The Top Floor

I know! An update! Woohoo!

Onward.


Only Lee was taking advantage of being outside. Sasuke, Kiba and Shikamaru sat with their backs to a side of the only tree in the courtyard, neither speaking a word. Sasuke watched with detached interest as Lee jogged half-heartedly around the edges of the brick wall. Eventually the boy slowed to an ambitious walk, then a slow crawl, lazily kicking away a few stones that were in his path.

Then, with a sudden scrunching of eyes Lee began to wail. The three watched as he slammed his body back against the wall and slid down, folding his legs awkwardly underneath himself. Lee sobbed loudly and fisted his hands against his eyes, fat tears making their way down his round cheeks. This continued for several minutes, the other boys remaining still as Lee’s sobs turned into howls.

Finally Sasuke nudged Shikamaru with his elbow. When he got no response he tried the elbow again. Shikamaru sighed wearily and rose to his feet. He started towards where Lee sat...

Until Lee’s anguished shrieks reached a harsher octave and decibel. Shikamaru turned back towards Sasuke with a pitiful look on his face. If it had been in keeping with Shikamaru’s personality, Sasuke was sure Shikamaru would have been whimpering.

“Go.”

Shikamaru started to shake his head but Sasuke butted in.

“Go. You’re the only one he listens to when he gets like this.”

Shikamaru sighed again before a look of hope flickered across his face. He leaned over to look in Kiba’s direction.

“Oh, no, no,” said Kiba hastily, waving his hands in front of him. “Not my job.” Shikamaru gave Sasuke one last pleading glance.

“I don’t do empathy,” said Sasuke in a monotone voice as he resumed watching Lee.

Shikamaru’s eyes widened comically. “And I do?!”

Sasuke’s glare was enough to convince Shikamaru that his was a lost cause. He started back towards Lee, watching in horror as the boy’s face began to turn purple. With a grimace he sat down next to Lee. Lee proceeded to launch himself into the unwitting genius’s arms.

Shikamaru stiffened immediately and looked in desperation over to the tree. He scowled at Sasuke, whose eyes were averted but whose mouth was covered with one hand and shoulders were shaking suspiciously. Lee’s sobs brought Shikamaru’s attention back to the matter at hand.

Shikamaru awkwardly snaked an arm around the distraught boy’s quaking torso and patted him gently between tense shoulder blades.

“It’s okay, Lee,” he murmured. Lee sniffled not so cutely.

“You don’t even know what’s wrong!” he wailed. Shikamaru began to laugh quietly.

Lee looked up in surprise. “What’s so funny?”

Shikamaru shook his head and leaned in a little closer before whispering, “Sometimes you’re such a girl.”

Lee leaned back as far as he could out of the embrace and stared incredulously at Shikamaru. Shikamaru just laughed again, which had a predictable effect on Lee. As Lee’s eyes filled with new tears, Shikamaru bit back the rest of his laughter and drew Lee closer to him again.

“Come on now, Lee,” he said in a placating tone. Lee hiccupped but took a shaky breath anyways. “Now, tell me what’s wrong.”

Lee still shook slightly as he tried to calm himself. “It’s just—hic—Naruto has been go—hic—gone for three days.”

Shikamaru nodded. “Yes, he has,” he responded, not really sure what the problem was.

“When is he coming back?”

Shikamaru shrugged. “Probably tomorrow. Shizune said that he’s doing fine and that they just need to make sure that the stitches in the artery aren’t going to--” He stopped abruptly as he felt Lee’s head drop heavily onto his shoulder. His hand resumed its gentle strokes against Lee’s back of its own accord as he waited for him to speak again.

Finally Lee sighed. “Why...why did he do that? Why did he cut himself like that?” And that was when Shikamaru realized that this was Lee’s first time going through this ordeal. It was slightly disturbing to Shikamaru to know that Naruto’s repeated suicide attempts were an accepted norm in this reality. Lee had no idea what was even wrong with Naruto. So Shikamaru gently set about the task of telling yet another new resident the details of Naruto’s condition.

By the time he had finished, Lee was looking back at him with wide round eyes, all traces of hiccups gone.

“So he can’t control it?”

Shika wrinkled his forehead in thought. “Well, he couldn’t control it before this last time. He always said that he couldn’t remember what happened, that it was like something else took over his mind and shut him out. But this time...well, according to Sasuke’s account, Naruto was able to attract attention before it was too late.”

He looked Lee in the eye and smiled slightly. “So it looks like Naruto may be improving.”

Lee twitched up a corner of his mouth in response before he dropped his eyes to his lap. Shikamaru craned his neck down to look at him.

“What, Lee?”

“Are you improving, Shika?” Lee answered, keeping his eyes averted. Shikamaru was a little startled by the question and was quiet for a few moments before responding.

“Well, yeah, I think so.” Lee’s eyes shot up to regard Shikamaru. “I mean, I’ve been working with Shizune to find a way to...to not have to rely on my meds, and it’s going alright. I still have bad times, but I’m learning to differentiate what’s real from what isn’t. Mostly right now I’m trying to see when I’m being paranoid for no good reason. Hopefully someday I’ll be able to not need my meds and I can get out of here.”

Lee nodded but didn’t say anything. Shikamaru observed him quietly.

“You know you’re going to get out of here, too, right?”

“Yeah, right.” Lee rolled his eyes. “Everytime I think I’ll stay happy, I just end up more sad.”

“Lee,” said Shikamaru exasperatedly. “You’re bipolar. That’s more fixable than any of our problems. You’re probably going leave before any of us.” Lee looked at him in disbelief. “No, you will,” Shikamaru hastened to explain. “I’m schizophrenic. I’m a menace to society. Sasuke’s...well, he’s Sasuke. He’s just angsty for no reason.” Lee snorted. “Okay, he has a reason. But he still can’t live on his own. Kiba is just scary to imagine out of here. He needs to grow up first. And Naruto can’t leave or he’ll kill himself within days. Seriously, Lee, you’re just bipolar.”

Lee struck a thoughtful pose, a sure sign he was returning to his normal self. “You think so?”

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. “Lee, I don’t even know why you’re here. Your condition is easily medicated. The only thing keeping you here under supervision is your phobia.”

Lee nodded slowly. Neither boy noticed Sasuke’s head jerking up or his black eyes watching them curiously. But before he could say anything, Shikamaru was grasping Lee by the shoulders and helping him up off the ground.

“So what makes you say I will get out of here then? I cannot take the medicine,” said Lee, twisting to brush bits of dried leaves off the back of his pants and working on the sleeves of Shikamaru’s shirt. “And if I cannot take the medicine, then my condition will not be medicated, and I will not get better.”

Shikamaru waited in silence until Lee picked off the last pieces and turned somber eyes to meet his. He squeezed Lee’s shoulders slightly.

“If I can do it without meds, so can you. I know you can.” And with a self-assured nod Shikamaru patted Lee one last time and started back towards the tree to the two other boys who still sat there silently. Lee’s eyes followed him for a few moments as he walked away before smiling slowly and turning to follow.

Sasuke watched the lazy genius make his way towards him with Lee following closely on his heels, not sure of what to make of what he had just heard transpire. Phobia? Lee? It stood to reason that if Lee had an aversion to something, the group would have heard about it by now, and loudly.

Kiba’s startled yelp brought Sasuke out of his brief reverie in time for him to register himself being hauled up from the ground none too gently. Sasuke leveled his gaze on Lee’s enthusiastic face.

“You two have not gotten any exercise!”

“So?” Kiba pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.

“SO?! You must participate in regular physical activity to fully take advantage of your wondrous YOUTH!”

Sasuke rolled his eyes and was about to plop back down against the tree when Lee roughly grabbed his and Kiba’s wrists and dragged them to a spot next to the brick wall.

“WE SHALL RACE!” Lee shrieked. Kiba groaned. Sasuke glared. Shikamaru pointed and laughed.

Sasuke ran full speed at a now-scared Shikamaru.

“OKAY! WE’LL GO THIS WAY!!” And Lee gave chase.

~

Naruto tottered behind Ten Ten as gracefully as a fourteen-year-old boy on crutches with one leg in a moving cast can totter. He should have been confined to bed for another day, but after three days of constant whining, complaining, and pranks gone wrong, the nurses had made an executive decision to get the blonde home. So now he wore a brace on his injured leg to minimize movement and used crutches to eliminate the need to place any pressure on it.

“Ten Ten, slow down!” Naruto whined as he tried to keep up with the nurse’s long steps. Ten Ten looked back at him and stopped abruptly.

“Sorry, I forgot,” she murmured as Naruto caught up, taking huge strides with his crutches with a reckless grin on his face. “Slow down!” she shrieked.

Naruto stopped beside her and smirked. “Sorry, I forgot,” he repeated back to her impishly.

Ten Ten stood frowning at him for several seconds before suddenly changing tactics. Starting to walk away, she thrust her nose arrogantly in the air. “Fine, whatever, Naruto. You rip those stitches, you’re back in bed. And I won’t save you from the nurses this time.”

Naruto seemed to consider that briefly, judging by the look of horror that crossed his face at the thought of the revenge the nurses were likely to take on him. Ten Ten grinned smugly as she heard the blonde sigh but turned on her heel quickly, frown firmly back in place, when she heard the frantic clacking of crutches behind her.

Naruto caught Ten Ten’s disapproving look and halted. “That time I really forgot!” he said, slowly walking up to her then. Ten Ten just shook her head and began once again towards the end of the hallway. These boys frustrated her so much sometimes. But, damn it, they made her life full, too.

“Now, Naruto,” she started to rattle off, “you can’t be rough. You can’t run, you can’t kick--”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, Ten Ten,” said Naruto in a bored tone. “I can’t stand on my leg. I got that.”

“But you have to be careful about the actual cut too. No pressure on it--”

“Ten Ten,” Naruto interrupted again. “I am not Kiba. Who do you honestly think I’m going to be jumping all over?”

Ten Ten gave him a pointed look. And then, Naruto...

...blushed twelve shades of fuschia.

“Look,” said Ten Ten, stopping at the door to the wing and turning to look at Naruto, “just...stay in his bedroom, okay?”

Naruto was beyond mortified. He couldn’t look Ten Ten in the eye, so he settled for nodding as he reached for the door handle. Ten Ten watched in amusement as he opened the door and awkwardly shuffled inside.

Then, to her mild surprise, Naruto turned from inside the room to look up at her, cheeks still ablaze but eyes steadfast.

“Sorry,” he said in a clear voice. “We’ll be more careful.” And with that he let the door fall shut. Ten Ten stood staring at the shut door for a good five seconds before she burst out laughing.

Sometimes these boys were such girls...

But Ten Ten wasn’t complaining. The juvenile drama was what kept her going sometimes.

~

“Sorry. We’ll be more careful.”

Sasuke sat up from where he had been lying on the couch reading to find the back of Naruto talking through the doorway to Ten Ten, who looked like she was hiding a grin with some difficulty. Naruto let go of the door he had been holding and turned around awkwardly, grimacing a little as he put his weight on the crutches again. Keeping his eyes on the ground ahead of him, he made his way into his bedroom and shut the door softly behind him with a sigh.

Sasuke watched the boy struggle. He took in the grimace, the sigh, the slow steps, but of all those, it was Naruto’s face that bothered Sasuke the most. Sasuke had been expecting, albeit foolishly he now realized, a peaceful, happy homecoming, nothing dramatic. Now he wished he would have prepared for...well, he wasn’t sure what. But something obviously wasn’t right. Especially since Naruto hadn’t even tried to seek him out...

Curiousity eventually won out. Sasuke walked over to the bedroom and quietly opened the door, peeking his head around the corner. His eyes narrowed slightly.

Crutches had been randomly dropped on the floor and a shirt had joined them there. Naruto lay on the bed on his stomach, face turned away from Sasuke, spread eagled and not moving from where he had originally slumped. Sasuke leaned against the doorframe.

“Hey stranger.”

Sasuke was waiting for Naruto to jerk upright, or roll over in surprise, or even just raise his head at the sound of his voice. But to his surprise, and slowly growing qualms, Naruto just opened an eye, looked at him, and mumbled a quiet “hey Sasuke”. Sasuke frowned then.

It had been three days. Three long days without news, without blonde, without someone else to keep an eye on Kiba, without kisses in the morning. Sasuke wasn’t the only who was feeling the loss...

...was he?

Sasuke crossed his arms across his chest defiantly. No. He couldn’t be. And he would snap Naruto out of whatever stupor he was caught up in.

So it was that Sasuke could be found on the bed simultaneously straddling Naruto’s thighs and flipping him onto his back.

“Ow, watch it!” Naruto growled. Sasuke grinned as he saw that familiar spark in Naruto’s eyes. He felt a tingle of excitement as he swept down to steal a kiss, but stopped short when that look faded from Naruto’s face and Naruto turned his head to the side. Sasuke frowned down at him.

“Sasuke...”

Sasuke nuzzled his nose up against Naruto’s cheek. Naruto’s breath hitched and before he could control himself he was leaning into the touch. A soft noise from Sasuke brought him back to reality.

“Sasuke, no!” Naruto said louder, doing what he could to distance himself from Sasuke’s face. Sasuke looked genuinely confused. He sat up slowly, still straddling Naruto.

“Why?”

“Because,” said Naruto, sitting up to rest his weight on his elbows, “because...I don’t think we should be doing this.”

Sasuke stared at Naruto in stunned silence for a moment before flailing his arms in bewilderment. “Why the hell not?!”

Naruto sighed. “Because, it’s...would you get off me please?” he asked in an exasperated tone. Sasuke crossed his arms.

“No.”

Naruto sighed again. “It’s bad for my leg.”

Sasuke looked down at the brace he now realized he was sitting on top of, torn between jumping off of the injured leg and between staying put until Naruto renounced whatever this joke was that he was playing. He shifted his weight a little, causing Naruto to hiss softly in pain. With a short growl Sasuke crawled off the bed and stood at Naruto’s feet, staring intensely at the blonde.

“Because it’s not good for us to be together,” continued Naruto, fingering his brace idly with a finger while steeling himself for the inevitable explosion that was sure to come.

“How—when did...Naruto?” Sasuke finally managed to get out, looking bewildered.

“Honestly, Sasuke. How could you still want to be with me?”

Sasuke’s eyes only got wider. “Are you kidding me?”

Naruto scooted to the edge of the bed so that one leg was bent and the other was sticking out straight in front of him. “No, I’m not kidding you. I almost...with you there...” Naruto paused, biting his bottom lip as he struggled for words. Finally he looked up at Sasuke with eyes swimming with emotion. “I won’t hurt you anymore. I can’t. I can’t let myself be the reason for--”

“Don’t I get a say in this?!” interjected Sasuke angrily.

“No!”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I do!”

“Three times,” Naruto hissed suddenly. His voice made Sasuke’s blood run cold. “Three times I almost...left you. Alone.”

“Well, really there was only the one time that was your choice,” said Sasuke, trying to lighten the mood. Naruto just glared at him.

“You get involved with me, you get hurt. Why can’t you see that?!”

“Look,” said Sasuke, taking a step back from the bed, “all I can see is that you clearly made up your mind about this before I had any chance of talking you down.”

“So?” mumbled Naruto insolently.

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something but then clenched it shut again, his black eyes taking on a flatness. “Fine,” he said blankly. Naruto blinked at the sudden calm but cringed at the door slamming behind Sasuke’s retreating back.

~

Naruto hobbled out to the common room, intent on locking himself in the bathroom for an indeterminable amount of time.

“Naruto?”

Naruto looked up from the floor to see Shika sitting at the table. “Hey, Shika,” he said wearily.

Shikamaru took his time assessing Naruto, much to Naruto’s fidgeting discomfort. After a thorough glance, Shikamaru nodded and turned back to his playing cards. “Sasuke’s in his room,” he said offhandedly.

Naruto grimaced. “Yeah, I know.”

Shikamaru couldn’t help but look up again when he heard Naruto’s voice. It sounded...pained. And when he looked up, he found a face to match.

“Kiba’s not here, is he?” Naruto asked suddenly, looking around in apprehension. He didn’t think he could handle Kiba’s exuberance at this moment.

Shikamaru shook his head. “No, Shizune took him about twenty minutes ago for their meeting. And Lee’s outside.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

“Running laps,” Shikamaru supplied.

“Who’s idea was that?”

Shika just smirked as he shuffled his deck.

Naruto laughed then. “Beautiful. You’re a genius.”

“Yes, I know. Why aren’t you with Sasuke?”

The abruptness of the question quickly silenced any bantering spirit Naruto had left in him. Shikamaru watched curiously as Naruto’s eyes flickered over to rest briefly on Sasuke’s closed door.

Naruto closed his eyes. He could feel the tension that came with making his decision slowly filling his body. With a sigh, he turned his head back from the door and started making his way towards the bathroom once again.

“Am I not here?”

“Not now, Shika,” Naruto called from the doorway.

“Later then.”

Naruto gave a noncommittal grunt before he entered the bathroom. Shikamaru regarded the closing door silently for a few moments, then turned back to his game of solitaire. His brow furrowed in thought as he dealt out the cards mindlessly.

He had not seen anything like this coming.

And he certainly had no desire to deal with the drama this split would surely bring. Shikamaru wrinkled his nose as he thought of the implications. Sasuke would be pissed off all the time, Naruto would have an excuse to let that god-awful guilt complex of his grow to all new proportions, Kiba would be confused and thus annoying as hell, and Lee—

A picture passed through Shikamaru’s mind: Lee, bawling wetly into Shikamaru’s shirt, screaming about the pain of unrequited love. His hands stilled as his eyes grew wide in horror. Shikamaru didn’t mind Lee’s company any more, but at the same time he would do whatever was necessary to avoid Lee’s little “episodes” that always seemed to involve crushing hugs and shirts soaked with tears.

So Shikamaru did the only logical thing that came to mind. He promptly stalked over to Sasuke’s door and banged on it with his fist until the door swung open, revealing a justifiably irate Sasuke.

“Not now, Shika.”

“Yeah, I’ve been getting a lot of that lately,” said Shikamaru as he walked boldly past Sasuke into the bedroom. He knew what he had to do.

He would not suffer another gross wet shirt.

~

Naruto closed the door behind him firmly before leaning his crutches up against the wall. He hopped on one foot to the sink and grasped the edges carefully, leaning the front of his body against the cold porcelain. He could practically hear Ten Ten’s shrill reprimand about him being reckless. Sighing, he turned on the water and quickly lathered up his hands with soap, watching his reflection as he scrubbed.

Tired blue eyes looked back at him, darker in appearance than normal, although the bags under them may have been responsible for that illusion. The last few days had been hard on him. Despite what the nurses that had been watching him were apt to say about his irritatingly insatiable appetite for fun, he was not feeling cheerful in the least. The truth was that he had just wanted to get out of intensive care as quickly as possible, and the easiest way to do that was to convince everyone that he was the complete opposite of depressed and suicidal. So, true to form, he slapped on an idiotic grin, played a few pranks and was declared an insufferable clown.

He smiled sarcastically at himself in the mirror. That smile had always worked for him.

Except with Sasuke.

With that thought he frowned, looking back down at his hands. Sasuke had been able to see past his pretense from his first day at the hospital. No one had called him out so quickly, and so bluntly. Although, Shikamaru had always been able to do that, too, when he had felt like it. But then again, Shikamaru had known him since before he had developed the habit of putting up a front, so Naruto supposed it wasn’t so difficult to believe that Shikamaru would easily be able to see past it.

But Sasuke hadn’t known him back then. He had no way of knowing. And yet he had blown past Naruto’s falsely peaceful smile almost immediately. And Naruto had seen past Sasuke’s mask of apathy as well. Didn’t that mean something, that they had a different kind of connection, since they could each see through the other so easily?

Naruto snorted at the cliché turn his thoughts were taking. While still careful to keep his weight against the sink he leaned down and splashed cold water on his face, mentally shaking his head to clear away these thoughts. He dunked his head harshly under the flow, wetting his hair. Seriously, at this rate, his body was on a very fast route to sprouting breasts...

Suddenly the door slammed behind him. Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin, raising his head quickly out of the stream of water and scraping his scalp against the faucet in the process.

“Ah!” Naruto groaned, bringing his hands up quickly to grasp his stinging head and realizing a half-second too late that he only had one good leg. Before he could even think about reacting, his injured leg had given out, sending him hurtling backwards.

Shit, was all Naruto had time to think as he closed his eyes tightly in anticipation of impact. Thoughts flew through his head; images of the stitches in his artery tearing, of his cut reopening, of Ten Ten screaming at him for his stupidity and carelessness flooded his awareness. But before the imaginary beating could commence Naruto found his fall stopping harshly just short of the floor. Fingers gripped him firmly underneath his shoulders, prodding bruises from the crutches and sending spasms of pain up and down his arms. Naruto hissed as he exhaled through gritted teeth and squirmed, trying to get away from those fingers.

“Stop.”

The voice immediately caused Naruto to still. He opened his eyes and looked above him. Dark eyes peered back, curtained by a thick veil of black hair.

“What’s with you and coming in the bathroom when you know someone’s in it already? Some weird fetish of yours?”

Sasuke snorted. “I haven’t gotten to come in the bathroom once, thanks to your weird germ thing.”

Naruto glared icily at him. “You know what I mean,” he said tersely.

Sasuke shrugged, causing his fingers to shift and Naruto to wince. “Well, I figure, if I hadn’t barged in that first time, there wouldn’t have been a need for a second time, now, would there?”

“How dare you!” seethed Naruto, struggling all the more frantically as anger threatened to boil over at Sasuke’s nerve.

“Seems to me,” Sasuke continued, just tightening his grip, “that I have every reason to barge in here as I see fit.”

“Let me up!” Naruto yelled, now flailing without regard to his injury.

“No.”

“Sasuke, you inconsiderate BASTARD! Let me UP!!”

Sasuke’s face tightened in concentration then. Naruto let out a startled yelp as he felt his body suddenly swinging up and around until he was upright facing Sasuke, his lower back resting against the sink. Naruto looked up at Sasuke as the brunette regarded him silently. Dark eyes narrowed in determination and something else Naruto couldn’t quite place, which had an unsettling effect.

“Sasuke,” he started uneasily. Sasuke inched closer, minutely adjusting his still-present hands underneath Naruto’s arms, his eyes growing even more unreadable. Naruto cleared his throat.

“Sasuke,” he repeated in what he hoped was a firm tone. “I’ve made up my mind--”

“No,” Sasuke whispered, continuing to invade Naruto’s personal space, which was doing nothing for Naruto’s slowly crumbling resolve.

“Damn it, Sasuke, quit messing with my head!” Naruto suddenly burst out, putting his hands on Sasuke’s chest in an effort to gain some distance. “It was hard enough to make this decision.”

Please, don’t make me doubt it.

Sasuke craned his neck down slightly and dropped a tender kiss on the tip of Naruto’s nose. Naruto’s eyes slid shut. Sasuke gently kissed the closed eyelids, his warm breath making the blonde shudder.

“Sasuke,” he whimpered. Sasuke responded with a lightly pressed kiss to Naruto’s cheekbone, where pink was slowly blooming. Naruto groaned through gritted teeth, trying desperately to remember all of the reasons he had catalogued in his mind to be used to deter Sasuke in such a situation as this. But Sasuke’s soft mouth moving against the corner of his was making rational thought increasingly difficult.

Naruto let out a harsh gasp as Sasuke’s lips traced along his jawline and down his throat. They lingered over his pulse, teeth nipping gently, tongue darting out to soothe irritated skin.

“Sasuke, please,” Naruto heard himself whisper, although he wasn’t sure what he was asking for anymore. Sasuke moved upwards, grazing his cheek along Naruto’s as he hesitantly drew Naruto’s ear lobe into his mouth. Naruto sighed heavily then, giving Sasuke the last bit of encouragement he needed. He bit down softly, massaging the soft flesh gently between his teeth. Slowly his hands left Naruto’s upper torso and dragged slowly down his arms until they rested on top of Naruto’s, still lingering on Sasuke’s chest.

Naruto opened his eyes when he felt Sasuke lifting his hands and watched him lower them to the edges of the sink. He looked back up at Sasuke, his brow wrinkled in question. Sasuke leaned forward again, kissing Naruto’s forehead. Then he withdrew, looking down as he lifted his hands and brought them to Naruto’s front. Deftly, he slipped his fingers underneath the waistband of Naruto’s pants and slid them down his hips until they dropped to the floor, revealing his hardening member.

Naruto groaned now in anticipation and reached a hand towards Sasuke’s groin, eager to get Sasuke in the same position, but stopped short when he felt one of Sasuke’s hands grasp his. He watched, bewildered, as Sasuke moved his hand back to rest at the edge of the sink, gently curling each of his fingers around the porcelain.

“Sasuke, what--” Naruto started to ask but fell silent as he watched Sasuke drop to his knees. Dark eyes looked up at him somberly. Naruto gulped.

Sasuke returned his gaze to the steadily growing erection and immediately set to work before Naruto could find his tongue to argue. Grasping the base of the cock with one hand, he tentatively swiped at its head with his tongue. A strangled noise came out of Naruto’s mouth before he could stop it. Sasuke looked up, only to find Naruto staring back at him, his eyes wide. Sasuke reached forward with his tongue again, this time watching Naruto’s face as he swirled around the head with more confidence. Naruto quickly clenched his jaw shut against the sounds that wanted to come out.

Sasuke began to work his way down the length, pausing every few licks to pull the cock partially out of his mouth to focus his attention on the head once again. Above him, Naruto was struggling to keep quiet. He hadn’t imagined anything that could have ever felt this good, and as he felt his knees weakening, he gripped the sink tightly to keep from slipping down.

Sasuke was now taking as much of Naruto into his mouth as he could, doing his best to calm his gag reflex as the cock hit the back of his throat repeatedly. He felt Naruto begin to weakly buck against his mouth and quickly reached his hands out to grasp Naruto’s hips to steady him.

Naruto whimpered as quietly as he could as his body tightened. His hips continued to try to buck against Sasuke of their own accord. Naruto’s breathing became more harried as he felt his body careening toward the impending orgasm.

“Sasuke,” he whispered. Sasuke bobbed his head faster up and down Naruto’s length.

“Sasuke!” Naruto whispered more urgently. Sasuke tightened his hands on Naruto’s hips in acknowledgement. Somewhere in the back of Naruto’s lust-hazed mind he realized that that was probably all the response Sasuke could give him. A few more swift sucks and Naruto came, quickly bringing a hand to his mouth and biting down hard on two fingers in an effort to keep quiet as Sasuke swallowed frantically.

Finally his body uncoiled and his muscles fell limp. Sasuke firmly held his hips up against the sink when he felt Naruto start to lose his footing, slowly easing Naruto’s now soft cock out of his mouth. Naruto was still catching his breath as Sasuke rose to his feet, keeping a steady grip on Naruto’s sagging body.

Naruto felt Sasuke kiss him lightly on the forehead and closed his eyes tiredly. Sasuke’s mouth remained close to his skin and he could feel his warm breath dusting over his hairline.

“Now,” Sasuke began to speak quietly if somewhat hoarsely. “We’re going to get one thing straight.” Sasuke felt Naruto tense at his words and brushed what he hoped was another reassuring kiss against the soft skin in front of him. “You are not going to leave me because of your condition.” He tipped Naruto’s chin up with his finger and looked him in the eye. “Ever.”

Naruto stared up at him ambiguously but seriously none the less. “It is not an excuse to run away from this. I’m not sure why you feel the need to force yourself into this self-sacrificing kind of role and why you think you need to be alone, and maybe I never will, and that’s fine. But you need to know that I won’t ever let you leave me for such a ridiculous reason.” Naruto let his head drop forward against Sasuke’s shoulder, the deep rumbling of Sasuke’s voice soothing him. Sasuke rested his cheek against Naruto’s hair. “You can’t leave me, Naruto,” he said quietly, his voice wavering very slightly. “Because I’m not sure what I would do without you.”

Naruto nodded against his shoulder, the blonde hair tickling Sasuke’s chin. Sasuke smiled, finally, after three long days. Naruto lifted his head and looked up at him, then grinned.

“You should smile more.”

Sasuke wanted to mention how difficult it was to smile when certain people were always trying to die or break up with him but wisely bit his tongue and instead settled on leaning in for a kiss, which Naruto heartily returned.

“I missed you,” admitted Naruto when they broke apart.

“I tend to have that effect,” Sasuke returned dryly.

Naruto lightly hit him on the shoulder. “Did I miss anything important?”

Sasuke shook his head. “No. Oh! I found out Lee has a phobia.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Another one?”

“What do you mean, another one? There’s more than one?” Sasuke asked, confused.

“Well, we already knew he couldn’t take any meds,” Naruto replied. Sasuke’s eyebrows shot up.

“We knew? I never knew that!”

“Oh.”

Sasuke huffed childishly. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I thought you knew!” exclaimed Naruto. “Didn’t you ever wonder why he never took any pills when we did?”

“...no,” mumbled Sasuke, irritated by being kept out of the know much less being kept out because of his own lack of observation. Naruto laughed at his frown, which only deepened it. After a few seconds of intense scowling action, Sasuke sighed.

“Can we get out of here?”

Naruto nodded. Sasuke helped pull his pants back up before backing away, letting go of Naruto’s hips. He was turning around the grab Naruto’s crutches from against the wall when a startled “ah!” swung him back around to find Naruto holding himself up against the sink with his hands.

“I guess I’m not ready yet,” he said, smiling sheepishly.

Sasuke smirked as he hooked his hands underneath Naruto’s arms once more. “I’m that good?”

It was Naruto’s turn to scowl.

“So, then, what? Should I carry you?”

Naruto let out an offended gasp. “Hell no! What am I, a woman?” Sasuke opened his mouth to reply but Naruto cut him off. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I weigh more than you.”

Sasuke wrinkled one brow. “How do you figure that?”

“Just because I’m a couple of inches shorter than you doesn’t mean I can’t have any muscle. Wouldn’t take much to outweigh you. You’re so scrawny.”

“Hn.”

“...just let me sit down for a few minutes,” sighed Naruto. Sasuke nodded and helped him over to the toilet. Sitting on top of the lid, Naruto stretched out his legs in front of him and breathed deeply.

A awkward few minutes passed with Naruto staring quizzically at Sasuke while Sasuke glared at thin air.

“Are you still mad about the scrawny thing?”

Sasuke fixed his glare on Naruto. Naruto rolled his eyes.

“Fine. You’re not scrawny. You’re just lean muscled.”

“Hn,” mumbled Sasuke ominously, shoving his hands in the pockets of his shorts. Naruto watched as Sasuke twitched his fingers, and suddenly his attention was focused on...

“You know,” he said abruptly in what he hoped was an even voice, “I know one part of you that is not scrawny, nor lean muscled.”

That was all the warning Sasuke got before he found himself being yanked forward by the waist until he was standing with one leg on either side of the toilet bowl, straddling Naruto’s legs as Naruto feverishly worked on removing his shorts.

“Naruto, stop--”

“Damn buttons!”

“Stop! You don’t have to--”

Naruto did stop then. “Why shouldn’t I?” he asked curiously.

Sasuke looked at him questioningly. “I thought you wouldn’t want to.”

“Why? Because it’s in here, or because of what would be in my mouth?”

“...both?”

Naruto took a deep breath before continuing to undo the buttons of Sasuke’s shorts, more slowly this time. “Well, the bathroom would not be my first choice, but seeing as I am immobile, I’m going to have to be flexible. And as for the other thing,” he smiled devilishly at Sasuke, “I figure we’ve exchanged enough bodily fluids by now that a little more won’t hurt anything.” And with that he yanked Sasuke’s shorts down as far as he could manage.

“Really?”

“Stop talking.” Naruto wrapped a hand around Sasuke’s newly awakened cock and leaned forward, tongue out and ready.

“...Are you sure?”

Naruto stopped and looked up at Sasuke. “Sasuke. You have to feel this.”

Sasuke watched in amazement as his germaphobic boyfriend eagerly wrapped his tongue around his cock.

“H-holy Jesus.”

“Mmhmm,” came the muffled agreement.

~

“Come on in.”

Shikamaru stepped into Shizune’s office, shutting the door behind him. “You wanted to see me?”

She smiled and motioned to the chair in front of her desk. He sat, slouching as he did. He hated this room.

She took a breath and began. “How have things been for you?”

Shikamaru let out a small sigh. “Fine.”

She gave a knowing smile, too used to his cutting demeanor to be discouraged. “You seem to have adjusted well to Lee. I’m glad to see that.”

“Neji’s not coming back. There’s no point in holding a grudge.”

“I’m glad you see it that way, and that you two can be friends.”

Shikamaru snorted at this. She took a moment to look at him, scrutinizing him with her eyes before she scooted back her chair and opened a drawer in her desk. She rummaged around for a few seconds before she pulled out an envelope, setting it on the desk. She looked up at Shikamaru.

“I got this letter a few weeks back. I’ve just been debating with myself over when the best time to tell you was. I think...” she paused to appraise him again. “I think you’re ready.”

Shikamaru shifted in his seat. She had received a letter about him? His eyebrows furrowed. This probably wasn’t going to be very good...

She toyed with the envelope, seeming to be nervous before she finally opened it and handed it over the desk to him.

Shikamaru read:

“Dr. Shizune Hikari

We have written to you to inform you that every year we have a day set apart for our juveniles. It’s a visiting day and it’s open to everyone. Every occupant of our detention facility is allowed one visitor on this day. You had mentioned that your patient, Hyuuga Neji, had a close friend back at St. Olaf. The purpose of this letter is to inform you that there is a chance for Hyuuga to meet with any friends he has. This day can be on any date of this month, and it must be scheduled ahead of time. The visit will last one hour. Please get back to us when you have reached your decision.

Richmond Juvenile Detention Director
Joseph Harding”

Shikamaru almost dropped the letter. He lifted his head and locked his eyes with hers, blinking a few times. He looked back at the letter, reading it again.

“Is this...is this for real?”

His voice was incredulous, like he couldn’t believe it was true.

“Yes, Shikamaru, it’s for real. The choice is up to you and whether you want to see him or not. I only warn you that seeing him might only make your separation harder. That’s why I waited as long as I did...I didn’t want it to hurt you.”

He didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll see him.”

Of course I’ll see him.

~

“NARUTO!!!”

Naruto sighed when he heard Kiba’s frantic scream and slowly started to wrench himself from Sasuke’s arms. Sasuke tightened his grip.

“Sasuke,” whined Naruto. “Come on, you know I have to check on him.”

“Nothing’s wrong. He screams about everything,” grumbled Sasuke even as he reluctantly released Naruto. Naruto hobbled to the door, then looked back at Sasuke.

“Not everything.”

“Yes he does.”

“Nuh-uh! He didn’t scream earlier, when he saw us kissing,” Naruto pointed out objectively.

Sasuke snorted. “I consider pointing and laughing maniacally to be in the same category as screaming.”

Naruto just stuck out his tongue and crutched himself out of the room.

“Yeah, okay,” Sasuke muttered. “Way to be mature.” Some days he wondered who really was babysitting who. If Naruto was babysitting Kiba, and Sasuke was babysitting Naruto, wouldn’t that mean that he was babysitting Kiba too?

Sasuke leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, lazily pondering. All such musings came to a screeching halt, however, when Naruto’s wary voice drifted into the room.

“Sasuke?”

“What?” asked Sasuke, frowning slightly. There was an uncomfortable pause that lasted long enough to make Sasuke open his eyes worriedly.

“Can you come in here?” came the shaky response.

Sasuke quickly got to his feet and strode from the room, possible scenarios involving an unsupervised Kiba flying through his mind. Expecting the worst, he rounded the corner to Kiba’s room.

Naruto and Kiba both stood two feet from the doorway with their backs to Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Kiba, puzzled. The boy was not covered in anything sticky, nor was he suspended upside down from the bed with his foot tangled in the bedding (yes, that had really happened, and no, Sasuke did not want to think about it). Kiba looked perfectly normal, at least from the back. Sasuke walked in quietly and brushed his hand against Naruto’s arm. Naruto gasped loudly and swatted furiously at Sasuke’s hand, surprising both Sasuke and Kiba enough that Sasuke visibly jumped and Kiba yelped.

“S-sorry Sasuke,” said Naruto sheepishly, rubbing his arm where he had accidentally hit himself. Sasuke looked at Kiba again. Nope. No glue. No glitter. No pieces of string tied in hopeless knots around his ears. Kiba was staring at the corner of the room across from them, eyes wide in fear. Sasuke followed Kiba’s gaze, searching for whatever the cause of his panic was until his eyes rested on a very, very large insect. A locust.

“Can you get it?” Naruto’s wobbly voice broke the silence. Sasuke kept staring at the insect.

“Get it? You mean kill it?”

Naruto turned big blue eyes on Sasuke. “Please?”

Who was Sasuke to say no? His chest puffed out and his voice lowered unconsciously.

“Of course I can.”

With that Sasuke sauntered over to the opposite of the side of the room and stared daringly at the locust. All pretense of bravado evaporated quickly, however, when the insect flicked its wings and started to move slowly up the wall. Sasuke found his body jumping backwards of its own accord and a startled gasp tearing from his lips. Kiba squealed and sprinted out of the room.

“Sasuke?” Naruto questioned.

“I got it. Don’t worry,” reassured a slightly less confident Sasuke. He walked back up to the locust, which was still lazily scaling the wall. He stared at it, wondering the best way to kill the thing. Could it bite? The thought of hitting it but not hard enough to kill it, and then it coming back at him, thoroughly pissed off, scared him more than he wanted to admit. Maybe he could trap it under a cup and wait for it to die...no! thought Sasuke, shaking his head forcefully. Must not be a girl...

Maybe he could stab it with a crayon...

“KILL IT SASUKE!” shrieked Kiba, who had peeked his head around the doorway. Sasuke turned and glared at him.

Suddenly Lee tore around the corner and into the room. “No! Don’t kill it!” he exclaimed, bounding up to Sasuke’s side. He peered at the locust in utter fascination.

“Sasuke, you mustn’t kill this magnificent creature!” said Lee, turning to look Sasuke in the eyes.

“Why not?” asked Sasuke, almost scared to hear the answer.

“Because! It is such a shining example of the vibrance of life! He is flourishing still, even in an unnatural environment!”

“He?” Sasuke interrupted. “It’s a he now? Have you named it yet?”

Lee looked thoughtful. “Well, no...but I suppose I could...” Sasuke groaned.

Shikamaru had entered the room upon hearing Kiba’s shrieking. He walked slowly up to Lee and Sasuke, then observed the large insect between the frames of their bodies.

“Now, what could I name it?” Lee pondered, tapping his chin idly.

Shikamaru slipped off one of his sandals.

“Something strong, you know? Something to properly show how resourceful he’s been...” Lee continued. Sasuke stared at him incredulously. How was the locust’s name now the issue causing the most concern?

Suddenly Shika stepped between the two boys quickly and slammed the bottom of this sandal against the wall. Kiba shrieked. Sasuke watched in stunned silence as Shika lifted the sandal and the locust fell lifeless to the floor.

“NOOOOOO!” cried Lee. Shikamaru smirked at Sasuke, then slipped his sandal back on his foot and started to walk out of the room. Sasuke glared after him.

“I would have done it!”

“Right...” Shika replied.

“I WOULD have! You just interrupted me!”

Shikamaru waved his hand lazily as he left the room. Sasuke continued to glare after him, angry about being shown up. He stormed past Lee, who was now sitting on the floor, cradling the dead locust in his hands and whimpering. Naruto laughed softly. Sasuke turned his deadly glare on him.

“Don’t even start, Uzumaki...”

Naruto stifled the rest of his laughter as Sasuke continued out of the room. Kiba darted out of his way, then entered the room slowly. He walked over to the crying boy and poked insensitively at the insect.

“Stop!” choked out Lee. Kiba withdrew his finger hastily.

“Sorry Lee,” he whispered. He watched the locust for a few moments, as though to confirm that it was truly dead. “What was his name?”

“I don’t know!” bawled Lee. “Shikamaru MURDERED him before I could name him properly!”

Naruto hustled to Lee’s side. “Shh, Lee, it’s okay,” he said in a comforting voice, rubbing the despondent boy on the shoulder. Lee seemed to calm at the touch. His sobs slowly dissolved into choked sniffles.

Kiba put his arm around Lee, then looked up at Naruto. “Can we have a funeral?” he asked somberly.

Naruto nodded. “Of course we can.” Lee apparently took comfort in this. He stood shakily and walked out of the room, with a solemn Kiba and a slightly perplexed Naruto in tow. Naruto had no idea where the boy intended on laying the deceased to rest. He was about to ask, but then Lee turned into the bathroom and kneeled before the toilet bowl.

Naruto smiled, even as Lee slowly lowered the locust into the water and Kiba pushed down the flushing lever. He knew he should at least pretend to be sad, but he couldn’t help being touched by the boys’ act of memoriam.

~

Shikamaru looked conflicted. It wasn’t a huge surprise to see a self-satisfied smirk on the boy’s face, but it was definitely new to see the look of nervousness that occasionally surfaced. Ever since his super secret meeting with Shizune earlier, he had this odd look on his face.

Sasuke watched from his spot on the couch as Shikamaru half-heartedly worked on a crossword puzzle from a newspaper Ten Ten had supplied. Shikamaru had been staring at the page for over twenty minutes. The crosswords usually took him three minutes at most. He kept biting the eraser of his pencil and blinking rapidly as if trying to force himself to focus. When he was spacing out, he’d get suddenly flustered and then give the paper a hard stare.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the door swung open. He leapt to his feet and spun to face Ten Ten, who looked slightly frightened by his enthusiasm.

“…you’re ready, I see?”

He nodded, physically forcing himself to calm down.

“Hey, Shikamaru!” Sasuke called out, causing Shikamaru to jump again. “Where are you going?”

“Umm…” he stammered. “I’mgoingtovisitNeji.”

And with that, he quickly left, leaving Sasuke in a shocked silence. Sasuke ran it over in his head a few times, trying to translate.

I’m…going to…visit…

“Oh my god!”

Naruto appeared in his doorway. “What?”

“Shikamaru…he’s going to visit Neji!”

“Really?” Naruto asked in shock, making his way out of his room on his crutches. “For how long?”

“I don’t know,” Sasuke said, his eyes still lingering on the door that Shikamaru had just disappeared through. “But that would explain his weird mood today.”

“Yeah,” Naruto muttered sympathetically. “I bet he’s nervous.”

~

Why am I so nervous?

Shikamaru bit the inside of his cheek harshly. He had been sitting in the waiting room for more than twenty minutes, and his apprehension over seeing Neji was beginning to get to him. His foot tapped incessantly on the floor.

Neji was right. The place was different. Armed guards patrolled the halls, each looking like a hungry doberman, ready to strike. And just as everything in St. Olaf was white and soft, everything here was a hard, unforgiving concrete. The atmosphere of the place was absolutely chilling.

Everything was sharp and stark, and yet Shikamaru watched everything with a sort of hidden fascination. This was his first time ever leaving the hospital in over four years. It was odd to be out in civilized life.

It was pathetic that a juvenile detention facility was considered civilized in his mind.

A guard walked past him, leading away a boy in handcuffs. God, how long could this take? His foot began to tap faster.

After what seemed like hours, Shizune finally appeared. She motioned for him to follow her as she disappeared through a doorway. The door buzzed loudly as it closed behind him. They followed a man in gray uniform down a series of halls and stairways until finally they reached what appeared to be a visiting area. The guard turned to talk to Shizune.

“Where do you want the visitation to take place?”

She nodded to one of the closed off rooms to their right. “One of those rooms would be fine.”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, miss. Those rooms have no cameras, and we can’t leave them unsupervised, for obvious reasons.”

She looked displeased at this. “I am requesting a room for the privacy of the boys. Please understand.”

“I understand that, miss, but it’s beyond my control. They cannot be without supervision.”

Shikamaru bit his cheek again, glancing from Shizune to the guard.

“The rooms have no cameras...” The guard nodded. “But do they have an observation room? Behind a two way mirror or something of that sort?”

“Two of them do, ma’am, yes.”

“Would it be within your power to let me watch in the observation room while you wait outside?”

He frowned, folding his arms. “If they’re just going to talk, I don’t see why I can’t be present.”

But Shizune was determined and she led Shikamaru to the door of one of the rooms. “I’ll call you if anything goes wrong. It is very vital for this boy’s mental wellbeing that he and Hyuuga have their privacy.”

The man looked unconvinced, but he finally nodded. Shikamaru went into the room and leaned awkwardly against the wall, not quite sure what to do with himself. The guard left the room, giving one last wary glance to Shikamaru.

Shizune leaned towards Shikamaru and whispered into his ear, “You will have your privacy. You have my word. Just...don’t be too loud.”

Shikamaru’s eyes widened, but Shizune had already turned away to page through the notebook in her hands.

The guard returned a few minutes later with Neji in tow. As soon as they entered the room, Shikamaru and Neji’s eyes locked.

“Okay, here’s the deal.” The guard began to prattle off to Neji about the rules of the visiting session, but neither boy was listening. Their faces remained passive as they assessed each other.

Neji had gotten thinner, Shikamaru noticed with a grimace. His face looked more tired than it had before, and his long black hair had lost much of its shine. In his mind, Shikamaru was screaming at the man to get the hell out so he could talk freely to the boy.

He seemed to have finished his speech as he took his hands off of Neji’s shoulders and escorted Shizune out of the room. They heard the guard through the wall that held a mirror, explaining how the controls in the observation room worked. They heard the door shut again, and then silence.

Inside the room, Shizune pulled up a chair and sat down, her back facing the window as she took out a book and began to read. She was obviously not intending on watching them.

Shikamaru stayed rooted to his spot, and he glared at the window, trying to see if Shizune was indeed watching or not. A low utterance of his name made him turn just in time to see Neji as he was pulled into a fierce hug. Shikamaru let out a shaky sigh as he felt a hand on the back on his head and a nose in his hair.

“Shika,” he felt Neji breathe.

A low, shaky sigh of relief escaped from between his lips. “Hey there, Neji.”

Neji pulled back, taking the hair tie out of Shikamaru’s hair and running his fingers through it gently. Their noses bumped against each other.

“Shika,” he breathed as he kissed him gently. “Shikamaru.” Another kiss. “Shika.”

Shikamaru closed his eyes as his hands worked themselves up to Neji’s hair. Neji’s hands cupped his face as their eyes met again.

“Hi.”

The simplicity made Shikamaru laugh, which he quickly muted with the back of his hand.

“How are you?” Neji asked quietly, their faces still mere inches apart.

Another chuckle. “I should be the one asking you that.” His heart was hammering in his chest, and the incredible warmth that was spreading throughout his body was so familiar...so comforting.

“I missed you. More than you can know.” Neji began kissing Shikamaru down his jaw line. Shika made a happy noise and tilted his head slightly to allow Neji more access. “How are things back at the wonderful St. Olaf?”

Shikamaru wrapped his arms around Neji’s waist and closed his eyes as Neji’s lips made their way to his neck. “Different...” Neji’s hand held his face as the thumb stroked Shikamaru’s cheek. “Someone came after you--he’s bipolar.”

“You prefer him to me?”

Shikamaru pushed Neji playfully. “Shut up. Oh!” Shikamaru gasped as Neji bit down on collar bone.

“Tell me more,” Neji purred, his tongue lapping over the reddening mark on Shika’s neck.

“Ahh,” Shikamaru fought to keep his thoughts coherent as Neji pushed back the collar of his shirt. “Naruto and that kid, Sasuke, they’re—ah, Neji, stop,” Shikamaru pleaded as Neji pushed his back against the wall.

“Keep going,” Neji demanded, his nose nuzzling in Shika’s hair.

“They’re together now—Naruto and Sasuke. It’s cute—(pant pant)—they remind me of us...”

“Hmm,” Neji kissed him deeply. “Didn’t see that one coming.”

Neji’s knee moved between Shikamaru’s legs and his arms were placed on either side of Shika’s head.

“Neji, we can’t...Shizune is--”

“No, she’s not.” Neji shushed him by moving his knee higher between his legs.

Shikamaru bit his lip to quiet his moan. “Neji...”

Neji’s hands played with the hem of Shikamaru’s shirt as their lips met again. “Neji, we need to stop. Shizune will see us--”

Neji growled, biting Shikamaru’s lower lip. “We’ve been apart for weeks; you can’t seriously ask me to wait.”

As Neji’s hands began to work up his shirt, Shikamaru’s resolve seemed to begin to waver. Their pace began to quicken, and soon Shikamaru found his shirt being pulled over his head. Neji let his hands ghost over Shikamaru’s chest, taking one of his dusky nipples between his thumb and forefinger and tweaking it harshly, earning him a sharp gasp from Shikamaru.

Shikamaru’s back was arched off the wall as his other nipple was taken into Neji’s mouth. Shikamaru suddenly reached down and pulled Neji’s hips against his harshly.

“Hahh,” Neji moaned and he rolled their hips together again, enjoying the gasps that escaped Shikamaru.

They kissed again, their tongues clashing together, and Neji’s hands began to feverishly unbutton Shikamaru’s pants. He managed to get them down around his knees in record time, while Shika’s hands were flying at his belt.

After a few awkward moments of stepping out of their boxers they were together again—kissing fiercely as their hands skimmed and groped over each others bodies.

“Please,” Neji begged breathily. “Please, Shika, let me take you...”

Shikamaru nodded quickly, pulling him in for a quick kiss. His face was flushed and his breathing was uneven. He was ready. Neji growled again, a rumbling, predatory sound, as he grabbed Shikamaru by his shoulders and spun him around. Shikamaru heard Neji’s frantic breathing behind him and felt Neji’s body align with his. He braced himself against the wall, trying to will himself to relax for—

Neji entered him swiftly, not taking the time to properly stretch Shikamaru, but he didn’t mind. It hurt, as Neji’s thrusts began to pick up in speed and power, but the ache wasn’t enough to ask for Neji to stop. This intense connection between them when they made love surprised Shikamaru to this day.

And that feeling flooded through him as he felt Neji lean over his back and whisper into his ear, “I love you, Shika.”

He could feel Neji ripping him apart with his lust. It had been far too long and his body wasn’t prepared. He bit his lip harshly, to keep from crying out. He knew all it would take was a word, and Neji would stop. But he didn’t want to stop. Neji halted in his movements to ask in a tight voice,

“Shikamaru, are you okay?”

“Yeah, just…move,” he ground out, forcing himself down further on Neji’s cock for emphasis.

Neji made a sound of disapproval in the back of his throat, but he picked up his pace again, this time aiming for that one spot…

A sharp gasp from Shikamaru confirmed that he had found his prostate. Neji focused on hitting that same spot as he entered Shikamaru again and again.

“Neji, ahhh god...Let me—let me turn around,” he breathed.

Neji nodded, and pulled himself out. Shikamaru almost collapsed as he turned to face Neji, forcing Neji to hold him up by his shoulders. Shikamaru’s back hit the wall and Neji’s hands grasped at his ass as he lifted Shikamaru up, prompting the boy to wrap his legs around Neji’s waist.

Their eyes met and Neji smiled slightly. The boy’s face was flushed and his bangs stuck to his forehead as his dark eyes blinked slowly. It was the most arousing thing he’d ever seen.

He entered Shikamaru with such force that Shikamaru’s voice broke into a low moan. They were quickly reaching their previous, feverish pace as Neji continually thrust himself deeply into Shika.

Neji could feel himself nearing his end and he reached around to grasp Shikamaru’s neglected member, jerking it in time with their rhythm. Shikamaru began to gasp, the dual sensation of being penetrated and jacked off was almost too much or him.

It didn’t take long. Shikamaru came first—ribbons of his cum shooting over Neji’s hand—and Neji soon followed, releasing with a throaty, “Shika!”

They stood for a few moments unmoving, until Neji pulled out and slid to the ground, pulling Shikamaru into his lap. They sat together there, Neji with his arms wrapped tightly around Shikamaru’s shoulders.

“That was nice.”

The soft timbre of Neji’s voice after sex always made Shikamaru’s heart melt. He laughed softly. “Yes, yes it was. A bit overdue, too, I think.”

Shikamaru moved so he straddled Neji’s legs and so they faced each other. His hands went to Neji’s shoulders and he placed a light kiss on Neji’s forehead.

“You love me?” he asked, playing with a loose strand of Neji’s hair.

Neji paused, as if to think about it before he answered, “Well, I don’t know. Is this love?”

Shikamaru bit his lip, posed with the sudden question. What was their relationship? It was something obviously beyond the physical (although the fact that Neji was good in bed was a damn good bonus), but was it love?

They had been together almost ten months, if he counted the last few weeks of absence. They had been inseparable when they were both at St. Olaf. They had fought only once or twice and never for very long. The separation had torn Shikamaru apart. He had felt like a gaping whole had been ripped in his chest that had only been completely filled again today, upon seeing Neji again.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized how lucky he was to have Neji in his life.

He broke from his reverie with a slight shake of his head. Neji was watching him intently, raising his eyebrows when Shikamaru met his eyes again.

“How long?”

Neji frowned. “Hmm?” He was slightly bothered by the fact that Shika was avoiding the subject.

“How long, till I see you again?”

Shikamaru’s face was a serious frown. Neji sighed.

“I don’t know, but--”

A voice buzzed into the room over the intercom. “Boys?” It was Shizune.

Shikamaru’s eyes widened and his hands shot to cover himself. Neji smiled, savoring the rare occurrence of color in Shikamaru’s cheeks. “Yes, Shizune?”

“Are you ready? Your time is almost up.”

“Ahh, hold on!” Shikamaru shouted, jumping to his feet and jamming his feet through the leg holes of his pants.

Neji laughed as he stood and slowly pulled on his uniform. “Just a minute, Shizune,” he called out.

“Okay. The guard will be in a moment, be ready.”

Shikamaru pulled on his shirt and pulled his hair up. He turned to see Neji already dressed in his one-piece prison suit. A knock on the door startled them both. Shizune’s head popped through the door, checking to see if the boys were decent before opening the door the full way and walking in, followed closely by the guard.

“Time’s up boys…” Shizune said, her face reluctant.

Neji turned to Shikamaru, regarding him with slightly furrowed brows. He opened his arms slightly, and Shikamaru found himself being pulled into a deep embrace. Neji gently nuzzled his hair, breathing softly.

“I’ll see you,” Neji said gently, his arms wrapping tightly around Shikamaru’s smaller frame.

No…this was all too fast…it couldn’t be over. Shikamaru felt tears prick at his eyes. “No…” he whimpered softly.

Neji shushed him. “It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”

Shikamaru pulled back slightly, his forehead resting on Neji’s. “I-I love you.”

The corners of Neji’s mouth twitched up. “I know.”

Shikamaru’s lips gently descended onto Neji’s as he tried to force the tears back. A cough from the guard broke their tender moment. A hand on Neji’s shoulder forced him back and Shikamaru’s eyes widened.

“C’mon now, Shika,” Neji reprimanded softly. “Take care of everyone back home.”

Shikamaru nodded, biting his lip fiercely in an attempt to control his raging emotions.

“Bye Shika.”

“Bye Neji…” Shikamaru said softly.

The guard led Neji out of the room by his shoulder, letting the door slam behind them. Shizune moved to Shikamaru’s side.

“Are you alright, Shikamaru?”

He nodded, smiling as tears finally spilled down his cheeks. “I’m fine.”

All he could think of on the ride back to St. Olaf was the way his heart was fluttering in his chest and how he felt light headed. He could get used to this feeling, being in love.




Whoa. Now, I have a hard time imagining which group couldn’t be happy with that chapter. Some angst, some laughs, some NejixShika loving, some SasukexNaruto almost loving. Hopefully that helps make up for the wait?

Really, though, I am sorry that it took so long, but thank you to everyone who understood. Things are looking a lot better for me now. We only have five chapters to go! And KandKL and I have set a goal for getting it completed. I’m not going to tell you all when, just in case we can’t come through, but just know that we plan to have it done fairly soon, which means regular updates for you. (yay!)

Thanks so much for the reviews! I can’t believe I’m at the point where I’m getting to many to be able to respond to all of them. But I am going to try something new and take a page from ff.net, just for the hell of it. If you want me to respond to your review, just be sure to display your email address in it. If you don’t want a response, don’t display it. I always wished AFF had that option, but alas, it does not, so we shall give this a try.

Be sure to let us know what you thought of the NejixShika bit! KandKL has worked really hard on that pairing and would love to know how it went over with you all. And I had a ton of fun writing the bathroom scene, so I hoped you all liked it.

Peace and love y’all!