From the Abstract to the Practical

Chapter = Pets, Threats, and Misunderstandings

“Hey! What the hell is going on?! And why the hell wasn’t I invited to the party?!!” Kiba’s voice exploded from out of the dark like a thunder clap. He’d seen enough to guess at Shikamaru’s plan. Of all of them, he had the best understanding of pack mentality and alpha male behavior.

“Never fails. When there’s a party, you always find it.” Shika drawled. “Where’s the other one.” It wasn’t really a question. It sounded more like a reproof.

“Didn’t know it was my day to watch your pet. If I had, I’d a taken a few more liberties.” Kiba was beginning to enjoy this game. Neji is gonna be too pissed!

“Liberties?” Shika quirked a disapproving eyebrow.

Kiba played his part. Second male, not exactly challenging, not exactly submissive. “Everyone knows how, um, generous you can be when it comes to someone watching over your pretty pet.”

“If you’ve lost Neji. I’m gonna have to hurt you.” Neji got the hint then. Shika wanted him out of the shadows. He had a role for him in all this. Wonderful! I get to be his fucking pet! Neji wasn’t normally one to swear, but this was an occasion that called for it.

Neji forced his sigh to sound petulant and stepped out of the shadows, up to Kiba’s right elbow. He looked Shikamaru straight in the eye, across the heads of their would be assailants. The path inclined as it led away from the ledge, so even Kiba could clearly see their three friends across the other group.

Neji was the prettiest of them. His classic good looks and poise really did lend him to the part of someone who might need a little looking after, in these terms anyway. Neji’s hair flowed from the deep blue headband, down his back, and spilled over his shoulders like an ebony waterfall. That; combined with his cool, creamy skin and the opaque eyes did make him look a little feminine.

Out of all the guys in their group, he was dressed the most conservatively. He wore a pair of plain light blue jeans and a simple light grey shirt that really made his eyes stand out. Shika had to hand it to Kiba for helping make this a little more believable, although to him, this was nuts.

Shikamaru did have a good reason for wanting Neji down in the thick of things. Neji was the best close fighter in the group. He could easily handle most or all of these guys by himself.

And, the wounds he’d inflict wouldn’t be recognizable as ninja attacks to a civilian doctor. Whereas, if Neji had stayed hidden, the only real attacks available to him were weapon attacks and those would be a lot easier for a regular doctor to pin point. Shika was a little worried about his acting skills though.

“Why did you stick me with him?” Neji whined appropriately and then had to clench his fists to keep from hitting Kiba hard enough to knock him unconscious. The ‘pet’ thing had been Kiba’s doing. Kiba grinned at him challengingly. The next time you ask me to spar with you, I will. Neji was already looking forward to it.

“And just where did you wander off to?” Shika looked positively evil as he raised his eyebrow questioningly. If you are enjoying this….Neji didn’t finish the thought. No even if he was and I don’t think he is. I wouldn’t do anything that cruel. Kiba put his hand on Neji’s shoulder and spoke, causing Neji to amend the thought. Except maybe to Kiba.

“You know how the new ones are. They don’t quite understand the rules yet.” Kiba’s hand slid down Neji’s back suggestively and Neji squeaked. “If your busy……I could help this one get….a better understanding…..”

Kiba turned his head so that he could grin at both Shikamaru and Neji. Oh, man. I am soo dead. He actually giggled in his head. This really was fun. There might even be some blood shed. And, he’d heard Neji squeak. Neji Hyuuga had squeaked! There is no fucking way he is ever gonna live this down!

The Alpha Male looked at Shikamaru with new found respect and a little curiosity. “Just where the hell are you guys from?”

“Like it matters.” Shika drawled. “I’m getting bored. So, how exactly do you want to play this thing?”

Naruto was getting very wound up. He tried to hold it back, but had to do something. Just standing here was killing him. His hands found his pockets and the packages inside. He toyed with the intricate knots tied in the red cord around each package.

The saleswoman had taken a lot of time to tie the thin red braided cord in intricate designs around each box. Naruto had watched in fascination. Now, he untied each knot one handed in the depths of his pockets. It was soothing to have something to concentrate on.

“Huh, we don’t plan on leaving without a little fun; but seeing that you are, what you are, maybe we could work out a trade.”

“A trade?” Shikamaru wanted to vomit. There was no way these guys were getting anything from them. He’d hoped to avoid any trouble, but that hope seemed lost. He straightened, removed his arms from his friend’s shoulders and took a step forward. “Naw. I don’t think so. Maybe, if you’d asked nice first, but ya’ didn’t.” He cocked his head to the side a little and smiled an amused smile. “No, you just thought you could walk in my house and take things. I don’t think I can let that go.”

“Naruto.” The blond stepped obediently to Shika’s side. “You know how I never let you have any fun anymore?” Naruto nodded, not sure what else to do. “Well, you pick any three you want. Any three you want to watch scream. Call it an early birthday gift.”

His eyes about bulged out of his head. “Wha-what?” He stammered.

“It’s o.k. We’re not home and I doubt if the moron cops here could ever link it back to….well, what happened. You just tell me which three.” Naruto’s flushed face was perfect. Those dolts would think it was eagerness, not shock. Shikamaru watched as Naruto turned more towards the group, supposedly picking his presents.

“What about me?” Neji really did sound petulant.

“He was my pet long before you. Wait your turn.” Shika admonished. “Kiba, you got a preference?”

“You know me. I like um big and dumb.” Shika had to smile at that. “If you don’t mind. I’ll take the big one whose been doing all the talking.”

“No.” Naruto and Shino said together. Shino stepped up to Shika’s other shoulder.

“He’s one of the three I get to have. Shino, do you want to play with me, like old times?” Naruto said with deadly sweetness. Naruto had taken his hands out of his pockets. There was a length of red cord wrapped around each fist. Where did he get that from? Shika wondered.

The big guy looked a little concerned when Naruto spoke. Then he saw the red cord and freaked. Shikamaru didn’t know what it was about the cord, but it had pushed this guy over the edge.

“Look, man. You seem to run a tight crew. I like your style. We really shouldn’t be doing this. Not when there’s soo much easier prey wandering the festival. If I’d known what you were, we could’a hunted together, ya know?! Anyway, we’ll just let you guys get on with…..whatever, and we’ll head back to town.” The big guy turned to leave. He’d forgotten about Kiba and Neji, but decided that his guys could take the second in command and the ‘pet’, if they had to, so he kept moving towards them.

Then this enormous white dog jumped out of nowhere and blocked the escape. “Whoa!! What the hell?!!!!” The whole group was really shaken now.

Shika caught up to him then. Have to seal this. He caught the beaten Alpha Male’s arms behind his back and forced him forward until his head was level with Shika’s. He leaned in and hissed in the taller man’s ear, “If you’da asked nice. I might have taught you a thing or two. But, now; if you value your life….you won’t ever fuck with me or mine again. I won’t hesitate to kill you….slowly.” And that should do the trick. I can’t wait to get home and put in a report about this village. Tourist destination, my ass! Rapist’s paradise is more like it!

“Kiba, make Akamaru let them go. I am soo fucking bored with this shit.” Shika gathered up Shino and Naruto, one under each arm. “There are soo many better things for us to be doing.”

Kiba grunted and Akamaru moved out of the way. A much less confident group moved quickly up the trail than the one that had followed Shino down it.

When they were certain the bastards were gone, Shikamaru let Shino and Naruto go, with a very sincere apology. He knew that Shino wasn’t big on physical contact. Neji hit Kiba only a third as hard as he wanted to. “Pet?!” he hissed as he kicked the downed Kiba in the ribs once, just for good measure.

Kiba was laughing the whole time. Tears streamed down his face and he couldn’t form a coherent sentence. Shino intervened. Sparing his teammate from whatever torture Kiba was pushing Neji to.

“Where are the girls?” Shika asked.

“When we realized Naruto was missing, we also realized that you hadn't really made a commitment to go with either group, when we split up. It was obvious that Naruto had run into you, so we figured, if we found one, we might find the other." Shino summed it all up, succinctly.

"Sakura and Ino are looking for the two of you in the village proper. We felt it was best for us to look outside the village, not them. Normal girls wouldn’t be wandering around out here in the dark.” He was still standing between Kiba and Neji. He was shushing Kiba and watching Neji warily.

Shika sighed, in relief. He absently fingered one of his earrings. He did that sometimes, when he was stressed. “We have to find them. If the villains around here are brave enough to try to take on the five of us like this, those two could be in a lot of trouble. Thank gods; Chouji went with Ten Ten and Hinata. Still, we need to find everyone and head back to the resort. It’s obvious; this place has a real dark side.”

“It’s almost time for all of us to meet up at that little tea shop, anyway. By the time we get back to the village, they should all be headed there.” Shino said as he indicated with his arm that Neji should start out ahead of him, even as he held Kiba back with the other arm. Neji rolled his eyes and started up the trail. Carefully watching for any possible signs of ambush.

“Brilliant plan, as always Shikamaru.” With that, Shino began pulling a still chuckling Kiba behind him. Akamaru trotted along, seeming very pleased with things.

Shika glanced at Naruto, “Well, I suppose we should follow.” He really wished they’d had more time to talk things out. Instead, they’d spent their time confusing things more.

“What about Ino?” The whisper of breath slipped past his lips, before he even realized he’d spoken. “Is this just something…until you and Ino…..ugh!” Naruto struck his thighs with his fists in frustration.

He was at the end of his emotional rope. He held the cords in this hands in a strangle hold. He didn’t look at Shika, didn’t want to see if he’d hit on something truthful.

“Ino knows I don’t want her. I told her months ago. We talked it all out.” Naruto wasn’t looking at him and they didn’t have much time. The others were waiting and they had to find the girls. “Naruto, will you sneak out of your room tonight and meet me in the trees by that fountain? I really think we need to talk this out, soon.”

The blond surprised him; he threw himself at Shika, kissing him fiercely. “Happy Birthday, Shika.” Then Naruto moved quickly up the path. It’s all I wanted for my birthday, so why do I feel so lousy? Maybe, because he was sure he’d felt tears brush his cheek just as Naruto had fled. This emotional stuff is a pain in the ass.

They made their way back to the tea shop with little trouble. Shino had suggested that they remain in character while moving through the crowds, just in case anyone was watching for a break in their ‘performance’. Shikamaru and the others had agreed.

Neji had been the least pleased. He was currently walking in front of a sauntering Shikamaru. He held a chain from Kiba’s pants in his right hand. Shikamaru held the other end in his left.

Kiba was walking on Shikamaru’s right side, pretending to be talking to him seriously. Neji knew better. Even without the Byakugan, Neji could see Kiba smirking at him out of the corner of his eye.

Maybe, if I can convince them that I am no longer angry….maybe I can convince Shino to room with one of the others…..then I would have all night to exact my revenge….it would no longer be necessary to sneak in and kidnap the sarcastic little bastard. Neji didn’t think it was possible, but entertained himself with images of what he would do to Kiba, if he could get him alone. I am not going to kill him. He told any listening spirits. No, that would be far kinder than the things running through the young Hyuuga’s mind at this point.