went to work on patching him up.
After over an hour of stitching, wrapping and taping the silver-haired ninja back together, he lifted his limp body and carried him to his bedroom.
He wanted so desperately to crawl into bed with the man but forced himself to sleep on the couch. Kakashi would not be pleased to wake up naked, mask-less and being assaulted by the scar-faced Chunin.
Hinata cried into Kiba's shoulder as she told him what had happened between her and Neji. Now that she had calmed down, she was devastated she had been so cruel to him, just as she knew she would be.
Shino held her hands and lightly petted them while Akamaru laid in her lap. All three were doing their best to comfort the guilt-ridden girl, though they honestly believed the arrogant Hyuga had it coming.
"A-and the-n I-I tol-d him I l-like making t-tea" she sobbed.
Kiba started to laugh, unable to contain his pleasure any longer. "Ah come on Hinata, that was awesome! It's about time you showed people what you've been working on! Besides, I'd give anything to have seen Neji's face when you said that thing about the tea!"
"I agree with Kiba on this Hinata. Why you ask? Because you are my teammate and friend, and you should not let others push you around" Shino agreed.
The bug-user would probably never admit it to anyone, but he'd fallen for her the moment he laid eyes on her. It killed him that she pinned over Naruto, but if that would make her happy he would support it completely, especially if it helped her have more confidence in herself.
Neji kicked the dirt lightly as he walked through the training grounds; he'd quickly gotten cold feel about halfway to the Nara compound and wimped out, deciding instead to go and train more.
"Do you always look so pissed, or is something bothering you more than usual."
The Hyuga didn't know if he should groan in annoyance, or blush in embarrassment when Shikamaru's voice met his ears.
"As usual, Nara, you have made your presence known at the worst possible time" he eventually answered, turning to face the lazy shinobi.
"So, something is bothering you, want to tell me what it is?" the brunette asked, leisurely walking to the elder boy.
Neji didn't know why, perhaps it was the intense guilt and shame he felt, but he confided in the teen. "I hurt Hinata-Sama."
Shikamaru smirked and sat down in the grass, "I highly doubt that" he replied, lying back on his elbows.
The Hyuga glared at him as he sat down as well, "you knew?" he asked. Though he doubted much escaped the teen's watchful gaze.
As expected, the boy nodded and stared at the clouds, admiring the colors they'd taken on in the sunset. "She came and talked to me shortly after the elimination rounds, asking how to strategize against opponents who outmatched her physically."
"Speaking to you would not have allowed her to learn such advanced techniques" Neji responded.
"No, but she's talked to just about everyone too. She watches you train with her father so that she can attempt to reproduce everything he teaches you."
The Hyuga felt another wave of guilt. While he was sure Hinata made him food because that was the kind of person she was, she was also training the whole time. He'd been a fool to talk to her in such a way.
While he was scolding himself, Shikamaru decided to scoot closer, capturing the preoccupied teen's lips with his own.
The elder was slightly startled, his face flushing red immediately. When he came to his senses he pulled back, "I haven't given you permission to touch me Nara" he squeaked.
"No?" Shikamaru spoke huskily, "then tell me to stop." His lips landed on the Hyuga's pale throat, pecking the soft skin lightly as his hand lifted the boy's chin for better access.
Neji gasped before he could remind himself to keep his mouth closed, but he didn't try to move away from the wonderful feeling.
Not sensing any resistance, the shadow-user slid his hand down to the teen's chest and pushed gently until his back was on the ground.
He shifted his position, hovering above Neji before kissing him again, gliding his tongue over the others mouth, tangling his fingers in the boy's hair.
When the Hyuga felt the warm, wet organ probing his lips, he hesitantly opened, giving in to his desire to kiss the younger. Neji placed his soft hands on the Nara's shoulders. He felt embarrassed about his inexperience in intimacy and didn't know what else to do.
Their embrace was slow and sweet, tentatively exploring each other's mouths. When Shikamaru finally pulled back, he smiled down at the panting Hyuga. "I think you're starting to like me Neji" he taunted.
The elder glared weakly up at the teen. The shadow-user had known about his crush for a while, of that he was sure. "You seem to enjoy making fun of me Shikamaru" he replied.
The younger smirked and went to kiss him again.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOkay so Hinata is WAY out of character but you know what? She should be a boss ass bitch in my opinion so deal with it! Power to my ladies!
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