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Chrysanthemum	By : AWickedMemory Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1189 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Title: Chrysanthemum

Author: D.A. Maxwell

Chapter: 09

A/N:

     First off, I've moved review replies to end of the document. n.n; They were starting to take up a lot of space at the top-- which surprises, but also incredibly delights, me-- so now everybody who doesn't want to read them can just go straight to the fic. n.n Let me know if this bothers anybody. O.o; Not that I can see why it would. XD

     Second, I vaaaguely get what goes on with Sasuke, up to his battle with Itachi, but I don't know any details about him. This is a disclaimer for anything totally off I may have said about him. (I know enough to think that both he and Itachi are incredibly fixated on each other. XD Cuuute!) But I don't know what happens after that battle. @.@; So... B.S. warning. XD

     Third, since writing the first time Shikamaru smoked, I've learned that he quit smoking after Asuma was avenged. XD But it's a bit late for that, so I'm leaving it in here.

     Fourth... this chapter was so damn fun to write. XD

- - - - -

     Suffering his formal o-miai attire again, Neji sat on a cushion in a tatami room just outside of the city. The teahouse his uncle had brought him to was classically elegant: the simplicity of the room was ornamented only with the low table and cushions that Hiashi and Neji waited at and an ikebana arrangement sitting in the tokonoma beneath a tatejiku scroll. The sliding shouji doors on one side of the room led to the landing that created a square around the delicate garden outside, while identical doors on the other side of the room returned to the shared space of the institution.
     The other family was late.
     Neji sighed. Granted, it was only by a few minutes, and the teahouse was incredibly out of the way. He couldn't understand why such an inconvenient location had been picked in the first place; at any other time, the other party always came to the Hyuuga compound. He also couldn't understand why his uncle was being so secretive about this meeting.
     --
     At the dinner table, Hiashi set down his chopsticks, took a drink of sake, and addressed his nephew. "Neji."
     "Yes, Hiashi-sama?
     "Are you really as indifferent to the marriage process as you present yourself to be?"
     Neji hesitated, then frowned. He'd known this sort of talk had been coming all along, but really-- here, now? With his cousins with them? "Well, I... I would rather not marry somebody whom I couldn't stand to remain with for the rest of my life. It would be completely miserable for the both of us, and in the case of an inter-clan marriage especially, counterproductive to the prospect of a peaceful political union."
     Hinata and Hanabi exchanged uncomfortable looks before turning back silently to their dinners.
     "You've offered no suggestions as to the sort of partner you'd prefer," Hiashi pointed out.
     "I don't have much of a preference, I'm afraid. It's not something I think about."
     "Perhaps you should."
     "Forgive me, sir, but I've been more preoccupied with missions as of late."
     "I'm perfectly aware of that, but your responsibilities to your work do not negate your responsibilities to your clan."
     "I understand that, sir." Neji stifled his mixed annoyance and embarrassment at being chastized.
     "Well, then..." Hiashi began before Hinata-- lovely, sweet, intuitive, blessed Hinata-- spoke up.
     "F-- father?"
     Hiashi sighed. "Yes, Hinata?"
     "May H-- Hanabi and I b-be excused...? We-- we've finished our dinners, and..."
     Hanabi shot her sister a sharp look, smacking her leg beneath the table. Hinata pinched her back.
     Glancing between the girls with exasperated amusement, Hiashi nodded. "All right, go ahead. Neji, you are to remain here."
     "Yes, sir."
     As Hinata stood, pulling her reluctant sibling with her, she gave Neji an encouraging smile. He returned it with a slightly grateful one of his own before smoothing out his expression again.
     Once the girls were gone, Hiashi cleared his throat. "Now, then. Without further interruption: Neji."
     "Sir?"
     "I will be direct with you. We have introduced you to virtually all of your eligible, marriage-aged female cousins, you've met a number of clan allies, and you haven't once shown an ounce of interest. You'll hardly speak to the poor girls, and you're dismissively polite at best."
     "I'm sorr--"
     "I'm not asking you to be sorry, Neji," Hiashi interrupted. "You are free to have your own opinions. I do, however, ask that you be more cooperative."
     "Yes, sir."
     "Good," Hiashi nodded. "Now, then... I have a suggestion that may offend you at first, but I'd like you to swallow your pride and consider it. Please remember that I'm only looking out for your best interests-- I want to see you peacefully settled down, in as suitable a union as possible."
     Neji felt something pitting in his stomach. What sort of 'suggestion' was this going to be, if his uncle was already anticipating that he'd be against it? "Sir?"
     Pushing aside his empty plate, Hiashi took another sip of his beverage before folding his hands in his lap. He eyed the young jounin evenly before speaking, ever the picture of perfect composure. "You do not intend to bear any biological offspring, I believe?"
     "... That is correct, sir," Neji confirmed.
     "And although it may be preferable, you are not strictly set on marrying somebody for whom you harbour romantic attachments?"
     What? "I-- I suppose that is true," Neji replied cautiously.
     "Then you would be satisfied in a marriage to an individual with whom you share a functional partnership, in which you would not necessarily be required to act as man and wife?"
     This was getting increasingly bizarre. "I-- perhaps. Hiashi-sama," Neji added hastily, "I'm not sure I entirely understand what you're getting at...?"
     "You're not expected to." Hiashi gave the other man a smile, but one laced with some tension as he tried to predict how Neji would respond. "How averse would you be to a marriage to a... man?"
     "..."
     "..."
     "What?!"
     --
     Neji thought he'd taken the news extremely well. He hadn't angrily gone off at his uncle, he hadn't thrown a tantrum, and he hadn't stormed from the room. Really, what more could be asked of him?
     The two Hyuuga men had discussed the possibilitiy for an hour, Neji adamantly protesting while Hiashi asked him to consider it-- "even if just once. Nobody would expect any sort of couple behaviour, but it's a clan union that I've had my eye on for a while."
     "For me?!"
     "No, of course not-- for one of your cousins."
     Perhaps that should have triggered some realization for what was ahead, but he'd been too up-in-arms to think clearly.
     In any case, Neji had finally wearily given in when it seemed like Hiashi wasn't about to let up on the topic, agreeing that he'd only attend once, and if-- when-- that failed, he'd never have to hear the possibility again. So here he was, spending his Saturday in a teahouse he'd never heard of, not even having been allowed to go home-- er, to Shikamaru's apartment-- as it had only been a couple of days.
     It wasn't that Neji was homophobic, by any means. Still, being with a man had never been an idea that he'd considered for himself. Sure, he could gauge if another male was an attractive individual, but it was generally an objective deduction. The only man who had ever stepped outside those bounds of detached observation to affect him more personally was Shikamaru-- who, of course, was only a friend, and whom he trusted with his life. It was platonic affection, not... attraction. The idea of him having any such sentiment toward somebody the same sex as himself was ludicrous.
     Hell, the idea of such sentiment toward a woman was very nearly ludicrous. He didn't do... romance.
     Even if he wasn't required to-- to-- do anything with a male p... 'partner'... it was still the implication that counted. He shouldn't even have to be here-- it should be a given-- but if one embarrassing meeting would be enough to deter his uncle from the subject again, it would be well-worth it. Gods, he hoped the other party wasn't some flamboyant nutjob.
     Then again, he could almost see Hiashi's point. If all he'd have to do would be share a legal union and perhaps live in the same house for a time-- well, it could be a roommate situation, like with Shikamaru. They would undoubtedly have separate rooms, so it was plausible that if they got along well enough to not destroy their house fighting, they could peacefully coexist with minimal interaction.
     And there was the unlikely possibility that he'd get along with the person.
     No, wait-- scratch that. There was pretty much no chance of that. At least, not enough to live with them.
     This was ridiculous.
     A knock on the door drew the Hyuugas' attention, and the shouji panel slid aside to reveal one of the kimono-clad hostesses. She gave them a low bow. "The rest of your party has arrived," she announced.
     "Good. Send them in," Hiashi ordered. The woman bowed again, then scooted to the side to make room for the guests.
     Wait. Wasn't he-- and she-- they were--
     The next moment, Neji's heart stopped.
     He stared in dumbfounded horror as Shikamaru stepped into the room with a bored yawn. When he saw Neji, he paused. Rather than looking particularly shocked or becoming explosive, however, he simply let out a soft snort. "Great. Why am I even surprised?" he sighed. "Mother..."
     Scowling at him for behaving so disrespectfully, Yoshino grabbed his arm and yanked him over to the table. Forcing him down beside Neji, she and her husband bowed to Hiashi before taking their seats. "Osoku natte doumo sumimasen. Moushiwake gozaimasen," she apologized humbly. "We ran into some... trouble along the way."
     "Trouble? Well, I'm quite sorry myself for having inconvenienced you so greatly, then." Hiashi seemed to be quite contrite indeed, oddly enough.
     "Nah, it was nothing." Shikaku reached around behind his wife to pat his son on the shoulder. "Didn't even have to move from our seats to take care of 'em."
     "Spooked the driver and horses, though," Shikamaru added with a smirk.
     Neji shot him an irritated look. "How can you be so calm about this?!" he demanded in a low hiss.
     Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "What good's freaking out? Besides, I knew mom was planning something annoyingly devious, I just couldn't tell what."
     "Shikamaru!"
     "What? It's true. You were slinking and acting all smug."
     "I was not--!"
     "Yeah, you were. You really suck at trying to pretend you're not hiding something."
     "Should you really be so rude to your mother?" Hiashi asked sharply. Regretfully, he recalled the young man's indifference to proper social decorum at Hinata's o-miai.
     "Yeah, she expects it," Shikamaru assured. "If I acted polite and deferential, she'd just be suspicious that I was up to something." He glanced at his mother. "Right?"
     "Well, naturally. You haven't been a respectful child a day in your life," Yoshino sniffed. Exasperation fading a bit, she smiled affectionately and patted his cheek, flicking her fingers at it instead when he grimaced. "But you also never ask for anything, so there's no need to try planning anything roundabout with me, honey."
     "I'm sure he's well aware of that, dear," Shikaku drawled.
     Watching the family's interaction, Neji couldn't help but feel a pang. He wondered what his own life might have been like, had he grown up with a mother and a father...
     As if remembering that he was there, Yoshino leaned over the table to smile brightly at Neji. "Oh, Neji, dear, you look so handsome like that! Honestly, I was afraid living with my useless son was going to turn you into a slob, but you still dress up so nicely--! My Shikamaru looks like a troll compared to you," she sighed wistfully.
     "He looks fine," Neji replied without thinking. There was a sudden quiet in the room as everybody digested that comment before Neji's eyes widened. "I don't mean like that! I just--"
     "We know, son, no need to exlain yourself," Shikaku chuckled, tense atmosphere smoothly washing away with his voice. "It was just-- well, given the situation, it was unexpected."
     "In that case, shall we begin?" Hiashi suggested.
     "Begin what?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow. "The cards are already laid out on the table, and both Neji and I have been through this process a dozen times each. It's not like we need a formal introduction, or some presentation on the other's merits."
     "That is true, I suppose," Hiashi admitted, although his displeasure at having tradition interrupted was fairly obvious. "Well, then, I expect the both of you have questions?"
     Shikamaru and Neji exchanged quick looks before the former shrugged and the latter frowned. "Uncle-- sir-- what's the meaning of this?" he demanded. "You can't be serious-- we're friends! This is already awkward enough as it is, nothing else is ever going to happen!"
     "Is it so awkward?" Hiashi returned easily. "Your friend there doesn't seem to mind-- do you, Shikamaru-san?" He was determined to keep Shikamaru in the conversation to avoid any nasty surprises the young jounin might have up his sleeve this time. Naruto had finally approached him, but without Hinata's knowledge-- apparently trying to do the "right thing" ("proper" would have been a more adequate word choice) and request Hiashi's permission to court his eldest. Although he knew of the lad's impulsive, often outrageous nature, he'd been distracted by the unusual display of foresight and etiquette, and given in. Besides, the boy was well on his way to being the next Hokage, and what clan wouldn't want to claim the village leader as one of their own?
     Shikamaru blinked slowly at him. "Well, I think it's kind of pointless to have set up this entire elaborate scheme to get us here in the first place, but it doesn't surprise me, either. I can also see the tactical benefits of bringing us out to the middle of nowhere to force the topic, as exasperating as it may be. Considering the fact that Neji and I are virtually roommates, I can't help but wonder if this meeting might leave behind some discomfort, but I don't see it as being problematic enough to severely damage our friendship."
     Neji relaxed a bit as he felt a wave of relief. Trust Shikamaru to be able to much more eloquently put the same fears he'd been having.
     Hiashi noticed his nephew's reaction, but didn't comment on it. Interesting. The boy seems to be a calming influence on him, he mused. "Well, that's a nicely objective analysis, but it says little about your own opinion of the possible outcomes of this meeting. Would you be willing to consider it?"
     "Sir--"
     "Wait your turn, Neji," Hiashi instructed firmly, keeping his white eyes on Shikamaru's black ones.
     The shadow nin tilted his head. "I don't really care. It seems to me that our lifestyles wouldn't really change much, but I also don't think that's any reason to go ahead and make this kind of commitment. Because we're already friends, unless we cut the proceedings immediately, I think it would need a lot more time and consideration."
     "But you're willing to make those considerations?"
     "Like I said, I don't care," Shikamaru repeated patiently, easily realizing that the man just wanted the clarification of emphasis. "It's a practical solution to both your and my parents' plans, I guess. While it's not something I'd pursue on my own, I don't have any particularly strong objections, either."
     "Acceptable," Hiashi nodded.
     Yoshino peered around her son. "Neji? What about you?" Neji jumped slightly, looking up at her warm, if nervous, smile. "What do you think, dear? You're over so often, you're already almost like family anyway," she reasoned. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable in any way, and heaven forbid this become a hindrance to your friendship, but I would appreciate hearing your honest perspective."
     "I-- I don't think it's going to work," Neji answered sincerely. "I mean, if everybody else wants to consider it, then of course I'll think about the possibility as well, but I really and truly think we're better off maintaining the current status quo." Besides, I've never really had a close friend before-- why would I want to lose one now?
     Before Yoshino could respond, there was another knock at the door and the hostess returned with a large tray of kaiseki. She entered and began passing around the smaller trays of fresh tea, sashimi, a soup dish, boiled rice, pickles and a variety of vegetable dishes. Bowing, she left once more, plunging the two families into silence.
     "... Well, then. Shall we?" Shikaku suggested with one hand on the serving ware when nobody moved or spoke for several moments.
     "Yes, let's," Hiashi agreed, lifting his chopsticks.
     Taking up some harmless chitchat, Hiashi, Neji, Shikaku, Yoshino and Shikamaru began to eat.
     --
     Forty minutes later, Shikamaru and Neji left the room to wander outdoors. Their guardians were still indoors, enjoying post-lunch conversation to the accompaniment of a shamisen, but they had been permitted the opportunity to escape and discuss circumstances between themselves.
     Walking slowly along the perimeter of the courtyard garden, they were silent for a few minutes before Neji finally spoke up, not sure if the silence was a comfortable or uncomfortable one. "Did you really not know?"
     Shikamaru gave him an odd look. "Of course not. I would have warned you if I did."
     "Hmm..."
     "'Hmm' what?"
     "You kind of... did."
     "What?"
     Neji sighed. "When we were coming back from the mission Wednesday. You made some kind of comment about marriage that annoyed me, but I can't remember what it was."
     Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Don't be so paranoid. I was just playing off of something you'd said."
     "We're ninjas," Neji reminded unnecessarily. "We're supposed to be paranoid. It's suicide to not practice hypercaution."
     "With everyone else, maybe," Shikamaru shrugged. "But I'd like to think everybody has at least someone that they can let their guard down around. It's usually family, sure, but a friend works, too."
     "Really?" Neji asked drily. "Tell that to Sasuke, if he ever comes back."
     "No reason to," Shikamaru yawned. "He's already got someone."
     Neji blinked at him. "What are you talking about?"
     Shikamaru paused by a tree to glance at his friend. "Naruto. Sure, a lot of bad shit went down and Sasuke may not ever feel comfortable about returning to Konoha, but Naruto's never given up on him. If Sasuke had never left, I'm pretty sure he and Naruto would've eventually gotten together--"
     "What?!"
     "-- but as things are now, Naruto's not going to leave Hinata," he finished. "Even if they're not officially together yet, he's as dedicated to her as he is the Uchiha."
     Neji frowned. "So you think Naruto's secretly in love with his biggest rival and former best friend--"
     "No, I think that in a different situation, he would have fallen for him," Shikamaru corrected.
     "- and you already think Kiba's got a thing for Shino--"
     "That's a fact, not theory."
     "-- then what, you think half the shinobi in Konoha have some kind of gay tendency?"
     "No." Stepping off the platform, Shikamaru weaved between the trees along the stepping stones to a pond with a gently trickling fountain in the middle of the decorative flora. "I didn't say Kiba's interest is returned, and I think there's a lot more to Naruto's and Sasuke's relationship than 'they have a gay tendency for each other'."
     Neji followed after him instinctively, settling down on the grassy patch beside him as they faced the water. "Care to elaborate?"
     Shikamaru sighed. "Sasuke's never given Naruto shit for anything but being an idiot and being too optimistic. He treats Naruto-- and everyone-- honestly instead of putting up any fa�ades, hence so often getting labeled as pissy or emo. He doesn't generally have a very high opinion of most people, but it's very clear that he does respect Naruto, even if it frustrates him. Naruto's also just about the only person in our generation who really always stands up to Sasuke instead of taking his bull, and provides him with the unconditional support and faith that he doesn't get anywhere else. Sure, Sakura's obsessed with him, but her blind faith stems from a psycho crush from when they were kids. Naruto's more... real, I guess."
     "You don't think you've overanalyzing things?" Neji was tempted to ask why Shikamaru even bothered paying attention to such trivial matters, but didn't-- he knew it was just the Nara's nature to examine everything and everyone around him, and it was probably more instinctual than with any particular effort.
     Shikamaru shook his head. "Nope. I admit there's a slight possibility, but it's unlikely."
     "Great," Neji muttered sarcastically, "so the guy Hinata's fixated on is bi at best."
     Shikamaru cast him a sharp look. "Is there a problem with that?"
     "Not really. It's just-- wait," Neji paused, returning the look with an uncertain one of his own. "You're not-- are you?"
     "Would it be problematic if I were?"
     Neji took a moment to genuinely consider that. "No," he decided. "It's just... surprising. I know you've been with girls, but-- seriously?"
     "Mm. Being picky's not worth the effort."
     Unexpectedly, Neji let out a laugh at that. "That's your rationale? Only you, Shikamaru..." He smirked at his friend. "But by your logic, wouldn't it be more of a hassle to have to put up with both genders?"
     "Not really. I wouldn't get involved with particularly troublesome people to begin with, for the most part," Shikamaru explained. "Besides, it's not as if I practice rampant sexuality with either, and I especially stay away from our peers here."
     Neji blinked. "Why?"
     "Awkwardness. Would you want to mess around with somebody who might have to watch your back later?" Shikamaru drawled. "If things went mutually sour-- or worse, if the other person interpreted things as being more than they are, and things ended badly... well. I sure as hell wouldn't want Sakura's or Ino's tempers directed at me. Besides, most of the people here are out of the question anyway."
     "For instance...?"
     Shikamaru was clearly growing tired of the him-oriented discussion, but he replied anyway. Neji so rarely actually asked for information, he wasn't going to deny the man the opportunity to open up a little more. "Shino's interesting but kind of freaky, and I can't even tell what he looks like beneath his coat and shades. Kiba and Naruto are both hyperactive brats that take way too much energy to keep up with. Sakura's a lunatic, Ino's like a sister, Chouji's like a brother, Sasuke's not around, Hinata's too passive."
     For the most part agreeing with the analyses-- although, of course, Hinata's reason was more 'she's my immediate cousin' than 'she's too passive'-- Neji picked up on one tidbit. "'Sasuke's not around'? So-- what if he were?"
     Shikamaru shot him a wry look. "Half of Konoha wants him. What do you think?" he asked mildly. "He's a little fucked up in the head, so no way would I want to actually get involved with him and have to deal with all his emotional baggage, but he's competitive, a perfectionist, and throws himself into things he actually takes an interest in. Damned if he wouldn't be good in bed."
     Neji blushed. He couldn't help it-- he didn't generally think of himself as the shy sort, but he also never, ever discussed this sort of thing with anyone. Not having much of a social life certainly put a damper on one's comfort with... certain... topics, and as his fair skin gradually flooded with colour, his own lack of experience clearly showed.
     Shikamaru couldn't help but smile, although he did stifle his laugh. "You're a virgin, aren't you? Nothing wrong with that, especially with the screwed up crew we've got around here," he added lightly to let Neji know he wasn't making fun of him-- just seeking clarification. "But a lot of people thought you and Tenten..."
     Scowling, Neji rubbed his cheek as he willed the blush to go away. He wouldn't admit it, but he was grateful for Shikamaru not poking fun at his reaction-- and for the countless other times the man overlooked some quirk or another. "She's been chasing me for years, but are you crazy? She's got an insane number of weapons at her disposal. I can barely get along with people on a day-to-day basis, I would not want her mad at me."
     Shikamaru smirked. "That's baaasically what I thought of her, too. That, and she's too... flat, boring. Might just be because I don't know her, but eh."
     Neji blinked again. "You've thought about my teammates, too?"
     "Of course. I've worked with most of the ninjas around our age group," Shikamaru pointed out. "It's not like I'm assessing everyone for a potential partner or anything, but it just falls into the category of sizing somebody up. Thinking pros and cons about if it's worth getting along with somebody."
     "I guess." Neji found himself relaxing, Shikamaru's casual, practical way of talking about it helping to alleviate some of his own embarrassment. "What about Lee?"
     Shikamaru made a face. "You've got to be joking. He's the weirdest person I've ever met. 'Weird' itself doesn't bother me, but he's ridiculously over the top. Besides, he's a little too infatuated with both Guy-sensei and Sakura, so I'd say his tastes are in question."
     "Hmm." Neji hesitated, unsure of if he'd be overstepping the boundaries, before asking in a quiet, wary voice, "what about me?"
     Shikamaru was silent as he thought about if he should answer that or-- like Neji feared-- if it would be overstepping their boundaries. "You really want to know?"
     "... Maybe not." His curiosity nagging at him, Neji fought to push it aside. It's better not to know. Things are already without a doubt going to be a little odd from now on-- thank you, Uncle Hiashi-- so I don't think I need the added factors. But now I'm... curious? What the hell?
     "Mmmkay."
     'Mmmkay'? He lets it go just like that? Neji bristled, even though he realized that the irritation was impractical. After all, not only had he made the decision to not know, but it was just Shikamaru's personality to be unconcerned. But was the other man really as indifferent to the current circumstances as he acted? How much of him was busily thinking of every angle, and how much of him honestly didn't care? Was he this apathetic with all of his o-miais? Was Neji just another number to add to the list? Why did this bother him? They were friends-- a marriage wasn't even something to consider. Of course Shikamaru was going to be dismissive, since it was an impossible situation anyway.
     Shikamaru let out a slow breath. "You're annoyed at me."
     "No, I'm not."
     "Yeah, you are. You tensed up, and you're glaring at the fountain as if it should explode."
     "I'm not annoyed at you, okay? I'm annoyed at myself," Neji retorted a little more sharply than he had intended. But that's what Shikamaru got for prying.
     "For what?" Shikamaru asked, sounding slightly bewildered.
     "For this. For all of this-- for coming out here, for letting myself get conned into this arrangement, for even considering it, for having to deal with all this clan business to begin with. For being curious what you think of me, but also for not wanting to know. For how everything might affect our friendship."
     "It doesn't have to. But-- 'considering it'?" Shikamaru echoed cautiously.
     Neji froze. He hadn't meant to say that at all-- it wasn't even true! "I-- I-- I don't mean you, I mean everything," he amended hurriedly. "The idea of-- well, my uncle reasoned that if I were to marry a woman I wasn't interested in, it's unlikely we'd be interacting much anyway, so even if I were to marry a g-... guy, it'd just be a... roommate situation. Right?
     He sounded almost as bad as Hinata there. That's interesting. The subject makes him that nervous? "Well, I'd imagine it would depend on the other guy, too," Shikamaru reminded. "You wouldn't be the only one involved, you know. But you're actually going to consent to more meetings with men?"
     "No! Of course not!" Neji snapped. "Hiashi already promised that if this meeting ended poorly, I wouldn't be required to meet with any more men."
     "I see. How generous of him," Shikamaru remarked. So if seeing any other men is out of the question, why has he been analyzing the possibility if he wasn't thinking of me? I'm thinking somebody's a liiiittle too defensive here. Still, due to the fact that he'd be going home with Neji, he opted not to voice his thoughts aloud. Sparking the other man's temper was the last thing he had in mind.
     "'Generous'? Generous would be not even making this suggestion in the first place," Neji muttered.
     Shikamaru snickered. It hadn't been his intention to let his amusement show, but really-- Neji was just being too damn tense about things.
     Neji glared at him. "What's so funny?" he asked in a challenging tone.
     Shikamaru considered not answering-- it was probably the safer route-- but it was also likely to just add fuel to the fire and really get that temper going. So he shrugged instead. "I think you're making too big a deal out of it."
     "You don't think it's a big deal?"
     "No, I don't. Look, Neji-- you know and I know that there's no point in our parents trying to force us into anything, so why bother getting so pissed off about it? Just pretend our families got together for any old luncheon, and let it go. Don't be so formal. Trust me, you'll feel better about things."
     Don't be formal? How can I just pretend that the situation isn't what it is? I can't delude myself like that. Besides, I can't even imagine my uncle's reaction if I were to act any differently than I always do around him. Neji frowned at the fountain again without really seeing it.
     Shikamaru sighed. His arm twitched, wanting to reach for his cigarettes in the still somewhat confrontational silence, but he'd been cutting back over the months and hadn't even thought to carry a pack this time.
     "Don't even think about it," Neji warned, picking up on the other ninja's compulsion out of the corner of his eye even as his mind had been on another planet.
     "You know me so well," Shikamaru drawled. "But relax, I didn't bring any."
     "I'm impressed."
     "No, you're not."
     "Yes, actually, I am. I hadn't really expected you to stick to quitting," Neji admitted.
     "Hmm... probably helped that the last time I smoked after dinner, you made such a racket the next morning-- at five A.M. That's just sadistic, you do realize?"
     Neji gave him a smug look. "I realize. But it was your third cigarette in as many hours."
     Laughing despite himself, Shikamaru nudged his side. "So you were just cruelly looking out for my best interest? Thanks. What a pain in the ass..."
     Neji nudged back. "Well, what do you call forcing me to stay in bed even when I'm wide awake?"
     Nudge. "Hey, you don't suffer withdrawal from resting a few more hours. Besides, you like sleeping now."
     Nudge. "Yes, but sleeping in is a horrible habit to get into."
     Nudge. "I can get up when I need to, and so can you. As evidenced by how ridiculously alert you stayed that entire last mission."
     Sharper nudge. "I had to make up for somebody sleeping on the job."
     ... Poke.
     Neji jumped, grabbing his side and staring at Shikamaru in surprise. "What the hell was that for?"
     Shikamaru grinned. "To see how you'd react. My, my-- you're ticklish?"
     Neji narrowed his eyes. "Don't even-- Shikamaru!" he yelped as he scrambled away on the grass and hurried to his feet. Shikamaru immediately followed after, grabbing his arm with one hand and poking at Neji's neck with the other. The responding angry laughter was just too good, and he did it again, and again, as Neji attempted swatting him away.
     This was quickly becoming his favourite variation of the Drive-Neji-Nuts game. Whenever he found something that annoyed the older man, he'd push it to the limits to see just how far he could go before Neji tried to punch him or kick him or otherwise do more seriously bodily harm. Only once had he actually pushed far enough that Neji'd fiercely attacked back, knocking him out for the next two hours.
     He never did try force-feeding again. But really, Neji hadn't slept or eaten in over twenty-four hours, yet he insisted on staying up to do paperwork? The guy was mental.
     He seemed to be drawing dangerously close to that brink, however, as Neji's uncontrollable laughter began to turn into more snarling than protesting or threatening. He let go as Neji stepped back-- then cursed and reached out as Neji slipped on a wet stone at the edge of the pond-- and--
     Ker-SPLASH!
     Shikamaru covered his mouth with one hand, caught between horror, hysterical laughter, and concern for his own well-being against the Hyuuga's impending wrath. Neji looked just as stunned as he sat with koi swimming rapidly around him in confusion, water only a few inches above his hips but the splash having more or less drenched the rest of him.
     Neji's expression darkened as he made a move to stand up, then slipped and fell again. Curse the algae at the bottom of the pond! Didn't these people clean the damn thing?! At least keep some-- some-- some shrimp, or catfish, or something! Import in a few plecostomi!
     This time, Shikamaru did start laughing.
     Neji scowled at him. "Shut up and help me get the fuck out," he growled, holding out a hand.
     "Sorry, sorry," Shikamaru managed between chuckles as he moved to take it and pull Neji up. Instead of pulling Neji up, however, he suddenly flailed as the other man pulled him down.
     Ker-SPLASH!
     Like Neji had been, Shikamaru sat stunned for a few minutes. Fortunately for him, Neji had broken half of his fall-- much to his chagrin-- but unfortunately, Neji then shoved him fully into the water. "Still laughing?"
     "..." Shikamaru sat up, grimacing at the feel of the algae against his palms. He looked down at his disgustingly drenched kimono, the nagajugan clinging uncomfortably to his skin, his hakama most likely ruined from scratches at the fall.
     Then he looked over at Neji, whose own paler attire clung to him just as badly. Reaching over, he plucked a piece of plant matter from the long, brown hair and held it up between them, staring at it quizically.
     He glanced back at Neji.
     Neji caught his gaze.
     And they both burst out laughing. It was ridiculous! They were two advanced, well-respected, jounin-level ninjas, both known for being dead serious almost constantly, both hailing from respectable families, both able to kill in a heartbeat-- and they were now sitting in a decorative fish pond in a dainty teahouse up the mountains, practically in the middle of nowhere. At the tail end of winter. Damn, was it cold!
     Even when one of the hostesses came to offer her help-- and then another-- and then Shikamaru's parents, and then Hiashi, and then other customers-- they sat helplessly caught in carefree peals of laughter.
     --
     Twenty minutes later, they exited the washrooms and returned to their parents in borrowed kimono. Shikaku seemed to find the situation about as amusingly ludicrous as they had, but Yoshino and Hiashi were completely mortified.
     Hiashi glared as Neji entered. "Care to explain yourself?"
     Bolting up at their entrance, Yoshino bustled over. She observed that an embarrassed flush looked good on the boy-- as did his hair being tied up in a bun to keep the water off his back. She cast her son a scathing look, intuitively seeming to know that he was responsible for the mess, even as she pulled off her haori to drape it around Neji's shoulders. "Oh, you poor dear, you must be freezing! Are you all right?"
     Not used to being fussed over, Neji stared at her, temporarily forgetting his uncle sitting less than two yards away. "I'm fine," he assured as he tried to shrug the haori off. "Really-- I had a warm shower, I'm fine."
     Yoshino stubbornly held the haori on. "It's nearly February, you can't be fine! I do hope you don't catch a cold-- what a shame that would be. And your handsome robes-- I'm so sorry for whatever my worthless son did that caused this!"
     Neji blinked as Shikamaru sighed, swatting his mother away and handing her the haori back. "Mom, he's not going to break," he drawled. "They gave us hot showers; we're probably warmer than you are.
     "Hush, you! You're going to be in so much trouble when we get home!" Yoshino warned as Shikamaru sidestepped her, pulling Neji with him.
     "Yoshino, honey, relax," Shikaku called drily. "They're both obviously okay now, and they're competent, independent, grown men. You don't have to treat them like children."
     "She's only treating Neji like a child," Shikamaru corrected as they sat back down, Yoshino trailing after. "She's mad at me."
     "You deserve it," Neji muttered at him.
     "You already got back at me," Shikamaru reminded.
     "Insufficient. You're forgetting before we tripped."
     "You tripped. I was dragged down."
     "It was stupid of you to trust me."
     "Hey, I was trying to help you up."
     "Boys," Hiashi interrupted coldly. "Would somebody explain what happened? You do realized you disrupted many of the other patrons, and completely humiliated your clans?"
     "I'm sure nobody even recognized them," Shikaku unsuccessfully reassured. "That was part of the reason we came somewhere so remote, right? To keep rumours from spreading around Konoha?"
     "That does not excuse their behaviour," Hiashi snapped.
     "My apologies, sir," Neji replied quietly. When Shikamaru was silent, he nudged him sharply.
     "... Sorry for embarrassing you," Shikamaru added, but he was now biting back a smirk. After all, really, nudging was how this whole mess began.
     "It's not only for my benefit-- it's an embarrassment to you as well," Hiashi all but snapped. He sighed, forcefully relieving some of the tension from his shoulders. "Shikamaru-san, I'm obviously not averse to your friendship with my nephew, or we wouldn't be here right now. I think you've done a wonderful thing for him, offering him your friendship and giving him a place to relax and call home. But there is a time and place for behaving as you did, and this is neither the time nor place."
     "Yeah, I understand that," Shikamaru sighed, humour gone. "But it's not as if we meant to cause a scene. We just couldn't stop laughing."
     "In a pond."
     "In a pond."
     "In front of all of those guests."
     "In front of all of those guests."
     "And the owner of the teahouse."
     "And the owner of the teahouse."
     "You're completely unruffled by this entire incident, aren't you?"
     This time, Shikamaru did smirk. "Pretty much, yeah. No lasting harm, right? Besides, it's not like I normally act like that, either. Things just got carried away, and I don't think that's bad once in a while." He raised an eyebrow. "Tactically, it's beneficial to our healths to let go once in a while, considering even at home Neji usually acts pretty stuffy."
     "Shikamaru..." Neji growled.
     "What? You do. You've gotten better, but christ."
     Hiashi sighed. "I'm beginning to think this meeting has been eventful enough. Why don't we draw it to a close? I'd still like you two to consider the possibility, but if necessary, we can always arrange a second meeting at a later date."
     Why the hell would we need a second meeting? We're already usually together, Neji wondered, Shikamaru's thoughts echoing his own.
     "I second that notion," Shikaku agreed. Hiashi began getting to his feet, and everybody else followed.
     "I'm so very, very sorry for all of the trouble Shikamaru has caused you," Yoshino apologized regretfully, bowing low to the clan head.
     Hiashi shook his head. "It's all right. Hinata was not his problem, and Neji was creating as much of a racket as your son was."
     "Still, if it hadn't been for Shikamaru..."
     If it hadn't been for Shikamaru, Neji would still be miserable, Hiashi mused, although he kept the thoughts to himself. After all, he wasn't pleased with the younger man at the moment, but he could still grudgingly acknowledge what good he had done. "Please, don't concern yourself. Until next time, then."
     "Until next time," Shikaku and Yoshino echoed as they bowed. Hiashi gave Neji a pointed look, and they both bowed back before stepping out the door.
     Neji glanced back in time to see Yoshino scowl at her son once more before stooping down to pick up her haori from the floor. Shikamaru caught his eye and made a throat-slitting motion before gesturing at his mother. Shikaku promptly smacked the back of his head, and he winced.
     Smiling, Neji faced forward again and followed his uncle out.
- - - - -
A/N:

- ikebana: This word's become much more well-known in English lately, but just in case, it's the art of flower arrangement.

- tokonoma: A raised alcove in a traditional Japanese-style room that will often contain a simple piece of ikebana and a hanging scroll, called a kakemono or kakejiku.

- tatejiku: A kakemono that's taller than it is wide.

- shouji: The washi-paper doors/portable walls in traditional-style Japanese rooms.

- Osoku natte doumo sumimasen. Moushiwake gozaimasen. Another pair of traditional set phrases in humble speech. The first part is "I'm very sorry for it becoming late," while the second part is literally, "There is no excuse" but used as a very humble way of apologizing, even if you do have an excuse. n.n; Basically saying, "I know making excuses won't do any good, it is still inexcusable." I could probably have just put this into English and B.S.ed some level of formal register to make it work, but the "There is no excuse" always amuses me, since generally, there is some sort of excuse. Ahaha. Humility.

- kaiseki: The traditional food served during tea ceremonies, which comes out in several tiny dishes and is very much about looking beautiful.

- shamisen: A three-stringed traditional Japanese instrumental.

When I was writing "Neji shot (him an irritated look)," I typoed and wrote "Nejis hot." XD Ah, parapraxis.

REVIEWS:
     AngelicChaos: I may try it again on a one-shot in the future, but not in this particular fic. ^^; I'm very glad you enjoyed it so much! The style just fit for the way I wanted this to go, switching perspectives and showing ShikaNeji still going on with their lives, getting closer. I usually do just sound it out, but 'tighten' confused me. XD I wasn't sure how to pronounce "tiy" n.n;; Sorry!! T.T

     melvin3228: Thank you? ^_^;

     ladyicondraco: ... Hee. That's good to know. XD Falls into the category of "I haven't seen/read much." ^^;;; Well, for the sake of Neji trying to make Shikamaru quit, and the fact that it's already established in this fic that he smokes, I'll keep it in. But thank you very much for letting me know!

     Dying Dreams: ^_^ I'm glad you enjoyed their conversations! They were definitely fun to write. Heh. Thanks for reading! (And for reviewing M'lady as well. ^___^)

     Drivven Labyrinth: Ohhh... yeah, that's not me. XD I didn't know there was a narutoyaoi community, although it doesn't surprise me.

     Zenith-Kaitou: S... smut? XD I'm not planning any. ^_^; Or I would have put a warning on the description. XD Aside from that I'm horrible at writing that kind of drawn-out thing, sex disinterests me. I like to read a well-written one, but have zero taste for writing it. ^_^;;; I'm all for character development and scenes, and leaving smut up to the more creative imaginations of readers. ^^;;;

     KatFO: Thank you! ^_^ I hope the o-miai pleased you. :D

     Tyra: XD I'm delighted that you enjoyed ShikaNeji's conversations. They were a blast to write. ♥ But Hiashi's not planning anything, really... just hoping. ^_~

     pen_name: ... XD I was worried that I overdid it, actually. I mean, if it were happening, it'd be drawn out and fine, but since it was all Neji recounting it anecdotally, I was worried that I'd gone overboard. ^_^; But-- oh my god, are you crazy?! You're so good at writing feelings! I still drool in awe every time I reread bits of Unspoken Rules/MoreUR. XD Anyway, thanks for reading-- oh, and thanks for reviewing M'lady, too! ♥ I know I've read one fic where Neji was sick, but I can't remember where I read it or who it was by. Something about Shikamaru being way on a mission, and Neji was all grumpy and had toilet paper all over the house...? XD

     Quirk othe Trade: XD I think I write humour better than angst, even though I like angst more, just because I can't put enough sentiment and pacing into a scene to make it appropriately sad. ~_~; It's something I need to work on. I think I'm too impatient in my writing. XD But thanks for reading! ^_^

     SecretQuill: Thanks. XD Oh! And thanks for reviewing M'lady as well! *_*

     yaoilovergirl: Oh my god. I'm flattered and happy, but please don't say that again! It feels so blasphemous! I loooove pen_name. @___@; And then I'd feel bad if I were the cause of your dying rooted to your chair, and you'd never get to read the rest of the story if you were dead. XD So please, live, live! :D
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