The Way Things Are
folder
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Shikamaru/Neji
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
32
Views:
3,446
Reviews:
777
Recommended:
2
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Naruto › Yaoi - Male/Male › Shikamaru/Neji
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
32
Views:
3,446
Reviews:
777
Recommended:
2
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 12
Onto the engagement party! Yay! lol I hope you guys will like it. And pay attention as you read! You might be able to see what the chapter up to the wedding are going to consist of. Anyone who guesses it gets a cake!
REVIEW REPLIES
charmpit: Picking Neji makes him a genius? I guess that works. XD lol I think there are a lot of people who would pay to be a fly on the wall! I would! And I'm the one writing this. XD
Drivven Labyrinth: I love making these two kiss. lol As odd as that sounds. *hands you a new bat* Seeing as I'm the one who caused you to break it...>_> I hope that this will help with your wants. ^_^
D.A. Maxwell: Oh good. Glad 3 kisses did the trick. :) As for the next chapter, you'd better figure that out on your own. *cackles* If you can. >:) And thanks! I'll attribute most of my hits to you then. XD lol
Lonelydove: That's why I had earplugs. lol I'm glad you liked it. ^_^
solitare1: Yay! So glad that you did! A double wedding? I don't know...
Syake: ^_^; Yes, breaking your keyboard=bad. Can you just see a big smile on Neji's face? Can you? O_o Spooky isn't it? ^_^
AngelicChaos: I'm so glad that you liked it. :) My hands have been revived now. lol I told you it was worth it.
PossessedMuse: At least the tears were happy ones this time. ^_^ I've had a shower scene similar to Neji's...so it was kind of painful for me too. ^_^; Kisses are a good thing. :) You'll have to read further to know what happens!
Ino-chan: See? I don't lie...often...>_> lol I'm glad that I could lift your day a little bit. ^_^
Lady1Monkey: Thank you. :) It makes me happy to know someone loves this!
Im The Dobe: They make one of the hottest couples I've ever seen! lol They just fit together. I'm really glad you liked it. ^_^
Shadowsonata: Bwahahahahaha! Another convert to Shikamaru/Neji! Yes! XD j/k There's really not going to be much conflict honestly. ^_^ I hope you'll enjoy the update!
SGOU: Did I do Shikamaru alright? I'm not a genius in any sense, so I'd like to think I did him well. >_< I'm glad you liked it! :)
Dying Dreams: I'll just have to take your word on that. hahaha Glad I'm good to go. lol And you staring is kind of creepy...O_o j/k j/k
Moya: w00t! cookie! *nomnomnom* Ack! Procrastination! Bad bad! lol I do it all the time. XD Dialogue comes with practice. You'll get it eventually if you keep trying. ^_^ Yay for the pillow wound! lol Oh there will definitely be more fun coming up. XD
SG21: Smiles are a good thing! They're easier on the face! lol They were innocent, chaste kisses. No tongue involved...yet. XD lol I think many people prefer smiles too. :)
ShikaChouFan4Life: Glad I had earplugs in. lol I told you it would be worth it! :)
Anemone: *watches you* ^_^; I'm glad you liked it. And thanks!
yaoilovergirl: I think I barely saved my ears from that. O_o lol ^_^ Thanks for the loves! :D
Zenith-Kaitou: As long as everyone is happy. ^_^
Tyra: Yay for kisses! And yes! Poor Gaara felt so neglected! :(
jess249: Yay! :D Shikamaru needs more lovings! lol So does Neji and they need more lovings together. XD lol
Akaatje: I told you it would. Hmmm...that would have been interesting to see actually. lol
superwhore: I do? Hell yeah! lol Yes, he did get 3 kisses. Neji just wanted to make sure it was real. XD
cynaga: Yay! Thanks!
pen_name: Thank you!! Yes, the engagement part actually covers 2 chapters so...^_^ Yay for that right?
Lavinia: Uh...what does "ehkä paras ikinä" mean? ^_^; I'm curious. lol I'm sorry about making your brain dysfunctional. lol Thank you.
ElfenDream: Nope you didn't need to use my tape! :D lol Yay! I'm glad that you liked it. :)
Serenity: I'm afraid that it's not going to work up like that in this story. ^_^; Sorry. I hope you'll like this chapter.
luxeflex: I'm glad that you liked it. ^_^ Yay! I hope you'll like this one too. ^_^
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Chapter 12
Nervous did even begin to describe how Neji felt as he got ready for the official engagement ceremony. Yes, Shikamaru had picked him, but it was still nerve wracking. He wasn’t sure how a relationship between two people really worked, seeing as he had never done this before. How did a couple act? What did they do together that made them different? Was it just the physical things or were there mental and emotional things too?
Shaking his head, Neji focused on finishing getting dressed. The silk helped sooth his troubled nerves and he closed his eyes as he let out a heavy sigh. Yet as calm as he might appear on the surface, his heart was threatening to break a rib. He finished with all of his formal attire before he walked into the bathroom. Grabbing his brush, he stared to go through his hair, hoping that it would work with him the way he wanted to. At least he wasn’t letting Hanabi curl it. He shuddered at the memory.
It wasn’t too long before he had arranged his hair to look elaborate, but still masculine. He stepped back into his room and let out a deep breath. The actual party would take place after the ceremony, but he was still nervous. It was so awkward to think that he was getting engaged. He supposed that it would have happened eventually, but it was still a little unsettling. He closed his eyes and sat down on his bed, making sure not to mess up his clothes.
Almost as soon as had sat down, a knock came to his door and his uncle walked in. Hiashi smiled. “I have to thank you, Neji.”
Neji gave him a confused look. “What for, uncle?”
“Because you’ve done something to sway the Nara’s mind towards you,” Hiashi stated, “I can…’arrange’ a marriage, so to speak, between Hinata and Shino now. I don’t know if you understand how much this means to me.”
Neji shook his head. “The person you should thank is Shikamaru. Besides, he already stated that intellectually I was the better choice, hasn’t he?”
Hiashi nodded. “True words. Well, let’s head to the ceremony, shall we? I can’t wait to see the young Nara’s face when he looks at you.”
Neji blushed lightly. “I do look alright then?”
“You look amazing, Neji,” Hiashi smiled. “And don’t turn that into a perverted comment.”
Neji blushed a little more. “I would never think that of you! If anything…I’d accept the comment as if…it were coming from my own parents.”
Hiashi looked touched, extremely touched. Smiling, he made his way over to his nephew and placed a hand on his shoulder, while the other rested gently against his head. “I would be proud to call you a son, Neji. I know that your father would think the same thing.”
Neji smiled. “Thank you.”
“I know that I’m not completely surrendering you to him yet, but you will tell me if he mistreats you in any way, won’t you?” Hiashi asked softly. “No matter how much you may grow to love him?”
“If it ever comes to that, yes,” Neji stated, smirking, “although I think I could more adequately deal out a punishment.”
Hiashi laughed and let his arms fall to the side. “True. Let’s go then.”
The two Hyuugas made their way to the room, Neji playing nervously with the sleeves of his outfit. Once outside of the room, Neji stopped and let Hiashi enter the room alone, waiting as was customary. He closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath before letting it out again. He pulled his face to look as stoic as possible, but not harsh. He heard Hanabi giggle and he looked in her direction. Placing his index finger by his lips, he signaled for her to be quiet. She beamed, nodding her head slightly before she turned back to look at her father.
When he was called to enter the room, Neji took a deep breath before he straightened his posture and entered the room. There were quiet murmurs from the elders of his clan, but Neji found that he was only seeking for the Nara’s attention. He had to bite back a smile that threatened to crawl onto his face and therefore ruin his appearance. Although it wasn’t outright shock, there was enough change on the Nara’s facial features to show he was surprised, in awe even.
And who could blame him? Neji was dressed head to foot in the finest deep red silk he had ever seen. Considering more often than not that Neji wore white, red was definitely a different color. It gave the Hyuuga a look of true elegance, while remaining masculine in every sense of the word. On top of that, the outfit was form fitting, letting the Nara admire Neji’s figure. Neji bowed respectfully to him and Shikamaru was lucky to have a mind that worked so quickly otherwise he would have been staring instead of returning the action.
The ceremony itself was fairly boring, but fortunately short. After it was over, much to both Neji and Shikamaru’s pleasure, Hiashi stated that there would be a few minutes before the party officially started. Until then, everyone was dismissed to do as they wished. Yoshino did not look pleased and immediately left the room, followed by her less than concerned husband. Neji’s eyes lowered to the floor and the Nara sighed as everyone else left the room.
“Neji,” the Nara said softly. “I told you not to worry about it.”
“I’m sorry,” Neji sighed, “I just…can’t help it.”
Shikamaru smirked. “Do I need to tease you again to get you out of this funk?”
Neji blushed. “No.”
Shikamaru snickered. “Why? It works so well.”
“I’d rather not be the same color as what I’m wearing, thank you,” Neji stated softly, going slightly redder.
Shikamaru pouted. “Hey, you beat me to it!”
Neji gave him a small grin. “That one was a little obvious, Nara.”
“Hey, no more of that Nara stuff,” Shikamaru said. “We’re going to be living together.”
Neji couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “You have a point. That means you can’t call me Hyuuga.”
The Nara sighed. “True, true. Hmm…guess I’ll just have to think of something else to call you?”
Neji raised an eyebrow and turned to face the other, shifting to sit on his backside instead of his knees. “What is so hard about saying my name?”
Shikamaru smirked. “Too many syllables.”
The Hyuuga looked blankly at the other. “Two syllables are too many?”
Shikamaru smiled. “What would you say if I said yes?”
“That you’re the laziest person I have ever met,” Neji sighed, shaking his head.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Shikamaru said, rolling his eyes.
Neji gave him a small smile. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Chewing momentarily on the inside of his lip, he leaned over and pressed his lips against the Nara’s cheek, pulling away slowly after several seconds. Shikamaru simply smirked and looked over at Neji, who blushed slightly and cast his eyes downward. He wasn’t used to this kind of contact and still couldn’t believe that they were now officially engaged. It was just surreal.
“Come on,” Shikamaru said softly, standing up and extending his hand towards the other.
Neji nodded his head and grabbed it, letting the other pull him up. He wasn’t expecting Shikamaru to drag him in for a kiss, but he wasn’t complaining. It was chaste, just like the ones before it had been, and Neji couldn’t help but think that he liked the way the other’s lips felt on his.
Not bothering to let go of the other’s hand, Shikamaru started to pull Neji out of the room and towards the hall where the party was being held. There was no special entrance for them. They were to simply walk in. Neji liked that idea more than one would think. Having to be announced as they walked in would feel…awkward. He was still getting used to the idea that he was engaged, which meant he was going to get married. He never would have thought that this would happen to him.
“You’ve got a look on your face that makes you look like you think you’re dreaming,” Shikamaru stated blankly, not even bothering to look at the other.
Neji let out a heavy sigh. “I…It feels surreal.”
“What does? The fact that you’re going to be spending your days with me until we’re both too old to do anything but sit around?” Shikamaru asked.
Neji snorted. “You’re already doing that.”
Shikamaru smirked and stopped outside of the door leading to the hall. “Your point?”
Neji looked curiously at the other. “I…I don’t have one?”
“You’d best amend that,” Shikamaru smiled, turning to look at the other straight in the face. “You should always have something to back up what you say.”
“Oh?” Neji asked, raising a brow. “And you do?”
“Always,” Shikamaru nodded.
“I’m afraid that I don’t have a brain that functions quite like yours.”
“That’s a good thing,” Shikamaru teased. “That way I can always get you before you get me.”
“Bastard,” Neji growled.
Shikamaru laughed. “So I’ve been told.”
Neji merely looked at the other, trying to keep his face as stoic as possible. But he couldn’t help himself when it came to the Nara. Slowly, he placed his hands around Shikamaru’s neck, and leaned in to kiss him. The Nara met him half-way, smirking smugly, and wrapped his arms around the white-eyed nin’s waist. Neji moaned softly as the other pulled him in, one of the hands moving to press against the middle of his back.
These little chaste kisses were wonderful. There was something…sweet about the Nara’s taste, and yet it was bitter at the same time. Like dark chocolate. The flavor was meant to be savored and enjoyed, letting it melt on your tongue instead of chewing it and cringing at the bitter flavor. Neji tried to get closer, tried to drown himself into the other’s hold, but found that they couldn’t be more stuck together than they already were. And yet, he felt like he needed to get closer, to gain more-
“As hot as that is, I think you two really need to head into the hall.”
Neji only pulled away when the other did, blushing as Shikamaru’s lips muttering something against his own, before he looked over, slightly annoyed. Neji’s hands slid down to rest on Shikamaru’s chest and his eyes moving to stare at the wall opposite opposite of the woman. “Ino, you are bothersome. And I don’t appreciate you saying that this is hot.”
“But it is!” Ino smirked. “Don’t you think so, Chouji?”
The Akimichi flushed a little. “I wouldn’t know. I was too busy trying to pull you back into the party.”
Ino sighed and rolled her eyes. “You’re missing out, butterfly.”
Chouji blushed even more. “I don’t enjoy the same activities that you do, piglet.”
The blonde blushed, her eyes going wide. “Ch-Chouji! You said we were to never use those names outside of the bedroom!”
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow while Neji’s blush lessened a little an amused smirk crawling onto his face. “Didn’t you just use his? And piglet?”
Ino frowned. “You even think about using this against me, Nara Shikamaru, and I swear I’ll make your life a living hell!”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Ino,” Shikamaru smirked. “After all, that’s Chouji’s name for you, not mine.”
“Hmph. I already know what you call me, but it’s the same as any other woman,” Ino huffed. “Just get in the damn room so people can congratulate you.”
“I will when I’m ready,” Shikamaru stated, turning back to the blushing Hyuuga, who was staring embarrassedly at the floor. “Besides, I don’t think Neji’s ready to go in yet either.”
Ino opened her mouth to say something, only to have Chouji’s hand clamp over it. “Ino, we’re going inside and telling everyone to wait just a little longer.” Leaving no room for an argument, Chouji pulled the blonde inside of the room and sent Shikamaru a look that clearly said ‘hurry up’.
Sighing softly, Shikamaru turn towards his blushing fiancée and smirked. “Neji, they’re gone.”
The Hyuuga frowned. “I know…I’m just not used to this is all.”
“Looks like I’ll have to make you get used to it,” Shikamaru said, his smirk growing. “After all, I plan on doing something special on our wedding night.”
Neji’s blush covered his entire face. “Sh-Shikamaru!”
The Nara chuckled and gently grabbed the Hyuuga’s neck, turning it until Neji was looking at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to break you in slowly.” With that said, he kissed the other again, his half-lidded eyes watching as Neji’s pale ones closed against his touch. He would have smirked if he hadn’t been so absorbed in making Neji calm down. He felt the Hyuuga relax against him and he couldn’t help but smile as he pulled away.
“Ready?” Shikamaru asked softly, kissing each of Neji’s lidded eyes once.
Taking a deep breath, Neji nodded, although he didn’t want to leave the heat that Shikamaru gave him. It calmed him down more than anything else. He opened his eyes just in time to see a small smile fade from the Nara’s lips before the other let go of him entirely. He slowly let the breath out before he gave the other a slow, curt nod of the head as they walked towards the door. Neji pulled on his mask once again before they entered the room, Shikamaru smirking before his normal bored expression covered his own face.
Neji wasn’t surprised when Lee was the first person to come up to him, beaming as if the greatest thing in the world had happened to him. He didn’t shake the Hyuuga’s hand. Instead he pulled him into a large hug, while Gaara shook his head, reaching forward to shake the Nara’s hand. Neji grinned at his friend’s antics, and tried his best to pat Lee on the back, despite how awkward it felt. When the taijutsu master stepped back, crying manly tears, Neji simply chuckled and reached out to shake Gaara’s hand when Shikamaru was pulled into one of those bone-crushing hugs.
“Ah, the youthfulness and love is completely overwhelming!”
Neji closed his eyes and held back a groan when he heard his former sensei’s booming voice. He smiled politely at the other man as he was pulled into a tight, suffocating hold. He grimaced against Gai’s green suit, but said nothing more as the man let him go. “And to think how much time has passed since I started training you in the ways of your youth!”
“Yes, Gai-sensei,” Neji stated. “It has been awhile.” He looked over at the Nara with a ‘please, kill me know’ look when Gai started to run off on a tangent, effectively cutting off anyone who might have possibly wanted to come talk with the newly engaged fiancées. Shikamaru actually gave Neji a sympathetic look, but didn’t walk away. Neji was glad, even though he was sure that the Nara had never fully endured one of Gai’s speeches.
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The next chapter will be a continuation of the party, so no worries. ^_^ Can ANYONE guess what the 'theme' of the following chapters will be? huh? Huh? XD
Review me and try and guess!
REVIEW REPLIES
charmpit: Picking Neji makes him a genius? I guess that works. XD lol I think there are a lot of people who would pay to be a fly on the wall! I would! And I'm the one writing this. XD
Drivven Labyrinth: I love making these two kiss. lol As odd as that sounds. *hands you a new bat* Seeing as I'm the one who caused you to break it...>_> I hope that this will help with your wants. ^_^
D.A. Maxwell: Oh good. Glad 3 kisses did the trick. :) As for the next chapter, you'd better figure that out on your own. *cackles* If you can. >:) And thanks! I'll attribute most of my hits to you then. XD lol
Lonelydove: That's why I had earplugs. lol I'm glad you liked it. ^_^
solitare1: Yay! So glad that you did! A double wedding? I don't know...
Syake: ^_^; Yes, breaking your keyboard=bad. Can you just see a big smile on Neji's face? Can you? O_o Spooky isn't it? ^_^
AngelicChaos: I'm so glad that you liked it. :) My hands have been revived now. lol I told you it was worth it.
PossessedMuse: At least the tears were happy ones this time. ^_^ I've had a shower scene similar to Neji's...so it was kind of painful for me too. ^_^; Kisses are a good thing. :) You'll have to read further to know what happens!
Ino-chan: See? I don't lie...often...>_> lol I'm glad that I could lift your day a little bit. ^_^
Lady1Monkey: Thank you. :) It makes me happy to know someone loves this!
Im The Dobe: They make one of the hottest couples I've ever seen! lol They just fit together. I'm really glad you liked it. ^_^
Shadowsonata: Bwahahahahaha! Another convert to Shikamaru/Neji! Yes! XD j/k There's really not going to be much conflict honestly. ^_^ I hope you'll enjoy the update!
SGOU: Did I do Shikamaru alright? I'm not a genius in any sense, so I'd like to think I did him well. >_< I'm glad you liked it! :)
Dying Dreams: I'll just have to take your word on that. hahaha Glad I'm good to go. lol And you staring is kind of creepy...O_o j/k j/k
Moya: w00t! cookie! *nomnomnom* Ack! Procrastination! Bad bad! lol I do it all the time. XD Dialogue comes with practice. You'll get it eventually if you keep trying. ^_^ Yay for the pillow wound! lol Oh there will definitely be more fun coming up. XD
SG21: Smiles are a good thing! They're easier on the face! lol They were innocent, chaste kisses. No tongue involved...yet. XD lol I think many people prefer smiles too. :)
ShikaChouFan4Life: Glad I had earplugs in. lol I told you it would be worth it! :)
Anemone: *watches you* ^_^; I'm glad you liked it. And thanks!
yaoilovergirl: I think I barely saved my ears from that. O_o lol ^_^ Thanks for the loves! :D
Zenith-Kaitou: As long as everyone is happy. ^_^
Tyra: Yay for kisses! And yes! Poor Gaara felt so neglected! :(
jess249: Yay! :D Shikamaru needs more lovings! lol So does Neji and they need more lovings together. XD lol
Akaatje: I told you it would. Hmmm...that would have been interesting to see actually. lol
superwhore: I do? Hell yeah! lol Yes, he did get 3 kisses. Neji just wanted to make sure it was real. XD
cynaga: Yay! Thanks!
pen_name: Thank you!! Yes, the engagement part actually covers 2 chapters so...^_^ Yay for that right?
Lavinia: Uh...what does "ehkä paras ikinä" mean? ^_^; I'm curious. lol I'm sorry about making your brain dysfunctional. lol Thank you.
ElfenDream: Nope you didn't need to use my tape! :D lol Yay! I'm glad that you liked it. :)
Serenity: I'm afraid that it's not going to work up like that in this story. ^_^; Sorry. I hope you'll like this chapter.
luxeflex: I'm glad that you liked it. ^_^ Yay! I hope you'll like this one too. ^_^
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Chapter 12
Nervous did even begin to describe how Neji felt as he got ready for the official engagement ceremony. Yes, Shikamaru had picked him, but it was still nerve wracking. He wasn’t sure how a relationship between two people really worked, seeing as he had never done this before. How did a couple act? What did they do together that made them different? Was it just the physical things or were there mental and emotional things too?
Shaking his head, Neji focused on finishing getting dressed. The silk helped sooth his troubled nerves and he closed his eyes as he let out a heavy sigh. Yet as calm as he might appear on the surface, his heart was threatening to break a rib. He finished with all of his formal attire before he walked into the bathroom. Grabbing his brush, he stared to go through his hair, hoping that it would work with him the way he wanted to. At least he wasn’t letting Hanabi curl it. He shuddered at the memory.
It wasn’t too long before he had arranged his hair to look elaborate, but still masculine. He stepped back into his room and let out a deep breath. The actual party would take place after the ceremony, but he was still nervous. It was so awkward to think that he was getting engaged. He supposed that it would have happened eventually, but it was still a little unsettling. He closed his eyes and sat down on his bed, making sure not to mess up his clothes.
Almost as soon as had sat down, a knock came to his door and his uncle walked in. Hiashi smiled. “I have to thank you, Neji.”
Neji gave him a confused look. “What for, uncle?”
“Because you’ve done something to sway the Nara’s mind towards you,” Hiashi stated, “I can…’arrange’ a marriage, so to speak, between Hinata and Shino now. I don’t know if you understand how much this means to me.”
Neji shook his head. “The person you should thank is Shikamaru. Besides, he already stated that intellectually I was the better choice, hasn’t he?”
Hiashi nodded. “True words. Well, let’s head to the ceremony, shall we? I can’t wait to see the young Nara’s face when he looks at you.”
Neji blushed lightly. “I do look alright then?”
“You look amazing, Neji,” Hiashi smiled. “And don’t turn that into a perverted comment.”
Neji blushed a little more. “I would never think that of you! If anything…I’d accept the comment as if…it were coming from my own parents.”
Hiashi looked touched, extremely touched. Smiling, he made his way over to his nephew and placed a hand on his shoulder, while the other rested gently against his head. “I would be proud to call you a son, Neji. I know that your father would think the same thing.”
Neji smiled. “Thank you.”
“I know that I’m not completely surrendering you to him yet, but you will tell me if he mistreats you in any way, won’t you?” Hiashi asked softly. “No matter how much you may grow to love him?”
“If it ever comes to that, yes,” Neji stated, smirking, “although I think I could more adequately deal out a punishment.”
Hiashi laughed and let his arms fall to the side. “True. Let’s go then.”
The two Hyuugas made their way to the room, Neji playing nervously with the sleeves of his outfit. Once outside of the room, Neji stopped and let Hiashi enter the room alone, waiting as was customary. He closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath before letting it out again. He pulled his face to look as stoic as possible, but not harsh. He heard Hanabi giggle and he looked in her direction. Placing his index finger by his lips, he signaled for her to be quiet. She beamed, nodding her head slightly before she turned back to look at her father.
When he was called to enter the room, Neji took a deep breath before he straightened his posture and entered the room. There were quiet murmurs from the elders of his clan, but Neji found that he was only seeking for the Nara’s attention. He had to bite back a smile that threatened to crawl onto his face and therefore ruin his appearance. Although it wasn’t outright shock, there was enough change on the Nara’s facial features to show he was surprised, in awe even.
And who could blame him? Neji was dressed head to foot in the finest deep red silk he had ever seen. Considering more often than not that Neji wore white, red was definitely a different color. It gave the Hyuuga a look of true elegance, while remaining masculine in every sense of the word. On top of that, the outfit was form fitting, letting the Nara admire Neji’s figure. Neji bowed respectfully to him and Shikamaru was lucky to have a mind that worked so quickly otherwise he would have been staring instead of returning the action.
The ceremony itself was fairly boring, but fortunately short. After it was over, much to both Neji and Shikamaru’s pleasure, Hiashi stated that there would be a few minutes before the party officially started. Until then, everyone was dismissed to do as they wished. Yoshino did not look pleased and immediately left the room, followed by her less than concerned husband. Neji’s eyes lowered to the floor and the Nara sighed as everyone else left the room.
“Neji,” the Nara said softly. “I told you not to worry about it.”
“I’m sorry,” Neji sighed, “I just…can’t help it.”
Shikamaru smirked. “Do I need to tease you again to get you out of this funk?”
Neji blushed. “No.”
Shikamaru snickered. “Why? It works so well.”
“I’d rather not be the same color as what I’m wearing, thank you,” Neji stated softly, going slightly redder.
Shikamaru pouted. “Hey, you beat me to it!”
Neji gave him a small grin. “That one was a little obvious, Nara.”
“Hey, no more of that Nara stuff,” Shikamaru said. “We’re going to be living together.”
Neji couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “You have a point. That means you can’t call me Hyuuga.”
The Nara sighed. “True, true. Hmm…guess I’ll just have to think of something else to call you?”
Neji raised an eyebrow and turned to face the other, shifting to sit on his backside instead of his knees. “What is so hard about saying my name?”
Shikamaru smirked. “Too many syllables.”
The Hyuuga looked blankly at the other. “Two syllables are too many?”
Shikamaru smiled. “What would you say if I said yes?”
“That you’re the laziest person I have ever met,” Neji sighed, shaking his head.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Shikamaru said, rolling his eyes.
Neji gave him a small smile. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Chewing momentarily on the inside of his lip, he leaned over and pressed his lips against the Nara’s cheek, pulling away slowly after several seconds. Shikamaru simply smirked and looked over at Neji, who blushed slightly and cast his eyes downward. He wasn’t used to this kind of contact and still couldn’t believe that they were now officially engaged. It was just surreal.
“Come on,” Shikamaru said softly, standing up and extending his hand towards the other.
Neji nodded his head and grabbed it, letting the other pull him up. He wasn’t expecting Shikamaru to drag him in for a kiss, but he wasn’t complaining. It was chaste, just like the ones before it had been, and Neji couldn’t help but think that he liked the way the other’s lips felt on his.
Not bothering to let go of the other’s hand, Shikamaru started to pull Neji out of the room and towards the hall where the party was being held. There was no special entrance for them. They were to simply walk in. Neji liked that idea more than one would think. Having to be announced as they walked in would feel…awkward. He was still getting used to the idea that he was engaged, which meant he was going to get married. He never would have thought that this would happen to him.
“You’ve got a look on your face that makes you look like you think you’re dreaming,” Shikamaru stated blankly, not even bothering to look at the other.
Neji let out a heavy sigh. “I…It feels surreal.”
“What does? The fact that you’re going to be spending your days with me until we’re both too old to do anything but sit around?” Shikamaru asked.
Neji snorted. “You’re already doing that.”
Shikamaru smirked and stopped outside of the door leading to the hall. “Your point?”
Neji looked curiously at the other. “I…I don’t have one?”
“You’d best amend that,” Shikamaru smiled, turning to look at the other straight in the face. “You should always have something to back up what you say.”
“Oh?” Neji asked, raising a brow. “And you do?”
“Always,” Shikamaru nodded.
“I’m afraid that I don’t have a brain that functions quite like yours.”
“That’s a good thing,” Shikamaru teased. “That way I can always get you before you get me.”
“Bastard,” Neji growled.
Shikamaru laughed. “So I’ve been told.”
Neji merely looked at the other, trying to keep his face as stoic as possible. But he couldn’t help himself when it came to the Nara. Slowly, he placed his hands around Shikamaru’s neck, and leaned in to kiss him. The Nara met him half-way, smirking smugly, and wrapped his arms around the white-eyed nin’s waist. Neji moaned softly as the other pulled him in, one of the hands moving to press against the middle of his back.
These little chaste kisses were wonderful. There was something…sweet about the Nara’s taste, and yet it was bitter at the same time. Like dark chocolate. The flavor was meant to be savored and enjoyed, letting it melt on your tongue instead of chewing it and cringing at the bitter flavor. Neji tried to get closer, tried to drown himself into the other’s hold, but found that they couldn’t be more stuck together than they already were. And yet, he felt like he needed to get closer, to gain more-
“As hot as that is, I think you two really need to head into the hall.”
Neji only pulled away when the other did, blushing as Shikamaru’s lips muttering something against his own, before he looked over, slightly annoyed. Neji’s hands slid down to rest on Shikamaru’s chest and his eyes moving to stare at the wall opposite opposite of the woman. “Ino, you are bothersome. And I don’t appreciate you saying that this is hot.”
“But it is!” Ino smirked. “Don’t you think so, Chouji?”
The Akimichi flushed a little. “I wouldn’t know. I was too busy trying to pull you back into the party.”
Ino sighed and rolled her eyes. “You’re missing out, butterfly.”
Chouji blushed even more. “I don’t enjoy the same activities that you do, piglet.”
The blonde blushed, her eyes going wide. “Ch-Chouji! You said we were to never use those names outside of the bedroom!”
Shikamaru raised an eyebrow while Neji’s blush lessened a little an amused smirk crawling onto his face. “Didn’t you just use his? And piglet?”
Ino frowned. “You even think about using this against me, Nara Shikamaru, and I swear I’ll make your life a living hell!”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Ino,” Shikamaru smirked. “After all, that’s Chouji’s name for you, not mine.”
“Hmph. I already know what you call me, but it’s the same as any other woman,” Ino huffed. “Just get in the damn room so people can congratulate you.”
“I will when I’m ready,” Shikamaru stated, turning back to the blushing Hyuuga, who was staring embarrassedly at the floor. “Besides, I don’t think Neji’s ready to go in yet either.”
Ino opened her mouth to say something, only to have Chouji’s hand clamp over it. “Ino, we’re going inside and telling everyone to wait just a little longer.” Leaving no room for an argument, Chouji pulled the blonde inside of the room and sent Shikamaru a look that clearly said ‘hurry up’.
Sighing softly, Shikamaru turn towards his blushing fiancée and smirked. “Neji, they’re gone.”
The Hyuuga frowned. “I know…I’m just not used to this is all.”
“Looks like I’ll have to make you get used to it,” Shikamaru said, his smirk growing. “After all, I plan on doing something special on our wedding night.”
Neji’s blush covered his entire face. “Sh-Shikamaru!”
The Nara chuckled and gently grabbed the Hyuuga’s neck, turning it until Neji was looking at him. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to break you in slowly.” With that said, he kissed the other again, his half-lidded eyes watching as Neji’s pale ones closed against his touch. He would have smirked if he hadn’t been so absorbed in making Neji calm down. He felt the Hyuuga relax against him and he couldn’t help but smile as he pulled away.
“Ready?” Shikamaru asked softly, kissing each of Neji’s lidded eyes once.
Taking a deep breath, Neji nodded, although he didn’t want to leave the heat that Shikamaru gave him. It calmed him down more than anything else. He opened his eyes just in time to see a small smile fade from the Nara’s lips before the other let go of him entirely. He slowly let the breath out before he gave the other a slow, curt nod of the head as they walked towards the door. Neji pulled on his mask once again before they entered the room, Shikamaru smirking before his normal bored expression covered his own face.
Neji wasn’t surprised when Lee was the first person to come up to him, beaming as if the greatest thing in the world had happened to him. He didn’t shake the Hyuuga’s hand. Instead he pulled him into a large hug, while Gaara shook his head, reaching forward to shake the Nara’s hand. Neji grinned at his friend’s antics, and tried his best to pat Lee on the back, despite how awkward it felt. When the taijutsu master stepped back, crying manly tears, Neji simply chuckled and reached out to shake Gaara’s hand when Shikamaru was pulled into one of those bone-crushing hugs.
“Ah, the youthfulness and love is completely overwhelming!”
Neji closed his eyes and held back a groan when he heard his former sensei’s booming voice. He smiled politely at the other man as he was pulled into a tight, suffocating hold. He grimaced against Gai’s green suit, but said nothing more as the man let him go. “And to think how much time has passed since I started training you in the ways of your youth!”
“Yes, Gai-sensei,” Neji stated. “It has been awhile.” He looked over at the Nara with a ‘please, kill me know’ look when Gai started to run off on a tangent, effectively cutting off anyone who might have possibly wanted to come talk with the newly engaged fiancées. Shikamaru actually gave Neji a sympathetic look, but didn’t walk away. Neji was glad, even though he was sure that the Nara had never fully endured one of Gai’s speeches.
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The next chapter will be a continuation of the party, so no worries. ^_^ Can ANYONE guess what the 'theme' of the following chapters will be? huh? Huh? XD
Review me and try and guess!